Speaker touts experiences at CSC

Steve Gardiner, a 1977 Chadron State graduate and an English teacher at Billings Senior High School in Montana, recalled that as a college freshman he became involved in Taekwondo Club. Earning a black belt in the judo-like activity two years later gave him confidence that he could climb mountains. Since then he has scaled most of the tallest mountains on five continents.

Writing for the Eagle Newspaper while he was at CSC and eventually becoming the editor led to writing for newspapers when he launched his teaching career. He has since had stories published in many of the nation’s largest newspapers, numerous magazines and is the author of four books.

Also while he was at CSC, he spent a semester studying at London University. That whetted his appetite for travel, and encouraged him to explore much of the world, ranging from the mountains he’s climbed to the Amazon jungles, Inca ruins and glaciers in Greenland.

As a college student, Gardiner said he never imagined that his experiences would result in activities that have profoundly affected him the next three decades.

“During college, my three goals seemed very separate,” Gardiner told the overflow crowd in CSC’s historic Armstrong Gymnasium. “One focused on athletics. One focused on academics. One focused on a sense of adventure and a curiosity about different cultures. I was soon to learn that goals are not discrete, but often weave themselves into intricate layers throughout our lives.”

The speaker said his college experiences and achievements gave him drive and a sense of purpose. He added that they have stayed with him and have spun themselves into hundreds of variations over the years.

“Congratulations to each of you on reaching this significant goal today,” Gardiner told the graduates. “Good luck with your future goals and may they lead you to many optimal experiences.”

There were 258 graduates, including 26 who earned graduate degrees.

Seventy-nine of those earning bachelor’s degree graduated with honors. The honor graduates are designated as follows: ***Summa Cum Laude (GPA of 3.9-4.0), **Magna Cum Laude (3.75-3.89) and Cum Laude (3.6-3.74).

The graduates by degree follow:

Specialist in Education

Jerry Erdahl, Shoshoni, Wyo.

Master of Arts in Education

Curtis Katen, Chadron.

Master of Business Administration

Kyle Bottorff, Ponca; Cheryl Hamilton, Torrington, Wyo.; Casey Keim, Chadron; Jeremy Smith, Alliance; Chad Underwood, Chadron; Jennifer Zauha, Broken Bow.

Master of Education

Leora Baxter Ayres, Thedford; William Cogdill, Chadron; Dustin Favinger, Kimball; Micheal Gregory, Newcastle, Wyo.; Katherine Hinman, Chadron;

Jared Jackson, Elizabeth, Colo.; Ann Koperski, Williston, N.D.; Brenda Ludwick, Powell, Wyo.; Desiree Merrihew, Alliance; Heath Peters, Mitchell; Jerome “Jay” Portenier, Sidney; Lori Staab, Sutherland; Brenda White, Oelrichs, S.D.; Roderick Winland, Cowley, Wyo.; Timothy Winland, Lovell, Wyo.; Paula Wolff, Sidney; Tyson Young, Chadron.

Master of Science in Organizational Management

Sharon Rickenbach, Chadron.

Bachelor of Applied Science

James Eklund, Albin, Wyo.

Bachelor of Arts

Alicia Bakley, Tuthill, S.D.; Sara Barnett, Gering; Courtney Bartlett, Eustis; *Morgan Berg, Buffalo, Wyo.; **Aaron Beyer, Sidney; Mitchell Biggs, Sidney; Bobbi Blaine, Gillette, Wyo.; Ashley Brauer, Sidney; Jennyfer Bruns, Oshkosh; Katherine Canaday, Newark, Ohio.; Joel Christiansen, Kimball; Steven Cronin, Fort Pierre, S.D.

Jeremiah Cross, Oshkosh; ***Janette Davidson, Imperial; Henry Davis III, Naperville, Ill.; Nicholas Davis, Rapid City, S.D.; John (Buddha) Delle, Chadron; Rihannon Delle, Hemingford.; **Kristin Dempcy, Oshkosh; Maggie Dierksen, Chadron; **Amee Diers, Groton, S.D.; Loren Ditsch, Alliance; Rebecca Dobry, Sumner; Anne Dodge, Gering; *Brandon Dorenbach, Alliance.

Heath Draney, Omaha; *Karissa Eifert, Rapid City, S.D.; Crystal Ekbert, Mitchell; ***Megan Ecklund, Albin, Wyo.; Britany Jo Fleck, Solen, N.D.; Casey Fosher, Lusk, Wyo.; *Michael Fulton, Norfolk; Brady Germeroth, Aurora, Colo.; **Carla Giger, Alliance; *Roxann Gilbert, Wheatland, Wyo.; David Glenn Jr., Mitchell; *Celestina Godinez, Scottsbluff.

Ashley Grey, Valentine; Eric Griffo, Chicago, Ill.; **Lacey Umble Gulbranson, Mitchell; **Amanda Halderman, Custer, S.D.; Karen Hall, North Platte; Jenna Halouska, Alliance; Derek Hamilton, Casper, Wyo.; Kerri Hanlon, Crawford; Johannah Hardy, Chadron; Daniel Harris, Chadron; Dustin Harris, Wauneta; Amanda Helser, Gering.

Eric Hoffman, Scottsbluff; Monica Houston, Bridgeport; Melissa Jerger, Gering; ***Drew Jones, Sutton; Zachary Jones, Cambridge; Sally Katen, Chadron; ***Melissa Kelley, Dayton, Ohio; Ann Kepler, Bassett; Nicholas Kepler, Dalton; Kase Kossman, Kearney; Timothy Krum, Anaconda, Mont.; Andrew Leisy, Alliance; Brenda Leisy-Johnson, Broadwater.

Denise Lively, Hot Springs, S.D.; *Phil Lockwood, Chadron; *Jeri Loomis, Mullen; Kayla Lund, Yutan; Ryan Mader, Buffalo, Wyo.; James Mann, Chadron; *Elizabeth Matthews, Hay Springs; Robert Maurer II, Dix; Leanne McCance, Chadron; Megan McNeil, Taylor; *Wade Meier, Peetz, Colo.; ***Michele Meissner, Mountain View, Wyo.

***Heather Messmer, Sturgis, S.D.; Donna Robinson Miller, Albion; Katrina Mitchell, Chadron; Dawson Moody, Crawford; Jessi Moore, Gering; Angel Moravek, Alliance; Ben Morse, Sargent; ***Andrea Mullock, Torrington, Wyo.; **Eric Mumm, Tryon; Tracy Myhre, Rapid City, S.D.; Christy Neiman, Whitman; Crystal Neitzel, Gregory, S.D.; Geoffrey Nemnich, Gering; Cassidy O’Donnell, Laramie, Wyo.

Ashlea Olson, Chappell; Philip Parks, Chadron; **April Peregoy, Big Piney, Wyo.; Carly Peterson, Burke, S.D.; Marc Pisacka, Gering; Nicholas Porter, Scottsbluff; Shelly Preston, Scottsbluff; Jennifer Quinn, Chadron; Jordan Raben, Crawford; Tawny Reese, Gordon; ***Katie Reynolds, Casper, Wyo.; Clinton Riesen, Minatare.

Alva Roberts, Chadron; Heather Russell, Chadron; Rebecca Sanders, O’Neill; Audra Sauser, Chadron; **Aleyse Schultz, Wallace; Alicia Schutte, Gillette, Wyo.; ***Jason Seamans, Draper, S.D.; Gary Shank, Kimball; Rebecca Sharp-Nemecek, Gordon; Abbey Slagle, Sargent; Alexander Smith, Ashland; Alisha Smith, Scottsbluff; Melissa Chancellor Sommerville, Chadron.

*Adam Spencer, Grand Island; **Sarah Stafford, Casper, Wyo.; ***Jason Thomas, Rapid City, S.D.; ***Eldon Thompson IV, Carroll, Iowa; Shawn Timbers, Alliance; Andrew Urlaub, Gillette, Wyo; Christina Van Buren., Bridgeport; **Lyndsay Wall, McCook; Lindsey Warnke, McCook; Eric Wasserburger, Lusk, Wyo.

Justin Watson, North Platte; Andrew Weingart, Alliance; Serena Welsh, Madison; **Stephanie Werner, Carleton; Cassandra Whipple, Scottsbluff; Maria Wieser, Sidney; Amanda Wilson, Morrill; Amy Winters, Scottsbluff; Chester Woodden, Chadron; Brian Yeager, Newcastle, Wyo.; Marie Yellow Boy, Pine Ridge, S.D.

Bachelor of Science

***Christopher Ayriss, Lincoln; Kelani Bosch, Wheatland, Wyo.; Kristin Boutard, Kimball; *Amanda Jo Bowman, Pine Bluffs, Wyo.; ***Alicia Longe Brost, Norfolk; Emily Brown, North Platte; Donald Cestnik, Rock Springs, Wyo.; Ingrid Drieling, Oakland; *Joel Duffield, Morrill; Erica Griesman, Grand Island; Nathan Groshans, Gering.

***Sarah Halsey, Wheatland, Wyo.; ***Aaron Hird, Litchfield, ***Karissa Johnson, Hershey; Joshua Keith, Chadron; Seth Lambert, Crawford; **Stacie Larreau, Arnold; Matthew Lucas, Arnold; **Caleb Lund, Lusk, Wyo.; Darcy McPeak, Farnam; *Emily Miller, Sutton; Suzanne Morse, Sargent.

*Kristen Mroczak, North Platte; *Kaila Osmotherly, Torrington, Wyo.

*Lex Ravenscroft, Sutherland; Lance Schutte, Hastings; Kallie Seier, Pierce; Wendy Simonson, Gordon; Theresa Simpson, Callaway; ***Malinda Sprentall, Chadron; **Jodi Stowater, Wayne; **Edward Sydow, Sidney; Seth Terrell, Hay Springs.

Alethea Trundy, Leonminster, Mass.; **Chelsi Wagner, Gillette, Wyo.; **Adam Wells, St. Paul; *Christopher Wells, Bridegeport; **Jacqueline Wells, Albion; *Loren Wescott, Hay Springs; ***Ben Woodhead, North Platte.

Bachelor of Science in Education

Curtis Bach, Chadron; Kimberly Bennett, Sturgis, S.D.; **Nicholas Brost, Mullen; Julie Burenheide, Dodge; Lee Burenheide, Howells; Lacey Coffman, Halsey; Elizabeth Crawford, Midwest, Wyo.; **Danielle Dorshorst, Oberlin, Kan.; *Kristina Epke, Valentine; Maria Gillen, Bridgeport; Carrie Hansel, Oshkosh; *Terri Harris, Gordon.

Hannah Hellbusch, Sidney; Lindsey Hiers, Sidney; **Christina Hill, Riverton, Wyo.; James Hobson, Cheyenne, Wyo.; *Heather Honeycutt, Custer, S.D.; Heather Hostetter, Aurora, Colo.; Dana Jackson, Gering; Christine Jelinek, Alliance; Bridget Johnston, Alliance; *Kevin Kilgore, Sidney; **Kelly Kraus, Arvada, Colo.

Brittany Kunz, Gilbert, Ariz.; Nathan Liess, Indianola; **Joseph Martin, Edgemont, S.D.; Sara Masek, Chadron; Jana McBride, Hay Springs; Craig Miller, Columbus; *Brittany Mitchell, Sidney; Claudette Moore, Gering; Trenton Murner, Rapid City, S.D.; ***Meghan Orr, Torrington, Wyo.; Ryan Osmotherly, Crawford.

**Cody Peck, Julesburg, Colo.; Tiffany Powell, Ovid, Colo.; Clint Reading, Blackfoot, Idaho; Kristin Rees, Fort Collins, Colo.; Paula Richards, Gering; **Misty Richey, Springview; *Terri Ring, Bridgeport; Jeffery Rusher, Ordway, Colo.; ***Elisabeth Saunders, Gillette, Wyo.; ***Melissa Schmid, Chadron.

Jacob Schneider, Gering; Harry Sledge Jr., Docena, Ala.; *Amanda Smith, Lodgepole; *Nathan Smith, Sargent; **Nehemiah Steinbrecher, Scottsbluff; Judy Stumf, Chadron; Seth Vapenik, Wauneta; *David Voltmer, Torrington, Wyo.; *David Waechter, Bayard; David Waliser, Piedmont, S.D.; Esther Wilson, Dalton; ***Lacey Wilson, Litchfield; Sonja Ziegler, Ogallala.