LIBERAL, Kan. — Seward County Community College is now accepting nominations for honorary degree recipients, who will be announced as part of the 2027 Commencement ceremony in May.
The honorary Associate of Arts degree is the highest academic recognition SCCC can bestow, and results from a careful selection process.
Candidates will have shown in their life and in their work high standards of excellence, public service, and commitment to the development of SCCC and its core values of serving students and the community, competitiveness, collaboration, and commitment. The honoree should also be closely connected to the seven-county service area of the College (Stanton, Grant, Haskell, Seward, Stevens, Morton, and Meade) or to SCCC via birth, residence, education, service, or notable achievement.
The nomination process is open with the nominations due by Nov. 6. Faculty, students, SCCC Foundation members, SCCC Board of Trustees members, and SCCC alumni are invited to submit nominations. Honorary degrees will not be awarded to candidates for political office or to elected officials currently in office or to faculty, staff, or administrators currently in service. Retired or former faculty members must meet the same high standards for nomination as all other honorary degree candidates.
SCCC awarded its first-ever honorary degree to Duane Bozarth, long-time SCCC Foundation president and trustee, at the May 2026 Commencement ceremony.
Please submit nominations to SCCC President Brad Bennett at brad.bennett@sccc.edu or Phillip Lee at phillip.lee@sccc.edu. When submitting nominations, please include contact information along with a brief summary of the nominee’s qualifications.