Category Archives: Fort Scott Community College
FSCC Celebrates 100 Years In the Community
Alysia Johntson announced the Centennial Celebration of Fort Scott Community College at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee Thursday at the college gym.
The school is oldest continually operating community college in Kansas and will celebrate one hundred years of existence September 20 and 21, Johnston told the coffee attendees.
“Fort Scott Community College started in Fort Scott High School in 1919,” Johnston told the coffee attendees.
That move allowed students who wanted to start college, but not have to go out of the community, to attend college, said Mert Barrows, a member of the Centennial Committee.
The college moved to the present site on South Horton Street in 1967, Johnston said.
“Today we provide online degrees and also have one of the best occupational areas around,” Johnston said.
“I was a student here for the 50th anniversary (of the college),” Harold Hicks, Centennial Committee Chairman, said.
“This college has a special place in my heart,” Hicks said. “Several members of the committee are graduates and much of our success in life, the seeds were planted here.”
To celebrate the centennial, there is a banquet and tailgate party planned for the community.
The celebration will kick off Friday evening, September 20, with a banquet for graduates, employees, and their families, according to a press release from FSCC. Saturday afternoon, Sept. 21, will feature a tailgate party at the stadium for all members of the community and conclude with the Homecoming game at 7 p.m.
Other activities planned include the burial of a time capsule, a series of featured articles in the newspaper, display cases around the campus, cake celebration, a video depicting campus activities, and appearances at local fairs and other community events, and other activities in the works, according to the press release.
Fort Scott Community College (then Fort Scott Junior College) was voted into existence on November 8, 1918, in a city-wide election. Rees Hughes, principal at Fort Scott High School, administered the newly formed college with fully qualified teachers to teach a program of consisting of foreign languages, English, mathematics, and science that would be identical to that offered by the University of Kansas, according to the press release.
According to a Fort Scott Tribune article published in April 1918, “By establishing the two years of college work in Fort Scott, it offers an unusual opportunity for students in Fort Scott and Bourbon County and adjacent counties to secure two years of normal school or college work while near home. The work done in the Fort Scott Junior College will be fully accredited at any of the colleges, normal schools or universities of the state,” according to the press release.
Centennial Committee members: Hicks, Barrows, Carolyn Sinn, Valetta Cannon, Bernita Hill, Robert Nelson, Bob Cable, Lori Cable, Rhonda Bailey, Ellen Fairchild, Leslie Damien, Karri Johnson, Marcel Normand and Kassie Feugate-Cate.
Contact person for the Centennial Committee is Harold W. Hicks, [email protected], Fort Scott Community College, 2108 South Horton, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Tel: 620.223.2700 X3150
Aggie Days March 29 at FSCC
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FSCC Offers Free Spring Kid’s Fair April 6
FSCC Spring Concert April 10
FSCC Adds eSports to Extracurricular Activities
Competitive online gaming is coming to Fort Scott Community College as an extra curricular activity.
eSports is competitive tournaments of video games, especially among professional gamers, according to dictionary.com.
“Competitors from different leagues or teams face off in the same games that are popular with at-home gamers: Fortnight, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch and Madden NFL, to name a few,” according to the FSCC website. “These gamers are watched and followed by millions of fans all over the world, who attend live events or tune in on TV or online. Streaming services like Twitch allow viewers to watch as their favorite gamers play in real time, and this is typically where popular gamers build up their fandoms” (Willingham, A. 2018).”
“Esports is considered a varsity sport, similar to our other athletic teams,” said Tom Havron, FSCC Vice President of Students and Athletic Director. “Our students will be developing valuable traits during their time with the team, but there is not a specific major that the students must strive for. One person might want to be a nursing major, while another student might want to look into a John Deere technician major. Esports will not limit them to what they want to do professionally, but will give them an avenue to better experience college through connecting them with other students that have similar interest and providing them a path to be a part of something special.”
Students will be required to retain a 2.0 GPA during their time in the extra curricular activity, Havron said. Additional requirements may be added by the coach as they deem necessary in the recruitment of students.
“FSCC will be offering the following to students who are interested in becoming a Gaming Greyhound,” according to its website:
- Books and Tuition scholarship for 15 credit hours
- Private gaming area for practicing and competing
- Travel for competitions
- Networking with other gamers, spectators, and possible sponsors
- A coach to lead them to victory
FSCC will be competing in the games League of Legends and Overwatch, with the possibility for more games in the near future.”
Attracting students to FSCC and possible scholarship opportunities are the motivation behind the addition to the college.
“We believe that eSports is going to be a very popular activity for us on-campus,” Havron said. “Our hope is that we will attract students to attend FSCC that may not have thought of us as a destination before we had eSports.”
“In addition to adding new students, we believe that having this sport will help us provide something new on campus that will further diversify our student body.”
“Finally, we have already been contacted by four-year institutions that also have eSports that are looking for new students. We believe that the program is going to open up new scholarship opportunities to our students that they would not have had before.”
A coach will be needed for eSports and FSCC will be recruiting one in the coming days.
” We currently have admissions and the VP of Students recruiting the team as we search for someone to lead the program,” Havron said.
“As with any activity, practice is going to help the students become better at their craft,” he said. ” In this case, more hands-on time with the game is going to improve their skill level.
The coach will also be responsible for:
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- recruiting and retaining students for the eSports program
- coordinating off-season, practice and competition schedules
- assisting with team travel when necessary
- running camps, clinics, and promotional events
- pursuing sponsorship opportunities within the eSports business world
- ensuring team compliance with all league, conference, and institutional rules and regulations
- continuously ensuring personal behavior and program reputation are in alignment with the institution values and brand.”
Many high schools in the region are adding eSports, Havron said. “Being a casual gamer is also an option. There are many competitions that can be seen on the internet, and students should find the game that they are most interested in and try to advance their skills. If prospective students have any questions, they are more than welcome to reach out to me at [email protected] and I will be able to assist.”
eSports Is Coming to FSCC
FSCC gears up for Gaming Greyhounds
Fort Scott Community College is bringing competitive online gaming to campus with ‘eSports’. What is eSports? “eSports describes the world of competitive, organized video gaming. Competitors from different leagues or teams face off in the same games that are popular with at-home gamers: Fortnight, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch and Madden NFL, to name a few. These gamers are watched and followed by millions of fans all over the world, who attend live events or tune in on TV or online. Streaming services like Twitch allow viewers to watch as their favorite gamers play in real time, and this is typically where popular gamers build up their fandoms” (Willingham, A. 2018).
FSCC will be offering the following to students who are interested in becoming a Gaming Greyhound:
- Books and Tuition scholarship for 15 credit hours
- Private gaming area for practicing and competing
- Travel for competitions
- Networking with other gamers, spectators, and possible sponsors
- A coach to lead them to victory
FSCC will be competing in the games League of Legends and Overwatch, with the possibility for more games in the near future.
“We are thrilled to add eSports to our varsity sports programs. This is a multi-billions dollar industry that is growing every single year, and we are very excited to lead the way for two-year colleges in the region. Esports has been one of our most requested activities from prospective students in recent years. We believe this will open the doors to some exciting new partnerships with area sponsors, and we are looking forward to our gaming future” says Tom Havron, V.P. of Students and Athletic Director.
To find out more information or to become a Gaming Greyhound, contact Tom Havron at [email protected] or call 620.223.2700.
For information regarding scholarships, please contact Admissions at [email protected] or call 620.223.2700 ext. 3510.
Reference:
Willingham, A. (2018) “What is eSports? A look at an explosive billion-dollar industry”. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/us/esports-what-is-video-game-professional-league-madden-trnd/index.html.
ABE/GED Orientation
The next ABE/GED orientation will begin Tuesday, March 5th. There are three class times to choose from: 9am-12pm, 1-4pm, or 4-7pm. We will work mostly towards the GED modules which include math, reading, social studies, and science. We also focus on college readiness, career readiness, and a little bit of technology. There is a class fee of $30 which covers materials, TABE assessments, GED practice tests, and many certificates. Please contact Aubrey Duft the Lead ABE Instructor at (620)223-2700 Ext. 4400 or email at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Buffalo Soldiers Presentation Rescheduled to Feb. 18
DUE TO THE FORECASTED INCLEMENT WEATHER IN OUR SURROUNDING AREA. THE “LUNCH & LEARN” BUFFALO SOLDIER HISTORY PRESENTATION “SLAVE TO SOLDIER” HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO MONDAY, FEB 18 AT 11:00.AM. – 12:00P.M.
Jayhawkers Film Feb. 19 at Gordon Parks Museum
Kirk Sharp: New Gordon Parks Museum Director
Kirk Sharp started his duties as the new Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director on Jan. 7.
But Sharp is no stranger to the museum. He has been serving behind the scenes since 2004.
“I always had an interest and encouraged the activities and helped with activities and special events when I could,” Sharp said. He also served on the Gordon Parks Museum Foundation Board for four years.
Sharp is a 1985 graduate of Fort Scott High School, and has worked at FSCC before.
“I worked here in FSCC admissions from 2007 to 2010,” Sharp said. “Then Mercy Hospital where I managed Health For Life, occupational and sports medicine until the hospital closed (In 2018).”
“I feel blessed for this exciting opportunity to be with the Gordon Parks Museum and also being back with FSCC,” Sharp said.
“Kirk was the best choice,” said Kassie Feugate-Cate, FSCC’s Director of Strategic Communication. “He is a great asset to the program. We are grateful and look forward to seeing what he can do with the museum, moving forward.”
The mission of the Gordon Parks Museum is to honor the life and work of Gordon Parks, internationally-known photographer, filmmaker, writer, and musician; and to use his remarkable life story to teach about artistic creativity, cultural awareness, and the role of diversity in our lives.
“I want to continue the mission of the Gordon Parks Museum towards cultural diversity, through special events and programs, not just here in the community, but nationwide,” Sharp said. “Trying to look to the future by becoming more interactive, maybe kiosks or tablets for our digital generation.”
February is designated Black History Month and there will be several learning experiences offered at the museum.
On Feb. 15, there will be a presentation of “Slave to Soldier” during a “Lunch and Learn” at the museum, from 11 a.m. to noon. The public is invited to bring a lunch and hear the history lesson.
This is a Buffalo Soldier history presentation, featuring the Alexander/Madison Chapter-Greater Kansas City/Leavenworth Area, 9th and 10th Cavalry Association. These many generations of negro soldiers served their county from 1866 to 1944 in the military.
“We are also going to show a Kevin Willmott film, “The Jayhawkers” in the month of February. Kansas University Professor Willmott is a past recipient of a Gordon Parks Award and this year is in the running for an Oscar for his film “BlacKkKlansMan.”
History of the museum:
“After Gordon Parks attended the first ever Gordon Parks Celebration in 2004, he gifted the Gordon Parks Center with 30 of his photographs. This spectacular group includes many of his iconic works such as American Gothic, Tuskegee Airmen, Flavio, Ali Sweating, Ingrid Bergman on Stromboli and many others,” according to the Visit Fort Scott website: https://visitfortscott.com/see-and-do/gordon-parks-museum/
“In 2006, after his death, his personal effects and other memorabilia, per Gordon’s wishes, were given to the Museum. This valuable collection included many of his awards and medals, personal photos, paintings and drawings of Gordon, plaques, certificates, diplomas and honorary doctorates, selected books and articles, clothing, record player, tennis racquet, magazine articles, his collection of Life magazines and much more,” according to the Vist Fort Scott website.
The museum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information see The Gordon Parks Museum Facebook page.
Sharp is married to Sis Sharp and has two children, Jolee, 26 and Trey, 24.
FSCC Cosmetology Offering Free Haircuts To Elementary Students
Fort Scott Community College School of Cosmetology wants to give a little help to the local elementary kids by offering free haircuts to eligible students. With the permission from their parents, students can participate in the free haircuts, which will take place the 1st of each month, through April.
“We are excited to partner with the schools and help out however we can. We enjoy being a part of the community, especially in this way”, Courtney Goucher, FSCC Cosmetology Instructor.
There is a permission form to participate in this event, which can be obtained from the area elementary school(s). Any questions regarding the event can be directed to Courtney Goucher at [email protected].