In honor of North Central Missouri College’s centennial, NCMC will spotlight 100 inspiring stories throughout the academic year. These narratives will showcase the voices and journeys of our alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors, and the communities that have shaped TJC/NCMC’s legacy. Each story is a tribute to the people throughout history who make NCMC extraordinary.
Diane Lowrey
I moved to Trenton in 1978 to work at the Trenton Republican-Times and one of my assigned duties was to cover school board meetings, including the meeting of the Trenton Junior College Board of Trustees. At the time, TJC was part of the Trenton R-9 School District, so the R-9 Board also served as the college’s board. As a result, both meetings were held on the same night. Meetings never began before 7 pm, with the board taking care of R-9 business before moving to the college agenda. As a result, it wasn’t unusual for the combined meetings to last until 11:30 or midnight (they later moved the meeting start times to 5:30).
Reporting the board news for the newspaper allowed me the chance to see many changes at the college over the years – the biggest of course being the separation of TJC from the R-9 School District. I can remember many late-night meetings where the board – led by long-time board member/president and good friend Frank Hoffman – spent hours discussing and making decisions that eventually allowed TJC to be its own entity. There were worries about how the separation would affect the college financially and discussions as to whether or not we were ready for the institutional growth that was anticipated, both in the student enrollment numbers and the personnel that would be needed. Once the decision and approved by voters in 1986, the challenges began. There were certainly a lot of growing pains in the beginning, including what the college would be called as many individuals believed Trenton should be included in the name. It eventually was decided that a name that better reflected the area being served by TJC would be best and thus North Central Missouri College was born.
The first board included Frank Hoffman, Stan Lowrey, Mark Whitaker, Russell Joiner, Betty Frances Hall and Scott Forman, all of whom spent many years on the board to help with the transition and growth of the college and help make it what it is today. My coverage of the board meetings over the years led to my understanding of just how important TJC/NCMC was to the community and in 1998 I made the decision to run for the board. At the time I joined the board, the Ketcham Community Center was just being finished and we had opened our first two dorms for students. Since that time, we have added Cross Hall, two new dorms, and the Russell Derry Practice Facility, renovated Geyer Hall, and opened the Dr. Neil and Susanne Nuttall Student Center – a facility that has been a dream of college boards since long before I became a member and is now a reality.
TJC/NCMC has been fortunate to have great leadership over the years – beginning with Dr. Donald Gatzke and including Dr. Jim Selby, Dr. Walter Nolte, Dr. Neil Nuttall and now Dr. Lenny Klaver. I’ve always said the board of trustees – which itself has included so many individuals who understood the importance of the college to our community and its service area – has been able to find the leader we needed at just the right time, which has helped TJC/NCMC grow become a great educational institution. I feel blessed and honored to be a part of these efforts and believe that this is only beginning. Congratulations TJC/NCMC on the first 100 years and thank you for having me along for the ride as we head into the next 100.
The centennial celebration will continue throughout the academic year, and NCMC invites alumni, students, faculty, staff, and our communities to be part of the story. We would love to hear your story about Trenton Junior College/North Central Missouri College. Visit the Centennial Website to submit your own story, memory, or reflection. Whether you walked the halls decades ago or are just beginning your journey, your story is a vital thread in the college’s tapestry, and we want to hear it.
Visit the Centennial Website to explore Trenton Junior College/North Central Missouri College stories, rich history, and discover upcoming events.
Photo: Diane Lowrey