Category: KCKCC

by Kelly Rogge

As the semester draws to a close, Kansas City Kansas Community College is preparing to lose a long-time dean and faculty member in the Allied Health and Nursing Division.

Shirley Wendel, dean of Allied Health and Nursing, is retiring after 38 years at KCKCC. She was a faculty member for four years before serving as director of nursing for 15 years. For the last 19 years, she has been dean of the division.

“I am now eligible for retirement, so I felt like it was time,” she said on her decision to retire this year. “I will now have more time and freedom to travel and see my grandchildren.”

Prior to coming to KCKCC, Wendel was a staff nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. She also worked in Minneapolis for two years.

Looking back on her time at the community college, she said one of her proudest accomplishments is the number of accreditations her division has received. This includes five for nursing, two for respiratory therapy, two for the physical therapy assistant program and a pending accreditation for the paramedic program.

In addition, two new programs were started during her tenure – the Physical Therapy Assistant program and Respiratory Care, and the college received a Nursing Initiative Grant for $270,000 plus an additional $100,000 each year since 2006 for faculty salaries.

Other accomplishments include the merger and transition of the ATS (now known as KCKCC-TEC) programs of Practical Nursing and Medical Assistant into the division as well as the creation of the hospital simulation lab.

“I think what I have enjoyed most (about being at KCKCC) is being able to move some of the red tape and boulders out of the students’ pathway to education,” Wendel said. “I also have enjoyed seeing the students’ success stories.”

As for what Wendel plans to do with her retirement, travel is on the top of the agenda. After spending a month in Florida for some much-needed rest and relaxation, she has a trip planned to Ireland, Scotland and England and some planned visits with her grandchildren.

But after almost 40 years at KCKCC, there are some things Wendel will miss.

“I will miss the faculty and staff as well as the rewarding work,” she said. “I will also miss the students and the challenges that arise every day.”

Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

by Kelly Rogge

A long-time Kanas City Kansas Community College employee will be saying goodbye to the Blue Devils next week as she embarks on her path to retirement.

Linda Sutton, director of student activities, has been at KCKCC since 1984. Starting in the business office, she was instrumental in helping the college to begin accepting credit cards and worked in most facets of the business office including cash disbursements, accounts payable and payroll.

In 1991, she became the coordinator of community education, a position she served in until 1999. While in this department, she helped to create the nursing continuing education program as well as the development of the Senior Citizens Computer Lab. She also started the driver education program.

“I remember one of our first students (in driver’s education) was a 50-year woman who was just learning how to drive,” she said. “She was very grateful for that class.”

In 1999, she began her role as director of student activities, including overseeing the Student Senate program as well as the 20 student clubs and organizations on campus.

As adviser for the Student Senate, the senate continues to be the most diverse Student Senate in the history of the college.

She also coaches the Academic Excellence Challenge Team, and in 2000, she proposed remodeling the game room on the KCKCC campus, which added four large windows along the hallway across from the bookstore as well as a large window along the wall of the Student Senate’s workroom.

“Even after I retire, I will still be an ambassador in the community for this college,” said Sutton, who lives in the Kansas City, Kan., community. “I am grateful to have worked at KCKCC for the last 30 years.”

Sutton has an associate in business from Northwest Mississippi Community College and a bachelor of science from Friends University. She also has a master’s of business administration from Baker University.

A native of Mississippi, she has lived in the Wyandotte County area for more than 30 years. She is a member of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church and the Kansas City, Kan., Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She is a marathon runner, participating in a number of marathons over the years include the New York Marathon.

After she retires, Sutton plans on volunteering as a coach for Girls on the Run of Greater Kansas City. Girls on the Run inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident by using a fun, experience-based curriculum, which creatively integrates running.

She said she is “very excited” to facilitate training elementary and middle school girls to run a 5k race because she has wanted to be a volunteer coach for several years now but could not because it’s an after school program and with work it has not been possible.

In addition, Sutton plans on volunteering for another after school program – Young Women on the Move.

Other retirement plans include spending more time taking ballroom dance classes as well as playing the saxophone again.

“Working in Student Activities was demanding and required a lot of time,” she said. “I plan to take time for myself and enjoy life.”
Sutton said she will miss coming to work every day and spending time with the students. She said some of her proudest moments were when former students come to visit, write or call to tell her “thank you” and recognize her impact on their lives.

“I may have had disagreements with these students, but they contact me anyway,” she said. “That is how I knew that I was making a positive impact at KCKCC.”

Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.