The Dillon Lecture Series (DLS) will conclude its 2026 season by welcoming inspirational speaker and bestselling author Liz Murray on Tuesday, October 13, at 10:30 a.m. in the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

Known for her remarkable journey from homelessness to earning a scholarship to Harvard University, Murray has inspired audiences around the world with her message of resilience, determination and the power of education.

Raised in the Bronx by loving but drug-addicted parents, Murray grew up in poverty, often without enough food and frequently absent from school. Following the death of her mother when she was just 15 years old, she found herself homeless, sleeping on the streets and riding the New York City subway through the night. Rather than allowing her circumstances to define her future, Murray made the decision to reclaim her life through education.

She completed four years of high school coursework in just two years while experiencing homelessness and earned a full scholarship to Harvard University. Murray graduated from Harvard in 2009 before earning a master's degree in Psychology of Education from Columbia University. Today, she is an internationally recognized motivational speaker, bestselling author of Breaking Night, and a passionate advocate for underserved youth.

During her presentation, Murray will share the lessons she learned while overcoming extraordinary adversity, encouraging audience members to recognize their own potential, embrace challenges, and transform obstacles into opportunities.

The lecture is open to the public. General admission tickets are $10, while students and school groups are admitted free. Tickets may be purchased online or at the Hutchinson Sports Arena on the day of the lecture.

The Dillon Lecture Series is celebrating its 45th season of bringing distinguished speakers to Hutchinson. Since 1982, the series has welcomed nationally and internationally recognized leaders, authors, educators, journalists, scientists and public figures to educate and inspire audiences of all ages.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Dillon Lecture Series website or contact Becky Rogers at rogersb@hutchcc.edu or by phone at 620-665-3505.

Hutchinson Community College will host an open house for a newly constructed duplex at 543 and 541 E. Avenue A in Hutchinson from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm this Sunday, September 27.

The duplex is part of a larger HutchCC project made possible through a $708,965 FRAME (Fostering Residential Advancement through Mentoring and Education) Grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce. The grant supports the construction of three new residential dwellings in Hutchinson while providing hands-on learning opportunities for students in HutchCC’s and USD 308’s Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy Construction Technology program.

Located in one of Hutchinson’s historic districts, the duplex was constructed by Construction Technology students who gained real-world experience throughout the residential building process, from foundation work through the finishing stages.

Visitors to the open house will be able to tour the two-bedroom, two-bath duplex units, which feature approximately 1,735 square feet per unit, two-car garages, walk-in closets and a spacious walk-in pantry/storage area. Each townhome is listed at $249,900, or $499,800 for the entire duplex.

“This project represents a win-win for our students and our community,” said Dr. Tricia Paramore, president of Hutchinson Community College. “Our students have had the opportunity to develop marketable, in-demand construction skills while helping create new housing in Hutchinson. It is exciting to see their classroom learning become a finished product that will become part of our community.”

The duplex is one component of HutchCC’s FRAME-funded housing initiative. The college also partnered with Interfaith Housing and Community Services to construct a single-family home on East 10th Avenue. That project provided additional work experience for Youth Apprentices associated with the Construction Technology program. It is expected to be on the market in the near future.

For more information about the duplex or the open house, contact 620-665-3550.

                  Hutchinson Community College: An Equal Opportunity Provider

Hutchinson Community College graduates can finish a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in as few as 12 months under a new agreement between Newman University and the Kansas Association of Community Colleges, the statewide association representing the 19 community colleges and three technical colleges in Kansas.

HutchCC is one of the member colleges participating in the pathway. It's built for two groups: HutchCC graduates who want a bachelor's degree and working public-safety professionals who already have an established criminal justice career but do not have a bachelor’s degree and could use financial assistance to complete their degree.

A student who transfers with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from HutchCC can transfer up to 60 of those hours with them into the 120 hours required for the bachelor’s degree. Newman could then award up to 30 hours of credit for prior learning. That leaves roughly 30 hours to finish at Newman, which a full-time student can complete in two consecutive semesters plus a summer or intervening term.

The prior learning credit is what makes the timeline work for people already in the field. Newman will evaluate law enforcement basic training through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and Kansas CPOST certifications, military training and occupations on a Joint Services Transcript, employer and industry training, current professional certifications, and standardized exams such as CLEP and DSST.

“Hutchinson Community College is committed to creating pathways that help our graduates and working professionals continue their education while building on the knowledge and experience they already have,” said Dr. Tricia Paramore, president of Hutchinson Community College. “This partnership with Newman University recognizes the value of that experience and makes completing a bachelor’s degree more accessible for those pursuing careers in criminal justice.”

Every HutchCC graduate admitted to the pathway receives a $20,000 Newman scholarship toward the degree. Newman also matches, dollar for dollar, any federal Pell Grant or State of Kansas financial aid the student applies to the program.

To learn more, contact Sheldon Stewart at stewarts@hutchcc.edu.

Hutchinson Community College and PrairieLand Partners will celebrate a new partnership designed to expand educational and career opportunities in agricultural technology with a ribbon cutting on Friday, Sept. 25.

The ribbon cutting will take place at 10:30 a.m. at PrairieLand Partners, 1800 S. Lorraine in Hutchinson. From 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, the new facility as well as PrairieLand’s facility will host an open house with tours and refreshments.

The partnership brings Hutchinson Community College’s educational expertise together with PrairieLand Partners’ industry knowledge and resources to provide students with hands-on opportunities to prepare for careers in the agricultural equipment industry.

Through the partnership, students will have the opportunity to earn an associate degree from Hutchinson Community College while working toward becoming a John Deere Certified Technician. The training will provide students with valuable technical skills and practical experience working with modern agricultural equipment and technology.

“This partnership is an outstanding example of education and industry working together to create opportunities for students and meet the workforce needs of our region,” said Dr. Tricia Paramore, Hutchinson Community College president. “By combining classroom learning with hands-on, industry-focused training, we can help prepare students for rewarding careers while strengthening the workforce and economy of our communities.”

Reed Allen, Director of Aftermarket for PrairieLand Partners commented, "Making sure we're able to provide the support our customers need is one of our top priorities at PrairieLand Partners, and this partnership enables us to continue to invest in the next generation by training and developing technicians that will support our customers and their operations."

The new PrairieLand Partners facility provides an expanded environment for students to gain experience with the equipment, technology and systems they will encounter in the agricultural industry.

“Partnerships like this are an investment in our students, our employers and the future of our community,” Paramore said. “We are excited about the opportunities this will create for students interested in agriculture, technology and skilled technical careers.”

For more information on this opportunity, visit www.hutchcc.edu/plp.