    Chadron State College holds its Winter Commencement this afternoon at 2:00 in the Chicoine Center in a ceremony that will be live-streamed at CSC Live.
183 degrees will be awarded: 106 bachelors degrees and 77 graduate degrees.
It’s the first commencement at Chadron State for Dr Ron Patterson, who became the school’s 12th president and the first who is Black, this summer with the retirement of Dr Randy Rhine.
Today’s graduation speaker is poet, author, and motivational speaker Jovan Mays, a 2010 graduate of Chadron State and part of the 2011 national champion Slam Poetry team.
Mays has already received the Chadron State Distinguished Young Alumni Award and is the Emeritus Poet Laureate of his hometown of Aurora, Co.
He’s been a Student Engagement Advocate with the Aurora Public Schools since August 2020 and held a similar position before that with the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver.
A football player and wrestler at Chadron State, Mays has also been a member services representative at the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver, which serves 3,000 people daily. His duties including opening it at 4:30 am on weekdays
Following is the list of students expected to graduate by degree. Hometowns listed are those on file for the students. Honor graduates are designated by asterisks.
***Summa cum laude, 3.9-4.0 GPA
**Magna cum laude, 3.75-3.89 GPA
*Cum laude, 3.6-3.74
Master of Arts in Education
Nebraska
Arapahoe: Kyla Monie
Ashland: Jessica Manion
Bellevue: Julie Taylor-Costello
Chadron: Amy Carnahan
Grand Island: Ashley Shultz
Lewellen: Beau McConnell
Mullen: Kara Connealy
Norfolk: Brian Porn
Sargent: Brett Mauler
Scottsbluff: Ashley Dillman, Angelica Gonzalez, Paul North, Stacia Swanson
Sidney: Miranda McKay
West Point: Daniel Wolken
Whitney: Michelle Haynes
Wyoming
Casper: Michelle Blake, Emily Robertson
Cheyenne: David Burrill, Dorthea Clark, Demetria Dame, Skylar Hogan, Jessica Jones
Gillette: Jessica Cale
Hulett: Amber Kaplan
Moorcroft: Lindsay Hansen
Pavillion: Michelle Haslam
Saratoga: Hannah Williams
Other States
Nichole Cheshier, Anchorage, Alaska
Shawnee Vanderpool, Anchorage, Alaska
Cameron Vincent-Lang, Anchorage, Alaska
Jennifer Birtz, Eagle River, Alaska
Erin Hall, Eagle River, Alaska
Emily Smith, Eagle River, Alaska
Michelle Carton, Palmer, Alaska
Brennan Hallock, Gilbert, Ariz.
Clara Baldwin, Oakland, Calif.
Ryan Barron, Fort Collins, Colo.
Brooke Isherwood, Fort Myers, Fla.
Jessica Butler, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Brian Dunham, Scott AFB, Ill.
Amanda Christensen, Truth or Consequences, N.M.
Sharon Stultz, Bothell, Wa.
Other Countries
Divine Eyong Eyong Mbi, Mamfe, Manyu
Letizia Kosman, Gold Coast, Queensland
Master of Business Administration
Nebraska
Dalton: Janessa Carley
North Bend: Ashley Wegner
Ogallala: Chanelle Hanger
Sidney: Kalee Lipska
Stanton: Jason Petersen
South Dakota
Pine Ridge: Coy Sasse
Porcupine: Arielle Clifford
Reva: Tayle Brink
Wanblee: Angela Little Elk
Other States
Heath Beemiller, Chandler, Ariz.
Joy Apollon, Fort Myers, Fla.
Cintia Moncion, Decatur, Ga.
Aleczander Johnson, Davis, Ill.
Jason Morell, Lisle, Ill.
Miles Eakins, Shakopee, Minn.
Andrew Pateyuk, West Orange, N.J.
Jonas Lujan, Gillette, Wyo.
Joshua Calvert, Wheatland, Wyo.
Master of Education
Nebraska
Alliance: Michelle Johnson
Gordon: Trey Allison
Humboldt: Pandora Worthey
McCook: Cherie Wallace
Wyoming
Casper: Rebecca Elliott, Shelby Noel
Douglas: Robert McKee
Other Countries
David Omondi, Kisumu, Kenya
Master of Science in Organizational Management
Chadron: Eric Holmes
Harrison: Taylor Rempp
Papillion: Jason Clark
Other States
Amelia Berg, Fort Collins, Colo.
Amaris Sanchez, Portland, Maine
Bachelor of Arts
Adams: Aubrie Parde***
Bridgeport: Nathaniel Cooper
Chadron: Carstyn Hageman
Chambers: Samuel Jesse*
Dalton: Erin Moore
Genoa: Garrett Swantek
Gering: Abigail Madden, Hayley Stein***
Hay Springs: Jarret Pieper*
Hyannis: Zane Musgrave
McCook: Morgan Fawver
North Platte: Cameron Cox*, Bailey Shurigar
Palmer: Concey Bader*
Papillion: Kiana Jensen
Scottsbluff: Candace Fisher, Katrina Keller, Romaldo Roldan, Morgan Simpson
Sidney: Kimberly Larsen
Stromsburg: Hannah Pfeifly
Tryon: Abigail Goosey*
Wallace: Natalie Marquardt
Colorado
Rachel Bramblett, Arvada, Colo.
Kaitlynn Norman, Bethune, Colo.
Corey Haberkorn***, Falcon, Colo.
Jessica Chairez, Fort Morgan, Colo.
Hugo Castillo, Greeley, Colo.
Cale Schafer**, LaSalle, Colo.
Creighton Trembly**, Longmont, Colo.
Parker Gonser***, Windsor, Colo.
South Dakota
Belle Fourche: Whitley Reder
Buffalo: Sydney Pedersen
Folsom: Justin Bale
Harrold: Emily Dixon
Hot Springs: Nicholas Quinn***
Murdo: Elizabeth Hunt
Rapid City: Delaney Klosterman, Kelly Smith, Andrew Smith*
Wyoming
Big Piney: Haven Jessen
Casper: Javen Palmer, Trevon Smith, Erin Wnuk*
Gillette: Mason Hamilton*
Guernsey: Whitney Martin
Pine Bluffs: Katie Fornstrom
Riverton: Brodie Roden
Rock Springs: Courtney Smith
Torrington: Braden Mechem***, Seth Norris***
Yoder: Kadra Clark***
Other States
Keishaun Creel, Decatur, Ala.
Heamasi Latu, Concord, Calif.
Jonathan Gonzalez, Hollister, Calif.
Ahlonte Hair, Live Oak, Fla.
Harvey Reynolds, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Casey Black*, Silver City, Iowa
Lindsay Anderson***, Sioux City, Iowa
Giussepe Shunaula, Quito, N.Y.
Saysha Woeste***, Tillamook, Ore.
Earl Johnson Jr, Prosper, Texas
Nataly Torres, Roma, Texas
Yusef Nelson, Auburn, Wa.
Bachelor of Science
Chadron: Cole Madsen
Gering: Shelby Bewley, Tukker Romey***, Kristina Walker
Lincoln: Caelum Hubl
Valentine: KayLynn Miller**
West Point: Jakob Andreasen
Colorado
Buena Vista: Sage McGinnis***
Granby: Daniel Reynolds Jr
Loveland: Thomas Mason
Monument: Emma Pendleton***
Other States
Telsey Kaup, Wagner, S.D.
Bachelor of Science in Education
Alliance: Mackenzie Broderick, Julissa Gomez, Katelynn Gomez***
Central City: Alexandria Gragg
Gering: Coleton Bevins***
Grand Island: Logan Hamik***
Harvard: Jackie LeMunyan
Kimball: Jodell Schulte
Louisville: Wendi Nelson
Mitchell: Sarah Cardona
Morrill: Gregg Waters
Mullen: Brittni Bradley
Neligh: JoAnn Olson
North Platte: Desiree Fornander
Sutherland: Gavin Harold
Wauneta: Colby Cox
South Dakota
Box Elder: Jeslyn Jindra*
Corsica: Hannah Reimnitz***
Martin: Lily Alexander***
Prairie City: Shane Collins***
Wyoming
Sheridan: Mayra Pelayo
Torrington: Caleb Moore
Wheatland: Elisa Smith***
Wright: Holly Ricketts
Other States
Bailey Rominger, Vail, Ariz.
Elizabeth Myers*, Nevada City, Calif.
TJ Chadwick, Akron, Colo.
Noah Burtis, Berthoud, Colo.
Shauna Schneider, Wauconda, Ill.
Milleanne Mullinix***, Union Bridge, Md.