Tarkio College Alumni Association Chairman Wayne Gelston signs the transfer agreement.

The Missouri Department of Higher Education has given their initial response to Tarkio College’s revised application for certification. The primary concerns contained in this communication center on items related to the shift from a traditional liberal arts curriculum to the career and technical tracks that the college will be taking. At this writing, the administrative team is finalizing responses to these items and plan to present these modifications to the Board of Directors during their March meeting. If all the concerns are addressed to their satisfaction, it is hoped to get final approval from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and move forward in recruiting the first classes.

In a historic move, the Tarkio College Alumni Association has transferred ownership of the former College campus back to Tarkio College as of March 6, 2019.  The agreement provides a permanent home for the Alumni Association and the museum in Rankin Hall while expanding opportunities for repairs on this local landmark as the college moves toward re-opening for technical classes.

Seeking to repair the many vacated buildings, TC administrators are applying for grants through organizations such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Economic Development. These funds are targeted toward educational organizations to encourage training opportunities and economic development in high need areas such as Northwest Missouri.

The agreement to transfer the campus property is the result of much hard work involving the Tarkio College Alumni Association Board, the Tarkio College Board of Directors and the National Advisory Board.  Special thanks go to TCAA Board chair Wayne Gelston and TC Board chair Don Jagger.

During Alumni Weekend last June, the Tarkio College Board, on the recommendation of the National Advisory Board, kicked off the Founders Fund with a goal of $250,000. The purpose of the campaign was to raise enough money to complete the certification process and provide funds needed to re-open the school.

Founders Fund chairman Roger Hawkins encouraged all interested parties to give whatever they could, but challenged donors to set a goal of pledging $3,000 to be paid by March of 2019. For those pledging $5,000 or more, their donation was placed in an escrow account. Once the State of Missouri provided certification, the escrow funds would be transferred to the operating budget. In the event the certification was denied, the escrow funds would be returned to the donor. In addition, non-restricted gifts of $5,000 or more are entitled to a framed copy of “Tarkio Sunrise” by Lonnie Nixon.

Tarkio College is excited to announce that as of February 25, it has received over $270,000 in Founders Fund pledges with 81% of those pledges paid in full. This is a tremendous accomplishment. But there are still some major needed repairs in Thompson Learning Center and the college will continue pushing toward a goal of $500,000 to have the building fully available as the programs are expanded.

Warranty Solutions, a nationwide vehicle service insurer who works through automobile dealerships, has donated over $20,000 in high quality office furniture to Tarkio College. The company has recently moved their home office from Lakewood, Colorado, to Bedford, Texas. Tarkio College Board Chairman Don Jagger and Interim President Johnnie Davis flew out to Colorado on February 8 and loaded the furniture into a 26-foot U-Haul truck, returning to the campus on Sunday, February 10. Volunteers, including members of the local steering committee, high school students, and local citizens, unloaded the equipment into Thompson Learning Center. This furniture will fully equip all of the administrative offices in Thompson Learning Center.