Chadron State College is a

public college A public university or public college is a university or college that is in state ownership, owned by the state or receives significant government spending, public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private unive ...

Chadron, Nebraska Chadron ( ) is a city and the county seat of Dawes County, in the state of Nebraska in the Great Plains region of the United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2010 census. This city is the location of Chadron State College. Chadron also ...

, US. It is one of three public colleges in the Nebraska State College System. It has open admission and an acceptance rate of 100%. According to College Factual, it has a six-year graduation rate of 42.1%, and a four-year graduation rate of 24.0%, both of which are well below the national average. The school opened in June 1911, although a previous institution dated from the late 19th century. The college has an enrollment of about 3,000 students. Five of its 25 major buildings are listed in the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

History

Chadron State College was founded in 1909 by the

Nebraska Legislature The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the legislature of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. With 49 members, known as "senators", the Nebraska Legislature is the sm ...

to provide a higher education institution in northwest Nebraska. The Board of Education of State Normal Schools selected Chadron as the location of its fourth institution in January 1910. The school opened in June 1911. Chadron State College is the only four-year and graduate-degree granting college in western Nebraska, and is accredited by the

Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...

and subject-oriented accrediting agencies.

Presidents

# Joseph Sparks (1911–1916) # Robert I. Elliott (1916–1940) # E.L. Rouse (acting) (1939–1941) # Wiley G. Brooks (1941–1954) # Barton L. Kline (1954–1961) # F. Clark Elkins (1961–1967) # Edwin C. Nelson (1967–1973) # Larry G. Tangeman (1973–1975) # Edwin C. Nelson (1975–1986) # Samuel H. Rankin (1986–1998) # Thomas L. Krepel (1998–2005) # Janie C. Park (2005–2012) # Richard R. Rhine (2012–present)

2006 Spotted Tail wildfire

In late July 2006, the college was in danger of damage from a

wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identi ...

. The Spotted Tail fire was caused by a lightning strike on July 26 about seven miles (11 km) south of Chadron. By July 28, the wildfire reached the edge of Chadron and the college campus. Fire crews prevented the wildfire from reaching the campus. The Pine Ridge escarpment south of the college, including C-Hill, was deforested as a result of the fire.

Facilities

The campus has 25 major buildings, five of which are listed in the

. Their replacement value is more than $60 million and they provide more than 1 million square feet (92,900 square meters) of floor space. Classrooms, laboratory, and research facilities are available in seven classroom buildings and the library. The library contains the equivalent of more than 250,000 volumes. Its automated catalogue is part of the Nebraska State College network. Since the 1980s, the college has built several new facilities, including the Edwin and Avis Nelson Physical Activity Center, a wood-fired heating plant, the Student Center, the Lindeken-Carillon Clock Tower, a softball field, the Chicoine Center athletic facility, the Eagle Ridge housing complex, and the Rangeland Complex. An outdoor track is under construction as of 2020. Multiple buildings have been renovated since 2004, including Joseph Sparks Hall, which houses administrative and alumni offices; Edna Work Hall, a dormitory; the former Administration Building, now called Old Admin, which houses academic programs and classrooms; and Don Beebe Stadium, including the rebuilt Con Marshall Press Box and Elliott Field. The college's Math Science Building is currently being renovated and is planning to be reopened Spring 2022. Students can live in seven housing spaces.

Buildings

Residence Halls * Albert Kent Hall (1965) * Eagle Ridge (2014) * Edna Work Hall and Edna Work Wing (1932) * High Rise (1967) * Lyle Andrews Hall (1966) * Wiley Brooks Hall (occupied by Math and Science faculty during Math Science Center of Innovative Learning renovation, 2020-2022) Other campus buildings, areas and offices * Adelaide Miller Hall (1921; psychology, sociology, and social work programs) * Burkhiser Technology Complex (1971; business, family and consumer sciences programs) * Chicoine Center (2014; athletics, primary indoor competition space) * Don Beebe Stadium with Con Marshall Press Box and Robert Elliott Field (football) * Edwin and Avis Nelson Physical Activity Center (indoor track, student activity space; health, physical education and recreation program) * Eugene Sheaman Heating Plant (1959) * Edwin Crites Hall (1938; admissions, business office, registrar, student services) * Glenn Hildreth Hall (1926; storage) * Joseph Sparks Hall (1915; administration, alumni, college relations, human resources, Chadron State Foundation) * Maintenance Building *

Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center The Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center is a museum dedicated to the life and works of author Mari Sandoz, and to the High Plains region of the western United States, in which Sandoz grew up, and which was the setting of many of her fictional ...

(1929; museum and presentation space) * Math Science Center of Innovative Learning (museums, planetarium; mathematics, science programs) * Memorial Hall (1954; art galleries, auditorium; houses art, music, theatre programs) * Old Admin (1911; formerly Administration Building; education, English, justice studies, social sciences, communication programs) * Outdoor track (2020) * Rangeland Complex (2013; rodeo arena; rangeland program) * Reta E. King Library (1966) * Ross Armstrong Gymnasium (1964; athletics, secondary indoor competition space) * Softball field (2006) * Student Center and Lindeken-Carillon Clock Tower (1990; apparel store, cafeteria, meeting rooms, ballroom) Former campus buildings * Barton Kline Campus Center (former student center) * West Court (apartments)

Academics

Chadron State College offers more than 49 majors leading to bachelor's degrees and 8 professional studies options. Pre-professional programs in the health sciences are available, including the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) conducted jointly with the

University of Nebraska Medical Center The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is a public academic health science center in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1869 and chartered as a private medical college in 1881, UNMC became part of the University of Nebraska System in 1902. Ra ...

. Training is offered in several academic and pre-professional programs. The academic areas are divided into the School of Liberal Arts; the School of Business, Mathematics, and Science; and the School of Professional Studies and Applied Sciences. The college offers four-year degrees as well as graduate programs leading to master's degrees. Pre-professional training is offered for careers in medicine and law. Through its distance learning programs, the college provides off-campus and online services throughout western Nebraska. Courses are available each semester in Scottsbluff at

Western Nebraska Community College Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) is a public community college in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. It also has campuses in Sidney, Nebraska, and Alliance, Nebraska. WNCC was previously known as Scottsbluff Junior College, Scotts Bluff County Colle ...

or the Panhandle Education Center. Courses also are offered at

Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

North Platte North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''no ...

, and

Sidney Sidney may refer to: People * Sidney (surname), English surname * Sidney (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Sidney (footballer, born 1972), full name Sidney da Silva Souza, Brazilian football defensive midfielder * ...

. Chadron State College offers courses and workshops each summer. The college has online classes available throughout the year.

Student life

There are more than 50 student clubs and organizations on campus. Athletes have earned 97 All-American and 38 Academic All-American/Scholar-Athlete honors since 1980. In addition, the college has an

Army ROTC The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AROTC) is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program which is a group of college and university-based offi ...

program and a rodeo team. The college helps support the Post Playhouse at nearby

Fort Robinson Fort Robinson is a former U.S. Army fort and now a major feature of Fort Robinson State Park, a public recreation and historic preservation area located west of Crawford on U.S. Route 20 in the Pine Ridge region of northwest Nebraska. The ...

each summer. The Galaxy Series and Distinguished Speaker Series have brought noted entertainers and speakers to the college, including 2005

U.S. Poet Laureate The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the official poet of the United States. During their term, the poet laureate seeks to raise the national cons ...

Ted Kooser Theodore J. Kooser (born 25 April 1939) is an American poet. He won the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 2005. He served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004 to 2006. Kooser was one of the first poets laureate selec ...

Athletics

Chadron State College, whose athletic teams are known as the Eagles, competes in the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athlete, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic sports, ...

Division II. Chadron State sponsors 11 varsity athletic teams: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, women's golf, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, and men's and women's wrestling.

Notable alumni

* Jim Anderson – Republican member of

Wyoming Senate The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 30 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senate meets at the Wyo ...

(2001-incumbent); member of

Wyoming House of Representatives The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population ...

(1997–2000)Legislature biography
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Don Beebe Donald Lee Beebe (born December 18, 1964) is an American football former wide receiver and coach who is the head football coach at Aurora University. He previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily with t ...

– Professional football player *

Val Logsdon Fitch Val Logsdon Fitch (March 10, 1923 – February 5, 2015) was an American nuclear physicist who, with co-researcher James Cronin, was awarded the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physics for a 1964 experiment using the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron at Brook ...

– Nobel Prize-winning nuclear physicist (attended for three years before being drafted into U.S. Army in 1943) *

John Freudenberg John Freudenberg (born November 12, 1969) is an American attorney and Associate Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. Early life, education, and legal career Freudenberg attended Chadron State College for his undergraduate degree and the Un ...

– Associate Justice of the

Nebraska Supreme Court The Nebraska Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. Each justice is initially appointed by the governor of Nebraska; using the Missouri Plan, each ju ...

Garrett Gilkey Garrett Gilkey (born July 9, 1990) is a former American football guard who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft and also played for the Tampa Bay Buccanee ...

– Professional football player * Jerry D. Mahlman – Meteorologist and global warming expert *

Steve McClain Steven James McClain (born August 15, 1962) is an assistant basketball coach at Texas. He was most recently head coach at the University of Illinois Chicago. Prior to UIC, he had spent five seasons on the staff of Tom Crean at Indiana Hoosiers men' ...

– Head basketball coach for

University of Illinois at Chicago The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, adjacent to the Chicago Loop. The second campus established under the University of Illinois s ...

, coached

University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming (UW) is a public land-grant research university in Laramie, Wyoming. It was founded in March 1886, four years before the territory was admitted as the 44th state, and opened in September 1887. The University of Wyomin ...

from 1998 to 2007 * Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga –

Governor of American Samoa This is a list of governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900. From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government of the United States. Since ...

(2013—) * Larry Riley – Professional basketball coach *

Togiola Tulafono Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the 6th Governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as lieutenant governor, taking t ...

–

(2003—2013) *

Tim Walz Timothy James Walz ( ; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician and retired educator. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he has served as the 41st governor of Minnesota since 2019. Born in West Point, Nebraska, Wal ...

–

Governor of Minnesota The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. ...

Danny Woodhead Daniel Jacob Henry Woodhead (born January 25, 1985) is an amateur golfer who has qualified for the United States Golf Association championship tournaments, and was a former professional American football running back. He played college football ...

– Professional football player

References

External links

*
Chadron State Athletics website
{{authority control Buildings and structures in Dawes County, Nebraska Chadron, Nebraska Education in Dawes County, Nebraska Educational institutions established in 1911 Nebraska State College System Public universities and colleges in Nebraska 1911 establishments in Nebraska