Donor's Home to Serve As Chadron State College President's House
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Change service requested Summer 2009 1000 Main St., Chadron, NE 69337 Donor’s home to serve as Chadron State College president’s house By Justin Haag becomes official. The property is 19 Board of Trustees meeting in Chadron State College’s presi- handily located at the corner of Lincoln. dent will have a new place to 10th and Cedar streets, adjacent “The Chicoines have made call home this fall, thanks to the to the northeast corner of the Chadron State College and the generosity of one of the institu- CSC campus. community a better place, and tion’s most ardent supporters. Before his death in 2003, this is just one more example CSC will take possession of Chicoine asked each of Madge’s of their generosity,” Park said. the house at 702 East 10th St. three children if they were in- “This house will serve CSC and this fall, which was constructed terested in the property. When its presidents long into the fu- by Chadron State Foundation none expressed interest, he de- ture, just like the many other founder and community phi- cided to leave the property to examples of Vern’s service, sup- lanthropist Vern Chicoine upon CSC. Chicoine’s intent was for port and philanthropy on behalf his marriage to Madge Fortune the residence to serve as a home of CSC.” in 1998. for Park and presidents who Park said the house not only Randy Bauer, chairman of succeed her. has a convenient proximity to the Chadron State Foundation Bauer said the Foundation, campus, but also is well-suited Board of Directors, said hous- which has a policy to liquidate for entertaining the many guests Chadron State Foundation Chairman Randy Bauer, at left, and Chadron es have been donated to CSC property it receives from do- of college presidents. State College President Janie Park, at right, stand with Madge Fortune in the past, but none as sig- nors, is making an exception in The house has been vacant Chicoine at the entrance of the house that is being donated to the nificant as the Chicoine home. this case in order to fulfill the since Madge moved to an assist- college. (Photo by Justin Haag/CSC) The property, regarded among donor’s intent. ed living facility in recent years. The donation is just one of the atrium at the High Plains Chadron’s finest homes, is val- After receiving the prop- Bauer said Madge’s three chil- many sizable contributions Heritage Center, the press box ued at $372,330. erty, the Foundation will turn dren — Vikki of Phoenix, Ariz., Chicoine made to CSC and at Don Beebe Stadium, the ren- CSC President Janie Park it over to CSC. The Nebraska Tom of Lincoln and Tim of other organizations in the com- ovation of Memorial Hall, and and her husband, Tom, plan State College System Board of Bluemont, Va., — have done an munity. the purchase of a life-size bronze to move into the house in Trustees approved acceptance of excellent job of maintaining the At CSC, he also donated statue of Thomas Jefferson. September when the transaction the property by CSC at the June property since it became vacant. money for the construction of Old Admin and football field among construction projects on campus By Justin Haag mental landscaping. That upgrade includes a handi- Chadron State College stu- Old Admin is the unofficial cap accessible ramp near the dents who return for classes this moniker given to the build- Nelson Physical Activity Center, fall will notice some changes ing by CSC officials to reflect improved drainage and resurfac- when they arrive on campus. the building’s renewed empha- ing of the south half of the street Construction workers have sis on academic instruction. along the stadium, wrought iron been busy this summer complet- Administrative offices, many of fencing, sidewalk replacement ing a number of projects to im- which were housed in the build- and street lights. Total cost of the prove facilities and upgrade ag- ing since the college was found- project is about $550,000. ing structures. ed in 1911, were moved to the Dale Grant, CSC vice presi- Among the most notice- renovated Sparks Hall and other dent for administration, said able projects is replacement of locations on campus. Faculty money for the projects is coming the parking lot south of Old members have been moving into from sources dedicated to facility Admin, formerly known as the the facility this summer as work- projects and not from the gener- Administration Building. With ers put finishing touches on the al cash fund, which was affected the $640,000 project, concrete is building’s $4.8 million renova- by this year’s budget shortfall. A construction crew works on the parking lot behind Old Admin in May 2009. At right is the new Alumni Plaza. (Photo by Daniel Binkard/CSC) replacing the variety of surfacing tion. Classes are scheduled to While the scope of this sum- materials that have been patched resume there this fall. mer’s construction on campus is Bill 605, which was signed by College System and University into the lot through the years. In Another project on campus similar to years past, the fund- Gov. Dave Heineman in April of Nebraska system over the next addition to the 125-stall lot, the that calls for concrete is the con- ing sources are different, he said. 2006. The bill authorized more 14 years. Other funding sources project includes a new plaza just struction of a new 1,000-foot re- Much of the construction is be- than $150 million to be used for for construction on campus in- east of Old Admin. The plaza taining wall along the north side ing funded by appropriations maintenance and improvement clude funds made possible by will include plantings and orna- of Elliott Field on 12th Street. made possible by Legislative projects at the Nebraska State continued on page 5 Summer 2009 CSC Alumni News 2 Letter from the President Ann Smith receives Dear Alumni, Again, another summer is flying by and the school year is fast ap- Pathfinder Award proaching. There is much reason for optimism as Chadron State College begins its 98th year of service. Ann Smith of Chadron was Smith also The campus is bustling with activity as construction workers and the Nebraska recipient of the designed and members of our maintenance crew are working to wrap up a num- Pathfinder Award given by implement- ber of projects before the fall semester begins. Among the most the National Association for ed a sports exciting happenings this fall will be bringing classes back to Old Girls and Women in Sports in law course Admin, the newly renovated, state-of-the-art building formerly Tampa, Fla., on April 3. that was re- known as the Administration Building. As faculty members move Smith was on the physical quired of all into the building, the parking lot to the south is being completely education faculty at Chadron CSC physi- redone. In addition, a new plaza between the Old Admin building State College for 25 years be- cal education and Sparks Hall, the new permanent home for the administration, fore retiring in 2005. She also and recre- Ann Smith will provide a beautiful central focal point to the campus. This fall, Janie Park coached cross country for five ation majors and those seeking an Arts Committee will be working to choose and commission an appropriate outdoor sculpture for the years and track and field for coaching endorsements. plaza. nine years at CSC. In addition, she served on The plaza is just one of many projects on campus that are being beautified with plantings by CSC The Pathfinder Award is pre- Title IX committees at all lev- horticulturist Lucinda Mays and the CSC grounds crew. The campus has always been scenic, but the sented to women who have els of the American Association landscaping features added during the past few years have resulted in some breathtaking improvements. demonstrated dedication to the of Health, Physical Education, It’s important to note that none of the construction projects on campus are being funded with dollars advocacy, recruitment and en- Recreation and Dance and that could be used to help remedy the budget shortfall. The State of Nebraska has set aside funds that hancement of girls and women presented many programs on can only be used for maintenance and construction. We responsibly use those funds when they become in sports. gender equity across the state. available to maintain and improve this beautiful College. After earning her bachelor’s She received the association’s Because of the depressed economy and its impact on our students and their families, the Board of degree from Chadron State Honor Award for Nebraska in Trustees of the Nebraska State College System approved only a very modest tuition increase for the in 1970, Smith began her 1987. coming year. Resident undergraduate students will pay $6 more per credit hour than last year. We have teaching career at Bridgeport, Smith was the first done everything possible budget wise to keep the increase as small as possible. Despite the modest in- where she coached the school’s Chadron State faculty mem- crease, an education at Chadron State is among the most affordable in the nation and the best value first volleyball and girls’ track ber to receive the Burlington anywhere. The investment in a college education continues to be an investment that pays large divi- teams. Her first track team was Northern Foundation Faculty dends to those who attain it. the runner-up at the state meet Achievement Award in 1985.