2013 Most Influential Women Honoree: LaRaine Bauer

Though her positions have changed through the years, the commitment of educator LaRaine Bauer to give students a leg up has never wavered.

Bauer, a former guidance counselor at Springfield’s Pipkin and Cherokee middle schools and Glendale High School, is most proud of her recent work at Ozarks Technical Community College. For six years, she served as the director of the school’s Middle College, before taking the position of dean of special academic programs in May.

“Having a contemporary high school model located on a community college campus as an inspirational option for students who are struggling in school engagement, traditional high school, or limited by their circumstances is an amazing benefit to our community,” Bauer says. “I have seen many lives turned around by our program when hope was limited, and that is priceless.”

The OTC Middle College, which helps students finish high school, start college early and prepare for a more successful post-secondary transition or entry into the workplace, graduated more than 140 students under Bauer’s guidance.

“There is rarely a week that goes by that I do not run into one of my former students from Middle College or they come by the office to see us,” Bauer says. “While all students are welcome to apply, we designed this program to support our neediest youth to get on track with their lives and pursue post-secondary training to help them attain family-sustaining careers in a field of their choice.”

Bauer, who holds a doctorate in philosophy from Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Missouri State University, has held a number of leadership positions beyond the classroom.

“In 2012, I was asked to join the state board for Great Circle, an umbrella organization for Boys & Girls Town of Springfield and similar sites for children across Missouri. Recently, I accepted the position of education chair for the United Way 2013 campaign, and I am excited to support this great cause because they support so many of the programs our students benefit from each year,” she says.

Morey Mechlin, executive director of Care to Learn – a nonprofit that works closely with Springfield Public Schools – says she met Bauer while Bauer was still a counselor for the district, describing her as a stellar advocate for children.

“Bauer understands investing in our children will make a difference not only in their lives, but also in the future of our community,” Mechlin says. “She does this by building relationships with individuals and organizations and quietly taking action to make a difference.”