HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The Dillon Lecture Series (DLS) is proud to announce its first speaker of the 2026 season: legendary award-winning Kansas journalist, Larry Hatteberg.
During a 51-year career centered on telling people’s stories, Hatteberg became a defining voice in Kansas local television. His “Hatteberg’s People” series remains the longest-running television feature in the state’s history, profiling nearly 2,000 Kansans and taking him to 17 foreign countries. A former prime-time anchor and executive news director for KAKE-TV, Hatteberg is also a nationally recognized teacher of photojournalism who has consulted for over 40 stations across the country and the U.S. Department of Defense.
During his lecture, Hatteberg will share insights from his half-century of storytelling — finding the extraordinary in "ordinary" people and illuminating the human spirit through the lens of a camera.
Patrons and attendees should take special note of a change to the traditional schedule for this event. Unlike most Dillon Lectures, which are held in the morning at the Sports Arena, Hatteberg will speak at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24, at the Stringer Fine Arts Center on the Hutchinson Community College campus.
“Larry Hatteberg is a respected storyteller whose work has had a lasting impact on Kansas communities,” said Susan Buttram, chair of the Dillon Lecture Committee. “We’re excited to welcome him to Hutchinson for what promises to be a meaningful and engaging lecture.”
Tickets to the lecture are available now at www.hutchcc.edu/dls and will also be available beginning at 1:15 pm the day of the lecture at the Stringer Fine Arts Center.
2026 is the 45th season for the Dillon Lecture Series on the HutchCC Campus. Since 1982, the Dillon Lecture Series at Hutchinson Community College has brought distinguished and notable speakers to the Hutchinson community. Following the philosophy that "learning is the key to enlightenment," the series continues to provide audiences with access to world-class thinkers, leaders, and storytellers.
For more information on the Dillon Lecture Series or to become a patron, visit www.hutchcc.edu/dls or call Becky Rogers at 620-665-3505.