Boutard, Thurin graduate from Chadron State College

Two hundred and twenty-six students, including two from Kimball, officially became graduates of Chadron State College on Dec. 13, the college announced Jan. 29.

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. Later that 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.

Two local students earned degrees during Chadron State College’s winter commencement on Dec. 13. Kandice Boutard of Kimball and Ashley Thurin of Kimball each earned a bachelor’s degree.

Chadron State College, which was founded in 1911, is the only four-year, regionally-accredited college in the western half of Nebraska. As a public institution with its roots in teacher education, Chadron State takes pride in its accessibility and affordability. More than 3,000 undergraduate, graduate and online students currently attend Chadron State and its curriculum has grown to offer programs and courses in 65 majors and endorsements and eight master’s degree programs. For more information, visit the website at http://www.csc.edu.