BRTC Celebrates 50 years with Reception and Board of Trustees Meeting

BRTC Presidents (L to R) Richard Gaines, Dr. Eric Turner, Dr. Jan Ziegler, and Dr. Martin Eggensperger

Black River Technical College (BRTC) celebrated its 50^th Anniversary Thursday with a drop-in reception and a Board of Trustees meeting.

The reception opened at 2:00 p.m. and the public poured inside immediately. People from all walks of life came together to celebrate a historic moment in the history of BRTC. People mingled until three when the Board of Trustees meeting was called to order.

BRTC President Dr, Martin Eggensperger opened the meeting by reporting on the 50 years of BRTC.

“It began in 1973 with 38 students in six programs,” said Eggensperger. “We currently have 1,600 credit-bearing students each semester and have given out more than 18,000 degrees and served thousands of non-credit students over 50 years.”

Harold Forehand of Walnut Ridge, one of the first BRTC students, was also on hand with his original homework.

Eggensperger closed by vowing to “stay true to our mission of transforming lives and enhancing the community.”

The board then approved four agenda items:

• Deletion of web design program
• Audit reviewed and approved
• Updates to policies and procedures
• Approved the GIN as an additional educational site