As we get closer to wrapping up the end of my first full semester at Kansas City Kansas Community College, I have to say what an amazing place it is to work! The days have been so full with activities beginning early in the morning and running late into the evening I have not (yet) been able to schedule regular blog posts, so taking the opportunity to share a few highlights through this post.
Today, December 10, those who attended the 2018 scholarship reception, had the opportunity to experience the connection made between scholarship donors and their recipients. Offering more than 181 scholarships for more than $174,000 this last year, these scholarships truly change our students lives and their ability to obtain an education. This year, the foundation was also hard at work obtaining more than $304,000 in estate gifts that will continue to grow Foundation resources.
One thing I would like to especially point out are the “KCKCC Foundation Scholarships” that are funded solely through employee giving. Several students received these scholarships through the generosity of KCKCC employees who are giving back to our students. If time has slipping away from you and you have not yet had the opportunity to donate, please consider donating to the “KCKCC Family Fund”! I would love to see 100% of our employees giving at least a little something to help our students reach their educational goals. Please consider donating to such a worthy cause!
Last week, on December 7, many of us also have the opportunity to gather and celebrate students who completed their course work to be December 2018 KCKCC Graduates and participate in the December recognition reception. Graduates represented students from across the institution receiving both certificates and degrees. Good times were had by all and we wish them the very best in their future education or career endeavors!
And on Thursday, December 6, I truly had a great conversation with Our Blue Devil Students during the Pizza with the Prez session in the Lower Jewell Building! While many of them were more than ready to get this semester finished, I’m so thankful they took the time to come and shared their thoughts and experiences about their educational experiences during the last semester. Following some of these general topics, I was so impressed with how the students, especially some of the more senior students, segued into providing 
advice to each other on how to be successful in college, and sharing personal stories and experiences to help their fellow students understand what they may experience next semester in advanced classes, with additional workload. I am so extremely proud of all of them and how much they have grown and excelled this semester! I look forward to following these students into the spring semester and watching them continue to excel!!
Also on the morning of on Thursday, December 6, Tami Bartunek and I had the opportunity to film a special segment as a follow-up to last week’s “First Annual KCKCC Presidential Swap”. This was a story on the presidential swap between Aliyah Shaw, the Student Senate President and myself for an entire day earlier that week. As more coverage will be forthcoming, you going to have to wait for the rest of the story….
Back to where I started in this blog, I feel so fortunate to be a member of the KCKCC family and I appreciate all of you making me feel so at home since my very first day on campus in June. Thank you!!!
I am thankful to serve you as your president! Keep up the incredible work, and don’t forget the wise words from our Fall Convocation… Our Future’s So bright, We Gotta Wear Shades! 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-B7DXeE1Gc
More good work is waiting in the wings and great news soon to be announce in January! Greg
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