Chadron, NE (RELEASE) April 30th, 2024 — Chadron State College will recognize 354 candidates for graduation at the Spring Commencement Ceremony in the Chicoine Center on Saturday at 10 a.m. The event honoring 274 undergraduates and 80 graduates will be live-streamed.
The opening moment of reflection will be given by Austin Alexander of Newell, South Dakota, who will also receive her commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The closing moment of reflection will be given by Kinsey Smith of Windsor, Colorado.
Below is the list of students expected to graduate by degree. The hometowns listed are those on file for the students. Honor graduates are designated by asterisks. ***Summa cum laude, 3.9-4.0 GPA; **Magna cum laude, 3.75-3.89 GPA; *Cum laude, 3.6-3.74
Bachelor of Arts
Lingle: Callie Fritzler***, Bailey Powell, Ashley Riley
Lusk: Alec Penfield, Riley Shaw
Torrington: Brittney Lopez, Meranda Richards
Bachelor of Science
Lusk: Ashley Christianson
Bachelor of Science in Education
Torrington: Onalise Kingsley
The commencement speaker is former Nebraska State Senator John Stinner Sr. He was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, representing District 48, in 2014 and re-elected in 2018.
“Chadron State is such a great asset to the Panhandle and the state of Nebraska from an economic and post-secondary perspective. It’s a great honor to be asked to be a part of the commencement ceremony,” Stinner said.
A native of Pennsylvania, Stinner came to Nebraska on a full athletic scholarship and was a member of the University of Nebraska national championship football team in 1970-71. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1973 and a master’s in economics from UNL in 1976.
Stinner and his wife, Rita, have been married since 1972 and have two children and four grandchildren. The couple resides in Gering.
He is a retired CPA and the former CEO and board chair of Valley Bank of Trust. He also served on the board of directors of Western States Bank.
His civic service has included work with the following organizations: the Oregon Trail Community Foundation, the Scottsbluff/Gering Rotary Club, the Sons of the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Gering Downtown Revitalization Committee, Elks Club, and the WNCC Cougar Booster Club, and Christ the King parish.
Stinner is a former board member and trustee with Hospital Authority No. 1 of Scotts Bluff County and former chair of the Nebraska Bankers Association. He also served on numerous boards including the Western Nebraska Community College Foundation, the Terry Carpenter Center, the Nebraska Journalism Trust, and the WyoBraska Museum. He served as president of the YMCA of Scottsbluff board, the Gering School Board, and Twin Cities Development.
His honors include the 2024 State Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame, 2023 Behavioral Health Educational Center of Nebraska Distinguished Service Award, 2023 Nebraskaland Foundation NEBRASKAlander Award, the Nebraska Arts Council Thomas C. Woods Ill Partner in the Arts Award, State Friend of Psychology from the Nebraska Psychological Association, and Nebraska Society of CPA Legislator of the Year in 2023.
