Cowley College Foundation

Lissa Winter graduated from Wichita South High School in 2017 at 18 years old. After graduation, she struggled with many career changes, not knowing what she wanted to do and not wanting to go back to school until she figured it out.

One day, when Lissa was 19 years old, she saw an application for a daycare and figured, “Why not? She loved kids.” She applied for the job, and Lissa was offered a floating position at a local Wichita daycare center, where she fell in love with teaching and nurturing children to be the best they can be! 

At age 20, Lissa had her daughter and realized she wanted to be able to tell her that she had put myself through college. So, in the fall of 2022, Lissa returned to school to earn her Childcare Directors License! She had no idea how she would manage to accomplish being a 23-year-old full-time college student, a full-time mom to a (then) two-year-old, and a full-time employee at the daycare she worked at! However, what was supposed to be only one semester turned into Lissa graduating from Cowley College in May 2024 with her Associate of Applied Science in Childcare and her Technical Certificate in Childcare at 25 years old with a 4-year-old. Lissa can now say, "The whole two years of school, four summer classes, seven classes in one semester, sleepless nights, exhaustion, procrastination, etc., was all worth it in the end."

In April of 2024, Lissa was the recipient of a Spotlight Award for having an impact on Early Childhood Education. Many families whose children she cared for nominated her for the award and said sweet things about her.

As of the beginning of September 2024, Lissa has accepted an On-Site Director position with the YMCA CDC that would not have been possible without her degree.

The Cowley College Career and Technical Education Center campaign has crossed the $1.8 million mark thanks to Union State Bank and the Docking Family.

The Center will help train and certify graduates in areas of advanced construction trade, those in the fields of electrical and HVAC, welding, and criminal justice.

“With more than 600 technical openings going unfilled across Cowley County and the region, the need for the Tech Center is significant,” Eric Kurtz, Union State Bank President and CEO said. According to a Comprehensive Regional Economic Needs Assessment, more than 350 advanced construction trade positions, 100 electrical and HVAC positions, and almost 50 welding positions need to be filled by local and regional businesses."

“There is a ripple effect when these diverse trade skills go unfilled,” said Brad Bryant, Union State Bank’s Arkansas City Market President. “From home and commercial construction to the oil fields and from manufacturing to electric companies, the economy is slowed when businesses can’t find qualified employees. This project creates employment for hundreds, builds businesses, and grows our economy.”

The Center will help train and certify graduates in areas of advanced construction trade, those in the fields of electrical and HVAC, welding, and criminal justice. “Hundreds of these positions go unfilled every five years in Cowley County and the region,” said Dr. Michelle Schoon, College President. “Our businesses can’t find enough qualified people for these specialty technical areas. The Career and Tech Center provides expanded space and new instructional technologies to educate and train more people in these areas more effectively and quickly.”