Kansas City Kansas Community College

For virtually the first time in her adult life, Donna Reid has no affiliation with community colleges.

Ending a 21-year career at Kansas City Kansas Community College Sept. 25, Reid leaves a resume of rarely matched family community college involvement.

It all started in 1970 when her husband, Jerry, was hired right out of college to teach math at Barton County Community College. Other than a two-year stint in private business, Reid would spend the next 36 years in community colleges, 17 as an instructor and administrator at Barton County and the final 17as business manager at KCKCC before his retirement Dec. 31, 2005.

During their stay at Barton County, Donna earned her Associate’s Degree as did oldest daughter Kristi, who ran on a national championship cross country team while younger daughter Jennifer played basketball and softball while earning her Associate’s Degree from KCKCC. A graduate of Fort Hays State, Kristi now teaches math at Longview Community College while Jennifer continued her education at Kansas State and teaches eighth grade in the Park Hill School District and coaches softball at Park Hill South. Both have master’s degrees from UMKC and Jennifer an Education Specialist degree.

“We’re real advocates of community colleges,” says Reid. “They’ve been a big part of our lives. One third of my life has been at KCKCC and it’s been good for me and I really enjoyed it.”

During her 21 years, Reid served as secretary for five deans in four divisions – but all but one year was spent at one desk. Starting in 1988, she worked seven years in Math and Technology under Brian Emerton and Gerald Ulrich; a year and a half in Math and Science for Kaye Walter; 11 years in Math, Science and Technology under Dave Klein; a one-year hiatus in Business and Technology under Sue Courtney; and finally back to Engineering, Math and Science for her last three months under Hasan Naima.

“I really was not looking to go to work but we’d just moved from Barton County and I was bored to tears,” says Reid. A KCKCC advertisement looking for a part-time secretary conveniently brought home by her husband opened the door. “I could type 100 words a minute and he said if I could type, I could learn all the computer programs. Gerald Ulrich was very helpful and so patient in my learning WordStar.”

Born in Norton, Reid lived in Lenora (population 450) until seventh grade when she moved to the big city of Downs (pop. 1,000). Married right out of high school, she went through the Fort Hays State’s secretarial program and then worked on campus in Civil Services jobs in the art department while helping her husband get through college.

His job with Barton County necessitated a move to Hoisington (pop. 4,500), where they would live for the next 19 years – before a surprise move to the really big city. “I didn’t even realize Jerry was considering leaving Barton County although I knew the assessed valuation was not good with oil and farming down,” said Donna. “And I didn’t know Rex Griffin (retiring KCKCC business manager) had been talking to him about coming here.

“Jerry did not fill out an application for the first job announcement but then mentioned to me it might be a good move. It was a real surprise. Then we talked to Jennifer who was 15 and she said ‘I made friends here and I’ll make new friends. Let’s go.’ It ended up a great move. While there were a lot of changes and a lot of challenges at the college, every boss I’ve had had a sense of humor and it’s been a big part of my life. ”

As for retirement? “Whatever I darned please,” she laughs. A three-time Wyandotte County women’s golf champion, golf is certainly at the top of the list along with bowling, watching Jennifer’s softball team, traveling and certainly watching Kristi’s four children compete. “Nothing is set in stone. Who knows, maybe I can beat Jerry on the golf course. But my biggest goal is to enjoy life.”