Chadron State College: A Legacy of Achievement
Chadron State College (CSC), a public institution nestled in Chadron, Nebraska, has been a cornerstone of education and athletic excellence since 1911. As one of the three public colleges within the Nebraska State College System, CSC has cultivated a rich tradition of academic rigor, personal growth, and community engagement. This article explores the notable alumni who have emerged from Chadron State College, leaving indelible marks in various fields.
A Foundation of Excellence: Chadron State College
Established in 1909 as the fourth normal school in Nebraska, Chadron State College has evolved from its initial focus on teacher training to offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs. The college's commitment to providing a comprehensive educational experience is reflected in its various academic departments, state-of-the-art facilities, and dedicated faculty.
The college rebranded to its current name, Chadron State College in 1964.
Campus and Facilities
Chadron State College's campus is located in Chadron, Nebraska, United States. The campus is 281-acre (114 ha) and has 25 major buildings. The campus includes eight academic buildings, six athletic buildings, three administration buildings, and five residential buildings. The campus includes High Rise, an eleven story high-rise building which is the tallest building in Western Nebraska.
Academics and Athletics
Chadron State College is a state-funded college. As of 2025, 1,600 students are enrolled. The college includes 23 undergraduate fields of study. Major fields of study include Business Administration, Teachers Degree and Professional Development, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Plant Sciences, and Criminal Justice and Corrections. It offers more than 49 majors leading to bachelor's degrees and 8 professional studies options.
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Chadron State AthleticsChadron State College (CSC) is a well-known public institution in Chadron, Nebraska. Chadron State EaglesCSC is a member of the NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). It offers various sports programs for both male and female student-athletes. Currently, CSC sponsors 12 varsity sports, such as football, basketball, wrestling, track and field, cross country, golf, softball, and volleyball.
Notable Alumni: Champions in Education, Athletics, and Beyond
Chadron State College has produced a remarkable array of alumni who have achieved distinction in diverse fields. These individuals exemplify the college's commitment to fostering leadership, innovation, and service.
Education: Shaping the Minds of Tomorrow
Chadron State College's reputation as an outstanding teacher education training institution continues to grow. Many alumni have made significant contributions to the field of education, earning accolades for their dedication, innovation, and commitment to student success.
- Mack Rawhouser: Honored with the college's Distinguished Alumni Award for his long and notable career as an educator, coach, civic leader, and community volunteer. During Rawhouser's 31 years of teaching and coaching at Big Piney, he was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Boys Basketball Coach of the Year from 1982 to 1985 and again in 1987 and 1988. Rawhouser later became the girls' basketball coach for the Sublette County School District and was named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Girls Basketball Coach of the Year from 1992 to 1996.
- Stephanie (Olson) Dantzler: Also received the Distinguished Alumni Award.
- Whitney Campbell and Hilary A. Catron: Honored as Distinguished Young Alumni.
- Basil Brave Heart: Honored by the Hazelden Foundation for his work in addiction recovery. He earned a bachelor's degree from CSC with majors in English, biology and physical education in 1957. He has spent much of his career as an administrator in schools on Indian reservations in Montana , Wyoming and South Dakota .
- Dave Bellis: Band director at Worland High School in Wyoming, received the Award of Merit from the Wyoming Chapter of the National Federation of Music Teachers in both 1992 and 2000, and was one of 10 recipients nationwide of the John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor Award in 1998.
- Suzanne Hess Bottorff: Third grade teacher from Gordon, received the Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year Award from the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association in 1999.
- Claire Coffee Brown: Received the Excellence in Teaching Award for 2003-04 from the School of Education at the University of Albany in New York.
- Lisa Carder: A business teacher at Boone Central High School in Albion, was among the recipients of the 2002 Nebraska Teacher Achievement Awards presented by the Peter Kiewit Foundation of Omaha.
- Sunny Chancy: Selected as the Teacher of the Year for 2007 at Wakulla High School in Florida . She teaches environmental science and biology.
- Dr. Charollene Coates: Professor emeritus at Chadron State College, was selected as the 1996 Nebraska Professor of the Year, by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
- Sharla Tollman Dowding: Biology and chemistry teacher at Newcastle, Wyo., was selected as Wyoming’s Presidential High School Science Teacher of the Year for 2001.
- Carolyn Escamilla: A fourth grade teacher at the Roosevelt School in Scottsbluff, received the prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in 2000.
- Bruce Ford: Principal at Chamberlain High School in South Dakota, was inducted into the Job Corps Hall of Fame during July 2002 ceremonies in Washington, D.C. A high school dropout, Ford graduated from the Pine Ridge Job Corps Center in 1969. Sixteen years later he enrolled at Chadron State and earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the college.
- Patricia Fitzpatrick: A third grade teacher at Kimball, received a Peter Kiewit Foundation Nebraska Teacher Achievement Award in 2000.
- Steven Gardiner: Teaches English and journalism at Billings Senior High School in Montana. He has received the Medal of Merit and the Master Journalism Educator Award from the Journalism Education Association and been named a Special Recognition Adviser by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund in Chicago.
- Patty Hawk: Has been named the 2006-2007 “Exemplary Teacher” by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church . She is a communications professor at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln .
- Kim Hanisch: A science teacher at Ogallala High School, received the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship in 2000.
- Sharon Arthur Hoffman: Has taught music at Bayard ever since graduating from Chadron State in 1979, was named the Nebraska Music Educator of the year at the 2005 fall conference of the Nebraska Music Educators.
- Moni Hourt: A teacher at Glen School in Sioux County, was presented the National Rural Education Association’s Teacher of the Year Award in 2004.
- Lanik: Teaches math, spelling, science and the language arts to fourth, fifth and sixth graders in the Hemingford Middle School . She also is the high school's cross-country coach. Was awarded as Nebraska 's American Star of Teaching for 2006.
- Gary Largo: A social studies teacher at Scottsbluff High School since graduating from CSC in 1976, was the first winner of the Nebraska State Education Association Award for Teaching Excellence in 2001.
- Catie Limbach: A Chadron State graduate who teaches kindergarten in her hometown of Crawford, was selected as Nebraska 's Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year for 2006.
- Daniel Long: Was the first recipient of the prestigious Elizabeth A.H. Green School Educator Award presented by the American String Teachers Association in conjunction with the National School Orchestra Association in 1997 while he was teaching music in the Ann Arbor, Mich., Schools.
- Carol Markheim: Was a recipient of the 2002 Nebraska Teaching Achievement Award presented by the Peter Kiewit Foundation of Omaha. A first grade teacher at the Roosevelt School in Scottsbluff, Markheim was recognized for her language arts project, “Student to Parent,” in which children wrote stories in English and used a laptop computer to translate them into Spanish.
- Nancy Helberg Miller: A 1976 graduate, was selected teacher of the year for 2005 in the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Ag Promotion and Agriculture in the Classroom program. She is a seventh and eighth grade teacher in the Potter-Dix Public Schools.
- Cindy Moravek: Received the Wyoming Presidential Award for Excellence in Math Teaching in 1998.
- Jennifer Murdock: Received the J.R. MacNeel Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Counselors for 2006 from the Wyoming Counseling Association.
- Jane Tangeman Newblom: A business teacher at Sheridan High School, located on the outskirts of Indianapolis, was named first-runner-up for Indiana Teacher of the Year by the Indiana Department of Education for 2006.
- Larry Overton: The orchestra director and district music coordinator at Fort Morgan, Colo., for 35 years, was inducted into the Colorado Music Educators Association’s Hall of Fame in 1999 and into the Colorado High School Activities Association’s Hall of Fame in 2002.
- Michael Stedillie: Was named Teacher of the Year for the Natrona County School District at Casper , Wyo.
These educators have touched the lives of countless students, instilling in them a love of learning and preparing them for success in their future endeavors.
Athletics: Achieving Greatness on and off the Field
Chadron State College has a proud athletic tradition, with its teams, the Eagles, competing in the NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). The college's athletic programs have produced numerous outstanding athletes who have excelled both on and off the field.
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Chadron State Football Team SuccessThe football team at Chadron State College is one of its most notable athletic programs. With a rich history since 1911, the Eagles have won multiple RMAC championships and made several appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The team is known for its strong defensive and offensive units and enjoys unwavering support from the CSC community, evident in packed stands at home games. Notable football alumni who went on to the NFL include Garrett Gilkey, Danny Woodhead and Don Beebe.Basketball Teams’ AchievementsCSC’s basketball teams also have a strong reputation within the RMAC. Both men’s and women’s teams have enjoyed successful seasons, with the women’s team winning the conference championship in the 2018-2019 season. The Eagles’ basketball players’ dedication to hard work, teamwork, and sportsmanship has led to on-court success and a positive college atmosphere.Wrestling Program ExcellenceThe wrestling program at CSC is a consistent force within the RMAC, producing many All-Americans and conference champions over the years. The wrestling team ranks high in regional and national standings, showcasing its athletes’ and coaching staff’s strength. Chadron State’s commitment to excellence is evident in its facilities, such as the state-of-the-art wrestling room and strength and conditioning center. Chadron State Individual Sports AchievementsIn addition to team sports, CSC excels in individual sports like track and field, cross country, and golf. The college’s track and field and cross country teams have produced numerous conference champions and All-American athletes.
- Sparky Adams
- Don Beebe: Notable football alumni who went on to the NFL
- Garrett Gilkey: Notable football alumni who went on to the NFL
- Danny Woodhead: Notable football alumni who went on to the NFL
- Nels Christiansen: A former CSC basketball star, was honored at halftime of the Chadron State-Montana State-Billings basketball game in Billings in December 2002 during “Nels Christiansen night.” He coached and was on the physical education faculty at MSU-B for 35 years before retiring in 1995.
- Chris Carlisle: Named the 2006 National Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society. Carlisle is in his sixth year as director of physical development at the University of Southern California , where he supervises the weight training and conditioning for all 19 of the Trojans' athletic teams.
- John Deti: Was inducted into the Wyoming Sports Hall of Fame in June, 2004.
- Rex Jones: Received the Section 5 (six states) Citation Award from the National Federation of State High School Associations in Boston in June 2002 shortly after he retired as associate director of Nebraska School Activities Association.
- Don Knauss: Was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in September 2004.
- Todd Lowry: Led the volleyball team from National American University at Rapid City , S.D. , to a perfect 41-0 record and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship in 2006. He was named the NAIA Coach of the Year.
- Joe McKay: Was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2001.
- Bud Murray: Baseball coach at William S. Hart High School at Newhall, Calif., was named the High School Baseball Coach of the Year by the California Coaches Association in 1999 after his team won the Southern California division, which included teams from 26 leagues.
- Bill Lewis: Was one of 10 individuals receiving citations from the National Federation of High School Associations in the summer of 2004. He also was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 after serving 16 years as supervisor of officials for the Nebraska School Activities Association.
These athletes have not only achieved personal success but have also brought pride and recognition to Chadron State College.
Other Notable Alumni
In addition to educators and athletes, Chadron State College has produced alumni who have excelled in a variety of other fields.
- Barbara Lee Dutrow: Professor of geology at Louisiana State University, is a distinguished national lecturer for Sigma Xi and the Mineralogical Society of America.
- Ivan Kerschner: Principal at Eagle Valley High School at Gypsum, Colo., was a recipient of the $25,000 Milken National Education Award in 1996.
- Mike Kinnaird: Principal of Advanced Technology Academy in Las Vegas, was named the 1997 Principal of the Year for Nevada by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
- JoAnne Owens-Nauslar: Was the first recipient of the Excellence in Advocacy Award given by P.E.4LIFE, based in Washington, D.C., in 2001.
These alumni have demonstrated the breadth and depth of a Chadron State College education, making significant contributions to their respective fields and communities.
Factors Contributing to Alumni Success
The success of Chadron State College alumni can be attributed to a combination of factors, including:
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- Dedicated faculty: Experienced coaching staff passionate about guiding their teams.
- Academically rigorous programs: The college includes 23 undergraduate fields of study. Major fields of study include Business Administration, Teachers Degree and Professional Development, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Plant Sciences, and Criminal Justice and Corrections. It offers more than 49 majors leading to bachelor's degrees and 8 professional studies options.
- State-of-the-art facilities: The college features state-of-the-art facilities like the Nelson Physical Activity Center, Armstrong Gymnasium, and Don Beebe Stadium, providing student-athletes with the resources needed to excel in their sports.
- A supportive community: Athletics, Personal Growth, and AcademicsAt CSC, athletics are about more than just winning games and breaking records. Lasting Impact and CommunityChadron State College’s athletic programs have played a crucial role in shaping the college’s identity and fostering a sense of community among students, faculty, and alumni. Through their commitment to excellence, sportsmanship, and personal growth, CSC’s student-athletes have significantly impacted the college and the surrounding community. The Eagles’ athletic programs continue to be a source of pride for Chadron State College and its supporters.
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