Our 2025 Honored Alumni
Family Tree Recipients
The Marshall Family
Con Marshall earned his bachelor’s degree in 1963. He was a class officer, student senate president, Eagle newspaper sports editor and news editor, and active in Blue Key, Sigma Tau Gamma, and listed in Who’s Who. He was a reporter for the Chadron Record from 1964-66, a feature writer for the Star-Herald from 1966-69, and became Director of Information at CSC in 1969. He semi-retired in 2009 but continues to write and take photos. He wrote both the CSC 75th and 100th anniversary books. He and his wife, Peggy, of Crawford, have three children: Tyler, Sara, and Perry. The couple has been married for 60 years. Peggy (Galbreath) graduated in 1966 with her bachelor’s degree in education and her master’s in education in 1971. She was a member of the Student Education Association and Sigma Delta Nu. She taught at the Bridgeport Public Schools from 1964-65, at the Gering Public Schools from 1968- 69, and at CSC from 1986 to 2010.
Tyler graduated with a bachelor’s in 1994 and was active in Blue Key. He lives in Scottsbluff, works for FedEx, and has one child, Jaedon.
Sara Behrends graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education with a K-12 music endorsement in 1995. She was active in Cardinal Key, Sigma Delta Nu, the Eagleaires, and other music groups. She taught K-12 music in Crawford from 1996- 97, Elementary music at Wauneta-Palisade from 1997 to 2021, and has taught K-5 music at Alliance since 2021.
She and her husband, Aaron, of Worland, Wyoming, have four children: Paul, Miranda, Olivia, and Sonya. Aaron graduated with a bachelor’s in education with a K-12 music endorsement and a physics subject endorsement in 1997. He was involved with various CSC music groups. He led the Wauneta-Palisade middle and high school band and choir from 1997 to 2021 and has been a science teacher in Alliance since 2021.
Olivia is married to Angel Veladez, was active in various music groups, and this semester she is student teaching in Bridgeport, Nebraska. She will graduate this December with a bachelor’s in Education with a K-12 music endorsement.
Sonya currently attends CSC pursuing degrees in molecular biology and chemistry, and she participates in instrumental music performances.
The Owens Family
Kristy Heppner Owens graduated in 1975, and she and her late husband, Dick, have a son, Heath Owens. Heath earned his bachelor’s degree in commercial graphic design in 2001. Kristy is the daughter of Russel and Shirley Heppner. Heath is a private independent contractor who has been building and renovating homes for 10 years. Previously, he was in medical sales, and a newspaper publisher with Lee Enterprises managing the Rapid City Journal and other newspapers in the northern hills.
Heath’s wife, Brooke (Shimp), earned her bachelor’s in criminal justice in 2004. She was active in the Student Education Association and the Criminal Justice Club. She has been the Human Resource Manager at the Powder River Division of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad since 2007. They have three children: Riley, Alison, and Hunter. Alison Owens graduated from Crawford High School and attended CSC in 2024-25.
Dick’s sister, JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, of Lincoln, graduated from Newcastle High School in Wyoming and earned her bachelor’s degree from CSC in health education in 1970. She went on to earn a master’s in physical education in 1976 and an Ed.D. in 1992 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is a nationally recognized advocate for physical activity and health literacy, and she has had various educational and corporate roles, including 19 years as the Nebraska State Director for Health and Physical Education. Her contributions to the field have earned her induction into multiple halls of fame and numerous prestigious awards. She serves on the Nebraska Sports Council Board and chairs the Chadron State Foundation.
JoAnne’s aunt, Lena Owens, was the Dietician and Director of Food Service from 1960 to 1975. Lena’s daughters, Beverly and Barbara, attended CSC.
2025 Distinguished Young Alumni Award Recipients & 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients
CHADRON — Chadron State College will present the Distinguished Alumni Award to Lisa Moravec and Distinguished Young Alumni Awards to Loni Watson and Dr. Jacob Zitterkopf during halftime of the football game Saturday, Oct. 11 as part of Family Day weekend. The Family Tree Award will also be given to the Owens family and the Marshall family.
Distinguished Young Alumni (DYA) recipients are 40 years of age or younger. Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA) recipients must have attended CSC for at least two years or earned at least 60 hours. Recipients of both awards must have provided exceptional service to the college through volunteer effort or have distinguished themselves in their chosen career or have demonstrated active involvement in their community.
Family Tree awards are granted to families who have a tradition of attending CSC. The award recipient family must include a minimum of three generations of graduates. At least two of the family members must have a record of outstanding service to the college, the alumni association, their community, or their profession.
Moravec, who attended CSC in the late 1990s, is an Associate Professor and Site Coordinator for the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Dentistry West Division Dental Hygiene Program in Gering, Nebraska. Additionally, she serves as Adjunct Faculty for Idaho State University’s Dental Hygiene Graduate Program. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Dentistry in 2002, a Master of Science in Dental Hygiene from Idaho State University in 2011, and a Certificate in Leadership and Organizational Behavior from A.T. Still University in 2024. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. from A.T. Still.
Moravec is married to Michael Moravec, a fellow CSC alum, and together they have four sons. Her family has a legacy of four generations who have attended CSC. As a former participant in the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) program, she has come full circle by now educating RHOP students from CSC at the West Division location in Gering. With more than 20 years of experience in dental hygiene education, she instructs didactic, laboratory, and clinical courses. Her commitment to education and community service is evident through her active participation on various committees at the College of Dentistry, UNMC, and the American Dental Education Association, as well as on the local Nebraska Panhandle Area Health Education Center Board of Directors.
Her leadership within the dental hygiene profession is highlighted by her tenure as President of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) 2020-21 and President of the Nebraska Dental Hygienists’ Association 2013-14. She also served as Chair of the ADHA Institute for Oral Health during 2021-22. Her contributions to the field have earned her several accolades, including recognition as Dental Hygienist of the Year in Nebraska, induction into the Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society, and the 2021 Nebraska Dental Hygienists' Association Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also received numerous faculty recognition awards from her students and was honored with the Professional Achievement Award from Idaho State University in 2023.
Moravec is a Fellow of the American Dental Hygienists' Association and has presented both nationally and internationally, including at the prestigious International Symposium on Dental Hygiene in Dublin, Ireland. Her professional interests encompass interprofessional education, medical-dental integration, ergonomics, leadership, mentoring, and her ongoing commitment to advancing the field through innovative education.
Watson is a three-time graduate of Chadron State College. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education with a mathematics field endorsement and coaching endorsement in 2008, followed by two master’s degrees, one in educational administration in 2013 and one in school counseling in 2017. She is now pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership through the University of Nebraska Omaha.
Since 2014, Watson has served as the school counselor at Chadron High School, where she has implemented a comprehensive counseling program that emphasizes academic advising, trauma-informed care, and relationship building. In addition to developing individual four-year learning plans for each student, she creates transition plans for every graduating senior. She also manages the school’s master schedule and collaborates with teachers, administrators, and parents to support students academically and emotionally.
Her leadership and innovation earned her statewide recognition. In 2019, she was named the Nebraska School Counselor Association High School Counselor of the Year. Three years later, the Nebraska State College System awarded her the Counseling Excellence Award.
Watson extends her influence beyond secondary education to higher education. Since 2022, she has taught as an adjunct instructor in Education at CSC. She also became an adjunct instructor with Doane University in 2024. In both roles, she develops curriculum, facilitates discussions on educational trends, and mentors graduate students preparing to become counselors and teachers. Her teaching focuses on fostering critical thinking, creativity, and practical application of trauma-informed and student-centered practices.
Earlier in her career, Watson taught high school mathematics in Seward and Blair, Nebraska, and began her work in education as a paraeducator and summer school teacher in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. She also served as a coach, earning the 2016 Nebraska High School Western Conference Female Head Coach of the Year.
She is certified as a licensed coach, trainer, and facilitator with Habitudes Growing Leaders, Real Colors, 8 to Great, and Hope Network Champions, and she has completed training through Federal Emergency Management Administration’s Emergency Management Institute.
Zitterkopf, an orthodontist and entrepreneur, has built a distinguished career that bridges healthcare, technology, and innovation. A Scottsbluff, Nebraska, native, Zitterkopf attended Chadron State College and was elected Student Senate President in 2009. He graduated summa cum laude in 2011 with a double major in Biology and Business, earned the Platinum Eagle Award for service and leadership, and received a prestigious Horatio Alger Association scholarship. While at CSC, Zitterkopf developed a nonprofit organization, Smiles Across Borders, which seeks dental products and financial support for dental mission services in less developed countries.
He went on to complete his Doctorate of Dental Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry in 2015. While there, he was honored with the Horatio Alger Association’s Dennis Washington Award in 2013, a recognition he now pays forward as a committee member, helping to award scholarships of up to $250,000 per student.
The Horatio Alger Association honors the achievements of individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity. As one of four children raised by a single father, Zitterkopf was 21 when he was diagnosed with a rare form of thyroid cancer.
Following dental school, Zitterkopf completed his Orthodontic Residency at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco in 2017, where he discovered a passion for the intersection of healthcare and technology.
Zitterkopf resides in Colorado Springs, where he owns and operates multiple clinics specializing in orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and medical aesthetics. Beyond his clinical work, he is a passionate innovator, advisor, and real estate investor, affiliated with several major health tech companies, spanning fields from dental Artificial Intelligence and language learning to patient engagement and clinical operations.
Since 2022, he has served as a judge for the Conrad Challenge at NASA’s Space Center in Houston, a prestigious international competition for young innovators founded by Nancy Conrad, wife of Apollo 12 astronaut Pete Conrad. Zitterkopf said he is deeply influenced by his mentors and colleagues in the Horatio Alger Association and remains committed to advancing healthcare innovation and inspiring the next generation of problem solvers.