Butler Celebrates 95th Commencement Ceremony

Nearly 1100 21-22 graduates were celebrated this May at Butler Community College. Those participating in the college’s 95th Commencement Exercises donned their purple gowns and mortar boards. Graduates stepped onto the BG Products Veterans Sports Complex field on Friday, May 13, to accept their diplomas.  

The Commencement Speaker for the evening was Cory Teubner, Butler’s Associate Professor of English. Teubner has been teaching at Butler after earning a Master of Art in English Literature at Wichita State University in 2012. He works hard to develop innovative ways to engage students actively inside the classroom and online.   

Teubner serves as the Chair of Leadership Studies and Personal Development, and he oversees a series of first-year experience courses taken by most incoming freshmen. He is also a pioneering member of Butler’s Faculty Development Team and its Inclusion Council.   

Teubner’s speech inspired students to understand the importance of their time in college in relation to the larger picture of their future. Referencing his own time as a college student, Teubner said he did not know exactly how his assignments, tests and projects would relate to a profession he might like to have.  

“How would they help me fit in the world?” he said. “And no one tried very hard to tell me.” But without college, Teubner said, he would not have been able to hear real-world wisdom over the wild noise of his own idealism. He encouraged the Class of 2022 to hear him as he shared with them a list of skills they now possess for their next journey.  

He touted their accomplishments and how their learning will benefit them and their world beyond this commencement, and what they can do now with the knowledge and skills they obtained from Butler.  

“Know right now that when something needs to be accomplished, it’s you. You can volunteer. You are the one with the ability. You just have to be brave enough to believe that you are prepared, to know that you can trust your learning and all your hard work,” he said.  

After Teubner’s speech, the Hubbard Award of Excellence and the Board of Trustee Scholarship were presented to two outstanding graduates, Sophia Dawson and Madison Wooderson.  

The Hubbard Award of Excellence, Butler’s most prestigious award, is awarded each spring to a graduating sophomore. The winner receives a $15,000 scholarship to the college or university of their choice, and their name is displayed on the “Hubbard Tree of Knowledge.” Each of the other three finalists receives a $500 scholarship to be used at their transfer institution.  

Rod Young, President of the Foundation Board of Directors and Forrest Rhodes, Chair of the Board of Trustees, presented this year’s award to Sophia Dawson of Medicine Lodge.  

Dawson participated in vocal music, served as vice president of the Student Government Association, and was active in Phi Beta Lambda, Collegiate DECA, and various other student-led organizations. Dawson will transfer to Emporia State University to major in Business and Human Resource Management.  

“I believe a strength of Butler is to prepare students to achieve their goals both here and beyond,” said Dawson.  

“Our 2022 Hubbard Award of Excellence finalists are the best of the best. They are incredible students both in the classroom and in their communities,” said Rhodes. The other Hubbard finalists were Jimena Trujillo of Wichita, Adelynn Hobbs of Bel Aire, and Jentry Squires of Kingfisher, Oklahoma.  

The Butler Community College Board of Trustee Scholarship for $1,000 was presented to Madison Wooderson of El Dorado. Wooderson will continue her education at Kansas State University, where she will compete on the livestock judging team and study Ag Communications and Journalism. At Butler, she was not only busy judging livestock, but also was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Ag Ambassadors, and Collegiate Farm Bureau.   

“Madison keeps a lot on her plate and pushes herself to continuously look for new opportunities both in and out of her comfort zone. This attribute will serve her well throughout her future,” said her Livestock Judging Coach Taylor Frank. 
Click here to view Commencement photo gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzTcCC