On April 22 the Kansas City InterBranch Council presented the annual Reentry Woman of the Year Award to six outstanding women who returned to the college classroom after an absence of five or more years. While all applicants were worthy candidates, these six women best exemplified the courage and personal resolve to overcome significant barriers to pursue their academic, career and life goals. Each of these women aspires to make a difference in the lives of others and in their community.

The 2017 IBC Reentry Award recipients are (l-r) Stephanie Leonard, Nursing and Marcia Princivalli, Mortuary Science, Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC); Amy Hill-Koleiny, Teaching, MCC-Penn Valley; Nancy Russell, Occupational Therapy, MCC-Longview; Toni Thornton Award recipients: Jiatong Lynch, Accounting, Park University and Debbie Plake, Paralegal Studies, KCKCC.