Esther King has been employed at Connors State College for 39 years and worked for five presidents and has seen the college grow from 600 students to an enrollment of 2,500.
When King first came to Connors she had plans only to stay for one year, however, that changed and she is now entering her 40th year on the Warner Campus. “Either I can’t count or that one year has been the longest year of my life,” said King.
The Coordinator of Conference and Wellness Services said she has enjoyed every minute of her employment, which first began in 1971.
King coordinates all the facilities on campus for faculty and the community and also teachers three water activities programs. She has admitted, “I like the water.”
King said she came to Connors because it offered many opportunities which included “raising my children in a small town. That was one of the best decisions I ever made,” said King.
“Connors is a place where you have so many opportunities and meet so many great people. Working with the youth keeps you young. I think working with the youth helped me as far as helping me raise my children. It helps me in keeping me up to date in what the new trends and fads were. It also keeps you meeting new people every year. “I also want to touch lives and Connors is a place where you can touch lives,” said King.
King said Connors has changed over the years from an agricultural dominated program to a more liberal arts school.
“We still serve the agricultural student, but we also serve all the other students that have other interests.”
She also said it has changed from students just living in the dorms to a “large population” of commuters.”
King has touched many lives over the years and still keeps in touch with many of the students that have crossed her path at Connors. ‘I just recently heard from a former basketball player who works in the offfice of Arkansas U.S. Senator Pryor and a former basketball player who is a truck driver out of Milwaukee who comes through here and calls me.”
“Now I am dealing with a second generation of students who attended Connors when I first came. That may be an indication it’s now time to say good-bye,” she said laughingly, adding,”That’s pretty neat!”