Schoon Announces Retirement After 35 Years at Cowley College

By Laura Lombardi

At the September 21, 2026, Cowley College Board of Trustees meeting, the Board accepted Dr. Michelle Schoon’s letter of resignation as president as she announced her retirement from Cowley College, effective February 1, 2027.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my 35 years of employment at Cowley College, and I appreciate the support that the Trustees have given me during my presidency,” said Dr. Schoon.

Her time as president has been marked by a focus on several priorities she identified when accepting the position. She indicated that she was most proud of the completion of the Tyler Tech building project, strengthening the College’s ability to serve Sumner County, and increasing enrollment.

“The College is focused on providing opportunities for learning excellence and community engagement throughout our Sumner and Cowley County service area,” Dr. Schoon said. “I am grateful to the citizens of Sumner County for their continued support of the college and the mission we serve. I am looking forward to seeing the continued growth of Cowley College in Sumner County.”

Cowley College Trustee Phil White noted that Dr. Schoon has been a valuable and highly respected part of Cowley College for more than three decades.

“As president, she has been a champion of the Sumner Campus and her vision has led to increased enrollment and additional program offerings on the Sumner Campus in Wellington and in Mulvane,” stated White. “Her leadership set the vision for the expansions in Wellington and Mulvane that will be part of the sales tax extension Sumner County voters approved last fall.”

While retirement marks the end of her time at Cowley, Schoon’s journey with the College began long before she ever imagined she would one day lead the institution.

Schoon graduated from Bethany College in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology Education and began her teaching career at Peabody-Burns High School, where she taught science and coached basketball and volleyball.

She later taught biology at Great Bend High School and science at Washburn Rural High School before moving to Winfield in 1989. Two years later, her path brought her to Cowley College.

In 1991, Schoon joined Cowley as an adjunct instructor in chemistry. She moved into a full-time faculty position in 1994, teaching biology, human anatomy and physiology, botany, and zoology. She also became chair of the Natural Science and Mathematics Department and served on numerous College committees and organizations.

Her commitment to Cowley’s academic mission extended beyond the classroom. She served as the College’s Higher Learning Commission Accreditation Liaison Officer for 20 years and guided the College’s strategic planning process. She later became an HLC peer reviewer.

“Being an HLC peer reviewer has allowed me to see best practices across the region and to network with other education professionals,” Schoon said in her biography.

She continued her own education, earning a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Wichita State University in 1996. In 2014, she completed her doctorate in educational leadership from Southwestern College, officially becoming Dr. Michelle Schoon.

“I am a firm believer in the power of education and the doors that it can open, not only for the student, but for the generations to follow,” said Schoon.

Her responsibilities at Cowley continued to grow as she became Vice President of Academic Affairs, with a focus on strengthening academic programs and program development. In February 2023, Schoon became interim president. One month later, she accepted the presidency permanently.

Her contributions have been recognized throughout her career. She has received an Excellence Award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development at the University of Texas, has been named Cowley College’s Endowed Chair for Teaching Excellence and Student Learning, and received the Paul Stirnaman Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence.

She has also been recognized by Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals, and the Wichita Business Journal’s Women Who Lead in Education. She was most recently honored with the 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award from Bethany College.

“She has been a reassuring and calming presence for students, faculty, and the community throughout her years as an educator and administrator at Cowley College,” White said. “Her retirement is well-deserved, though her daily presence on campus will be sorely missed.”