An immeasurable legacy
Emeritus title bestowed on Kathleen Urban for contributions to LCCC
It wasn’t clear to Kathleen Urban when she started the paralegal program at Laramie County Community College in 1988 that it would last more than five or 10 years. But today, her legacy and impact on the college is clear, with the difference she’s made manifesting in students with their lives put on upward trajectories to this day.
One of those students whose life was changed by Kathleen decades ago is Wendy Soto.
Wendy spoke for Kathleen’s nomination for an emeritus designation during the board’s November meeting. For Wendy, Kathleen’s impact is profound. Wendy came to LCCC in 1989 as a single mother hoping to change her life with a higher education. Her journey of improving her circumstances started with Kathleen. Throughout her years after graduating in 1991, Wendy says her story and Kathleen’s have been intertwined.
“I can personally attest to the fact that Kathleen changed students’ lives through the power of inspired learning,” Wendy says.
“Her positivity, the education she provided and the confidence that she gave me changed my life; LCCC changed my life. Kathleen was the major factor in providing me with the education that I needed, but also in instilling confidence in me and my ability to succeed.”
An emeritus designation is a prestigious honor recognizing the distinguished contributions and enduring legacy of retired faculty, administrators or staff members. In November, Kathleen was awarded Emeritus Status, a title the Board of Trustees gives to retirees with an extraordinary history with the college. Kathleen’s nomination recognized her distinguished service to LCCC, particularly her role in developing and leading the Legal Assistant/Paralegal program from 1988 to 1998.
She not only established the program’s curriculum and taught courses but also initiated a legal internship program with local attorneys, providing students with authentic experiences that continue to benefit the program. Her contributions include significant, positive changes to both the college and her program, evidenced by her receiving several teaching awards and her involvement in receiving and maintaining the American Bar Association’s (ABA) approval for the program.
Beyond shepherding the paralegal program through its formative years, Kathleen’s career at LCCC included various positions such as instructor, dean of several divisions and interim associate vice president. Additionally, she was the first woman Faculty Association President and chaired LCCC’s North Central Association (NCA) Accreditation team. Her extensive involvement in college committees and initiatives showcased her dedication and impact on LCCC.
Now called the Legal Studies Program, Kathleen’s legacy of preparing students for careers in law offices or higher degrees carries on today. Thinking back on the people who have come through the program—many of them single parents, unsure of how their gamble on college would turn out—it still amazes Kathleen to see the lives changed by the possibilities available in higher education.
Looking at her friend Wendy, Kathleen says she’s a perfect example of what people can do if they take advantage of the opportunities available in college.
“Wendy (jokingly) said, ‘I’m going to stop taking your phone calls—you always have me doing something new when I take your phone calls,’” Kathleen says. “But I said, ‘I’ve never given you something you couldn’t do.’ And now she’s on the Board of Trustees.”
LCCC Emeritus Designees
Jeri Griego, Faculty Emerita
Rosalind Schliske, Faculty Emerita
Ed Mosher, Faculty Emeritus
Kathleen Urban, Faculty Emerita
Bruce Curl, Administrator Emeritus