O’Leary Lecture: “On Fire” Dillon Lecture speaker motivates audience
In Her Element
Blue Dragon Educator of the Year Erin Beavers
Traveling Teams
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MEET THE STAFF
Hannah Brummer Buhler
Abigail Egerstaffer Hutchinson
Matthew Folkerts Hutchinson
Brooke Greene Hutchinson
Sydney Henke Pratt
Regan Larue Kingman
Danae Moser Buhler
Pablo Sanchez Hutchinson
Myranda Stika Burdick
Colleen Teter Garden Plain
Brogen Willich Derby
ShaMonya Young Tampa, Fla.
ON THE COVER
Alexa Flores Photo Editor Hutchinson
Sydnee Shive Publication Editor Mt. Hope
◄ Dillon Lecture Speaker John O’Leary addresses the audience on Oct. 1 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. He talked about his childhood experience that left 100 percent of his body burned and how he overcame this obstacle. Photo by Pablo Sanchez
The Dragon’s Tale is published four times a year by the Magazine Production class of Hutchinson Community College, 1300 North Plum, Hutchinson, KS, 67501. When compiled, the four issues serve as an overview of the activities and the people of HutchCC during the school year.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
IN THE CLASSROOM 2 Online Training Program
Lesser known medical program
Abigail Egerstaffer
4 Building the Brand
HutchCC agriculture students run online livestock sale Sydnee Shive
6 In Her Element
Dragon Educator of the Year Erin Beavers Brooke Greene
10 Success Seminar
First semester class for freshmen
Danae Moser
ON CAMPUS
IN THE COMMUNITY
12 Cornhusking Festival
20 John O’Leary Lecture: “On Fire”
14 History in the Making
22 HutchCC at the Kansas State Fair
Fun for the community at the first annual festival Colleen Teter
Learning about the first campus building
Alexa Flores
16 Group Living Made Easier
Dorm hacks help students living on campus Sydney Henke
18 Mommy and Me
Back to school parents
12
Dillon Lecture Speaker motivates students Pablo Sanchez Students volunteer at the state fair Hannah Brummer
24 Keeping in Touch
Alumni Association works to bring alumni and community together Matthew Folkerts
26 Top 5 ShaMonya Young
Activities students should do before they graduate Regan Larue
ON THE FIELD 28 Traveling Teams
How athletic teams prepare for away games Myranda Stika
30 Transferring In
30
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
Student-athletes come from around the nation Brogen Willich
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Online Training Program
Abigail Egerstaffer, Reporter& Designer
A lesser known medical program at HutchCC Selecting the right college degree can be very difficult. Health Information Management (HIM) is one of the lesser known programs at Hutchinson Community College, but also the most nationally recognized. In 1967, the first HIM class graduated. Now, almost 52 years later, there are 220 students currently enrolled in the program and graduates all around the country. HIM is an online program with a variety of degrees and certificates available to help people succeed in an ever-changing medical world. Michele Morris, Kingman, said, “ I was initially looking for a career change and started researching other jobs in the medical field because realistically speaking, anything in the medical field will have a good job outlook on the future.” With the variety of degrees and certificates, HIM can be easily pursued because of its accessibility. “There is one path that you can go down for certificates and another one for the associates,” Bonnie Folkerts, Health Information Management Director, said. “If you do not have an associates before starting the program, then the degree path is the path you would have to take, but if you have an associates or higher degree then you can take the certificate path.” The newest option in the HIM program is the Cancer Registry Management Certificate. After completing the 11 courses, students receive the certificate instead of completing the entire program consisting of 26 classes.
▲ Bonnie Folkerts, Health Information Management Director, presentated at the program’s pinning ceremony. Photo by HutchCC Marketing
Required Classes Anatomy and Physiology Computers in Healthcare Medical Terminology Eight cancer registry specific classes
“The required classes are Anatomy and Physiology, Computers in Healthcare, Medical Terminology and eight cancer registry specific classes,” Folkerts said. Although there are the typical required classes like other online programs, the specific HIM courses offer a variety of experiences. “Each of our classes are different since they are all taught online. They have books that go along with it but we really try to spruce them up and make them interesting since we don’t have the involvement that regular classes have and we try to bring in fun videos through YouTube,” Folkerts said. While creating interactivity, the program also showcases what it means to be in a virtual office. “Kathy who teaches us our coding praticum, she puts them through a virtual
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▲ Kelsey Taylor, Hutchinson, watched at a pinning ceremony. In the H.I.M. program there are around 220 students currently. Photo by HutchCC Marketing ▼ Folkerts handed Misty FitzPatrick, Hutchinson, a pin. Misty graduated this past year in 2018. Photo by HutchCC Marketing
lab showing them what it means to be in a Health Information Management Office while being in their living room and bedrooms,” Folkerts said. The virtual experience allows students to not only train for this job, but perform this job in a realistic environment. “Part of the reason I am wanting to do this is because it opens up a field of possibilities, so many possibilities as far as work, I can essentially live anywhere and do this,” Morris said. This program helps students get jobs in medical files, managing or consulting. Graduates can find job opportunities at dentist offices, hospitals or even at home. “I would like to see the cancer registry just in demand as the other Health Information Management which is another field that there is a huge shortage with a lot of retiring and people will be needed to fill these spots,” Folkerts said about the future of this program. With this nationally recognized program HutchCC is responding to a growing need in the health management field and is able to provide training for these roles.
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
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BRAND Sydnee Shive, Reporter & Designer
Students work to fundraise and advocate for HutchCC agriculture through their annual online livestock sale
Sold! The auctioneer taps their gavel and the last heifer walks out of the sale ring. Except, there isn’t an auctioneer, buyers bid online using pre-registered accounts, and the only cows to be found are in the pictures on a screen. Hutchinson Community College’s sales management class has been utilizing an annual online sale to promote and raise money for the college cowherd over the last four years. But, the sales management class itself has been running for much longer than four years. Moving to an online sale format is still relatively new. “Students set the date in the fall, and this year it is November 5th on Show Circuit
Online Sales. Typically we have anywhere from 8 to 12 lots,” said Ben Williams, CoChair, Agriculture, Business, Technology, and Computers. “Part of those are live lots, we’ll have a few lots that are frozen genetics as well, so between the combination of those and some donated items, there’s usually between 8 and 12 lots to sell.” The sales management class began over 10 years ago. It started as a consignment sale for small livestock, and has morphed into a way to promote HutchCC and the agriculture department. “Before I got here, it was a class that was taught in the fall, but students actually held a consignment sale for sheep and goats in
the spring. Since we have developed the school’s cowherd and increased numbers, we have now tied it right into the school’s livestock to where we can help market the school’s animals,” said Williams. The sale is mostly student-ran. Students halter break the cattle, take photos and videos of the cattle for the sale, design ads and utilize different marketing tools, as well as communicate with other producers to gather donated frozen genetics. “For the most part, everything is studentran. Obviously, Kane [Austin, Livestock Judging Coach] and I have to be there for supervision purposes, but as far as everything that goes on, basically, the students
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do it all. From halter breaking, to clipping and washing, to taking pictures and videos,” said Pat Arkfeld, Assistant Livestock Judging Coach and Cowherd Manager. “The students do it all.” The sales management class is not just for students with a background in agriculture. The class can be taken by anyone looking to gain experience with marketing or working with livestock. Arkfeld said, “In the past we’ve had nonlivestock kids in it, we’ve had kids from in town, kids that want to be pre-vet majors that don’t know much about large animals, and so we encourage anyone who wants to take it to take it. We’re just trying to teach
▼Ty Kim, Hartwell, Ga., grabs onto the lead rope after putting a halter on a heifer. Halter breaking the cattle can be a long process, and the cattle must be worked with daily. Photo by Sydnee Shive
the kids how to put on a sale.” Hosting an online sale is not without its challenges. Marketing while trying to create a customer base can be difficult, and hosting a successful sale is no small feat. “It’s hard to sell something that’s average. Trying to produce a quality product makes the sale that much more successful and people have more interest. It’s also been a work in progress to build relationships with people where they feel comfortable enough buying livestock from us,” said Williams. As the bids close and the sale comes to an end, HutchCC agriculture will continue to build their brand through their annual fall online sale.
▲ A heifer is blow dried by Shelley Rowlett, Martin, Tenn. Blow drying the heifers speeds up the drying process and is good for their hair. Photo by Sydnee Shive
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
▼Jarret McLinden, Marion, and Camille Schweizer, Sterling, tie up a heifer before washing her. Washing the heifers is an important part of getting the cattle sale ready. Photo by Sydnee Shive
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In Her Element
Brooke Greene, Reporter & Designer
Dragon Educator of the Year Chemistry is the study of matter, its properties, how substances combine to form other substances, and how substances interact with energy. Every person on Earth has been involved with chemistry, whether they took a class or not. Chemistry can be found while baking, cleaning, and even digesting food. Erin Beavers has been named as one of the best chemistry professors at Hutchinson Community College two of the 12 years she’s taught at the college. She creates a welcoming and exciting environment for students to expand their scientific knowledge and perhaps even learn to love it as much as she does. “I love all of the sciences because they are so applicable in the real world. I love that they are not subjective; there is no wiggle room when you are looking at scientific data. One of the best things about chemistry is that it’s the least standalone science. Chemistry uses math, physics, and biology, plus we get to experiment with some pretty neat materials,” said Beavers. The Dragon Educator of the Year is a prestigious honor awarded to one professor at HutchCC every year. The Student Government Association organizes the nomination process, seeking professors who go above and beyond for their students. “Each spring, SGA solicits nominations from the student body for Dragon Educator of the Year. Following the nomination process, a group of finalists is determined and invited to complete a questionnaire provided by SGA. From the completed questionnaires, SGA then selects finalists
to be interviewed by the members of SGA,” Denny Stoecklein, Director of Marketing and Public Relations and a sponsor of the Student Government Association sponsor, said.“After the interviews, the members of the SGA vote on the recipient of the award. The name of the recipient is kept under wraps until it is announced at commencement. The SGA President, who presents the award, is the only student who is made aware of who the recipient will be.” The excellency of these professors is further judged by students, which is what
▲ Laynee Barlow, Plevna, made precise measurements for her lab. Her partner set up their station to start gathering information. Photo by Brooke Greene
makes the award so important. A nomination is a positive reflection of the educator’s performance in the classroom. Beavers has been nominated for the award multiple times and has won the award twice within the past three years. This year, Student Body President Ashton Baxa, Osborne, will be presenting the Dragon of the Educator of the Year award. “I feel very honored to be able to be a part of the process of giving the award. I also feel a bit nervous about presenting it since it will be on such a big night and with it being such a prestigious award,” Baxa said. Beavers’ teaching methods have been described by students as fun and interesting, which is exactly what she tries to achieve in all of her courses. “I try to interact with students on their level and make chemistry, a class that many
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◄ Erin Beavers, Chemistry Professor, accepted her Dragon Educator of the Year award in 2018. The award was being handed off by former SGA president, Cade Lohrding. Photo by HutchCC Marketing
dread taking, fun and interesting. We do a lot of calculations and the class is a lot of work, so it is important that the students in my class want to be there. I do my best every semester to make that happen,” Beavers said. Whether its notes, presentations, online or hands-on learning, Beavers seems to have it all under control when it comes to getting students interested in chemistry. Many students on and off campus were more than willing to explain why they believed Beavers deserved the award. Baxa said, “Personally, I would say Erin Beavers definitely is deserving of the Blue Dragon Educators Award because of her passion for teaching and her caring about each student of hers and getting to know them on more than just a numbered student in her classroom.” As a sophomore, Baxa said that Beavers is by far her favorite professor on campus. Laynee Barlow, Plevna, is studying to become a Pre-Veterinary Technician. Her major requires several chemistry classes
“I try to interact with students on their level and make chemistry, a class that many dread taking, fun and interesting.”
◄ Beavers guided, Zach Barney, Tampa, as they watch what information is being displayed by the computer. She questioned him in such a way that he was able to find his own solution. Photo by Brooke Greene
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
-Erin Beavers
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and she has been taught by Beavers multiple times. “If you don’t understand something, she is more than willing to help you with what you are having issues with until you’ve got it. She just gives so much opportunity for a student to get help when they need it and gives opportunities for a student to do multiple problems to help them practice what we go over,” said Barlow. Christopher Florence, Hutchinson, graduated with his Associate’s Degree in Science in 2018 and still has very fond memories of his time at HutchCC. “Mrs. Beavers was one of the best teachers I have ever had,” Florence said. With many touching comments from a variety of students, it is clear Beavers has shown her commitment to the value of the education her students receive. Tricia Paramore, Department 4 Chairperson and Professor, also makes very kind remarks regarding Beavers’ continuous nominations for this award. Paramore said, “Erin relates well to students, is highly personable, and is an organized teacher. She teaches using a variety of methods and gets students involved in the learning process. She’s the total package, in my opinion.”
Brooke Greene, Reporter & Designer
◄ Beavers advised two of her students, Zach Barney, Tampa, and Trenton Brummer, Osborne, during a lab. The students came upon a challenge which she found a quick solution to. Photo by Brooke Greene
▲ Erin Beavers, Chemistry Professor, got handson to help Maddie Davis, Dodge City, enter information from the lab into the computer. The two shared a laugh. Photo by Brooke Greene
Aboutvers
Mrs. Bea
• HutchCC is her first teaching job • She has taught here for 12 years • She loves the class sizes • Teaches Chemistry 1&2 • She’s married with three children • Commutes from Hillsboro everyday • Attended K-State University
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Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
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Success Seminar FOR FRESHMAN
Danae Moser, Reporter & Designer
College can be very scary for freshman. Hutchinson Community College offers a class called Success Seminar College Orientation to help eliminate the unknown and introduce students to resources located around campus. According to the class description, Seminar and Orientation classes help students transition into college life, demonstrate their ability to think critically and make reasonable judgments, give effective communication through reading, writing, listening, speaking, and building interpersonal and collaborative skills. “Orientation has gotten me out of my comfort zone and given me more insight about how important studying is,” Kaitlyn Hopkins, Hutchinson, said. Steve Howard was earning his doctoral degree using orientation courses and student success as his research project. At that time HutchCC didn’t have any orientation classes, but he formalized it at the college. He used the top research at the time to create discipline specific sections, HutchCC wanted to make sure what they are teaching isrelevant to students and the course help them graduate at higher rates with a better GPA. Orientation also has an honors section, which covers the same outcomes and competencies as other sections of the course. The class does use a different textbook with the
reading and discusses Viktor Frankl’s book “Man’s Search for Meaning.” The book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” is about the author’s experience in a concentration camp during World War II and the theory he developed called logotherapy, which provides ideas to find meaning in one’s life. “Many of our class sessions focus on different virtues like curiosity, creativity, persistence, and humility,” Ryan Diehl, Curriculum and Program Improvement Coordinator, said. The class meets the entire semester in order to help with the honors project process that many of the honors students complete their second semester at HutchCC. Diehl’s students said the honors orientation is everything they need in one class. Other topics include financial management, time management, gratitude, and emotional intelligence. “Each is short in nature; however, they are structured to give the students an opportunity to reflect upon the topics discussed in class,” Diehl said. “My orientation class has helped me succeed in college so far with time management because none of the orientation assignments have specified due dates.” Paige Carlin, Hutchinson, said. Many programs have their own orientation section. For students in Visual Media Design or Media Communication and Production, the orientation class is taught by ◄Seth Fowler, Witchita; and Brittney Steadman, Hutchinson, Participate in a Library tour for during their Success Seminar Class. Fowler and Steadman try to be the first in their class to get done with the assignment. Photo by Danae Moser
▲Blair Pauly,Visual Media Design Instructor and Coordinator. poses in front of the “quote of the day” her students created for her. Pauly gives her students lots of creative freedom. Photo by Danae Moser
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the day” students
▼Allyson Weinbrenner, Inman; and Sydney Henke, Pratt, finish up a last minute assignment for their orientation class. Weinbrenner and Henke work hard to get their assignments done. Photo by Danae Moser
Blair Pauly, Visual Media Design Instructor and Coordinator. “A time management chart, a paper about the different learning styles, and a career research paper. Just to name a few,” Pauly said while naming the projects she gives students in her class. Pauly gives her students assignments she put time in to make. “I don’t like teaching from the texbook, if I teach this way I can teach to different learning styles,” Pauly said. Time management is a vital part of the college experience, students often have trouble balancing work, study and social life. By taking an orientation class students have a better chance of graduating with a higher GPA. Many advisors put students in an orientation class to better their student’s
e Moser
success in college. Orientation is there for students, HutchCC believes it will better their college experience. Students can get their questions about college answered just by being enrolled in an orientation course.
▼ Ryan Sammons, Minneanpolis; working on a budget for he’s orientation class. Sammons focuses on getting the budget done. Photo by Danae Moser
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
ctor and
◄ Isabella Wegerer, Cunningham, Kaitlyn Hopkins, Hutchinson; and Destiny Hurley, Bushton, work together to finish a library tour assignment. They all finish the assignment and now know where everything is in the library. Photo by Danae Moser
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HUSKING at HutchCC
Fun for the community on south campus with a Corn Husking Festival Fall fun gets a throwback to the 1930s. The state fair may be over, but it’s not the only festive fun happening in Hutchinson during the month of September. For the very first time, the Hutchinson Community College Agriculture program gathered the community together for a Corn Husking Festival. The community, students, and everyone in between were able to join in on the merriment created by corn. Kent McKinnis, Agronomy Instructor and Head of Operations for the festival, said, “We had the idea last year; we watched a video in one of my classes. There’s a 1930s video of a corn husking contest in Nebraska and it was like the superbowl.” The festival has been a year in the making. They had to cancel it last year, but they made contingencies this year. Even if they had to reschedule, the event would go on. “We got to laughing, said it’d be kind of fun you know if we had a corn husking contest,” McKinnis said. He liked the idea of getting the community together. Allowing people to explore the farms on south campus was Mckinnis’ hope for this festival. He wanted to get people to come and see what they had to offer and what is on their farm. With this idea being born, the corn was planted, however, the ▲ Katelynn Wilt, Abbyville, rips corn out of its husk to get it clean. She was very intent on getting her corn in the bucket. Photo by Colleen Teter
Top Three
1st:
Colleen Teter, Reporter & Designer
Corn Belters - 57 ► Glowing with pride, Colton Biehler, Hutchinson, and Tim Evans, Hutchinson, are smiling and basking in the glory of their win with Ben Williams, Co-chair, ag, business, computers and technology instructor. The Corn Belters are Alumni of Hutchinson Community College. Photo by Colleen Teter
2nd:
Master Austin - 53
3rd:
Team Canada - 52
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rainy season hit hard, and they were unable to get vehicles to where the corn was. This year, he made different plans. To avoid the issues that burdened him last year, McKinnis moved the corn. He made sure that everyone who wanted to, could come to the festival. “I planted the corn up kinda in front of the ag diesel shops where there’s parking lots,” McKinnis said. The corn crop was exceptional and the plans were in place. On Sept. 26, the festival began at 5 p.m. There was live music playing, free hamburgers and hotdogs cooking, and games like cornhole to play. Team Canada, consisting of Kodie Doetzel and Garrett Liebreich, both from Saskatchewan Canada, said they felt very welcome here and wanted to dedicate their third place win to “The Great White North.” Pat Arkfeld, Assistant Livestock Judging Coach and Cowherd Manager, hosted an open house for viewing of the college sale heifers and tractor tours of the south campus farm.The cattle displayed at the festival will sell in an auction on Nov. 5. After all, McKinnis and Arkfeld said it was their main goal for the festival was to get people out to see the farm. They decided the corn husking contest would be the main event. The contest began at 7 p.m. with 10 teams of two people. There were many different groups involved, from HutchCC alumni to students from Canada. The goal was to dehusk as much corn as possible and be one of the top three teams. At the end of the evening, Team Canada, Master Austin, and Corn Belters received plaques as evidence of their superior husking skills. The winners, Corn Belters, consisted of alumni Colton Biehler, previous crops and soil judging team and now a student coach for the football team, and Tim Evans, Career Development Coordinator. It was a close competition but they were victorious with a score of 57 ears of corn. Team Corn Belters were complete strangers until that day. Biehler jokingly said, “Kent said add the worst candidate possible and he picked me.” Their technique was, according to Biehler, “shucking and bucking.”
Evans said their team had, “age, wisdom, and luck” on their side. The teams were all very light hearted and happy to be a part of the top three. The third place team, Master Austin, was very excited they placed and Ty Kim, Hearwell Ga., said their name was for “Master Austin, our mentor.” Kim and team member, Jacob Schmiedler, Hays, dedicated their win to him and his tutelage. McKinnis had fears the turnout wouldn’t be what they hoped, but the festival experienced a good attendance and those who went had a good time. They played football, shucked corn, ate food, and members of the community enjoyed the farm. To join in on the husking fun next year, a team of two must contact McKinnis. Victoria Tescott, Srna, a member of the community and one of the judges from the contest said the best part was, “definitely, counting the corn while it was being thrown at us.” With the help of the many different groups, like “the Ambassadors, Block and Bridle club, Collegiate Farm Bureau and the livestock judgers,” McKinnis said it was a great success. However, he said his favorite part was “the actual corn husking contest.” He hopes to do this again next year and get even more of the community involved. The road to this festival was long and the weather was uncertain. McKinnis and Arkfeld worked hard to secure grants, tractors, food and help but “It was more than I hoped it would be,” McKinnis said. The first corn husking festival was decidedly, a great success.
◄ Attendees are feeling the intensity of the contest. They cheer and laugh as the corn flies. Photo by Colleen Teter
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
▲ Chance Clark, Clearwater, and Guthire Turner, Arlington, toss corn into the counting box as Kent McKinnis, Head of Operations, watches. They are both Ambassadors on campus. Photo by Colleen Teter
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History in the Making History in the Making
Alexa Flores, Reporter & Designer
Learning about HutchCC's first campus building
For 11 years, Hutchinson Junior College (now known as Hutchinson Community College) had no place of its own. That was until spring of 1928, when the establishment of a two year co-educational college was approved by Hutchinson city voters. In the fall of 1928, the college held its first classes on the second and third floors of the former Hutchinson High School building. Enrollment totaled 187 students, with 177 freshmen and 10 sophomores attending classes. In February of 1938, the city of Hutchinson bought 32 acres of land and the present site of the school was acquired according the 2011 Dragon’s Tale Magazine. Architects McCrackin and Heitt designed Lockman Hall and Foy Construction began building the structure. In 1939, construction of Lockman Hall was completed. The building is named after C.M. Lockman, the first dean of the college. He held the position until 1956. Lockman Hall held all the college’s necessities, such as classrooms, labs, and offices. There was even a library and an auditorium within its halls. The auditorium was originally located at the south end of the building, which held plays, dances, choir and band concerts. It’s now home to the Ray J. & Delores “Dee” Waldo Auditorium. There was also a firing range with dirt floors located underneath the auditorium, and the rifle club was established as one of the first clubs at HutchCC. There were dirt floors in the basement, the college saved money by
not putting down wood floors. “Down in the basement where the picture lab publication is now, all of that originally was the student union. In 1951 they excavated it into the student union it was known as The Dragon’s Inn,” said Tom Dillwith, retired HutchCC costodian. Dillwith has become known as a campus historian. “I took some classes here back in the 80s and they had a huge mainframe computer that if you had a terminal, everything went down to that main frame and you had to go into another room to pick up your work,” Dillwith said. Lockman Hall has evolved greatly over time. The music room was located in the basement. Up until 1963, all classes were housed in Lockman Hall. The science and English departments were taught upstairs. Classes like home economics and sewing were available to students. The hallways were once lined with lockers for student use, but they were eventually removed. “I really like the layout of the classes, aren’t too big but not too small. I really enjoy the way the classrooms feel while learning,” said Steehl Limon, Hutchinson. Lockman Hall now holds several classrooms, the President’s Office, Endowment Office, Marketing, Online Education and many other things. The college is constantly changing. Many
things have been updated and added over the years. One thing, however, remains almost unchanged - the outside of the building almost looks the same as it did in 1939. Lockman Hall holds many memories for students, faculty and alumni.
On the first day of classes back in 1939, enrollment totaled 187 students, with 177 freshman, and 10 sophomores attending classes.
▲Students walk to morning classes. The Endowment Office and the President’s Office are located on the first floor. Photo by Alexa Flores
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▲Lockman Hall is the oldest building on campus it was built in 1938 and held its first classes in January of 1939. A wing was added to Lockman Hall in 1975. Photo by Alexa Flores
▲Students walk down the Lockman Hall staircase heading out of the building. It is where most English and social studies classes are held. Photo by Alexa Flores
▲Lockman Hall was surrounded by spacious ground back in 1939. The first campus building housed classrooms, offices, a library, and an auditorium. Photo Courtesy of HutchCC Marketing
• At the end of the first school year, HutchCC had the second largest enrollment among Kansas Junior Colleges with 209 students. • Lockman Hall is named after the first dean C.M. Lockman. • The Student Union use to be located in Lockman Hall and was known as The Dragon’s Inn. • Tuition in 1939 was $16.00 for one semester.
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
Campus Fun Facts
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GroupMade Living
EASIER
Dorm hacks can help students living on campus
L
iving in the dorms can be tough, but students find little ways to make it easier. It can come in the form of a quick snack or a do-it-yourself space organizer. There are approximately 490 students that live in the dorms at Hutchinson Community College. Adjusting to dorm life can be a challenge but many students come up with creative ways to share their space.
Breakfast Ramen
Add an egg & Bacon
Sydney Henke, Reporter & Designer
Veggie Stir Fry
Add Vegetables & Soy Sauce Siracha Ramen
Add siracha sauce & an Egg
“Your dorm room is your home and we know students want to make every inch count. With such a small space, I am always impressed with students who can get dual purposes out of their furniture,” Dana Hinshaw, Director of Residence Life and Student Activities, said. The college’s cafeteria is open during limited hours so finding food on an empty stomach is tough in the dorms. Ramen noodles, a well-known quick snack for college students, helps satisfy the hunger but preparing this snack has its own challenges. “Crockpots, rice cookers, and Instapots are allowed in HutchCC housing. Students do need to be careful about the steam that any of these appliances can produce, since steam can set off our smoke detector system. Because the Instapot can be used as a pressure cooker, it is also important that students operating this appliance are doing so according to the manufacturer’s instructions. But the Instapots of today do seem fairly foolproof and safe compared to the pressure cookers of old,” Hinshaw said. If more space is needed, Hinshaw said to use vertical space. In a dorm room any ► One student made her own headboard that gave her something to lean back on while doing homework. Photo by Sydney Henke
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◄ Lauren Murphy, Cunningham, sits on her dorm bed. She used many hacks in her dorm room to make life easier. Photo by Sydney Henke
space that can be used, should be. “My brother made a wooden shelf for the top of my desk so I would have more storage,” Lauren Murphy, Cunningham, said. Some people can get by with the bare minimum but for others, the bare minimum just won’t cut it. Some students use command strips to hang almost anything where others don’t. It all just depends on if someone wants to get by or if they really want to make their dorm perfect. Hacks also don’t have to make a dorm room pretty, they can also help with storage and many other things. Bookshelves can separate a room between roommates, ottomans can make for extra seating but walso as a step stool to get on a lofted bed. Extra pillows on a bed can turn a bed into a couch during the day, shoe holders can be used to hold snacks, and a fan can be
attached to a bedpost. “Use vertical space, either for art, selfexpression or storage. There is a full line of Command strips and Command Hooks to help students use that vertical space in their rooms,” Hinshaw said. A TV mount can even be used without putting it on the wall, there are TV mounts for tailgating that fit onto a truck hitch. One of these comes in handy in a dorm room because it can just be attached to a bed or table with some zip ties and clamps. “My roommate made a headboard out of wood, some padding, and fabric so that she can have something softer to rest her back on while doing homework,” said Murphy. With resources like Pinterest, dorm hacks and dorm recipes are endless but they can make dorm living much easier.
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
▼ Murphy’s desk shelf was made by her brother. It helped create more storage space on her desk. Photo by Sydney Henke
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Mommy and Me
ShaMonya Young, Reporter & Designer
Students Balance Parenthood and Academics “Mom, I’m not cleaning up after him. I’m not doing the dishes because he’s been on the couch playing video games all day. I’m not doing his dishes. Mom, no. Why should I have to clean up after Ricky? Have Erin do it.” Sitting at the cafeteria table eating chicken, rice and steamed vegetables, Angela Doyle, Hutchinson, drops her fork on her plate. She takes a breath and with a look of frustration displayed on her face, she responds by saying, “Look, I’ve been at school all day!” Constantly dealing with the distractions of siblings bickering about household chores is just one of the challenges Doyle faces as a mother returning to school. “It was just frustrating for me. It was hard for me to focus. I have ADHD myself,” Doyle said. “How was I supposed to come home, have to do homework, and deal with three young men that can’t seem to get their sugar honey iced tea together?” She is a current student at Hutchinson Community College pursuing her Associates of Art degree in Graphic Design. Neither her mom nor dad attended college, and after having her first son, Alex, she has been motivated and determined to receive her degree. She is also a member of the Creative Writing Club and the Artist Coalition Club on campus. Doyle walks to college due to not having transportation. She has suffered from health issues as well as deaths in her family, but
still she remains focused. Doyle has a bit of a hard time meeting deadlines because of her ADHD condition. However, she is always involved and very supportive in her children’s lives. She was the head volunteer at her kids’ school. Her efforts and hard work has motivated her children to continue their education and pursue their dreams as well. “They’re proud of mom,’’ Doyle said. When Doyle was asked what was easiest for her while attempting to balance home life and school, her face lit up with joy, and she
▲ Eating lunch and reading a book, Angela, Hutchinson, enjoys a moment to herself. This is where she feels peace. Photo by ShaMonya Young
burst out into laughter as she said, “School”. Her laughter continued to fill the cafeteria. “Going home and being able to sit and play video games and forget about everything. That’s the easiest, because I’m a gamer chick. I’ve always been a gamer chick,” Doyle said. Her financial situation is not at its best due to student loans. She even had to apply for welfare to support herself and her family. Thanks to her grandmother, she was able to attend school without having the stress of finding a babysitter. However, HutchCC offers endowment scholarships to qualified students who are in need of childcare. These scholarships are accepted by the college’s Child Care Center located just one block north of the main campus. Julie Wisbey, Childcare Center Coordinator, said the center is open to the public, however, students are served first. The center allows for full-time childcare as well as part-time childcare. Students do receive discounts. Transportation to and from the center is the responsibility of the parents. The children enjoy breakfast, snack, circle time, crafts, learning games, and outside fun and games throughout the day. Wisbey said, “Many students say they wouldn’t be able to attend college if it wasn’t for this program.” Overall, Doyle has learned to balance her life with teamwork. Her children are older
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▲ HutchCC Child-Care Center accepts endowment scholarships from HutchCC students. The Center is located just one block north of the college’s main campus. Photo by ShaMonya Young
now and more responsible, so a weight has been lifted from her shoulders when it comes to household duties. “They help me to stay focused,” Doyle said about her kids now. Last but not least, knowing when to take a break and give herself time to rest is the
strategy Doyle uses, when asked how does she maintain it all. Doyle mentions the word “Shalom,” meaning Peace. “Prayer, strong faith, and patience with myself. Shalom is what gets me through,” said Doyle.
v
HutchCC CHILD-CARE CENTER
LOCATION: 512 E. 15th Circle Hutchinson, KS, 67501 ▲ HutchCC Child-Care Center proudly dislays the art work of the children in attendance. Collectively they created an animal farm. Photo by ShaMonya Young
AGES: 2 ½ and potty trained through age 6 years
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
HOURS: 7:15am - 5:15pm
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O’Leary Lecture:
"On Fire"
Pablo Sanchez, Reporter & Designer
Dillon Lecture Series speaker John O’Leary moved students with motivational speech. Dillon Lecture Series Speaker John O’Leary talked to students about a challenging moment in which he nearly could have died from. It takes a tough person to recover from being severely burned, especially at the age of nine. Burn victim O’Leary wasn’t expected to live through his first night in the hospital. Instead of letting this major life event affect his outlook on life, O’Leary found inspiration and now travels to tell his story. At the first Hutchinson Community College Dillon Lecture of the year, O’Leary addressed a crowd of students, faculty, staff, and community members in the Hutchinson Sports Arena on Oct. 1. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., O’Leary remembers the day it all started. “My mom and dad were gone on Sat, Jan. 7, 1987,” O’Leary said. “I walked into the garage, came over to a can of gasoline, lit a piece of cardboard on fire. Before the liquid came out, the fumes pulled my little flame into the container, created a massive explosion, and launches me 20 feet against the far side of the garage,” said O’Leary. The event motivated O’Leary to take his story and tell others they can get through troubled times in their lives as well. “I was asked in a media session just a moment ago in the room down the hall. How do you change the world when there are so many big problems, and the answer is quite simple and hard. The answer is this, one life at a time that is how great changes happen and why not start here, why not start in your
backyard, why not start today in your life which is not always easy” O’Leary said. O’Leary had 100 percent of his body burned and had a one percent chance of living, but he didn’t give up on hope. Being a Cardinals fan that O’Leary is, his favorite announcer John Buck visited him at the hospital. “Sunday afternoon I’m hanging out in darkness tied down to this bed, and my door opens open, and I hear footsteps a chair a cough pull up next to my bed, and then I hear one voice, and the voice says to me. Kid wake up, wake up you are going to live, you are going to survive, and when you get out of here, we are going to celebrate we’ll call it John O’Leary day at the ballpark,” O’Leary said. “My friends, the journey forward to where we are today has been anything but easy. Anything but easy has been absolutely worthwhile, and I am utterly convinced that the best of your journey remains in front of you too. Completely convinced of it in order to unlock that though you need to step toward it individually and everyday we have to ask one question of ourselves, ‘what more can I do,” O’Leary said. Psychology Instructor Amanda Smith has had difficulty speaking in front of groups. Smith shares how she was able to overcome her speech anxiety when speaking in front of her classes. “Many may not notice this about me, but I am painfully shy as well as an introvert. Social interactions will simultaneously give
me anxiety and wear me out. Of course, this can be an obstacle when you are presenting and interacting with students for hours each day,” Smith said. “Though it has taken practice, and I do still get nervous, I’m now much more comfortable and really love what I do. I am better for it because now I put myself out there more and allow myself to make connections with my students, which is fun.” Challenges come in many forms and relationships twist in unexpected ways. One HutchCC student who wants to remain anonymous shares her divorce story and how it was challenging to overcome this obstacle. “The biggest thing I’ve had to overcome so far in my life would be my parents’divorce. Their divorce changed me in every way. My physical and mental health was negatively impacted by their separation,” she said. The impact of a divorce affects more than just the husband and wife in the situation. “During their divorce, I moved four times and ended up dropping out of college in order to provide not only for myself but also for my two younger sisters. Both of my parents
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left behind my sisters and me. They chose to move away and to dedicate their time and efforts into becoming alcoholics and drug users” she said. Pushing through times like these may be hard, but help is closer than one might think. “For many years, I felt so alone and missed the days when I lived under the same roof with my mother and father. We made so made great memories that I will forever treasure. However, I learned the hard way on how to be independent and humble. I grew up so fast,” she said. “I took on many responsibilities alone. Today, I feel very fortunate to say that they caused me to be grateful for every loved one who stuck with me.” “Don’t give up and stay true to yourself. Don’t allow your pain and struggles to consume you and warp your mind into thinking that you are any less than someone she said Everyone can find love, happiness, peace, and success in life. You just must be patient and work towards bettering yourself.” continued on page 30 ▲John O’Leary shares part of his story and mentions that last year over 1.5 millions people attempted suicide. During the press conference O’Leary talked about the importance of living. Photo By Pablo Sanchez
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
◄O’Leary shows a picture of himself when he was nine and in the hospital. O’Leary mentioned he played the piano and hated it. Photo by Pablo Sanchez
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HutchCC
at the
Kansas State Fair Athletes, singers, students come together to help the community by volunteering. When the Kansas State Fair, or KSF, comes to mind people usually think of Pronto Pups, Ron Diamond, the Freak Out, concerts and so much more. What most people don’t realize is many volunteers give up their time to help successfully pull off the KSF. Some of those people study right here at Hutchinson Community College. “I like getting to meet people from all over. And seeing all the different cultures we have in Kansas,” said Marissa Morton, Hutchinson. There are several groups from HutchCC that volunteer at the fair, including: Agriculture Diesel Mechanics, Agriculture and Livestock Judging students assist the first weekend with The Grand Drive, the Welding, and Nursing programs.“I enjoy meeting people you normally wouldn’t get to meet anywhere else and I also like getting a different experience every day that I work there,” said McKinley Cross, Buhler. The Media Production students sold parking spots to raise scholarship funds, the Spirit Squad helped clean tables at the Cottonwood Court as a fundraiser, and the baseball team, track team, and student firefighters assisted with parking and directing traffic in the public parking lots. “The biggest challenge while working the parking was probably the heat and not being able to sit for a little bit during our 4 hour shifts,” said Megan Miller, Hutchinson. Some of the track team volunteered because it was their ticket to
Hannah Brummer, Reporter & Designer
▲Guiding a vehicle, Tyler Delong, Harrah, Okla., directs traffic at the Kansas State Fair. Delong helped work the parking lots for the baseball team. Photo by Hannah Brummer ►Megan Miller, Hutchinson directs a vehicle in the parking lot at the Kansas State Fair. Miller was working he parking lots for the track team. Photo by Hannah Brummer
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▲ Making a drink for a fairgoer is McKinely Cross, Buhler. Cross worked as a food vendor for Badinage, HutchCC’s jazz vocal group. Photo by Hannah Brummer ◄ Cross handed a lemonade to a customer. Cross sold drinks and cotton candy as a fundraiser for Badinage. Photo by Hannah Brummer
K Fa S c F t
337,400
2019 attendance
150 ▲ Cutting limes and lemons for beverages is Marissa Morton, Hutchinson. Morton worked at the state fair to raise money for a jazz vocal group. Photo by Hannah Brummer
2019 volunteers
700
2019 vendors
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Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
participate in the first few meets of the indoor track season. “I think it is important to volunteer because you are helping the community,” said Tyler Delong, Harrah, Okla. HutchCC has a huge presence at the KSF. For example, in the Meadowlark Building, there is a booth where fairgoers can pick up a HutchCC cup and fill it at participating vendors for only $1.00. HutchCC hands out pencils, fans, Duke the Dragon Activity Booklets and more at their booth. HutchCC also provided students, staff, and faculty with t-shirts to wear when they attend the State Fair. Over 4,000 were handed out. “I chose to volunteer because I like when I direct people where to go they smile and say hi to me,” said Sheila Too, Eldoret, Kenya.
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Keeping in Touch
Matthew Folkerts, Reporter & Designer
Alumni Association works hard to bring alumni and community together
kept secret,” said William Thacker, HutchCC Millions of Americans graduate from Alumni Board Member. “Having a college college without ever getting involved in that is as excellent academically as HCC in a college-sponsored activity whether it be our own backyards is astonishing.” through an alumni organization or a club. The HutchCC Alumni Association Those who do get involved have the opporhas several dreams, visions, and plans of tunity to change the lives of students, former what their involvement on graduates, and community campus could look like. members. On the Hutchin“The purpose of the Not only of the campus son Community College or programs ,but commucampus, connections are Alumni & Friends consists nity involvement and the being made. of several aspects including relationship that alumni “I love my job and I fostering a spirit of loyalty hold with the college. am very proud of HCC. and to promote the general “When I took on the By being a member, I am welfare of our organizaroll of becoming presiable to help with events,” tion. Also, our organization dent of the college I had said Cindy Keast, Endowexists to support Hutchinmany ideas and visions ment Director. “We are son Community College’s of what HutchCC could working very hard to start goals, and to strengthen become,” said Dr. Edward building up and start holdthe ties between alumni, Berger, former HutchCC ing alumni events so we the community and the President. can develop relationships college,” Keast said.“We Every year, the Alumni with our alumni, so we enjoy hearing from alumni Association hosts an can invite them back to on career updates and life annual Community Day our campus as speakers experiences.” which is held in the fall and presenters.” -Cindy Keast on campus in the courtHaving a lot of pride yard behind Lockman about where students Hall. Alumni, donors, and receive their degrees from community members are invited. At the is a dire need for someone in the Alumni event, there are different programs hosted to Association. The purpose of being a part of promote different career fields and degrees. the alumni organization is to see the comAlong with Community Day, the Alumni munity involved in the college. Association would like to begin hosting “I always like to say HCC is like a best
a membership drive. These events are important because they bring graduates, the community and HutchCC students together. The HutchCC Alumni Association cares deeply about HutchCC, it’s students, former and current, and the community. The Alumni Association strives to bring these things together with events, guest speakers, and presenters.
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◄ William Thacker, Hutchinson and 2009 alumnus, works in his office at Edward Jones. Thacker serves as a member on the Alumni Board. Photo by Matthew Folkerts
HutchCC COMMUNITY DAY OCTOBER 19
Free hot dogs Program booths Community & Alumni invited
◄ Dr. Edward Berger, Hutchinson, stands as he is recognized at the 2019 Commencement as the Alumni of the Year. Photo by HutchCC Marketing
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
◄ Cindy Keast, Endowment Director, speaks at the Presidential Scholar 25th anniversery celebration event in April 2019. Photo by HutchCC Marketing
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Top 5
Activities that students should do before they graduate
Regan LaRue, Reporter & Designer
1
Hutchinson attracts visitors from all around the United States, these attractions are sometimes overlooked by Hutchinson Community College students. Whether it’s a quiet study spot, a new adventure or just a place to hang out with friends, there are businesses all around for students. On your next free weekend or between classes, go to these five businesses.
The Cosmosphere
A museum all about space travel, The Cosmosphere is out of this world! Many students remember going to the Cosmosphere at a young age on a school field trip, though it is much more than just a kindergarten field trip destination. Upon stepping into the lobby of the Cosmosphere, many are overcome with wonder and amazement as they stare at the various airplanes and spaceships on display. Abby Flickner, Kingman, said, “Whenever I visited the Cosmosphere as a kid my favorite thing was the astronaut ice cream, but now after growing up I’ve started to love visiting the dome theater and learning about the stars. I won’t lie though the ice cream is probably still my favorite”
Strataca is developing a refreshing new life. This underground salt mine is filled with history to the brim. Museum Director Michael Ables said,“When you travel in the mine it’s like going back in history. There’s footprints there, those footprints have been there longer than when Neil Armstrong was on the moon.” Though what might attract one’s eye would be the underground museum. Due to the fact that many museum artifacts stay completely preserved underground, Strataca has an exhibit underneath ground level. This museum includes a Batman suit, and a Superman suit encased in miles of pure salt.
Strataca
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In the heart of Hutchinson, the Reno County Museum showcases the history of the city throughout the years. Within the museum you can learn fascinating things about the history of firefighters, and see age old war memorabilia. Though the attraction is historical and educational Michael Ables, Executive Director, plans to revamp the museum. Able wants to bring big changes to this historical destination. Able said, “The Reno County Museum has every earmark to be an amazing museum, we’ve already started to change things such as the gift shop.” It will be fascinating to see how the museum begins to improve over time.
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Metropolitan Coffee Visitors can snuggle up with a hot cup of coffee, read their favorite book, or maybe play a board game with friends at Metropolitan Coffee. This small coffee shop serves up all kinds of coffee and treats, along with the fun atmosphere. The Metro hosts fun nights for students, locals, and visitors from around hutchinson. With events such as a “Here Is My Poem” poem night, and live performances.
Hutchinson Zoo 5 These businesses are booming and here for students, citizens, and visitors of Hutchinson. Getting out there and searching for the new fun hangout spot is easier than one might think in this college community. Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
Showcasing native creatures, the Hutchinson Zoo wows children and adults who step foot into this free attraction. Animals inside the zoo include foxes, coyotes, owls, prairie dogs and more. Many families in and around Hutchinson enjoy visting the attraction. Devon LaRue, Hutchinson Community College 2017 Alumni, said her son, Bradley loves seeing all the creatures run around and play. She said, “Watching my children get excited to see all the different animals is one of my favorite things about being at the zoo.”
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Myranda Stika, Reporter & Designer
Traveling Teams What happens when the Hutchinson Community College teams travel? Travel into this article to find out what all it takes to get these teams ready.
Preparing for an out-of-town game entails a lot more than showing up and competing against the other team. Details like equipment, food and transportation are important factors. With 12 sports teams, making sure athletes get to the game takes a logistics manager. Transportation Coordinator & Sports Information Director (SID), Steve Carpenter, plays a big part in making sure these traveling teams are in the right place, at the right time. “It takes lots and lots of coordination. I can schedule the buses but we have to make sure the drivers are available. With only two full-time drivers and a few part-time drivers, it takes a lot of coordination on my end to get them there and it also takes the coaches own kind of coordination. It’s not just jumping in a bus and going somewhere to play. There’s a lot more to it especially with the overnighters,” Carpenter said.
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Being mentally prepared to perform, athletes must often go from the bus straight to the field. “Once I get that music going I just feel ready to go,’’ Bailey Flowers, Wichita, said. Some essentials athletes travel with include headphones and a pillow and blanket for comfort. “Obviously my game stuff and I always have to have my chapstick with me too,” Flowers said. The coaches prepare for traveling in a different way. Head Soccer Coach, Sammy Lane, meets with his team about 15-20 minutes in the locker room before the bus leaves so they can talk about their opponents and their strengths and weaknesses. “I have their uniforms hanging up in there and they will come in and get their uniforms themselves so I know they have their uniform so I’m not worried about whether or not they have it or left it in the dorm room,” Lane said. He must also have his roster and equipment ready for each game. “I gotta make sure all the players are on the bus, I’m always counting heads to make sure that happens,” Lane said. Traveling home from the game is a little different. “We send out a text to make sure someone brings a couple of good movies, because I like to watch movies when I come from the games. Some like it in silence, but there’s just no way I could sit on the bus for four hours and just be quiet,” Lane said.
Traveling with only 17 athletes is a little different than 105-110 football players which means more prep work. “We have our duties divided amongst the coaches. The coaches all chip in to make sure everything goes smoothly, even the players chip in sometimes to reload the coolers with drinks and to unload and load the coolers along with all the equipment that has to go along with us. There’s a lot of hands and everybody is pretty willing to chip in,” Head Football Coach Rion Rhoades said. Head Volleyball Coach Patrick Hall’s assistants have their itinerary planned out and beyond that the team tries to just relax on the trip. “We don’t ever have a problem with preparing ourselves in terms of getting up for a competition. So that’s the nice thing about it is that it’s always a natural. The kids always know who we’re going up against and they’re excited,” Hall said.“They love to play up year in and year out. I love to play up. Those opportunities are great opportunities to see and play good volleyball.” A four-hour drive is the farthest Head Cross Country Coach Justin Riggs and his team have traveled during the regular season to Joplin, Mo. The teams do face some challenges when they travel. “For the longer bus rides it’s hard because you have to try and get out of that bus mode which is really hard because you’ll be sleeping and then all of a sudden you’re here. It’s like getting out of bed all over again,” Flower said. Even though there are challenges the players do have their favorite things about the trips and make some pretty memorable moments too.
“When traveling, the best part is getting to play on the different fields,” Flowers said. Carpenter live streams the games on the road so his challenges are to make sure that he gets all of his equipment, his stats computer, his printer, his camera, and all of the audio/video equipment. “I’ll never complain about my wife over packing when we go on a trip ever again. I usually take about 9 bags when I go on the road,” Carpenter said. His job as a visiting SID is coordinating with the visiting SID to make sure they have a spot to run broadcasts from and to set up stats. Continued on page 32
▲ A volleyball player loaded the bus with one of the coolers for their ride to Independence Community College. The team traveled three hours to play. Photo by Myranda Stika ◄ The Hutchinson Community College bus sits outside the Hutchinson Sports Arena waiting to leave. Photo by Myranda Stika
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
◄ A volleyball player loads the Hutchinson Blue Dragon bus. The team headed to Independence Community College where they won 3-0. Photo by Myranda Stika
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Transferring
Brogen Willich, Reporter & Designer
Why HCC has some of the best athletes in the nation Hutchinson Community College has been able to recruit players from all over the country, creating some of the best junior college sports teams in America. As a small community college, HutchCC has about 5,000 to 6,000 students. Even considering the school’s size, they have been able to recruit players from across the country by offering them something their previous schools may not have - a quality education in smaller classes where teachers put the students first. “They choose somewhere else and realize they should’ve come to Hutch in the first place,” said Ryan Schmidt, Head Baseball Coach. Many athletes go into college getting themselves into situations they may not be prepared for. Some go to big schools and find out how hard it is to learn in a big classroom, or they may not enjoy the environment for various reasons. Various transfer-athletes said they chose HutchCC because it was to get back on track or because of someone they knew. Chu Ogbonna, Atlanta, Ga., is a football player who transferred from Middle Tennessee State University. “I would say it’s more of a humbling experience being here coming from a Division 1 school,” Ogbonna said. While others like Justin Gardener, Atlanta, Ga., who played football at Oregon State University had different reasons for transferring to a smaller school. “I already knew one of the coaches here from high school, so we already had that connection,” Gardener said. Students that transfer from bigger schools to HutchCC for sports usually have a few main goals - to get back on track and fight their way back to the next level of play. A soccer player who trans-
“They care a lot, not just about how we perform on the field but they care about where we want to go in life after college.” -Chiara Soergel
▲ Isaiah Todd, Decatur, GA, steps over his opponent after a tackle. Other teammates, Arian Strong, Muscle Shoels, AL; Kirmari Gainous, Tallahassee, Fla; Jakorian Bennett, Mobine, AL; and Latrell Bankston, Woodstock, GA, celebrated after the tackle. Photo by Brogen Willich
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◄ Wide Receivers Karim Brown, St. Augustine, Fla., and Craig Burt, Columbus, OH, are in a huddle with Coach Cook and other teammates. Photo by Brogen Willich
ferred from Emporia State University, Chiara Soergel, Bensheim, Germany, chose to come to HutchCC because of a recommendation from a friend. “They care a lot, not just about how we perform on the field but they care about where we want to go in life after college,” Soergel said. Cody Farmer, Jones, Okla., played baseball for Seminole State University and transferred to HutchCC. “My best experience has been just meeting the guys and really just enjoying my time playing baseball,” Farmer said. “I mean you just go and meet new people, then you have to go and do the same thing next year. It’s tough, the only thing I really miss is the people where I came from,” Farmer said about how he relates to other transfer student-athletes. Transfer students go through a lot, but what’s most important is that they work hard like everyone else to do what they have to do and they enjoy their time in college. ◄ Chaira Soergel, Bensheim, Germany, kicks the ball to clear it from the goal in their game on Aug. 24 against Indian Hills. Photo by Bre Rogers
Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
▼ In the goal, Soergel gets ready for a save. Soergel defended against Indian Hills. Photo by Bre Rogers
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O’Leary Lecture: “On Fire” If any students are going through something difficult, please know that there are counselors on campus that will keep information private. If a counselor isn’t the right choice then lean on family, friends, or
Traveling Teams
(cont’d from page 22) whoever is trustworthy. No one should have to fight a battle alone. ► Dillon Lecture Speaker John O’Leary stands next to a photo that was taken when he was nine and burned 100 percent of his body. O’Leary warned people about the graphic nature of the image before showing it. Photo by Pablo Sanchez
(cont’d from page 29) hung up. Two minutes later Coach Rhoades calls and said, ‘Hey, Carp the door just fell off the van.” Carpenter had to get an emergency van from Enterprise so they could get to their game. Flowers remembers one funny moment while traveling with her team. “One time when we drove to Colorado for a game which took us nine hours. We had a lot of fun in the hotel room and we got pizza as a team beforehand, it was really
fun,” she said. “Then we went to play our game and we played 15 minutes then had to drive all the way back home. It got cancelled because there was a rain delay then they just decided to cancel it.” There is a lot more to traveling than just loading a van or bus. It takes coordination and a lot of people to make the trips run smooth while the rest of campus waits to hear if the team wins or loses.
Steve Student, Reporter • Steve Student, Designer
“We have a pretty good working relationship now with all the SIDs where that’s pretty much locked in,” Carpenter said. Even though challenges come up, it’s the memorable moments that make the trips. “So we’re on our way out there and I got this phone call from the student trainer with softball and he said, ‘Carp, the door just fell off the van.’ The kid who called me had been a jokester before and we got along so I said, ‘yeah you’re just pulling my leg,” Carpenter said. “Then I laughed and then I
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Dragon’s Tale • October 2019
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