A new effort to reconnect thousands of former students with Barton Community College is underway. Alumni and Events Coordinator Julie Bugner Smith outlined plans for the Barton Alumni and Friends program during the March 18 Great Bend Kiwanis program.
Bugner Smith, who began her role as alumni events coordinator in November, said the initiative is designed to create lasting relationships between the college and the nearly 45,000 people who have attended Barton over its more than 50-year history.
“This is alumni and friends,” Smith said. “That’s graduates, former students, community supporters — even local businesses and civic leaders. You don’t have to go to Barton to be a part of it.”
A Barton alumna herself, Bugner Smith said her personal experience helped shape the program’s mission. She said she didn’t have a strong connection with the college after graduation. While four-year colleges have strong alumni associations, that isn’t always the case with community colleges.
“That’s what we’re going to change,” she said. The group aims to strengthen engagement across campus and the broader community.
“Our goal is simple: To build a lifelong connection between Barton and the people whose lives it has impacted,” she said. The Barton Alumni & Friends Association helps support current Barton students, strengthen the local workforce pipeline, build stronger connections between Barton and the communities it serves, and celebrate the accomplishments of Barton alumni.
At the center of the initiative are several key programs. “Cougar Connect” will focus on professional networking and mentorship, bringing together alumni, students and community leaders. Bugner Smith said the program is being developed in collaboration with the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce, with plans for a six-week mentorship experience that includes guidance on careers, resumes, networking and professional skills.
“We have so much knowledge in this community to give these students,” she said, encouraging local residents to volunteer as mentors.
Another initiative, “Cougar Journeys,” will offer alumni travel opportunities, with the first trip expected next year. “Cougar Community” will emphasize volunteerism and service.
Annual memberships cost $50, with a $250 lifetime option. Five years at $50 a year can also add up to a lifetime membership. Membership comes with “Cougar Perks” such as access to events, campus experiences and professional development opportunities.
In addition, Bugner Smith is working to highlight alumni success stories through an “Alumni Spotlight” series in the Great Bend Tribune.
The program will also include a “Cougar Legacy Circle” to recognize alumni, families, donors and longtime supporters who have helped sustain the college.
Organizers are currently focused on building a comprehensive alumni database — a challenge given that many former students from the 1970s and 1980s predate digital records. Future plans include an online system where alumni can submit their information, including when they attended Barton and how they were involved.
Community members will have an early opportunity to engage with the program at a trivia night scheduled for May 6 at Dry Lake Brewing. The event, themed “Test Your Knowledge of the College,” will serve as a fun way to reconnect alumni.
Ultimately, Bugner Smith said the goal is simple: to build lifelong connections that benefit students, alumni and the community alike.
“Once this gets going, it’ll affect every department,” she said. “We just want people to be more involved.”
