CHADRON – Chadron State College will recognize 354 candidates for graduation at the Spring Commencement Ceremony in the Chicoine Center on Saturday at 10 a.m. The event honoring 274 undergraduates and 80 graduates will be live-streamed.

The opening moment of reflection will be given by Austin Alexander of Newell, South Dakota, who will also receive her commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The closing moment of reflection will be given by Kinsey Smith of Windsor, Colorado.

The speaker is former Nebraska State Senator John Stinner Sr. He was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, representing District 48, in 2014 and re-elected 2018.

“Chadron State is such a great asset to the Panhandle and the state of Nebraska from an economic and post-secondary perspective. It's a great honor to be asked to be a part of the commencement ceremony,” Stinner said.

A native of Pennsylvania, Stinner came to Nebraska on a full athletic scholarship and was a member of the University of Nebraska national championship football team in 1970-71. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1973 and a master’s in economics from UNL in 1976.

Stinner and his wife, Rita, have been married since 1972 and have two children and four grandchildren.

He is a retired CPA and the former CEO and board chair of Valley Bank of Trust. He also served on the board of directors of Western States Bank.

His civic service has included work with the following organizations: the Oregon Trail Community Foundation, the Scottsbluff/Gering Rotary Club, the Sons of the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Gering Downtown Revitalization Committee, Elks Club, and the WNCC Cougar Booster Club, and Christ the King parish.

Stinner is a former board member and trustee with Hospital Authority No. 1 of Scotts Bluff County and former chair of the Nebraska Bankers Association. He also served on numerous boards including the Western Nebraska Community College Foundation, the Terry Carpenter Center, the Nebraska Journalism Trust, and the WyoBraska Museum. He served as president of the YMCA of Scottsbluff board, the Gering School Board, and Twin Cities Development.

His honors include the 2024 State Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame, 2023 Behavioral Health Educational Center of Nebraska Distinguished Service Award, 2023 Nebraskaland Foundation NEBRASKAlander Award, the Nebraska Arts Council Thomas C. Woods Ill Partner in the Arts Award, State Friend of Psychology from the Nebraska Psychological Association, and Nebraska Society of CPA Legislator of the Year in 2023.

Art Guild students travel to Utah

CHADRON – Chadron State College Art Guild students traveled to Salt Lake City in early April to tour different museums. The Art Guild students who attended were Mackenzie Carlson of Trenton, Neb., Emma Codr of Lincoln, Neb., Samantha Hill of Gillette, Wyo., Katherine Hoeke of Rapid City, S.D., and Amber Lange of Eustis, Neb. Art Professor and Department Chair Mary Donahue accompanied the students.

The group visited the Utah Division of Arts and Museum, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, and the Spiral Jetty. They were also able to view architecture and history in Salt Lake City.

At the Utah Division of Arts and Museum, students viewed the state art collection with Collections and Visual Arts Manager Karen Krieger. They also toured offices and learned about state arts and museum operations and programming from Communications/Marketing and Literary Arts Manager Alyssa Hickman Grove.

A notable exhibit students saw was As the Lake Fades, an exhibit emphasizing the importance of Great Salt Lake to residents and wildlife of Salt Lake Valley, at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art.

Students also toured Temple Square home of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.

The students also heard a performance in Sonic Blossom at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts by opera soloist Sheldon Baxter, a Masters of Music graduate from the University of British Columbia, Canada.

Art Guild Secretary Samantha Hill said she values the connections she made between her Elements of Art course and the artwork at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

“One of my classes in the fall semester was Elements of Art with Mary Donahue; in this class we learned about the different eras and cultures of art,” Hill said. “While walking through the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, there were many eras and cultures expressed. I was able to recognize different art eras and what different art forms they used. There were multiple moments when I had those aha realizations and told Mary that I remembered talking about the certain art eras and cultures, presented in the museum, in her class.”

Art Guild President Mackenzie Carlson said she found beauty in the interactions and experiences on the trip.

“I believe my favorite part was the interactions with the artwork and the people I got to see the incredible pieces with,” Carlson said.

The Spiral Jetty, a land art sculpture created by Robert Smithson, located in Rozel Point of the Great Salt Lake, was a valuable element of the trip, according to several of the students.

“My favorite part of the trip was when we went to the Spiral Jetty and the Great Salt Lake,” Hill said. “I love being outdoors and loved seeing the Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson.”

Hill appreciates the experiences she gained during this trip.

“I am a person who learns well through experience,” Hill said. “This trip allowed me to see examples and pieces of art instead of seeing them on a computer screen. I could not have asked for a better group to go with either, I made so many connections and learned so much on this trip. Nothing can beat this type of learning experience.”

Carlson wants students to know that anyone is welcome to join Art Guild and attend future trips.

“I think everyone should know that they are welcome to join Art Guild even while not being an art major,” Carlson said. “We have some requirements to go on the trip, but we see new areas of art and collaborate together throughout the year. I am so incredibly excited to see where we go next year and will forever cherish the chance I got to see these wonderful places and artworks.”