Butler Community College Holds 78th Honors and Awards Ceremony

Butler Community College held its 78th annual Honors and Awards Recognition Ceremony on Friday, May 15, 2026, recognizing students for academic excellence, leadership and scholarship achievement during the 2025–26 academic year. Nearly $30,000 in scholarship funding was awarded during the ceremony. 

Students earning Order of the Purple and Order of the Gold honors were recognized during the ceremony. To receive an Order of the Purple designation, students must earn a GPA of 3.75 or higher, while Order of the Gold recipients must attain a 4.0 GPA. 

Each year, the Butler Community College Education Association’s Master Teacher award winner serves as keynote speaker at Honors and Awards. This year’s Master Teacher, English professor Dr. Andrea McCaffree-Wallace, encouraged students to reflect on their values and recognize the strengths they already possess. 

“The most important keys to happiness and purpose in life are already inside you, and the most inspiring thing at this ceremony is you,” McCaffree-Wallace said. 

Forty Butler instructors received Outstanding Faculty certificates, having been nominated by honors students for making the biggest difference in their learning experience. 

Ten retiring faculty members were also recognized for their contributions to helping students reach their goals. Combined, the retirees have over 200 years of educational service at Butler. 

Several scholarships and academic recognitions were also awarded during the ceremony. 

Jaxon Williamson of Augusta received the Winnie L. Broers Scholarship. The Broers scholarship is awarded by the Butler Foundation to a graduating sophomore to attend the University of Kansas or Kansas State University for four semesters. 

Savannah Wolff of Valley Center received the HUEY (Humankind Understands Educating Youth) Award. The HUEY was established in 1989 in memory of Gregory A. Bales (1965–89). It is given to a distinguished Order of the Purple graduate who possesses high standards for academic and extracurricular activities. 

Eva Preister of Andale received the Fran Jabara Presidential Business Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a graduating sophomore who plans to study business at Wichita State University. 

Keegan Yarick of Fort Scott received the Helen Teter Zebold Science Award. The scholarship was founded in 1984 and is given to a student committed to earning a bachelor’s degree in science, math or engineering. 

Jase Thomas of Augusta received the Crossland Family Presidential Scholarship. Long-time supporters of Pittsburg State University, the Crossland endowed fund supports one student who will attend Pittsburg State following their graduation from Butler. 

Paige Gawith of Wichita received the Clifford W. Stone Academic Excellence Scholarship. A dedicated supporter of Butler, Clifford Stone was an extraordinary civic leader and generous donor to many scholarships and capital projects, leaving a lasting legacy on the institution. 

Jacyndah Jennings of Mulvane received the Lindsey Carter Fields Memorial Science Scholarship. This scholarship, dedicated to the memory of former biology department chair Lindsey Fields, is awarded to an Early College Academy student pursuing a biology or science-related degree.

The list of Order of the Purple and Order of the Gold honorees will be available at a later date. 

To watch the ceremony in full, click here.  

A photo album from the event is available at: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCUgHv