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Friday
March 29th, 2024
L&T Opinions Page

brad bennett scccSAINTS PERSPECTIVE, SCC President Brad Bennett

 

When I moved to Liberal with my family, I didn’t realize we were following the path of another fictional community member — Dorothy Gale, the girl who realized “there’s no place like home,” in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz. 

I share Dorothy’s point of view this week, as I travel to Chicago for the annual accreditation conference organized by the Higher Learning Commission. Along with SCCC administrators and staff, I will catch up with the latest changes in the ever-shifting higher education landscape. These kinds of conferences offer a valuable opportunity to learn from our peers and get ahead of trends and policies that we are expected to follow. 

Even with that in mind, my preference, as I have said, is to stay close to campus. 

And next week is a great time to be at home with the Saints. There’s so much happening with athletics, admissions, the SCCC Foundation, and of course our community is interwoven through all of it. 

On Wednesday March 29, we will be welcoming a wide variety of people to campus through the Career Fair. This event provides an opportunity for employers to meet with students who are high-value candidates for internships, part-time, or full-time employment. It’s also open to job seekers from the community. Of course, the career fair would not be possible without our many industry partners. We’re excited to welcome them to campus. The Career Fair runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Greenhouse.

Wednesday is also the date of the SCCC Foundation Annual Meeting, set for noon in the Student Union mezzanine meeting room next to the Office of Development. While the Foundation operates as a separate entity from the college itself, it is a key part of so many aspects of campus. From student scholarships to program support ranging from the purchase of classroom technology to the construction of entire buildings, the Foundation supports the college in a truly foundational way. 

Finally, looking to the future, we invite the community to attend a public forum with one of our Vice President of Student Services finalists. That will take place at 1:15 p.m. in the SCCC Library. 

Thursday, March 30, we’ll host 200+ students at the admissions department’s “Saints & Seniors” day. This high-energy event provides soon-to-graduate high school students with a taste of campus life. Each academic division provides a fun introduction to their area, awarding prizes to students who demonstrate their abilities in math & science, humanities, agriculature, business, computer and cosmetology, industrial technology, and allied health. Our admissions representatives and college staff are busy answering questions about how to pay for college, how to enroll in college, and how to succeed in college. It’s a great introduction to the Saints family. 

Meanwhile … another public forum will take place with our second VPSA candidate. Again, that will take place at 1:15 p.m. in the SCCC Library. 

Don’t forget, these events are all happening in addition to regular life on campus. Our students are tackling the second half of the semester, with finals just a month away. Graduation is coming up in May. Students who plan to transfer are finalizing paperwork for that transition, and those who aim to enter the workforce are job-hunting. 

Saints athletics is busy as well, with softball, baseball, and tennis in full swing. Check out the schedules at sewardsaints.com, and enjoy the spring weather at one of the home games. Our new, high-tech scoreboards at French Family Softball Complex and Brent Gould Field make it easy to cheer our Saints on. 

Meanwhile, campus is looking sharp with continual improvements to landscaping and maintenance, and outdoor signage updates slated to begin any day. We’re excited to stage many fun and educational events during Ag Month in April. If the Farm Bureau Education Day for local elementary students was an indication, we expect great success. Look for details about the early-bird farmer’s market, Barnyard Olympics, and children’s Ag Exploration Day — along with the ever- popular Celebrity Livestock Judging event.

From my location in the Windy City to everyone back home in the actual Windy City — there’s no place like home, and I’m excited to get back on campus for the whirlwind of activities in the coming week. See you there!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR — Brad Bennett is the president of Seward County Community College and a homebody through and through. He will be on campus for next week’s activities and invites you to stop by to say hello. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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