Barton Community College has hired Doug Lippstreu as the new director of the BCC Center for Adult Education.
    Lippstreu recently relocated to Raymond, Kan., after living in Lincoln, Neb., for the past 25 years.  “My wife and I ended up in Raymond, Kansas because we grew tired of the city and began looking for an affordable acreage in a rural setting.  We found what we were looking for in Raymond and decided to make the change,” he said.
    The opportunity to work for the college was something that presented itself to Lippstreu soon after his relocation.  “The first newspaper I picked up after moving back here had the job description for the director in it,” he said.   “It’s the kind of thing I like doing, and I’m thrilled to be here.”
Lippstreu earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1978 followed by a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1980.  He completed a significant amount of post-graduate work at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and he may finish up his master’s degree through BCC, he said.
Prior to accepting his position with BCC, Lippstreu worked mainly in education.  For the past 12 years, he taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in the Lincoln public school system.
Lippstreu believes that the importance of the Center for Adult Education in the community shouldn’t be understated.  “There are a lot of different reasons that people do not graduate high school, and it’s not always their fault,” he said.  “I think it’s a good place for people to kind of catch up, get some direction in their life, and get the skills they need to go out and get a job.”
    The proactive mindsets of the students who utilize the programs offered by the Center for Adult Education are energizing for Lippstreu.
 “I am excited about working with non-traditional students because these are individuals who have made a life-changing decision by enrolling in one of our programs.  I really enjoy working with people who have made such a commitment to themselves and their families, and I look forward to sharing in their future successes,” said Lippstreu.
    One aspiration for the new director is to ensure that those who take advantage of the GED program don’t stop there.  “One of the big goals here is to not only get students through the GED curriculum, but we’d like to transition as many of our students as we can into any of the programs that are offered at BCC.  We just want to get them the skills they need to go out and get a job, get some consistency in their lives, and get a rhythm going,” Lippstreu said.
    The change in personal and professional scenery has been an easy transition for the new Barton County resident.  “I have been very well received by the Barton college community, and I hope to be here for a long time to come,” he said.
    Lippstreu enjoys hunting, camping, and playing the guitar. He and his wife, Patty, have two sons, Chet and Charlie, who are both pursuing their post-secondary educations.