Animal science laboratory to be named for Ravenscrofts

John and Cheryl (Adamson) Ravenscroft, who have three adult sons and ranch near Valentine, are donating $100,000 toward the facility’s construction.

Cheryl, a retired school teacher who earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Chadron State in 1971, serves on Chadron State College’s National Campaign Leadership Council. The council is a group of about 100 CSC supporters from across the nation who are helping raise funds for Vision 2011, the institution’s first-ever multi-million-dollar campaign.

She said it’s an honor to serve on the council, and that she is excited to promote the project.

“Nebraska has a rich history in ranching and farming,” she said. “I am proud to be a part of the vision in expanding agricultural areas of study to the future generations of students attending Chadron State College.”

Cheryl’s family is among CSC’s Family Tree Award recipients – those with three or more generations that have attended CSC. Her parents, Elvin and Mabel Adamson, attended Chadron State, as did her son, Kevin Ravenscroft, and grandfather, Walter Adamson. Elvin served as a senator in the Nebraska Legislature and later worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

The Rangeland Agriculture Center and Pavilion is one of two facilities that will be constructed after completion of the $11 million campaign. With an estimated cost of $5.5 million, it is envisioned to be a key component in the growth of CSC’s already popular programs for rangeland and agriculture studies. The college also is raising funds for a new Events Center, endowments and its annual fund.

CSC has experienced much success in its agriculture programs, perhaps most notably from its range management program that was initiated in the early 1990s. With 96 students enrolled in the range management major, CSC’s range program is the second largest in the United States.

Students at CSC capitalize from college’s location at the intersection of Nebraska’s major rangeland types: mixed grass, short grass and sandhill prairies. The region also features unique grazing and wildlife resources on the Pine Ridge region.

The college’s roots in agriculture run deep, beginning with the six agriculture courses it offered during its first year of service, 1911-1912. During the past 99 years, the curriculum has been revised numerous times to best meet the evolving agricultural needs of the region. In addition to range management, the college has added pre-veterinary studies, agriculture business, wildlife management and a competitive rodeo team. The curriculum has expanded to more than 33 courses for rangeland, animal science and wildlife.