DC3 to Plant a Tree for Former Trustee

Published October 2, 2026

During the 2026 Homecoming Week, Oct. 5-10, Dodge City Community College (DC3) will host a tree-planting ceremony in honor of the late Althea White, a former member of the college’s Board of Trustees. The ceremony, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, will take place on the island of the college’s main horseshoe drive near the campus flagpoles.

Althea White, who graduated from DC3 in 1955, served on the college’s Board of Trustees from 1983 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 1997. She was the daughter-in-law of former DC3 Board of Trustees Chairman Hugh E. White, who served on the inaugural Board of Trustees when it was formed in 1965 and continued to serve until 1981. Hugh passed away in 1993 at age 88, and Althea passed away on May 13, 2026, at age 90.

Kurt White, Althea’s son and Hugh’s grandson, is also part of the DC3 story. He graduated from DC3 in 1996 and later served as a trustee himself from 2001 to 2002 before moving to Wichita, Kan.

“Hugh was the chairman of the board at the time when they chose to build DC3 at its current location,” Kurt said. “So, he was instrumental in the college’s current location.”

Growing up, Kurt said he heard his grandfather and mother talk about the college and how important it was to have something local that would benefit and educate the surrounding community. In addition, his parents always encouraged him and his sisters to get involved in their community.

“So, I decided to run for the board simply based on this: I was not only a child and grandchild of board members, but I was also a student, student-athlete, resident assistant, former employee, and alumnus of DC3,” he said. “I would have served out my appointment, but I lost employment in Dodge City and had to venture on.”

Kurt said his mom’s dedication to the college was undeniable, and her extended family knew and respected it. In fact, she was so passionate about the college that her family fully expected her to match the tenure of her friend, Floris Jean Hampton, who served nearly 30 years on the board, from 1983 to 1999 and again from 2007 to 2019. Hampton passed away in 2021 at age 93.

“Floris Jean is the reason she ran again and served her final term,” he said. “It was one friend nudging the other one on.”

According to Kurt, the blue spruce that will be planted on Oct. 8 was donated by Althea White’s cousin, Don G. McCoy. Fittingly enough, it will be placed near the tree dedicated to Floris Jean Hampton in 2024.

“My mom would have liked that,” he said. “Those two ladies spent countless hours, days, and weeks devoted to the college. They were longtime friends before choosing to run for the board. So, I hope that as the years go by, her great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren will swing by DC3 and know that she had a positive influence on the direction of the college.”

Editor’s Note: Following the Althea White tree-planting ceremony, the college will host a Dodge City Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. in the Student Union cafeteria to commemorate the grand reopening of the college’s main entrance, Burke Drive, and the fully remodeled DC3 cafeteria.

By Lance Ziesch
DC3 Director of Marketing and Public Relations