December 2011 Editorial
A Season of Thanksgiving
At L= CC, when we speak of ‘seasons’, we are usually talking about the most current sport that is practicing and hosting games. Well, this ‘season’ is also a season of thanksgiving.
As t= he holidays quickly approach, students are studying diligently for finals and instructors preparing for the spring semester. In the midst of the holiday bustle, we should remember to pause and be thankful for all we have and all we’ve accomplished.
I am thankful for this college, the outstanding faculty, staff, and students that astound me daily by their drive to succeed. LCC is located in such a suppor= tive community. Through their support we are nearing the completion of a $10.5 million capital campaign to build a state of the art health science buildin= g. The students, college and many communities will benefit from this endeavor = for years to come. During this season of giving, LCC is grateful for the gifts = of so many that believe in this building project.
Pers= onally, I am thankful for the many, many connections that we have made reaching out= to our alumni. We have found and re-connected with so many talented graduates = that have touched our community and theirs. I’m so very thankful for all t= hat they have contributed to the future of our students. We are extremely bless= ed to have so many thoughtful, caring individuals that see the value that your community college offers for so many.
Many= of you have heard me say, in remarks I’ve made before, that we have a very special College. That College is special because of the care our faculty members take in moving our students from where they were to where they want= to be. It’s no surprise to me that we continue to graduate very talented students from our health care programs. It’s no surprise that the ski= lls learned in their general education courses serve as the foundation for their next step. It’s no surprise that students in our technical programs l= eave with strong, competitive skills for the workplace. It’s no surprise t= hat our students continue to place high in national honors. Our PTK honors prog= ram continues to place near the top nationally and internationally. Our Phi Beta Lambda and Skills USA members continue to place at the top in their state a= nd national competitions. It certainly is no surprise that we have two nationa= lly ranked athletic programs. Our wrestling team continues to do well annually = at the national competition, while our softball team made their first trip to = the national tournament last spring.
I al= ways close my editorials by inviting you to campus for a visit. I’m not re= ady to close just yet, but I do want to invite you to visit your College. Walk = the halls, take a campus tour, talk to our students, faculty, and staff. Learn firsthand all the great things that go on at your College. In this time of strained resources I hope you will recognize the investment you have made in the lives of our students, faculty and staff. They, collectively put back o= ver 9 million dollars in our community every year. You can’t get a better return on your investment anywhere.
So i= t is time to close. I want to close by saying “Thank You” to each and every student, faculty member, staff member, coach and administrator for the tremendous things you do for all of us every day. A special “Thank You” to the communities in Labette and Cherokee counties that believe= in and support our mission and our students. It is truly a pleasure to be able to serve the best community college in the State of Kansas.
You = can show your graduate how proud you are of their accomplishments with an LCC diploma frame from the Foundation or an LCC shirt from the bookstore under the tree this year!