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Butler Community College celebrated the inauguration of the sixth president in its nearly 100-year history, Dr. Tamara Daniel. Dignitaries from across the state including college presidents and vice presidents, local, state, and county officials, and members of the Kansas Board of Regents attended the ceremony. In her inaugural address, Dr. Tamara Daniel reflected on her belief that the institution she has been charged to lead is more than just a place. “It is a spirit that lives in every student who walks through our doors, in every faculty and staff member who gives their best each day, in

Butler Community College’s Automotive Technology program received a $16,000 gift from the NADA Foundation at the recommendation of Les Eck, owner of Rusty Eck Ford. The gift itself is a NADA Foundation Ambassador Grant and will support Auto Tech students in their hands-on training to become automotive professionals. “There are two people you cannot live without in a car business: salespeople and technicians,” Eck Auto Group CEO Kyle Eck said. “Salespeople sell the cars and technicians keep them on the road.” Eck is committed to continuing the partnership with Butler’s Auto Tech program to

For Andover resident Amber Holeman, returning to a college classroom wasn’t just about earning a credential—it was about answering a calling. “I realized over the years that I really enjoy helping people,” Holeman said. “I thrive in a fast-paced environment and during crises.” After earning a bachelor’s in psychology over a decade ago, she considered a career in emergency services for years but couldn’t make it work as a single parent. Now married with an adult daughter living in Minnesota and two kids thriving in middle school, she finally has the opportunity to follow her passion. “I like

The Rotary Club of West Wichita has partnered with the Redler Institute of Culinary Arts at Butler Community College to establish a new scholarship in memory of Michael Phipps, a respected leader in the local hospitality industry who passed away in January of this year. The inaugural Michael Phipps Memorial Scholarships were presented at the Rotary Club’s meeting on September 30 to three deserving students, Thien Doan, Alexis Osborne and Sarah Rouch, all of Wichita. Each student received a $500 scholarship to support their education and training at Butler. The scholarship was created to honor

Michael McCaffrey is the latest featured artist at Butler Community College’s Erman B. White Gallery of Art, with a new exhibition titled “Dog Days.” An assistant teaching professor in the visual art department at the University of Kansas, McCaffrey’s work typically features oil paintings and drawings of his elderly father and his home in Lawrence, Kansas. With color choices alternating between bright synthetic hues and neutrals associated with Kansas, McCaffrey records accurate visual information and abstract forms. Butler assistant art professor Rachel Curtis served as the college’s point

Butler’s diesel technology program recently received a major boost through the donation of a diesel truck by FGC Inc., a transportation company based in Park City, Kansas. Joe Cordell, fleet manager at FGC, said the donation of the 2018 Kenworth T-680 was an investment in the next generation of technicians. “I’ve been in contact with Todd [Williams] about the diesel program for the last couple years, as we are always looking for new talent,” Cordell said. “We recently purchased new trucks and are selling old ones, so we thought now would be a great time to donate a piece of equipment and build

Butler Community College theatre students will present an adaptation of the legend of Robin Hood, Marian or the True Tale of Robin Hood by Adam Szymkowicz on September 25-27. This comedic play showcases Maid Marian secretly in disguise as Robin Hood. The performance is rooted in identity, mistakes and exploring oneself. Audiences can expect adventures, clever disguises and a unique retelling of Robin Hood. Technical and performance students have worked on the performance for weeks, building the stage and fine-tuning their respective crafts. “They are very hardworking,” new faculty April

Butler Community College now offers Art in the Elementary Classroom, an online course starting this fall. With the development of this new course, students can now earn an Elementary Education associate degree fully online as of Fall 2025. Casi Short, art adjunct instructor, designed the course to suit the needs of Butler’s online learning population. Students will make art, interact with art history and create meaningful art lessons for their own students. The course guides students through topics in art education and effective classroom management strategies for their future classrooms. “I

Written by: Caleb Sanderson After changing her major from architecture, Lexi Gruenwald discovered her passion for ceramics by stepping into the art world at Butler. Lexi has molded her life around learning and sharing art as a commissioned artist and teaching community classes at City Arts in Wichita’s Old Town. As a former art scholarship student, Lexi was introduced to art both as a creator and behind the scenes as a student worker. She spent countless hours in the studio working her craft, especially into the late evening and night hours with her 24-hour access. Pieces of her work were

When Abby George started Sweetie Pie Bakery in 2023, she traded the comforts of hobby baking for the hustle and precision of running a small business. Now every Saturday you can find her at west Wichita’s Kansas Grown farmers market selling cakes, scones, cookies and protein bars—and dreaming up her next big steps. George’s love for baking began in childhood, practicing family recipes with her grandmother and mother during holiday marathons in the kitchen. By the time she was 16, she knew she wanted to make a career out of it. That led her to Butler Community College’s Redler Institute of