Butler Community College

History

In 1927, El Dorado Junior College was founded. The college name has evolved over the years: Butler County Junior College, Butler County Community Junior College, Butler County Community College (BCCC), then finally to its current name of Butler Community College.

The college briefly came into the national spotlight in the late 2000s when one of its students was murdered.

Jackie Vietti was school president from 1995 until her retirement in December 2012. In August 2013, Kimberly Krull became president of the college.

In January 2025, Kimberly Krull retired and Dr. Jackie Vietti returned as Interim President. It was announced on April 28, 2025 that the new President is Tamara Daniel.

College leaders

During the first 40 years of the college, Butler's leaders were known as the dean. That changed in 1963, as Edwin Walbourn was named President when the school became a community college.

;Deans

• Earl Walker, 1927–1946
• Hubert A. Shumway, 1946–1947
• Max Beckford, 1947–1955
• Tilghman Aley, 1955–1960
• Edwin J. Walbourn, 1960–1963 ;Presidents
• Edwin J. Walbourn, 1963–1976
• Carl Heinrich, 1976–1987
• Walter Browe, 1987–1988 (interim)
• Rodney V. Cox Jr., 1988–1995
• Jackie Vietti, 1995–2012
• Karla Fisher, 2012–2013 (interim)
• Kimberly Krull, 2013–2025
• Jackie Vietti, 2025 (interim)
• Tamara Daniel, 2025–present

Campus

There are branch campuses throughout the area, in Andover, Council Grove, Marion, McConnell, Rose Hill, and distance-learning sites in high schools.

Academics

Butler is the second largest community college in Kansas, with 13,000 students annually across six campus locations. Most are commuters. The school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs, the National League of Nursing, and the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

Athletics

Main article: Butler Grizzlies

The school mascot is the grizzly bear, colors are purple (PMS 2627) and gold (PMS 465 or 871), cross country, football, basketball (men and women), track, women's soccer, volleyball, baseball, and softball, as well as a spirit squad.

Butler has won 10 NJCAA national championships, including six in football (1981, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2008). Butler also has won national titles in men's basketball (1953), men's cross country (1970, 1995), women's cross country (2002), and softball (2016).

Butler Softball won 88 consecutive games, dating back to March 3, 2016 when the Grizzlies beat Barton Community College 9–1. This includes the 2016 NJCAA Div. I National Championship.

The softball team finished third nationally in 2013 after being ranked number 1 nationally for much of the season. That team won a program-record 54 games (54–4).

The Grizzlies finished third in the 2008 NATYCAA standings, which award points to each sports team based on their finish at national competition. It is Butler's highest finish in the NATYCAA standings.

Women's soccer has been among the final four twice as they reached the national semifinals in 2013 and 2015 and went to the national tournament in Melbourne, Florida, for six straight years (2011–2016).

The baseball team finished third in the 1994 NJCAA Division I World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.

The women's basketball team was selected as an at-large team for the 2014 NJCAA Division I national tournament held in Salina. The Grizzlies won two games and reached round of eight before being beaten by Chipola (Fla.). The Grizzlies were 34–3 that season, a school record for wins.

Troy Morrell was the head football coach from 2000–2014. He compiled a record of 154–22 in 15 seasons and won three national titles (2003, 2007, 2008) in that span. Morrell has since been inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame as well as the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Notable people

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Alumni

• John Grange, member of Kansas House of Representatives from 2005 to 2013
• Stephen Jackson, professional basketball player
• Roger Marshall, obstetrician, former US Rep for the Kansas 1st District (2017–2021), US Senator of Kansas
• Lee Nailon, professional basketball player
• Dennis Rader, serial killer known as "BTK"
• David Rickels, professional mixed martial artist
• Brent Sommerhauser, artist, sculptor, glassblower

Faculty

• Jackie Vietti, BCC president from 1993 to 2012

References

References

1. (June 30, 2014). "Butler Community College - College Information - Quick Facts".
2. (September 27, 2023). "Board of Regents Announces 2023 Fall Semester Enrollment".
3. "Butler Community College, Butler Libraries : Free Texts : Download & Streaming : Internet Archive".
4. (March 3, 2016). "Butler splits doubleheader at Barton to start conference play - Butler Grizzlies".
5. (May 21, 2016). "Three-run fifth propels Butler to first DI championship".
6. Mccaskey, Kyle. "Former Butler coach Morrell to enter Hall of Fame".
7. Giffin, John. "EHS alum Rep. Roger Marshall talks issues with students at Futures Fair".