Opinion

SAINTS PERSPECTIVE, SCCC President Brad Bennett

Over the past month, I’ve seen more of the highway between the state capitol in Topeka and home than I would prefer. One of my favorite things about being the president of Seward County Community College is the opportunity to connect with students. Showing up to campus events and ceremonies like the recent honor society induction is important and far more than a duty. It’s exciting to see our students succeed.

This spring, that hasn’t always been possible.

As the Kansas Legislature works its way through the session, many bills and initiatives up for discussion have the potential to directly affect SCCC. It’s important that I be at the table to advocate for the college. The past week, that meant I missed out on a few of our student events.

Even so, I want to shine a spotlight on Phi Theta Kappa — the honor society for two-year colleges — and how much our campus chapter, Chi Alpha, has grown during this academic year. Club sponsors Norma Jean Dodge, director of SCCC Business & Industry, and public speaking instructor Amy Thompson have cultivated a renaissance in the longstanding group.

In preparation for the fall induction ceremony, PTK reviewed more than 100 applications. Students with a 3.5 GPA who have successfully completed 12 credits of associate degree coursework, or six credits of certification (CTE) coursework are eligible. For those students unable to cover the membership fee, our SCCC Foundation stepped in to pick up the cost, making it possible for all students who’d earned the honor to participate.

Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges.

SCCC’s members have access to many benefits, starting with the sense of achievement and public recognition of their hard work. As Amy Thompson put it in a campus-wide email, when SCCC faculty and staff attend events like the induction ceremony last Sunday, it makes a difference to students. As a community, we are eager to cheer on our Saints athletes as they compete; it’s just as important to affirm the value of students’ academic performance.

But PTK is not just about applause. It also grants its student members access to valuable resources. With scholarship opportunities, hands-on leadership development, career and personal skills building, accepting the invitation to join PTK can be life-changing for many students.

Last week, SCCC also received word that one of our current PTK members, Joseph Haskell, was named a 2025 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academic Team program by recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver, and 50 Bronze Scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually. Each scholar also receives a commemorative medallion.

Coca-Cola Academic Team members will be recognized in both local and statewide ceremonies. They will also be recognized internationally during Phi Theta Kappa’s annual convention, PTK Catalyst, in Kansas City, Missouri, April 3-5.

We are so proud of Joseph, and can’t wait to see his future unfold. As we like to say, our students and their lives are our legacy!

Nearly 30 SCCC students were officially welcomed to PTK on Sunday in the Clifford & Irene Pepper Showcase Theater. The event marked an important milestone in their academic journey and the beginning of what we hope will be long and fruitful relationships with likeminded students.

Creating an atmosphere where learning is valued, admired, and encouraged, is what PTK is all about. What a wonderful overlap with SCCC and our mission to pursue excellence and empower student success.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR — Brad Bennett is the President and unofficial state lobbyist for Seward County Community College. This week, his goal is to stay in one place. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..