Year-ending programs at Chadron State this weekend
Chadron State College’s year-ending exercises will be this weekend. Ivy Day, which dates back to 1920 and honors the college’s outstanding senior scholars, will be at 7 p.m. Friday, May 5 in Memorial Hall. The graduation ceremony for those earning graduate degrees will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Commencement for those earning bachelor’s degrees will be at 10 a.m. in the Armstrong Building.
There are approximately 260 candidates for degrees.
Dr. Allen Shepherd, a history professor at Chadron State the past 34 years, will be the speaker at the graduate degree commencement. He is beginning a phased retirement this summer and plans to continue his worldwide traveling. He has already visited all 50 states and 77 foreign nations. He also has led numerous study tours for students, written and delivered 38 papers at regional and national history conferences and had nearly 20 papers published.
The speaker at the undergraduate commencement will be Steve Gardiner, a 1977 Chadron State graduate who teaches English and journalism at Billings Senior High School in Montana. He has been in the limelight following the publication of his book, “Building Student Literacy Through Sustained Silent Reading” last year. The book explains his philosophy that reading leads to learning, even if it is for pleasure. He has used silent reading as a teaching tool throughout his career.
Gardiner also has climbed many of the world’s tallest mountains, walked on glaciers, explored Amazon jungles, run the Boston Marathon and coached the state championship girls’ cross-country team last fall. He will receive Chadron State’s Distinguished Alumni Award during commencement.
Willa Kosman of Scottsbluff will extend greetings from the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State College System at both commencements..
Highlights of Ivy Day besides recognizing the outstanding senior scholars in each academic area will include crowning a king and a queen. The royalty candidates were nominated from among the members of Cardinal Key and Blue Key National Honor Society.
The queen candidates are Karissa Eifert, Rapid City, S.D.; Ashley Grey, Valentine; Lacey Gulbranson, Mitchell; Karissa Johnson, Hershey; and Kaila Osmotherly, Torrington, Wyo. The king candidates are Joel Duffield, Morrill; Lex Ravenscroft, Sutherland; Ed Sydow, Sidney; Adam Wells, St. Paul; and Ben Woodhead, North Platte.
Osmotherly will be the Ivy Day orator representing Cardinal Key National Honorary Society and Sydow will be the orator representing Blue Key.
The faculty greeter will be Dr. Robert Stack, CSC dean of students.
Category: Campus News