A delegation from Colby Community College recently attended the 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium held Feb. 20–21 at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The Colby delegation included government documents librarian and Comprehensive Learning Center Coordinator Savanna Baumgart, CCC sophomore Audrey Burget, and alumna Courtney McCullough, who now studies in the accelerated biology master’s program at Fort Hays State University. The group attended with biology instructor and STEM division chair Dr. Jeff Sekavec.

View of the stage from the back of the auditorium at the NLCS Symposium at the US Air Force Academy on Feb. 21, 2026.More than 2,200 participants from around the world attended the annual symposium, representing institutions such as the University of Minnesota, the University of Pennsylvania, and Syracuse University, as well as service academies and international delegations from Thailand and Puerto Rico. According to organizers’ attendee lists, Colby Community College was the only community college represented at the event.

The 2026 symposium theme, “Courage to Lead in the Profession of Arms: Combat & Crises-Tested Character,” focused on the importance of ethical decision-making, leadership, and moral courage. Sessions emphasized applying character-based leadership lessons to everyday life and professional responsibilities.

Speakers and workshop leaders included astronauts, military leaders, former prisoners of war, and academic and professional experts. Among them were a former commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team, a commander involved in the Mogadishu mission depicted in the film “Black Hawk Down,” and one of the founders of the Navy’s Top Gun fighter school.

Sekavec said the opportunity demonstrated the type of experiences available to Colby students and alumni.

The delegation reflected a strong representation of women pursuing advanced academic and professional goals. Baumgart is a Colby alumna and staff member who plans to continue advancing in academia. Burget, who will graduate from Colby this spring, plans to transfer to Tarleton State University in Texas to pursue a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. McCullough, a former Colby student and scholarship equestrian, is completing a combined bachelor’s and master’s program in biology at Fort Hays State University and also intends to become a veterinarian.

"The NCLS event illustrates an atmosphere of inclusivity, access, and success in normally unavailable far reaching advanced opportunities," Sekavec added.