SWAG�ϼ�

The SWAG�ϼ� Foundation Board has chosen to recognize the entire Vink family with the “Old Bill Honorarium” at its annual Big Benefit Auction, which is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 28 at the Great Bend Columbus Club and is themed “Life’s a Beach.” The honorarium allows auction attendees to donate to a scholarship in the honoree’s name, to be awarded for the 22-23 academic year.

After spending eight years��teaching internationally, Brad Williams was ready for a change of scenery, and to make more money.��

“I spent more than eight years teaching in Asia and I hit a point in my career where I couldn't make more money,” he said. “I probably did over a year of research looking into other fields and that led me to SWAG�ϼ�’s program. It's like winning the lottery finding the program. If people knew the benefits and opportunities, everybody would be doing this.”

Tickets for the SWAG�ϼ� Foundation’s 42nd Annual Big Benefit Auction, themed “Life’s a Beach,” are available through Aug. 16. The auction will take place on Aug. 28.

SWAG�ϼ�’s Center for Adult Education will soon begin another nine-week GED Preparation Class. However, orientation sessions are required before starting the class.��Students must attend all orientation sessions in-person, which will be held on August 17, 19 and 24. Students have the option of a 1-4 p.m. or 6-9 p.m. time slot.��

SWAG�ϼ� Natural Gas Instructor Shawgi Ahmed worked for the Ministry of Oil in Sudan for 16 years as a Senior Project Engineer until his passion for education brought him all the way to the center of the United States to share his knowledge in 2019. He holds a wealth of experience in the field and a doctorate in petroleum engineering. He is a skilled researcher and several of his articles have been published, but teaching is what truly inspires him.

Throughout the summer, the SWAG�ϼ� STEM Club has also provided fun-filled activities for children who attend the Child Development Center to help foster an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which Biology Instructor Charlotte Cates said is of the utmost importance

SWAG�ϼ� has named 284 students to the President’s List for the spring 2021 semester. To qualify for this honor students must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours and maintained a grade point average of 4.0 on a 4.0 or "A" letter scale.

SWAG�ϼ� has named 293 students to the Dean’s List for the spring 2021 semester. To qualify for this honor, students must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours and maintained a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99 on a 4.0 or "A" letter scale.

SWAG�ϼ� has unveiled an impressive array of textile art titled “Material Pulses: Seven Viewpoints,” which is an exhibition focused on the art of quilt-making. It includes 17 works by seven fiber artists representing the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Ellsworth Correctional Facility inmate Taylor Greenhalgh has discovered both his talent and his muse in welding. His natural ability led an instructor to stop him in the middle of a test to admire a nearly perfect weld.