SAINTS PERSPECTIVE, SCCC President Brad Bennett
Gratitude is something that’s impossible to overdo. As we approach Thanksgiving, here’s a list of things I am thankful for as I look around the Seward County Community College campus.
• I am thankful for the founders who established our college more than 50 years ago, with the goal of strengthening the local community and providing opportunities for residents.
• I am thankful for technology that has expanded our reach in so many ways. With the launch of Saints Anywhere online platform, our students are not limited by where they live or what their work and family schedules require.
• I am thankful for the students who continue to choose SCCC as their starting point for a life of achievements. Whether they begin with concurrent classes during high school, after graduation, or as a fresh reset as a nontraditional student, they show great faith in education, in our ability to teach, and in themselves.
• I am thankful for Seward Green paint, which has helped us refresh the look and feel of our campus.
• I am thankful for my wife and daughters, who have seen and applied more Seward Green paint than anyone except me. Family time is sometimes “do work at the college time,” and I am grateful they are willing to come along.
• I am thankful for local churches and organizations that have contributed so much to the college and to our students. On Thanksgiving Day, many of our students who are unable to travel home for the holiday will be enjoying a feast prepared with love by members of First Southern Baptist Church; others will be hosted in family homes for the day. It’s great to be part of a community that is filled with generosity and kindness.
• I am thankful for the work ethic that is so evident among our SCCC employees. It’s not unusual to see cars in the parking lot long after the end of business hours, and more than one person has been known to log hours on the weekend. Whether it’s keeping our facilities clean and safe, teaching students, or catching up on paperwork, I appreciate everything our team does.
• I am thankful to live in Kansas, where community colleges are individually funded by our local taxpayers, rather than being part of a statewide system. Because we rely on our neighbors and community members for support, we are accountable to you. We are necessarily interested in what you want from your local college. This is the best way to keep the college and the community in alignment, and mutually beneficial.
• I am thankful for modern medicine and all the ways it enhances our lives. A year ago, I took a little trip to the ICU for a mosquito-borne illness. In another time and another place, I might not have survived, but a year later, it’s hard to believe I was ever sick. It was surprising and comforting to meet so many of our graduates as a patient in the hospital. I’m proud that at SCCC, we are educating future health care professionals, future scientists and researchers.
• I am thankful for big dreams and tenacity. When we share a vision for what is possible, there’s something special that happens. Possibilities become more probable. That is what has happened over the past year, as the SCCC Board of Trustees began with a simple idea — expand our truck-driving program — that eventually resulted in purchase of a large, unused building in the heart of Liberal. We embraced the possibilities and worked together, and it’s amazing to see what is becoming reality.
• I’m thankful for time and the way it heals all wounds. Four years ago, we were at the beginning of what turned into a global pandemic. It’s great to see that in the rear-view mirror and know we made it through.
• I am thankful for each person who is reading this list. Whatever we do for a living, or whoever is part of our everyday lives, it is easy to go into silos. In the world of higher education, we often talk about the danger of silo-ing, where departments or programs are so isolated and in their own little world, they stop working as a team. One of the most powerful ways to prevent silos is to communicate. I am thankful you take the time to read this column. I am always glad to hear from you as well.
On Thanksgiving, and every day, it is worthwhile to pause and reflect about what we each have to thankful for. I hope your holiday is full of good things, and good times with family and friends.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR — Brad Bennett loves coming to work every day as President of Seward County Community College, but he’s planning to take some time off this year to spend time with family. Reach him at
