Garden City Community College Named One of the 2026 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges
[Garden City, KS] April 8, 2026 -- Garden City Community College (GCCC) has been named to the 2026 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges program by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) and The EDU Ledger. This marks the sixth time GCCC has received this national distinction, following recognition in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2020, and 2019.
GCCC is one of only 27 institutions nationwide to receive this annual recognition, which honors colleges for excellence in areas such as family friendliness, salary and benefits, community engagement, and professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.
“We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to fostering a supportive and engaging workplace for our employees,” said Dr. Ryan Ruda, President of GCCC. “This recognition reflects our continued focus on our people, our culture, and creating opportunities for growth while serving our students and community.”
The EDU Ledger will present this national recognition to the winners during the 48th Annual NISOD Conference: Advancing Community College Student Engagement (ACCSE), May 23-26 in Austin, Texas.
Individuals interested in joining one of the Most Promising Places to Work can view current employment opportunities at GCCC.
For more information about the Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges awards, visit nisod.org/mppwcc.
About NISOD
The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) empowers faculty, staff, and administrators at community and technical colleges to support the needs of diverse students in the face of ever-present resource constraints. High-quality, easy-to-access professional development resources connect staff and faculty with applicable knowledge to grow their careers and improve instruction. Meaningful recognition programs can augment the reputation of individual students, employees, and institutions. But perhaps most valuable are the connections NISOD helps build among community and technical colleges to share ideas, strengths, and solutions.
About The EDU Ledger
The EDU Ledger (formerly Diverse: Issues in Higher Education) exists to illuminate the full spectrum of experiences within higher education by delivering rigorous, research-informed journalism that empowers students, educators, and institutional leaders. We strive to uncover meaningful insights, elevate perspectives that are often overlooked, and inspire progress through stories that reflect the complexity and challenges of academic life.
About Garden City Community College
Founded in 1919, Garden City Community College (GCCC) has served the public longer than any other community college in Kansas. GCCC is the senior leader in community college education for Kansas, with a tradition of preparing people of all ages from diverse backgrounds for success in their lives and careers. The mission of GCCC is to help each student become a positive contributor to the economic and social well-being of society. GCCC offers opportunities for every individual through our shared vision of becoming the premier educational nexus to progress and world-class learning in a dynamic environment. From here, you can go anywhere.
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Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.