SAINTS VOICES: Personal Perspectives on SCCC

Phil Lee

SCCC PR and Marketing

“The campus of Seward County Community College is alive with the sound of students!” – imagine being sung by Julie Andrews to “The Sound of Music.” 

Oh yes! Oh yes! Oh yes! The campus is alive! It is hustling and bustling! It’s abuzz with energy! It is the first week of classes! 

Students are walking on campus and as they enter the facilities, they are wearing their masks. They are excited (I can tell despite the face coverings) that they are excited to start the semester. 

Incoming freshmen wander aimlessly into the Hobble Building trying to find where the “A” or “AA” classrooms are. It’s a good thing that they’re not afraid to ask someone and friendly faculty and staff are more than happy to guide them where they need to be. 

It’s always a chaotic during the first few days. Students making new friends. Students trying not to make mistakes as they get their bearings. Students making sure they’re in the right classrooms and thus taking the right course. It’s always interesting to see a student settling into a classroom and then realizing that it’s not band, but a welding class. 

Faculty scrambling to make sure they have their syllabi and planning for the semester in order. Making sure the students are in attendance and what is expected of them to have a successful year.  

At SCCC and across the community, like most places weary of pandemic measures, there were expectations that the semester would return to normal. There would be no masks or social distancing and classroom limitations would be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, it was not to be. With the rise of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, SCCC decided to make the difficult decision to require masks and social distancing per the Centers for Disease Control. And if things go well and positive cases and hospitalizations decrease, safety protocols could be relaxed. (Fingers crossed). 

Once again, student and faculty are faced with challenges, including splitting the class between in-person and remote learning. But the good news is that they’ve been through this already and are better prepared for it. Students and instructors alike, they’ve taken what has happened last year and will figure out what works and what doesn’t. And while there are always going to be hiccups, the energy of campus seems to be positive. 

SCCC Student Life, led by Wade Lyon, is certainly putting on a stellar effort to orient the students with a positive attitude through Welcome Week activities! There has been something going on every day for the first week. From spray can art to a carnival-theme activities fair  to crafting with vision boards, trying for luck with the ever-popular brown-bag Bingo and giveaways at the Saints Bookstore, every Saint has had the opportunity to relax and have fun.  While academics are important, social activities are a big part of the college experience. 

And of course, Saints athletics will hit the ground running. The Lady Saints volleyball team will hold its Jayhawk Conference opener and home opener against Pratt on Wednesday, August 25 at 6:30 pm in the Greenhouse. It’s going to be a great season! You’re not going to want to miss it. And this is the first time any Saints team will grace the brand-new court in the Greenhouse! It looks spectacular! 

Things are kicking off and it looks like it’s going to be a great year! 

Categories: Saints Voices