Garden City Community College
GARDEN CITY – Garden City Community College (GCCC) is proud to announce the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with three fellow Western Kansas institutions: Colby Community College (CCC), Dodge City Community College (DCCC) and Seward County Community College (SCCC).
The agreement was officially signed on Friday on GCCC’s campus, marking a historic moment for regional collaboration in higher education.
The Western Kansas Consortium MOA strengthens partnerships among the four colleges and creates new opportunities to expand educational access, support workforce development, and maximize resources for students and communities across Western Kansas and the state.
For more than a century, the community colleges of Western Kansas have each played a vital role in serving students and supporting local communities.
Together, GCCC (106 years), DCCC (90 years), CCC (61 years), and SCCC (58 years) bring a combined legacy of dedication to accessible, high-quality education. The agreement reflects a shared belief that these institutions can better serve students and communities when they work together rather than independently.
The MOA establishes a framework for the four colleges to explore collaborative opportunities when appropriate and feasible. Areas for potential partnership include sharing faculty and institutional resources, coordinating purchasing efforts, sharing academic programs and specialized equipment, and developing additional creative initiatives that benefit all institutions and the region.
GCCC President Dr. Ryan Ruda emphasized the transformative potential of the agreement, saying, “Today marks a bold step forward for Western Kansas. By signing this collaborative agreement, our four institutions are demonstrating the power of partnership and a shared commitment to strengthening education and workforce development across the region. This initiative reflects a forward-thinking approach that embraces creative collaboration, cost-sharing, and resource optimization to better serve students and communities.”
He added that collaboration is already underway: “We are already seeing the impact, with SCCC’s CDL program now offered at Garden City and GCCC’s Registered Medical Assistant program expanding into Liberal. These examples reflect the innovative spirit behind this agreement. Western Kansas community colleges are united in the belief that we can accomplish more together. This partnership shows our region, state, and nation that collaboration is not only possible, but essential for the future of higher education.”
The fellow community college presidents echoed the excitement and affirmed their shared commitment to collaboration:
“SCCC is excited to work with our western Kansas schools to continue to develop our partnerships and become more efficient for our taxpayers,” shared Brad Bennett, SCCC President.
“Colby Community College is excited about this partnership. Our institutions remain committed to supporting the growth of Western Kansas and meeting the needs of the state as a whole,” shared Dr. Seth Carter, CCC President.
“I see this new agreement as a win-win for everyone. It not only allows our four colleges to be more prudent with our resources and spending, but it also helps us provide stronger educational opportunities for our entire region. We are definitely stronger together,” shared Dr. Harold Nolte, DCCC President.
By strengthening relationships and building new pathways to share expertise, infrastructure, and programming, the four colleges aim to enhance the long-term vitality of Western Kansas.
The agreement positions the region as a leader in collaborative, efficient approaches to serving students and supporting local industries.
