In an effort to show his belief in the value of an education at Coffeyville Community College, Stephen Rench is donating $1m to the Institution.
Rench graduated from Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, KS in 1948. As a high school student, Stephen was a member of the debate team which started his senior year. Stephen loved debating and would hone his skills by spending hours practicing oral arguments in front of his home mirror and studying arguments found in the University Debaters Annual. Following high school, Rench attended CCC where he participated on the debate team and continued to develop his debating skills through hours of practice and research. Stephen is also a founding member of the Eta Gamma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Coffeyville Community College.
Stephen continued his education and love for debate at the University of Kansas. Following his graduation from KU in 1952, Stephen served as a member of the United States Air Force in England where he gained trial experience by trying military cases in courts.
After leaving the Air Force Stephen attended Law School at Georgetown University in the District of Columbia. While at Georgetown, he found his model of a trial attorney in Edward Bennett Williams whom he considers the greatest trial attorney of all time. Edward Bennet Williams attended Law School at Georgetown, which was later named after him. During his senior year at Georgetown Law School Rench was selected to the moot court team representing Georgetown, they won the Regional Championship and finished as a Semifinalist in the American Bar Association Competition. Rench won the National Competition for best brief. After graduating from Georgetown Law School, Rench served as the Law Clerk for three Federal Justices. He then began a career lasting 53 years that featured trial skills but developed appellate advocacy skills as well. His trial skills and knowledge caused him to be regularly invited nationally to lecture at seminars on trial tactics, strategy, and knowledge of trial persuasion. This all with the purpose of ever-improving the practice of law.
Stephen is an avid walker and will walk up to three miles a day. He has also written a book called “The Rench Book: Trial Tactics and Strategy”. He attributes the success in his life to his time at Coffeyville Community College and being a part of the debate team. Stephen believes it is a tremendous advantage for a trial lawyer to have debate training. Rench also believes that it changed his life and it allowed him to find a career and a passion that he loved. Stephen feels that you need to find a subject and passion that you enjoy and follow your passions in life. He would recommend anyone to attend CCC as they look to pursue their education. He loves and lives by “Once a Raven, Always a Raven”.
“Coffeyville Community College strives to provide a quality education and impact the future of those we serve. The fact that this is the third donation of $1m to the Institution is testament to that success”., said CCC President Dr. Marlon Thornburg. “Our greatest joy is to see our family members take what they learn here and turn it into a lifetime of growth and development”.