Autumn brings the heat
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• WASHBURN LAW Office of Admissions will host an online Diversity Chat Feb. 15 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Students interested in pursuing a degree in law are invited to participate. The Diversity Chat can be accessed from anywhere. The link to join the Chat will be available at http://www.washburnlaw.edu on the day of the Chat. • LUNCH AND LEARN TRiO meetings will be at 12:30 p.m. today in the library, then Wednesday from 11-noon and Thursday at 12:30 p.m.
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• FASFA ASSISTANCE will take place from 2 through 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13 in the SCCC/ATS library as part of the College Goal Sunday program, which helps ensure that students get the help they need when filling out papers for financial aid. College Goal Sunday is open to all college-bound students regardless of age. Four prospective students will also have an opportunity to win a $500 scholarship. For more information, contact Donna Fisher at 620-417-1111 or donna.fisher@sccc.edu.
• LA MEXICANA RADIO will set up their equipment in the technical school cafeteria from 11 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Feb. 14 and will have students from different programs on the air talking about their classes. They will also have their TDT trailer with the new banner out front. Food service will be cooking.
Presorted Standard US Postage PAID Liberal, KS Permit NO.114
Homecoming 2011
• VALENTINE’S BRUNCH will take place 11 a.m. through 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Seward Community College/Area Technical School cafeteria. The event is open to the public and is $6 per person.
• STUDENT PHONATHON to raise money for scholarships will be April 5-7, 9-10. Students will be calling alumni, friends, family and members of the local community. Anyone wishing to make a pledge early should call the SCCC/ATS Foundation office at 417-1131 or go online , at alumni.sccc.edu/donations to pay by credit card.
A chain saw juggler performs for campus at 8 p.m. in the Showcase Theater. For photos, see the Homecoming Special Section this Friday.
s Crusader
News notes
2011
Mad Chad Taylor
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Year 42, No. 7
Information on the process towards citizenship with personal experiences is discussed. — Page 5
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Lady Saints point guard Autumn Miller talks about past experiences and future goals. — Page 6
February 8
Take a shot at the citizen’s game
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Homecoming nominees narrowed to 10 Reanna Tuml i nson Crusader staff The Seward County homecoming queen candidates fir 2011 are Janette Vargas, Brandi Colvin, Ashley Martinez, Marycarmen Perez and Jeanette Contreras. King candidates are Luis Pauyac, Saul Landeros, Victor Rodriguez, Omar Rios and Carlos Ruiz. The final round of voting will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 9-11 to noon in front of the
library. These final 10 candidates emerged from club nominations and a school-wide vote. The other nominees were Lizuly Monarrez, Dana Loewen, Ethan Adams, Deisi Barboza, Alfredo Anaya, Karem Gallo, Adrianna Vazquez, Ricky Rodriquez, Yahaida Zubia, Brandon Ridge, Blanca Richard, Fanny Benincasa, Rogelio Alvarez, Mario Armendariz, Kauna Goncalves, and Iago Goncalves. Homecoming week features events for SCCC/ATS students
from voting Feb. 9-11 to dancing on Feb. 12. A schedule of events follows. On Feb. 8, the Saints Bookstore will offer free donuts along with the weekly free coffee Tuesdays. Mad Chad Taylor will perform at 8 p.m. in the Showcase Theater. Feb. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., SGA will sponsor the making of free funny T-shirts. Students will be able to have a picture taken and placed on a T-shirt. On Feb. 10, the first night of the intramural dodgeball tour-
nament will be at 7:30 p.m. in the gym. On Feb. 11, a Texas Hold’em Poker Night will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Union. Students wishing to participate need to sign up with Wade Lyon by Feb. 10. Approximately $1,000 worth of prizes will be awarded that night to the winners. On Feb. 12 the Saints Challenge/Old School Run will begin at 1:33 p.m. and 2:33 p.m. in between the Student Union and the Student Living Center.
Registration will begin at 1 p.m. in the Student Union. For more information, see Sports, page 7. Homecoming coronation of the king and queen will be announced before the Saints basketball game. The cheer squad and Saintsensation dance team will perform. A homecoming dance will follow the men’s game from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Student Union. Glow-in-the-dark paint will be abundant at the dance. All homecoming events are free to SCCC/ATS students.
Brenneman fills vacancy left by Sharp resignation Dana Loewen Editor The Board of Trustees found a new member to replace Jo Ann Sharp, who resigned Nov. 1, 2010. The new member, Rick Brenneman, was sworn in Dec. 9, 2010. Brenneman has lived in Liberal for the past 11 years, where he has been the owner and director of Brenneman Funeral Home along with his wife, Melissa Brenneman. Rick Brenneman was born in Newton, and has also lived in Casper, Wyo. and Hutchinson before moving to
Liberal to buy the funeral home. Brenneman attended both Kansas City Community College and Central Kansas Vocational School to get his two-year degree. He feels this will help him with his position on the Board of Trustees, since he has experience in both a community college and technical school. Other connections with Seward County Community College/ Area Technical School are that he and his wife have been the host family for a basketball player in the past, and his wife is on the college’s Foundation Board.
Brenneman “I felt we had a strong connection, so I wanted to see how I could help or develop the
school,” Brenneman said. Brenneman believes SCCC/ ATS has a strong foundation. He has seen that the instructors and faculty have a priority of developing ways to help students in the best ways they can. He has also noticed that instructors at ATS have a great interest in the community and really want to help their students. “The students I’ve talked to have been very impressed with the instructors and have enjoyed the one-on-one attention,” Brenneman said. He’s also been impressed with the structure and administration
staff. “The trustees and Dr. (Duane) Dunn have done a lot of good work and made it easy for me to come on board,” Brenneman said. During his time as a trustee, Brenneman would like to see the college grow and to continue to develop and look at programs. He would also like to see the campus become a little more user-friendly and easier to navigate for both students and the public. The position Brenneman is filling will be up for election in April.
Williams’ retirement brings memories, hopes for future plans Al fredo Anaya Editor
Crusader file photo
Tommy Williams runs alongside Associate Dean of Administrative Services Dale Reed during the Pancake Day races in 2009 to raise money for scholarships.
After working at Seward for 32 years, Dean of Administrative Services Tom E. Williams will retire after this semester. “I’m like that pair of pajamas everyone has worn out but isn’t ready to be thrown away,” Williams said about his decision to retire even though he’s been working for the college for so long. Williams started working at Seward in the fall of 1979 as a full time faculty member. A position opened up in 1990 for a fiscal officer, which he worked as until 1995 when he took over the position of dean of administrative services. After working at Seward for 32 years, Williams has quite a few accomplishments he says he is proud to have been able to complete at Seward. Like in 1981, when the college was able to get its first microcomputers, and also when he was the Phi Theta Kappa sponsor and Seward had the national president of PTK for the chapter, and in 1995, the passage of the bond issue for campus expansion. “Probably a real broad thing I’m proud of is just the great people I’ve had the opportunity to work with over the years,” Williams said. According to Williams, all of the success the college has been able to achieve over the years is
also due to the contributions by the board of trustees. “This college has been blessed with the most stable board of trustees within the state of Kansas and even the nation,” Williams said. “We’ve always had a president who was pro-student and progressive.” Even though Williams has many accomplishments to be proud of, he decided it was time to for somebody else to come over and take over the position so he can enjoy time with family. “My mother died a year and a half ago, my step-father is 93 and he still has good health, and I want to spend more time with him,” Williams said. “It’s time for somebody else to come over here and take over the position.” Williams also looks forward to having time to spend on hobbies he loves and being able to have time for himself. “I hope to have time to complete more projects around the house. I’m an avid coin and stamp collector, and I want to work on that,” Williams said. “I want to become a kid again, get out all my trains sets and be able play with those.” The administrative peers Williams has worked with have also noted the success he has had in his position at Seward while still having a sense of humor and being approachable. “He is the best in his position of all the community colleges in Kansas. He is making sure we are
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doing well in budgets, financing and that kind of stuff,” said Dean of Instruction Cynthia Rapp, who has worked with Williams for 17 years. “He’s a great guy to work with, he has a super sense of humor and we can talk about just anything, even if we don’t agree. He’s real open and willing to talk about things.” Rapp also joked about how Williams always enjoys playing practical jokes on her and giving her a hard time when her favorite team loses. “He loves to play practical tricks on me because I am a Jayhawks fan,” Rapp said. “He likes to play tricks on me when the Jayhawks lose a basketball game. He likes to rub it in.” Celeste Donovan, dean of student services, who has worked with Williams for four years, has also enjoyed his personality and working with him. “Tommy makes it a real joy to get up and come to work everyday,” Donovan said. One of the best memories Donovan recalls of Williams was
when he ran in the Pancake Day Race alongside Dale Reed in order to raise money for student scholarships. “A couple Williams years ago I talked him and Dale Reed into running in the Pancake Day Race and they dressed up as ladies, and they raised quite a lot of money for scholarships,” Donovan said. Through the years, Donovan said she has been able to become a close friend of Williams and thinks the college won’t be the same without him. “He’s just a really unique, genuine person. Because he’s been here so long it’s going to be hard to find someone to fill his shoes. He will truly be missed by our college community,” Donovan said. “And even though he won’t be working here he will always be a dear friend to me.” Even with his decision to retire Williams will continue to appreciate the people he’s had the chance to work with at Seward. “Even though I’ll be retired, I’ll be an avid supporter of SCCC,” Williams said. “As far as a place of employment, you won’t find a better place with as good of people as there is at Seward.”