Campus welcomes new faculty, staff
Chadron State College has hired 18 new members to its faculty and staff since the end of the spring semester. Most of the new hires replace employees who have either resigned or retired. Following is information about each of the new employees, including office assistant reassignments and graduate assistants.
Academics, Admissions, Business Office, Child Development Center, Extended Campus Programs, Housing and Residence Life, Information Technology, Library, Nelson Physical Activity Center, Maintenance and Boiler House, Upward Bound.
Dr. Linda Hunt Brown, Assistant Professor of Education – Hunt Brown will teach educational leadership beginning this fall, and brings much experience to the position. A resident of Hot Springs, S.D., she most recently was superintendent of the Wyola School District in Montana. She has served the K-12 environment as school administrator for 13 years where she has implemented technology into the districts which she served as principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent. Currently focusing on the No Child Left Behind requirements to improve student achievement, Hunt Brown has been working with teachers and administrators on enhancing instruction and assessment through technology. She has served on both Nebraska’s and Montana’s state assessment task force committees. She also was a national instructor for Northwest Educational Association’s MAP computer generated testing program which tracks student growth over time and creates individual student targets. She also provided training in interpreting the NWEA reports for teacher and district-wide assessment for school improvement. She earned a doctorate from Montana State University after completing her dissertation, “Barriers to Women Certified in Educational Leadership in Montana including American Indian women Teachers.” In addition to a Specialist’s in Education degree from Chadron State, she holds a master’s degree from Lesley University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado.
Jan Moeller, Lecturer of Education – Moeller of Hot Springs, S.D., began teaching general and special education courses at CSC in June. Prior to coming to CSC, Moeller served as special services director of the Hot Springs School District from 2000-2010. Her responsibilities included assuring that the district complied with state and federal regulations regarding special education and Title I. She also served as an early childhood education teacher from 1991-1997. Moeller graduated high school at St. Paul, Minn., and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Minnesota in 1975 and a master’s degree in special education from the University of Arizona in 1997. She and her husband, Ted, have a daughter, Holli, whose husband is Jason. They have twin daughters, 9, and a son, 2.
M. Ann Smith, Lecturer of Health, Physical Education and Recreation – Smith, a familiar face at CSC, is returning to the classroom this fall to replace faculty on sabbatical leave. She is a former chairwoman of CSC’s HPER department. She earned a master’s degree from CSC in 1977 and took a position on the faculty in 1980. In 1985, she was CSC’s first recipient of the Burlington Northern Foundation Faculty Achievement Award. Prior to joining the CSC faculty, she taught at Bridgeport High School for 10 years, where coached the school’s first volleyball and girls’ track teams. While at CSC, she served on national committees pertaining to gender equity legislation and was active in the Nebraska Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Outside the classroom, she has extensive involvement with the Dawes County chapter of the Red Cross. She has been deployed to 16 national disasters in 13 states, including the 2001 relief efforts in New York City for the Sept. 11 attacks and at the Gulf Coast for Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She has three children and numerous grandchildren. Her husband, Bud, died in December 2007.
Kristina Pajeda, Admissions Representative – Pajeda, who lives in Omaha, began her new duties to lead CSC’s recruiting efforts in eastern Nebraska on July 1. In her new position, she is visiting high schools, college fairs, educational planning sessions and other events to represent CSC. She is a former college resident director and once worked at her hometown ice cream store. A native of Gretna, Pajeda earned bachelor’s degrees from Wayne State College in 2001 and the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2009.
Melany Hughes, Interim Budget Director – Hughes began her new duties of working on CSC’s finances June 1. Prior to coming to CSC, she was the finance officer for the City of Chadron for four years. She is a native of Torrington, Wyo., who earned a bachelor’s degree from CSC in 2001. She and her husband, Robert, live in Crawford and are parents of daughters Maggie, 8, and Kaylee, 6.
Ammie Frost, Day Care Center Teacher – Frost has begun teaching at the Child Development Center, where she assists with the development and implementation of daily curriculum components, supports development of the children, and assists with evaluation and assessments and supports community involvement activities. Frost, who has earned a child development associate credential, worked at the center for two years as a student and graduated from CSC with an elementary education degree this year. She is a 2004 graduate of Alliance High School. Frost, whose maiden name is Przymus, was married this summer to Jake Frost.
Iuliia Protopop, Interim International Education Program Coordinator – Protopop was hired in July to provide guidance and support for the college’s international students. She also develops, coordinates and implements programs to help international students become acclimated to CSC. Protopop earned a master’s degree this spring from Chadron State College as part of its partnership with the National Agricultural University of Ukraine. She also has obtained an undergraduate degree and graduate degree from NAUU. While studying at CSC, she served as a graduate assistant.
Shelby Huish, Assistant Director of Residence Life – Huish was hired June 14 to serve as resident director of the High Rise Residence Hall. Prior to coming to CSC, she worked four years as guest service manager of the Holiday Inn at Sidney. Her duties included maintaining front desk procedures and policies, scheduling desk staff, and a variety of accounting and clerical duties. Other work experience includes 1½ years as the an operations manager of High Mountain Properties, a time-share vacation provider in Park City, Utah. She managed the front desk staff of the company and assisted in many other aspects of the business, which rented high end properties for ski vacations. Huish is a graduate of Aloha High School of Beaverton, Ore., and earned a bachelor’s degree from Utah Valley University in 1998. She is joined by husband Brigham, who is enrolled as a full-time student, son Cal, 2, and daughter Hannah, 6 months. The family will reside in High Rise.
Joseph Persac, Assistant Director of Residence Life – Persac began duties as Kent Hall’s resident director July 1. Persac this year obtained a Master of Arts degree in higher education and student affairs from Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, Persac served as a graduate administrative associate for Off-Campus Student Services from September 2008 to this June. A native of Louisiana, he graduated from Catholic High School at Baton Rouge. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Edward’s University at Austin, Texas, in 2008. Other work experience includes service during his high school years as an after-school elementary counselor along with five years of student affairs experience. He also co-owned and operated a year-around lawn service with his brother as a teenager.
Bryant Pritchett, Resident Hall Coordinator – Pritchett, a native of Littleton, Colo., began his duties in Brooks Hall this August. Prior to his new job, he worked as senior resident advisor in Kent Hall for two years. He also has five years experience as a pizza restaurant manager. He is a 2007 graduate of Dakota Ridge High School.
Eric Roberts, Information Technology Support Specialist – Roberts, who was born and raised in Chadron, was hired in May to begin his new duties, which include setup and deployment of new computer systems and support for existing systems and software packages. Prior to his new position at CSC he worked as a website developer for Phoenix Web Group of Waverly, Neb. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 2006. As a student at UNL, he worked as a network technician for the institution’s information technology department. His duties required much time in the cramped steam tunnels of campus pulling fiber and performing other maintenance.
Pamela Newberg, Head of Technical Services – Newberg was hired Aug. 1 to handle “behind-the-scenes” activities of the Reta King Library, including ordering, cataloging and processing new materials. She also will teach library science courses. Newberg comes to CSC after being the head of resource processing and description at the University of Northern Colorado. A native of Evanston, Ill., Newberg has earned three master’s degrees, each in a different subject. They are library science from Rosary College in 1982, vocal performance from DePaul University in 1985, and teaching from National Louis University in 1992. She obtained her undergraduate degree from St. Norbert College in 1980. Her family includes partner Beth Johnson and an adult son, Victor “Tory” Newberg.
NELSON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CENTER
Ashley Dent, Physical Activity Center Coordinator – Dent began his new duties Aug. 1, which include managing all aspects of the Nelson Physical Activity Center’s operation. Prior to this fall, he worked as a graduate assistant for facilities and special events in the University of Southern Mississippi’s recreational sports program. He also has worked as a marketing intern for the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets and served as a tutor and mentor for the Ohio Wesleyan Upward Bound Program. Dent obtained a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi earlier this year and a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University in 2008.
Stephen Caswell, Boiler House Maintenance Repair Worker – Caswell, a native of Huntington Beach, Calif., began working in the boiler plant in June. He is a certified welder and has 12 years experience as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. He is a certified “Able Seaman” and has worked in “crabbing, dragging, longlining and shrimping.” Prior to moving to Chadron to be closer to family, he was superintendent for a California concrete company. Caswell’s uncle, David, also was a boiler plant operator at CSC. Caswell’s wife, Leslie, earned a degree from CSC this spring and is serving as a graduate assistant this fall.
Randy Doescher, Boiler House Maintenance Repair Worker – Doescher, who operates a ranch east of Chadron, joined the boiler house staff in June. Prior to becoming employed at CSC, Doescher worked 6½ years as a maintenance worker at Chadron Community Hospital. Doescher, a native of Beemer, has lived in Chadron 18 years. He and his wife, Melissia, have a son, Alex, 16, and two daughters, Shelby, 14, and Toni, 12.
Robert Hinman, Custodian – Hinman began custodial duties in the Nelson Physical Activity Center in July. He has 12 years of experience in the U.S. Army, in which he was a heavy motor vehicle operator with the rank of sergeant. He also is a certified professional hunting guide and specializes in deer management. He is a 1998 graduate of Chadron High School. He and his wife, Mihoko Hirose, have four children: Karen Hirose, 18, Mikaru Hirose, 14, Glen Hinman, 6, and Hina Hinman, 2.
Francelia Ruleaux, Custodian – Ruleaux began working in the Math and Science Building on July 6. Prior to beginning work at CSC, she worked at Safeway as a courtesy clerk. Her work experience includes five years as a pre-school teacher and day care provider. She also worked seven years as a cashier, floor person and bartender at the Deadwood Gulch Saloon. She has three children, Jonathan, 27, Matthew, 22, and Cassidy, 16. A former resident of Hot Springs, S.D., she is a graduate of Lead (S.D.) High School. Her father is Don Ruleaux, an artist who has served on CSC’s fine arts faculty.
Richard Darnell, Test Coordinator/Academic Advisor – Darnell is working with Upward Bound students at Gordon-Rushville High School, where he looks forward to helping students “bridge the gap” between high school and postsecondary education. Most recently, he worked 3 ½ years as a middle school math teacher. For five years during the Internet boom of the 1990s and early 2000s, he authored books about web technologies. Other work experience includes service as a hazardous materials technician on the Missoula, Mont., fire department. He holds two bachelor’s degrees, one each from Kansas State University and Regis University. He and his wife, Jane, have two children, Maggie and Liz.
Courtney Terrell, Test Coordinator/Academic Advisor – Terrell will work with the students of Alliance High School to help them succeed in high school and prepare for college. Terrell served as a graduate assistant in for CSC’s Project Strive program during the 2009-2010 academic year, in which she advised students with unique challenges and organized workshops to help them succeed. Other work experience includes employment as a bank customer service representative and as an assistant at a greenhouse. She is studying toward a master’s degree in community counseling from CSC, which she plans to complete in May 2011. A native of Eustis, she earned a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences from CSC in 2006. She and her husband, Seth, live on a ranch between Hay Springs and Alliance. She is the daughter of Pat and Conny Yeutter. Her sister, Cressey, is a CSC admissions ambassador.
Cheryl Welch, Test Coordinator/Academic Advisor -- Welch will work with Upward Bound students from Chadron High School, providing academic support and helping them prepare for postsecondary education. Welch, who has lived in Chadron for almost 10 years, is a native of the East Coast who has traveled the world. She has taught Spanish at Hay Springs High School the past six years. Other work experience includes a year as an English teacher in Taipei, Taiwan, and three years as a bicycle tour guide in Vermont. Her husband, Steve, is a geology graduate student at CSC. They have two daughters. Mackenzie is a freshman at Swarthmore College in Philadelphia and Greta is a sixth-grader at Prairie Home School south of Chadron.
OFFICE ASSISTANT REASSIGNMENTS
Six CSC office assistants have been reassigned. Their names and assignments:
Marsha Schrader, Dean of Education, Human Performance, Counseling, Psychology and Social Work; Roberta “Bobbie” Gilmore, Business Department; Jennifer Wittrock, Nebraska Business Development Center; Brenda Brown, Switchboard, English and Humanities, and Communication and Social Sciences ; Joanne Downs, Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Education and Dean of Education, Human Performance, Counseling, Psychology and Social Work (Graduate Studies); Stefani VanVleet, Education, and Dean of Education, Human Performance, Counseling, Psychology and Social Work (Graduate Studies)
Thirty-six graduate assistants have been hired at CSC for fall 2010:
Cale Bickerdyke, Nelson Physical Activity Center; Leslie Caswell, Education; Lisa Curtis, Career and Academic Planning Services; Thomas Fleming, Athletics; Allyn Granade, Counseling, Psychology and Social Work; Scott Gullion, Athletics; Michael Gusbeth, Athletics; Mark Haag, Nelson Physical Activity Center; Jack Hiett, Athletics; Brett Hunter, Athletics; Kalan Jones, Athletics; Natalia Kharina, School of Business, Entrepreneurship, Applied, Mathematical Sciences and Sciences; Ryan McDonough, Athletics; Joseph McLain, Mathematical Sciences; Brian Mecouch, Liberal Arts; Christine Mulloy, Communication and Social Sciences; Chase Olsen, Athletics; Joy Omelanuk, Liberal Arts; Maria Eloisa Oporto Leiva, Applied Sciences; Scott Phaydavong, Athletics; Evgeny Popov, Nebraska Business Development Center; Shannon Robinson, Tutoring; Tanner Rockwell, Liberal Arts; Grant Sasse, Counseling, Psychology and Social Work; Daniel Schwager, Athletics; Kateryna Simonova, Extended Campus Programs; Elizabeth Stetson, Education; Timothy Streasick, Social and Communication Arts; Tanner Tetrault, Athletics; Samuel Tetteh, Information Technology; Klare Veath, Physical and Life Sciences; Lisa Vroman, School of Business, Entrepreneurship, Applied, Mathematical Sciences and Sciences; Steve Welch, Physical and Life Sciences; Lisa Welsch, Athletics; Kodi Young, Physical and Life Sciences; Jason Zichterman, Athletics.
Category: Campus News