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.

I am very thankful and honored to be a part of the Cowley College family. I feel as though everyone here has helped me thrive academically and helped me grow as a person. I am very thankful to have received the John and Olive Kappler Foundation Scholarship to help me pursue my education here at Cowley. 

- Madi McGee

After graduating from Cowley College with a degree in Computer Science in 2020, Dawson Leach transferred to the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). While at Cowley, Dawson was a member of the Mu Alpha Sigma Chi, Media Club, Phi Theta Kappa, Vice President of the Math and Science Club, an International Student Organization Ambassador, a Student Ambassador, and a student worker at Renn Memorial Library.

Upon transferring to UCO, Dawson became involved with the Association for Computing Machinery/UCO Computer Science Club and was a Global Leadership Ambassador. He was also a board member of the College of Mathematics and Science Student Advisory Council, where he worked directly with the Dean's office to provide feedback and suggestions to improve the student experience within the college.  

Dawson graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science after the spring 2022 semester.

After graduating from UCO, Dawson accepted a position as a Software Developer at Paycom in 2023. 

As he started his first job as a software developer after university, Dawson felt excitement and nervousness. He quickly realized that while his degree had given him a solid foundation, there was still much to learn about working in a professional development environment and collaborating with a team on real-world projects.

As a Software Developer at Tyler Technologies, Dawson actively pursues his passion for enhancing people's interactions with government. He develops solutions that streamline processes, potentially reducing public frustration, increasing trust in institutions, and ultimately fostering a more engaged and empowered citizenry.  

When not immersed in code, Dawson is an avid adventurer. He scales mountain trails, uncovers hidden gems in unfamiliar cities, and constantly expands his horizons through hands-on experiences and newfound knowledge.