Chicoine Center hosts first commencement; 83 earn graduate degrees

 Graduate commencement exercises began at 2 and undergraduate was at 4 p.m.

Dr. Jamie Wada, associate professor and department chair of Justice Studies, was the featured speaker for graduate commencement in Memorial Hall.

Wada said one of the important qualities of education is that it is not a zero-sum game.

“I give you what I know, you get it and I don’t lose anything. That’s not like a lot of other transactions in the world. In the words of Bruce Springsteen, ‘Nobody wins unless everybody wins,’” Wada said.

He encouraged the graduates to look around and ponder the meaning of the family members and friends in attendance at the event.

“Your education is not just about you. It’s about family, friends and community. Your education elevates everyone. Think of your education as a responsibility,” Wada said. “Think a little deeper, stay a little longer and give a little more.”

The opening moment of reflection for the graduate ceremony was given by Lisa Stein of Chadron, and the closing moment of reflection was offered by Matthew Buchhammer of Casper, Wyoming.

Later Friday afternoon, the winter 2014 graduating class walked across the stage and into history during the first commencement to take place in the Chicoine Center.

Seventy-nine of the 143 total undergraduates received their degrees in the $17 million facility, which opened in early November

Con Marshall, CSC Information Officer, served as the commencement speaker. He shared his memories of several pivotal CSC faculty and alumni who made major impacts on the institution.

Marshall expressed appreciation for those who built the college into what it is.

“These individuals came to Chadron State as pretty common folks, probably had no idea where they were headed when they graduated, but they had been given the tools and the inspiration to do some pretty spectacular things, as you will see. I’m confident that someday, many of you will have similar, or maybe even more spectacular success stories that someone can tell,” Marshall said.

He reminisced about Ross Armstrong and John Harms, both key figures tied to the two buildings included in the Armstrong renovation and Chicoine Center construction.

Harms, a Nebraska Senator, helped guide $6.7 million in funding for the Chicoine Center through the legislature. When he was a student at CSC he became discouraged and considered dropping out. But Armstrong, a longtime coach and athletic director, talked to Harms and even traveled to meet with his parents in Morrill to convince him stay in school.

Marshall also provided information on Chadron State benefactor Vern Chicoine, for whom the Chicoine Center is named.

Over the years, Chicoine contributed more than $3 million to the college. He was married to Marshall’s aunt, Frances, in the early 1970s after both she and Chicoine had lost their first spouses.

Although Chicoine, who died in 2003, never attended or taught at CSC, he was a tireless supporter of the college in addition to being a businessman, rancher, investor, president of the Chamber of Commerce and the mayor of Chadron.

The opening moment of reflection was offered by Siopea Ho Ching of Fagatogo, American Samoa, and the closing moment of reflection was offered by Samuel Parker of Harrison, Nebraska.

In other highlights, Army ROTC cadet Amanda Tallman of Detroit, Michigan, received her commission as a 2nd Lt. during the undergraduate commencement exercises.