Ivy Day honors top CSC seniors

CHADRON – Graduating Chadron State College seniors were honored Friday during Ivy Day, a traditional event since 1920, sponsored by the Blue Key and Cardinal Key national honor societies. Ivy Day royalty elected by the student body are the Queen Paige Boitz of Pueblo West, Colo., and attendants Jersie Misegadis of Sidney, Neb., Ella O’Brien of Chadron, Aubree Quast of Clarks, Neb., and Hunter Wiebelhaus of Springview, Neb. The King is Samuel Guilez of Colorado Springs, and attendants are Cobie Bila of Chadron, Colton Holoubeck of Kearney, Neb., Christopher Jennings of O’Neill, Neb., and Myles Jensen of Marshfield, Wis.

The Cardinal Key orator was Autumn Skow of Midland, South Dakota, and the Blue Key orator was Scott O’Dell of Gillette, Wyoming. The faculty greeter was Dr. Kim Madsen, who is retiring this month.

Platinum Eagle winners are Sutton Pohlman of Stanton, Nebraska, and Quast of Clarks, Nebraska. The award, considered the highest honor a CSC student can receive, is presented annually to one male and one female for distinguished leadership and service. Runners-up were Ethan Tussing of Hot Springs, South Dakota, and Wiebelhaus of Springview, Nebraska.

The students crowned as royalty and the Platinum Eagle recipients were just some of the outstanding graduates who received accolades. Many students were recognized for their accomplishments by their academic departments, as well as those who will graduate Saturday with honors.

Academic Awards

(May 2025 and December 2024 graduates are included)

Nebraska

Alliance: Kayla Campos, Advanced English Studies in Creative Writing

Bayard: Tzu-Yang Lin, Accounting

Ceresco: Logan Parde, Accounting with a CPA Path

Chadron: Cobie Bila, Pre-Physician Assistant; Katelyn Christian, Organismal Biology; Ella O’Brien, Outstanding Justice Studies Student

Clarks: Aubree Quast, Chemistry and Pre-Medicine

Dix: Elizabeth Williams, Management

Gering: Mackenzie Gable, Communication Arts

Gothenburg: Johanna Foster, English Language Arts

Harrison: Kalen Gydesen, Art

Hemingford: Dorthea Boerkircher, Business Information Systems; Kenneth Wyland, Mathematics

Lamar: Sergio Alarcon Jr., Middle Level Education with a Mathematics Emphasis

Lincoln: Trista Topil, Outstanding Accomplishment in Theatre

Mitchell: Rylan Aguallo, General Business; Jake Chasek, Agribusiness

Nenzel: Elle Ravenscroft, General Business

Omaha: Corey Griffin, Environmental Geoscience

Overton: Natalie Hamaker, Chemistry

Palmer: Melaina Williams, Outstanding History Major

Paxton: Eben Rosentrater, Communication Arts

Rushville: Echo Ecoffey, Molecular Biology

Saint Paul: Alexia Kramer, Chemistry

Scottsbluff: Sandra Arlt, Social Work; Ethan Strey, Science Education

Sidney: Marissa Borchard, Art; Elizabeth Swayze, Business Information Systems

Valentine: Cody Miller, Rangeland Management

Verdigre: Kaci Wickersham, Agribusiness

Colorado

Arvada: Abigail Welch, Marketing

Broomfield: Kenzi Garner, Communication Arts

Fowler: Valentino Leone, Biological Resources

Montrose: Alexandra Waxler, Special Education

South Dakota

Custer: Quintin Gilg, Outstanding Criminal Justice Student with a Forensic Emphasis

Hill City: Kadyn Comer, Pre-Physical Therapy

Hot Springs: Aerial Bochmann, Accounting

Martin: Colton Rosane, Organismal Biology

Rapid City: Savanna Dudley, Psychological Sciences; Elijah Huntington, Pre-Dentistry; Emma Johnson, Elementary Education; Hannah Martian, Management; Reese Maxton, Top Score on a National Exam in Business

Wyoming

Douglas: Rylan Wehr, Marketing

Encampment: Dalton Peterson, Sport, Fitness and Recreation Management

Gillette: Jaden Earle, Finance

Guernsey: Katrina Christensen, Psychological Sciences

Sheridan: Riley Billings, Outstanding Family and Consumer Sciences Student

Torrington: Gregory Logsdon, Health and Physical Education

Other States

Minnesota

Henderson: Morgan Halquist, Rangeland Management

Pine Island: Hailey Jensen, Accounting with a CPA Path

Wisconsin

Marshfield: Myles Jensen, Social Science

Other Countries

Ethiopia

Addis Ababa: Ruhama Molla, Outstanding Legal Studies Student

Japan

Kashiba: Joyce Tsuguma, Finance

Tokyo: Rio Watanabe, Psychological Sciences

Honor Graduates

Summa Cum Laude

Nebraska

Alliance: Kayla Campos

Bayard: Tzu-Yang Lin

Brady: Kyler Horn

Bridgeport: Rachael Blue, Chance Cooper, Sarah Post

Ceresco: Logan Parde

Chadron: Cobie Bila, Katelyn Christian, Ella O'Brien

Clarks: Aubree Quast

Dix: Elizabeth Williams

Gering: Chelsea Smith

Gordon: India Rittgarn

Hansen: Danae Rader

Kearney: Natalie Hamaker, Colton Holoubeck

Kimball: Jaclyn Burks

McCook: Megan Hodgson

Mitchell: Rylan Aguallo, Jake Chasek

Nenzel: Elle Ravenscroft

Omaha: Faith Hanson

Oshkosh: Dahnna Miller

Paxton: Eben Rosentrater

Pierce: Lauren Hoelscher

Saint Paul: Alexis Kramer

Scottsbluff: Sandra Arlt, Alexandra Harris

Syracuse: Kaylea Geiser

Valentine: Cody Miller, Sadie Vander Wey

Verdigre: Kaci Wickersham

Colorado

Arvada: Abigail Welch

Broomfield: Kenzi Garner

Fleming: Kendyl Kirkwood

Littleton: Alexis Peepgrass

Wyoming

Douglas: Rylan Wehr

Encampment: Dalton Peterson

Gillette: Breckyn Hamlin       

Guernsey: Katrina Christensen         

Sheridan: Riley Billings

Wheatland: Jolie Evans          

Other States and Countries

Palmer, Alaska: Melaina Williams

Rexburg, Idaho: Aarikah Johnson

Joliet, Ill.: Sharmila Uppalapati

Oak Lawn, Ill.: John Figus

Henderson, Minn.: Morgan Halquist

Kansas City, Mo.: Briton Hyer

Miles City, Mont.: Rachel BellEl Reno, Okla.: Halee Garner

Alcester, S.D.: Jessica Hughes

Rapid City, S.D.: Katherine Hoeke, Emma Johnson

Marshfield, Wis.: Myles Jensen

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Ruhama Molla

Kashiba, Japan: Joyce Tsuguma

Tokyo, Japan: Rio Watanabe

Magna Cum Laude

Nebraska

Alliance: Katelyn Varner

Burwell: Ashlyn Jensen

Chadron: Lucas Ambrose

Fullerton: Grant Pickrel

Gering: Mackenzie Gable

Gordon: Alyssa Charging Thunder

Gothenburg: Johanna Foster

Harrison: Kalen Gydesen, Thomas Watson

Hemingford: Kenneth Wyland

Kearney: Patrick Blake

Kimball: Sydney Biesecker

Merna: James Gibson

Merriman: Abigayle Donner

Mitchell: Jacob Trauernicht

Omaha: Jacoby Long

O'Neill: Christopher Jennings

Scottsbluff: Ethan Strey

Sidney: Marissa Borchard, Jersie Misegadis

Springview: Adyson Linse, Hunter Wiebelhaus

Valentine: McKenna Elliott

South Dakota

Camp Crook: Samantha Comes

Martin: Colton Rosane

Rapid City: Megan Baloun, Reese Maxon

Red Shirt: Cathlyn Knutson

Wyoming

Gillette: Jaden Earle

Green River: Megan Counts

Lingle: Denise Grant

Torrington: Kyla Odermann

Other States and Countries

Mesa, Ariz.: Karstin Hollen

Briggsdale, Colo.: Kylie Krise

Greeley, Colo: Devyn Thornton

Vandalia, Ill.: Meggan Mitchell

Cum Laude

Nebraska

Ainsworth: Jorden Hollenbeck

Aurora: Samantha Wrick

Bridgeport: Olivia Freeze

Chadron: Sawyer Haag

Elm Creek: Nathan Gillming

Hay Springs: Jocelyn Schiaffo

Lincoln: Trista Topil

Morrill: Jaiden Steiner

Potter: Vivian Pease

Wyoming

Casper: D'Anthony Smith

Douglas: Treyton Pearson

Gillette: Sydney Hunter, Scott O'Dell

Glenrock: Seterra Hoskinson

Lovell: Ezra Harlow

Newcastle: Kayley Munoz

Other States and Countries

Palmer, Alaska: Heather Milstead

Colorado Springs, Colo.: Samuel Guilez

Dinosaur, Colo.: Hannah Hinojosa

Fowler, Colo.: Valentino Leone

Parker, Colo.: Liberty Line

Sterling, Colo.: Gwendolyn Buss

Honolulu, Hawaii: Kyra Tanabe

Hutchinson, Kan.: Jaymi Stacy

Burlington, N.D.: Kali Lucier

Custer, S.D.: Quintin Gilg

Midland, S.D.: Autumn Skow

Borger, Texas: Britley Lopez