PRESS RELEASE

DECEMBER 19, 2011

Heartland Educational Institute and Tarkio College Alumni Association jointly announce the signing of a lease for Rankin Hall on the grounds of the former Tarkio College. The Alumni Association will lease Rankin Hall beginning January 1, 2012. The lease is a ten year lease with extension options.

The Alumni Association has developed plans to restore Rankin Hall and will move their museum into the north wing of the main floor as soon as feasible. The remainder of the building will be used by the new Tarkio College, which was formed by the Alumni Association after the name was released by the Missouri Secretary of State. The recently formed Tarkio College is not legally connected to the former Tarkio College, rather it is a new non-profit entity. Rankin Hall will be used by Tarkio College as a site for continuing educational seminars and as the nerve center for their proposed on-line continuing educational programs and webinars. Joe Farley, President of the Alumni Association, expressed his gratitude to the board of Heartland Educational Institute noting that, "Over 20 years have passed since the closing of the former Tarkio College. The Alumni Association and Heartland never lost faith or hope that some form of education would return to the campus". President Farley went on to thank the local community and alumni who turned out during the summer to help clean the building and get the landscaping under control. "We have more to do and we know we can count on our great alumni and the fine folks of Atchison County", Farley stated.

Linda Brunk Smith, elected President of the Board for Tarkio College, is excited about the opportunities the new entity will present to citizens of Atchison County. "The in-house seminars will draw professionals from around the region in search of continuing education credits needed to maintain licensure or certification. It is our sincere hope that the visitors will take the opportunity to utilize local businesses and give the area an economic boost". Ms. Smith also expressed optimism about the pending move for the museum, "having the history of Tarkio College exhibited in Rankin Hall, the focal point of Tarkio College, is encouraging and proper."

Robert Hughes, the first President of the newly formed Tarkio College, stated that "the mission of the new college is not to provide academic credits, rather it is designed to be a resource for professionals throughout the region and across the county, to advance their careers and to maintain their high level of skill and knowledge through a process of continuing education." Tarkio College's sole focus will be on continuing education. Hughes added that many alumni and former professors have come forward offering to teach continuing education classes, to which he added, "the fire of Tarkio College never dies".