Labette Community College Announces 40th Annual Gribben English Lecture Series

Labette Community College (LCC) is excited to announce the upcoming Gribben English Lecture Series, a free professional development opportunity for educators who are passionate about teaching writing. The event will be held on Friday, October 4, 2025, at 9am at the Cardinal Event Center on the LCC campus in Parsons. This year’s featured speaker is Dr. Jason Snart, Professor of English and Chair of Literature, Creative Writing, and Film at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Dr. Snart is an award-winning faculty leader recognized nationally for his innovative work at the intersection of writing instruction, hybrid learning, and generative AI. He is the author of Making Hybrids Work: An Institutional Framework for Blending Online and Face-to-Face Instruction in Higher Education (NCTE, 2016) and is co-founder of the Global Society of Online Literacy Educators (GSOLE). Attendees will gain practical strategies to strengthen writing instruction, explore the latest research on hybrid teaching and generative AI, engage in meaningful small-group discussions with colleagues from across the region, and enjoy complimentary breakfast and lunch provided by LCC.

Registration is available now at labette.edu/english/gribben.html. Registration closes on September 24. Seating is limited. “The Gribben series has yet to disappoint,” said Kylie Booth, an English Teacher at Labette County High School. “I always leave feeling excited about the content, with my mind buzzing with new ideas. My favorite part is the fact that I leave with strategies that I can immediately implement in my classroom. The small group setting of the lecture series allows for genuine conversation, and the presenters are always willing to cater to the room’s needs and interests.”

Each year the LCC English faculty arrange a speaker and help host the lecture series in conjunction with the LCC Foundation. This is the longest running free professional development activity for composition educators in Kansas.

This lecture series was made possible through a generous endowment gift by longtime Parsons residents Jack and Ruth Gribben.

 “Their outstanding commitment to education continues to enrich the region by fostering excellence in teaching and learning,” said Lindi Forbes, Executive Director of the LCC Foundation. “We are proud to carry on this outstanding program at our college.”

For more information about the Gribben English Lecture Series, visit labette.edu/english/gribben.html or contact Forbes at lindif@labett.edu or 620-820-1212.