Dodge City Community College

Dodge City Community College
Motto	In Quest of Truth
Established	1935
Type	Co-ed two-year Public Community College
President	Don Woodburn
Undergraduates	approx. 2,000 per semester
Location	Dodge City, Kansas 37°46′36″N 100°02′15″W / 37.77677°N 100.03744°W / 37.77677; -100.03744Coordinates: 37°46′36″N 100°02′15″W / 37.77677°N 100.03744°W / 37.77677; -100.03744[1].
Colors	Purple and Gold
Nickname	Conquistadors (Conqs)
Website	www.dc3.edu

Dodge City Community College (DC3, DCCC) is located on the Central High Plains in Ford County, southwest Kansas.

History

Campus

For 22 years, the College was located on the third floor of the Senior High School Building at 1601 First Avenue. By 1957, it had grown large enough to require a move to a different location, at 1000 Second Avenue. The College remained there for the next 13 years. In 1965, the Kansas Legislature passed legislation changing control of the state’s junior colleges from the State Board of Education to locally elected Boards. Kansas junior colleges became genuine community colleges, answerable to the citizens in their areas. Ford County voted overwhelmingly to assume responsibility for the College, and in the fall of 1965, the county elected its first Board of Trustees. In the fall of 1966, the Student Affairs Division was first established. The Student Affairs encompassed counseling, records and admission, student housing, campus activities, and recreation activities. In October 1966, due to overcrowded classrooms and the increasing need for additional occupational programs, the citizens of Ford County endorsed a $2.5 million bond. In 1970, DC3 opened its 35th year of operation with a new campus, located on the northwest edge of the city. The College's outstanding design was recognized with an award by the American Institute of Architects. [1]

Radio stations

In 1977, The Federal Communications Commission granted FM broadcast frequency 91.9 and call sign KINF to the College. KINF began broadcasting from the first floor of the Learning Resource Center. The FCC later granted the College's request to change the call sign to KONQ.^[2]

Commercial radio station KEDD, broadcasting on AM frequency 1550, ceased broadcasting April 30, 1987. The FCC granted the College their frequency, and call sign KDCC, on November 20, 1992. KDCC began broadcasting from the KEDD building on North 14th Street, north of the campus, and KONQ moved to this location at the same time. [2]

The KONQ-FM moved back on campus into the Fine Arts building in 2010.^{[citation needed]}

Nickname

The inspiration came from Conquistador Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, whose expedition, looking for Cibola-"the Seven Cities of Gold", crossed the Arkansas River just east of Dodge City in 1541. When the college's first class met on September 10, 1935, one of the new students from New Mexico was familiar with the history of Coronado and suggested the Conquistador be adopted as their nickname. The College's Conquistador symbol recognizes Coronado's early travels in southwestern Kansas, and the conquering spirit of the College's athletic teams [3].

Campus

The campus encompasses 145 acres (0.59 km²), 20 buildings, a fishing lake, a 1.25-mile (2.01 km) fitness trail, basketball, tennis and racquetball courts, and a rodeo arena.

The Student Union is the heart of the campus. It contains the Conq Corral (snack bar, computer center, 4 satellite televisions, and entertainment center), Conq Shop Bookstore, Journalism Department, Student Government Association, and Information Center.

The Learning Resource Center, or LRC, contains 30,000 volumes of print material, 200 periodicals, a Federal Documents Depository, electronic reference materials, and has access to over 2.5 million titles and 50,000 periodical titles through networking with other Kansas libraries. Access to over 24 million titles in 71,000 libraries in 112 countries is also available by participation in OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), a non-profit computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing the rate of rise of library costs. Internet access is available to online reference material and university libraries' catalogs worldwide. The College's television station is located on the second floor. The College archives is also located in the LRC. It is the repository for material related to the history of DC3, including yearbooks, newspapers, flyers, programs, and other historical items.

The Cosmetology/Child Care Building contains the cosmetology program and Cosmetology Salon. The Salon is designed as a laboratory experience for cosmetology students, and is open to the public on a limited basis. Appointments are available by calling the Department of Cosmetology at 620.225.0288.

Lake Charles, named after former College President Charles Barnes, is a 1½ acre, 12-foot (3.7 m) deep community fishing lake. The lake remains full with water pumped into it by the college. It is stocked with channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, trout, and bluegill. Its location is 37°46′32″N 100°02′19″W / 37.77562°N 100.0385°W / 37.77562; -100.0385^[1]. Current conditions, fishing reports, recent stockings, catch limits, and bait recommendations may be found at Lake Charles, KS Dept. of Wildlife & Parks. Fishing permits are required.

The Little Theatre holds campus performances, special cultural events, lectures, student musical performances, and community meetings. It has a proscenium stage and holds 357 spectators. DC3's Art Gallery is located in the Theatre's lobby.

The Wellness Center, located on the lower level of the Physical Education building, is used by students, staff, and community members. The Center offers free weights, stationary bikes, rowing machines, Nordic-Trak ski machine, treadmills, step machines, and aerobic riders. Staff offer individually-designed exercise prescriptions, fitness evaluations, body composition analysis, and exercise programs for senior citizens.

The Clyde Tombaugh Astronomy Center is on the southwest campus. Completed in 1996, it consists of two domes, a 10" Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassagrain telescope, and a 12.5" Parks Optical Newtonian/Cassagrain HIT telescope. The facility is named after Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto on February 18, 1930, and grew up in Burdett, a small town near Dodge City. The High Plains Astronomical Society supports the center.

DC3 is only one of a handful of community colleges in the country to own and operate an electron microscope; it is located in the Science and Math building.

Approximately 300 students live on campus each year. There are 2 traditional residence halls, Shelden (male), and Coleman-Webb (female); two roommates share a connected bathroom with another two-roommate suite. There are 3 apartment-style residence halls, Sites-Franklin, Russell-Revitte, and Gleckler-Zollars halls; Each has a living room and two or three bedrooms.

Security for the campus and residence halls is present 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Staff consists of full-time officers, part-time officers, and student cadets.

Accreditation

The College has regional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and participates in the Association's Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). While the normal accreditation review process is every ten years, member schools who participate in the AQIP program have their accreditation reviewed yearly.

Degrees

The college offers over 30 programs leading to the following Associate's degrees:

Associate of Arts, a transfer degree in the traditional liberal arts and social sciences, satisfies the primary general education requirements at the Regents’ universities in Kansas, while allowing for a small block of elective/major hours.

Associate of Science, a transfer degree in the empirical sciences, addresses the primary general education requirements at the Regents' universities in Kansas, while allowing for a large block of elective/major hours.

Associate of Science in Nursing is a specialized degree designed to prepare students to pass the NCLEX-RN licensure examination and become licensed as a registered nurse. The program is approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing, and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Associate of Applied Science is a terminal degree designed to provide students with occupational skills in a variety of areas; these areas include mass communications, agriculture, business, environmental technology, personal service, hospitality management, health information management, information technology, industrial technology, flight instructor, and public service.

Associate of General Studies is a transfer degree which can be applied toward the general education requirements for a baccalaureate degree at the Regents’ universities in Kansas. Although it is not designed to satisfy the requirements entirely, it is appropriate for students who are having difficulty selecting a specific program of study or who are primarily concerned with a broad survey of interests. In some limited cases, this is also the preferred degree for students transferring in Agriculture.

Programs of Study

Mass Communications

The Mass Communications program offers curricula leading to Associate of Arts-Broadcast, Associate of Applied Science-Broadcast, and Associate of Arts-Print. A transfer degree can be designed if the student wishes to continue this major at a four-year school.

The program is designed to allow students to get “hands-on” broadcasting experience early in their college careers by staffing the two campus radio stations, KDCC-AM 1550 and KONQ-FM 91.9, and DC3 television. Students produce government meetings and student shows, and produce and announce Conq and other local and area sports events. Students not majoring in Mass Communications may take part in the stations' programming, provided they are enrolled in an appropriate radio or TV course.

Career opportunities are numerous in this major, and include on-air personality, broadcast advertising sales, farm broadcasting, newscast announcer, sportscast announcer, public relations, television camera and video technician, industrial video technician, programmer, and broadcast engineering technician.

Through the radio stations’ membership with the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, students attend KAB seminars and meet broadcast station owners and managers, which helps students secure employment after college.

Nursing

DC3 offers both LPN and RN programs in nursing. The Nurse Education curriculum includes both nursing and general education courses. The nursing courses include theory and clinical experience in patient care in a variety of settings. The program provides opportunities for the student to acquire knowledge and clinical skill in the field of nursing.

All students who complete the first year (Level 1) are eligible for the state licensure examination to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. Students who choose to continue and complete the second year (Level II) are eligible for the state licensure examination to become a Registered Nurse.

Information Technology

The Information Technology (IT) program is designed to teach students the skills necessary for employment in the Information Technology field. The IT program provides an IT degree with: IT General Curriculum, Information Technology Essentials/A+ Certification emphasis, CISCO CCNA certification emphasis, or Web Page Design WOW Certified Web Designer Apprentice (CWDSA) emphasis.
For more information contact: Paul Yaroslaski, Professor of Information Technology 620.227.9324

Leadership Institute

Since 1998, DC3 has hosted Leadership Institute, a one-week summer course that provides the best and brightest Kansas high school and early college students the opportunity to explore different career paths, and earn 3 college credit hours. Leadership Institute’s focus is helping young leaders learns skills that will help them lead and guide the state in the future. Some of the most prestigious state leaders in government, education, and entrepreneurial professions present challenging and fun classes and activities. Students are housed on campus.

Student activities

These include: Academic Excellence Challenge (Quizbowl), Art Club, Block and Bridle club, The Conquistador newspaper and The Golden Shield yearbook, DCCC Student Nurse Association, Dramatics, Hispanic American Leadership Organization, instrumental music, International Student Organization, Phi Theta Kappa, residence hall assistants, Radio and Television Broadcasting, Rodeo Club, Student Ambassadors, Student Government Association, vocal music, and Vocational Industrial Clubs of America.

The Student Government Association is an active part of the student body. It is composed of four student body-elected officers, elected representatives from each campus club, and other interested students. GSA members, who sit on numerous College committees, promote students' opinions on College policies, development of student activities, and development of the college as an institution.

Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students, has an active Kappa Psi chapter on campus. Its mission is recognizing and encouraging student scholarship, leadership, fellowship, and community service. To be eligible for membership, a student must complete a minimum of 12 hours of associate degree coursework and earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students must maintain a high academic standing throughout their enrollment in the two-year college, which usually means a 3.25 GPA. Their events calendar, contact list, and discussion board can be found here.

International Student Organization offers an opportunity to students of all ethnic origins, especially foreign born, to contribute their ideas and culture to DC3. Some of its fellowship and service activities include guest lectures, field trips, and co-sponsorship of various ethnic day celebrations. This club provides social enrichment for members and non-members and promotes awareness of cultural diversity among all students.

Faculty Activities

Dodge City Community College Faculty Association consists of membership from the faculty of Dodge City Community College and promotes the general welfare of the faculty and students. The Association offers a faculty scholarship to encourage students to pursue post-secondary education at DC3.

Broadcast, Print, and Online Media

DC3 is the only college or university in the state of Kansas to own and operate both FM and AM radio broadcasting stations, and is one of only 5 community colleges in the state with a radio station. KDCC 1550 AM is located north of the campus on 14th Street, and KONQ 91.9 FM is located on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building.

DC3 television is located in the LRC, and broadcasts on cable TV channel 8.

ConqSports.com carries live streaming audio of Conq sports.

Livestream carries live streaming video of Conq sports.

The Conquistador, the online campus newspaper, reports on campus news, sports, and opinion. It is produced and published by journalism students, and other interested students, faculty, and staff members. The Conquistador was published biweekly for many years in print, but was dropped in favor of the online version due to budget cuts.

DC3 sports news can also be found at the Dodge City Daily Globe website.

The Golden Shield yearbook has not been published for several years due to budget cuts.

Athletics

The Conq athletic training room is the third largest athletic training room in Kansas. The facility, built in 2002, is located in the physical education building.^{[citation needed]}

The Conqs are members of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. The men's basketball team has won one national junior college championship.

Conq athletes participate in the following sports: Men–Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Soccer, Track & Field, Rodeo Women–Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Track & Field, Volleyball, Cheer and Dance squads, Rodeo

University Affiliations

Access University Systems (Access US) program helps DC3 students complete their bachelor's degrees without moving from their home communities. The degree-granting partners are Kansas State University, Fort Hays State University, and Emporia State University. Participation in courses is face-to-face, IPTV on campus, and online. Programs offered include Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with English as Second Language emphasis, Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Bachelor of Science in Technology Leadership, and Bachelor of General Studies with Business emphasis. Competitive scholarships up to $750 per semester are available.

Wichita State University College of Education’s Plan of Study Guides for Teacher Education Programs facilitate the selection of general education course work at DC3 in preparation for transfer to WSU.

Scholarship Programs

A list of over 60 scholarships and grants available for DC3 students can be found at FastWeb.com and the College website.

Registered Nonprofit Organizations associated with DCCC

• Dodge City Community College Endowment Association
• Dodge City Community College Foundation

Notable Alumni and Former Coaches

• Marc Anduss, MD, 2010 DCCC Distinguished Alumnus [4], Medical Director of CareNow Medical Centers in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX [5].
• Brett Akagi, assistant news director for KSHB-TV in Kansas City, and Upper Midwest Emmy award winner [6].
• Larry Brown, former NFL running back, 1972 NFL MVP [7]
• C. Robert Haywood, cowboy historian and author [8]
• Jim Hueber, former assistant football coach, is Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive line coach [9].
• Nola Ochs, world's oldest college graduate, 2007 Kansas Woman Leader of the Year, and oldest Phi Theta Kappa member. She received her Associate's degree from DC3 in 1988, and her Bachelor's degree from Fort Hays State University in 2007 at age 95. Video, photos, and story can be found here.
• Gary Patterson, Texas Christian University head football coach [10].
• Ron Prince, former Kansas State University head football coach [11]
• Elizabeth Rogers, research attorney for the Kansas Supreme Court [12]
• Darrin Simmons, Cincinnati Bengals special teams coach [13]
• Steve Tasker, former NFL special teams player, 1993 Pro Bowl MVP, CBS sports announcer [14].

Trivia

A golf course, with sand greens, was originally located on the southwest side of the campus.

DC3 is the windiest college in America. According to the National Climatic Data Center's list of annual average wind speeds, Dodge City is the windiest U.S. city in the lower 48 states, with an average speed of 13.9 mph (22.4 km/h) [15].

Prior to ownership by the College, KEDD 1550 AM was principally owned by Alf Landon, former Kansas governor, former broadcaster, and Republican presidential candidate against Franklin Roosevelt in the 1936 presidential election. He was also the only Republican governor re-elected in the 1934 election. Landon died October 12, 1987, at age 100.

In 1819, the campus property was less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Mexican border. The Arkansas River formed the southern border between New Spain (Spanish Mexico) and the United States in the Adams-Onís Treaty in 1819.

The campus is only 1.7 miles (2.7 km) east of the 100th meridian west. A 600-pound limestone post marks the 100th meridian just east of downtown on the south side of US Highway 50 (Wyatt Earp Blvd.) between Avenues L and M [16].

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
2. ^ KONQ

External links

• DC3 Website
• DC3 on Facebook
• photos of Radio and TV stations
• Technical Center Computer Lab home page
• The Conquistador Online
• Clyde Tombaugh Astronomy Center photo
• High Plains Astronomical Society
• 4 videos of campus and Dodge City
• WSU Plan of Study Guides
• Access US
• Academic Quality Improvement Program Checkup Visit November 2009