2023 Alumni Newsletter

VOLUME 9 | 2023

Tom Griffith

Operational Excellence Manager (pg.12)

FROM THE PRESIDENT Greetings Alumni & Friends of Mid-Plains Community College, The 2022-23 year was a successful one for MPCC. I hope it was for you as well. We received our reaffirmation of accreditation for the next 10 years from the Higher Learning Commission for our institutional accreditation. We became the first community college in Nebraska to receive National Association of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) accreditation for our dual enrollment courses, easing the transfer of our high school and early entry students beyond the borders of Nebraska. Our LPN and RN student nurses ALL passed their NCLEX exams.

This was the first time in our history that both programs had 100% pass rates in the same year. We tied for the top retention rate of 71% for first time, fulltime students among our Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) peer group, and our enrollment was up slightly from the previous year.

WE ARE

MPCC.

In this year’s newsletter, you will read about some of our outstanding alumni from across our service area. You will learn about how MPCC impacted their career choices and set them up for success. You’ll also see how our students and alumni are giving back to the communities we serve.

At the 2022 Nebraska Community College Annual Meeting, we recognized

Dr. Michael Bauer as our Distinguished Alum. Dr. Bauer is originally from Culbertson, NE. He attended MCC before transferring to the University of Nebraska-Omaha then entering medical school at UNMC. He is now a surgeon at the Surgical Institute of South Dakoka specializing in general surgery and trauma cases and is experienced in robotics.

We also saw some improvements in facilities. In August of 2022, we cut the ribbon for the new NPCC-South Campus entrance off Highway 83. In July of 2023, we broke the bricks on the McCook East Campus and officially began remodeling the former Elks building. In August 2023, we cut the ribbon on the Health and Science Expansion. In the spring of 2024, we hope to break ground on a new Electrical Technology Building on the NPCC North Campus.

As always, thank you all for your continued support of Mid-Plains Community College. We take pride in serving our communities. We always want your input on how we can better serve you as we desire to continue to improve in all areas to sustain and grow our region.

Please consider giving back for what MPCC has done for you so together we can leave a lasting legacy for tomorrow.

RYAN PURDY, MPCC President 2 | w w w.mp cc . e du

Hello, Alumni & Friends of MPCC! Planning for the 2023 MPCC Alumni Magazine included the desire to reach you in the medium that you prefer. For some, a physical copy is ideal, while for others an email link will do just fine. With this latest edition, you may be grasping the glossy pages between two fingers to flip between articles or simply doing so with the click of a mouse. In either case, we hope you feel in touch with MPCC reading about the many exciting things happening and the stories showcasing the impact fellow alums are having in our communities and beyond.

Sharing your stories with alumni, friends, and the broader MPCC community is one of the most rewarding functions of the advancement office. Continued contributions from you are welcome! Please share life successes, job changes, retirements, marriages, births, additional degrees, memorials and other notable events that involve you or even your alumni family members or friends. Information and story tips can be sent to alumni@mpcc.edu.

If you do not already know about MCC’s East Campus project, or the NPCC Electrical Technology Building, I am pleased to tell you that we have some exciting capital improvements on the horizon.

In the next couple of months, I will be reaching out to ask for your support. Please consider influencing the lives of current and future MPCC students with a gift of any size, all of which can—and do—make a difference.

To future donors of either the McCook College Foundation or the North Platte Community College Foundation, thank you for considering a gift. To existing donors, I extend heartfelt appreciation for your support of scholarships, endowments and capital improvements. Thank you for helping to transform lives through exceptional learning opportunities.

Finally, I would like to take this moment to thank Jo Ann Lundgreen, the former Assistant to Institutional Advancement, for all her work on behalf of MPCC over the last decade.

Jo Ann’s service to this department proved invaluable. Thank you, Jo Ann! JACOB RISSLER, Director of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director, NPCC Foundation

Connect with us!

@mpccedu

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MPCC ALUM FINDS HERSELF THROUGH HORTICULTURE

If you do what you love, you will never have to work a day in your life. That’s what North Platte native Jensen Hart is finding out as she embarks on a career in horticulture.

“There’s just something about working with plants,” Hart said. “It’s definitely therapeutic.”

Hart is a grower at T&L Nursery in Redmond, Wash. She may live halfway across the country, but her job is really just an extension of where she came from.

“I grew up around farms and ranches, which is where I developed my passion for nature,” Hart said. “If it’s alive, I want to learn more about it, which is why, 4 | w w w.mp cc . e du

initially, I thought about becoming a veterinarian or vet tech. I definitely wanted to go into something science related.”

To get started on that path, Hart enrolled in Mid-Plains Community College following her graduation from North Platte High School in 2015. She was already familiar with Mid-Plains because of the advanced placement classes she had taken in high school.

“I also chose MPCC because it was affordable, flexible, and allowed me to be close to family,” Hart said. “What I didn’t want to do was jump right into a university and waste time and money. I knew MidPlains Community College would allow me to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do at a price I could afford.”

She spent the first year at MPCC’s campus in McCook, and the second in North Platte.

“Every class I took was intriguing,” Hart said. “I started out in zoology and fell in love with that. Then when I moved to North Platte, I took a biology course with Dr. Carla Long, and that was awesome, too. It made me realize I liked working with plants more than animals. I wanted to be in the dirt, so I decided to become a plant biologist. That’s what was great about Mid-Plains - I was able to try all these new things that made me into the person I am.”

Hart believes Long’s influence, specifically, helped her get to where she is today.

“Her hands-on classes are really what inspired me to go into horticulture,” Hart said. “Dr. Long is so driven and passionate about what she teaches, and that’s what

makes her instruction so good. Taking those plant classes really helped me understand the fundamentals and develop the research skills that I use today.”

The downtime gave her an opportunity to search for jobs, and she landed one that summer - supervising the tropical plants and annuals program at a nursery in Walla Walla, Wash.

Hart graduated from MPCC in 2017 with Hart took her current position, located an Associate of Science degree. She then about half an hour north of Seattle, a transferred to the University of Nebraskayear later.

Lincoln where “We are a she obtained wholesale a bachelor’s I grew up around farms and nursery,” Hart degree in ranches, which is where I said. “Most of horticulture our products go in the spring developed my passion for to Costco, other of 2020. Her nature. If it’s alive, I want to retail stores in final internship the area and learn more about it… was a study in landscapers. hydroponics.

We do over “I’ve always enjoyed and admired that two million plugs in our propagation aspect of growing, and that’s the direction department, which is really intense. I I thought I was going to go,” Hart said. help run the annual program in the “I was doing my internship when the spring and do other specialty crops in the fall, which was my emphasis at UNL. pandemic hit, and everything got shut The key crops now are lupine and all down. It was such a scary time that I went the primulas.” straight home to be with family.”

The job allows her the freedom to expand the program and find new ways to grow plants while also providing a resource through the expertise of the eight other members on the growing team.

“It’s challenging because I’m doing propagation in many different ways,” Hart said. “I’m trying to develop seeding timelines on site, establish tissue culture and work with bare roots and grafted vines among other responsibilities. That variety is also why I love what I do. I love a challenge.”

Hart has thought about having her own nursery one day, but until then, she’s content learning all she can where she’s at.

“I’m just enjoying the process of doing things start to finish,” Hart said. “I love watching how life progresses. It’s exciting for me to know that I started a plant and then see a customer enjoy the finished product. This is where I’m supposed to be. This is where life begins.”

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MPCC BEGINNINGS LEAD TO LIFELONG AUTOMOTIVE CAREER FOR INDIANOLA MAN

From driving tractors in rural Nebraska to running a Honda training center in Connecticut, Gene Esch is proof that you can go anywhere in life with the right opportunities.

For him, one of those opportunities was Mid-Plains Community College.

“MPCC is a huge asset to its service area,” Esch said. “Not all kids have the money to move away from home and go to a fouryear college or university, and I was one of them. Mid-Plains provided me with a quality education at a price I could afford.”

Esch is the coordinator for an American Honda Motor Company training center in Windsor Locks, Conn. His responsibilities include overseeing the training of 1,500 Honda technicians in the New England area every year.

It’s not a job he envisioned for himself while growing up at Indianola. Back then, 6 | ww w.mp cc . e du

he didn’t really know what he wanted to do – except venture beyond the horizon.

Esch graduated from Republican Valley High School in 1986 and began taking classes at MPCC – studying automotive technology during the day and diesel at night.

After his graduation from Mid-Plains in 1989, Esch worked for John Deere and then Snowden Motors, both in McCook.

He was the sole technician for Snowden.

“You learn quickly when there’s no one around to help you,” he said. “My first trip to a Honda training, that’s when I decided I wanted to be an instructor and give back.”

Esch remained at the dealership after it was bought out by Howard Kool Motors in 1990. In 1999, the Honda offerings were split off into their own store. When that happened, Esch took over as the new store’s service and parts manager and lead technician.

He spent the next decade climbing up through the industry ranks and traversing the country. His opportunity to teach finally came in 2013, when he hired on as an instructor with American Honda.

For the next couple of years, he taught technicians from Honda dealerships.

In 2015, his job shifted to field engineering, covering 96 dealerships.

He took over his current position in Connecticut in 2020.

His career has been a whirlwind of opportunities and experiences, but Esch hasn’t lost sight of where he came from.

“I’m glad I started out the way I did,” Esch said. “The one-on-one instruction I received at Mid-Plains is similar to how I teach now. Most technical students are visual, hands-on learners, and I can relate to that.”

ASSOCIATE DEGREES EARNED THIS YEAR Gothenburg High School Trevor Galas

TEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EARN ASSOCIATE DEGREES FROM MPCC

Hershey High School Eva McCreery North Platte High School Brooklyn Ayres Kaden Gilbert Landon Brott Jaden Ouderkirk Carly Purdy Savannah Stefanatz Valentine High School Mekallyn Bancroft Taylor Battershaw

A record number of high school students earned associate degrees from MidPlains Community College this year before receiving high school diplomas.

Ten students managed the accomplishment - more than half of them from North Platte High School - by successfully completing enough qualifying classes through MPCC. “These graduates are great examples of high school students utilizing the expanded early entry offerings at MPCC to earn associate degrees,” said Kayla Thurman, director of Early Entry and Program Development. “Early entry is more accessible to area students than ever before. They can enroll in classes online, at their high schools or attend inperson at any MPCC campus location.”

Eva McCreery became the first student to earn an associate degree from MPCC

as a junior in high school. She graduated with an Associate of Science degree.

McCreery began taking classes through MPCC in the summer of 2021. The majority were online to accommodate her high school schedule, but during the summers, she would take about four classes in person, on campus.

Not only did her efforts put her ahead of her peers in terms of academics, but it will also save her money in the long run.

That’s a huge benefit considering she plans to be in school for a while.

“Since I will have all of my generals done, I will be able to graduate with a [bachelor’s degree] two years early, which will be nice for my plans,” McCreery said. “I want to become a doctor, and this will give me a bit of a boost so I can hopefully go into the workforce faster.”

Landon Brott became the first student to receive three associate degrees from MPCC while still in high school.

He started taking classes through MPCC via dual credit in the fall of 2020. It didn’t take him long to realize that college was a whole new world.

“The biggest challenge was probably the difference between how college and high school environments work,” Brott said. “College has a more formal and mature atmosphere, and early entry courses are a commitment. I do think it was helpful for me.”

Brott earned Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and Associate of General Studies degrees from Mid-Plains during the college’s commencement ceremony May 12, and the next day, walked in his high school graduation. w w w. m p cc. e du | 7

MPCC EXPERIENCE LEADS TO MOBILE WELDING BUSINESS I’m thankful to MPCC for the lessons and encouragement the college provided on my way to here, and I like to think I’m proof that it’s never too late to go back to school.”

Tim Ledford is using skills he gained through Mid-Plains Community College to fill a niche in Nebraska’s ag sector.

Ledford is the owner of Patriot Welding in Grant. The mobile welding business caters primarily to farmers and ranchers within a 100-mile radius of the rural community, saving them time and money by taking welding services directly to their operations.

“There’s a real need for this type of work in the agriculture industry,” Ledford said. “Producers can’t always drop everything and take their equipment to town for repairs.”

Ledford’s business serves a dual purpose in that it allows him to stay connected with a way of life he’s come to love and appreciate.

“I’ve always liked farming, ranching and being around livestock,” Ledford said.

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He was 16 when he quit high school, got his GED and entered the workforce.

College wasn’t in the cards for him at that time.

Instead, Ledford spent about 15 years working on a farm at Imperial. In 2018, he moved to Benkelman and accepted a position with Valley Farm Industries, making belts and trailers for distillers grains.

“That’s where I really got my interest in welding,” Ledford said. “We had a MPCC alum there who told me about the college’s welding program.

I thought if I ever got the chance, I would go to school and open a business.”

When COVID hit, business slowed, resulting in layoffs at Valley Farm.

“I got laid off in March of 2020 and sat around until April trying to figure out what direction I was going to go,” Ledford

said. “I decided it was time to pursue my dream of going back to school.”

Ledford started college at 42. He began at MPCC’s campus in McCook but moved to the welding program in North Platte halfway through when he and his wife bought a house in Grant. MPCC helped Ledford take his welding skills to the next level and prepared him for business ownership.

“What I found is that there are some welding shops in the area, but few offer a mobile service,” Ledford said. “Mobile looked like it was going to be a lot easier to get into economically, and it would also allow me to return to the farming environment, which is where my heart is.”

On April 1, 2022, Ledford launched Patriot Welding, and in May of last year, he graduated with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Welding Technology from MPCC.

BREWSTER WOMAN REINVENTS HERSELF THROUGH MPCC

It’s never too late to start over.

That’s the lesson Cindy Guggenmos has learned over the years, and it’s one she hopes others take to heart.

Guggenmos has spent over 30 years ranching at Brewster with her husband Roger and currently works as an advanced practice registered nurse at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

She started out as a cosmetologist – going straight into the field after graduating from Nordhoff High School, in Ojai, Calif. in 1984.

“I chose cosmetology because of a strong desire to help others feel good about themselves,” Cindy said.

She ended up in Nebraska because of a road trip.

“My best friend Tracy invited me to Nebraska for a family reunion,” Cindy

said. “I met her cousin Roger there, eventually married him and joined his family’s ranch where we raised four children together.”

Cindy launched a cosmetology business in 1996, but years of complying with others’ demands led to burn out, and Cindy decided to pursue a new career.

In 2009, while in her early 40s, she began taking the prerequisites for nursing classes online through Mid-Plains Community College. The following year, she entered the Licensed Practical Nursing program through MPCC’s extended campus in Broken Bow. “If I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take those classes in Broken Bow, I probably wouldn’t have gone into nursing,” Cindy said. “I would have said, ‘I’m not going to be able to attend college because I have nowhere to go.’ It

is a true blessing that the Broken Bow campus exists.”

After completing the LPN program, Cindy took a job at the Valley County Health System in Ord. She went on to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing from MPCC then bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Clarkson College, in Omaha. The knowledge and skills she gained led to her current position with Great Plains Health Neurosciences.

When not seeing patients, Cindy returns home to the ranch to be with her family.

Sometimes, she still has a hard time believing she’s come as far as she has.

“I didn’t think I could do what I did,” Cindy said. “Not only did I become a nurse, I went to the top. Sometimes, you just have to step out of that comfort zone and remind yourself what you’re capable of. If I can do it, others can too.” w w w. m p cc. e du | 9

BAUER NAMED MPCC DISTINGUISHED ALUM

Dr. Michael Bauer, a surgeon in Sioux Falls, S.D. was Mid-Plains Community College’s 2022 Distinguished Alum.

Bauer is originally from Culbertson.

He graduated from Culbertson High School in the spring of 1994, and that fall, enrolled at MPCC in McCook.

“I had heard good things about MPCC from friends, but my biggest reason for going to McCook was to try to avoid taking out many student loans,” Bauer said. “I wanted to find someplace affordable with a good quality education that would transfer to a larger school.”

Bauer was also already familiar with MPCC – having taken EMT classes through the college as a senior in high school. He continued with the paramedic program while in college.

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At that time, Bauer wasn’t exactly sure what profession he wanted to pursue, but his plan was to get a chemistry degree. His thought was that maybe he could branch into something in the medical field or ag-related such as a fertilizer industry.

In the meantime, he immersed himself in the college experience – participating in both music and basketball. When not in the classroom or on the court, Bauer worked as an EMT at Community Hospital and the McCook Fire Department.

“That’s really what got me interested in the medical field in general,” Bauer said.

“I didn’t know I was going to be a surgeon until the end of med school.”

Bauer earned an Associate of Science degree from MCC in 1996 then continued his education at the University of Nebraska Omaha, obtaining

bachelor’s degrees in both chemistry and biotechnology.

“One of the best parts about MCC was that the classes were much smaller than in the university system,” Bauer said. “I really got to know my instructors and gained a lot of confidence, so when I went to a bigger college, I felt able to take those higher-level classes. As soon as I started at UNO, I felt like I was prepared and right on par with where I needed to be with my academics.”

Bauer remained in Omaha for medical school training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

He completed his residency in general surgery at Mount Carmel Medical Center, in Columbus, Ohio in 2009 then went to work for the Surgical Institute of South Dakota where he remains today. He specializes in general surgery and trauma cases and is experienced in robotics.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 9-11 AM | Alumni Coffee Student Union Norma & Jack Stevens

MAKE AN IMPACT TODAY LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY FOR TOMORROW

Noon-1:45 PM | Alumni Tailgate Graff Events Center 2 PM | Volleyball 5:30-7:30 PM | Alumni Dinner Student Union RSVP to Jake Rissler

Director of Instiutional Advancement, risslerj@mpcc.edu

Norma Stevens served the McCook College Foundation starting in 1979 for 33 years, including two terms as president.

Norma and her husband Jack have been personal supporters and ambassadors of MCC, attending countless college sporting events, concerts, plays, art shows, fundraising events and more.

“I believe in the value of the college,” Norma said.

“My brother graduated from there as did all three of our children and a couple of grandchildren. We are all fortunate to have MCC.”

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 9-11 AM | Alumni Coffee Fireplace Area/Pavillion 11:30 AM-1 PM | Alumni Lunch McDonald-Belton 131 RSVP to Jake Rissler

To discuss your impact, contact Jacob Rissler, Director of Institutional Advancement.

308-535-3754 | risserj@mpcc.edu

Director of Instiutional Advancement, risslerj@mpcc.edu

4 PM | Women’s Basketball 6 PM | Men’s Basketball

TOM GRIFFITH OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE MANAGER

For someone who didn’t even know if he wanted to go to college, Thomas Griffith has established a highly successful career for himself.

The operational excellence manager at Becton, Dickinson and Company in Broken Bow has saved BD more than $25 million among his many career accomplishments, which were built upon a foundation that began in the chemistry lab of McCook Community College’s Barnett Hall.

Like a lot of students, as Thomas Griffith approached his final months at Broken Bow High School in 1987, he didn’t 12 | w w w.m p cc . e du

really know what he wanted to do.

He thought he’d probably just find a farm job. However, his high school guidance counselor urged him to consider a scholarship opportunity at MCC.

He remembers Glenn Haney, dean of students at the time, helping him sign up for classes and introducing him to instructors to get a better feel for his interests.

Griffith visited MCC’s campus the summer after his high school graduation and accepted the Area Board of Governor’s Scholarship. He was too late to secure a room in Brooks Hall, but a few weeks before classes started, someone from MCC called him to say that a room became available.

One of his childhood friends from country school, Doug Dunkel, who was a year ahead of Griffith, lived two doors down in Brooks Hall and helped orient him.

“The thing that sticks with me is that from that first time on campus, it seemed like everybody I came into contact with had a genuine interest in me succeeding,” said Griffith.

“Coming out of Broken Bow, McCook was the perfect size of college for me,” Griffith said. “I probably would have been swallowed up at a bigger school.”

Griffith enjoyed the variety of the student body - students from McCook and nearby communities merged with others from all over the world. In those first few months, strangers became friends.

Griffith fondly remembers student life activities at MCC such as homecoming dances in True Hall and playing flag football in Kelley Park.

He worked at Valentinos and recalled that during the warm months, there was a guy in town who mowed lawns.

If students were looking for spending money, he’d stop by Brooks Hall, and they would hop in his truck and go mow laws or rake leaves.

“Those friendships and bonds remain today,” Griffith said.

Unexpectedly, it was a chemistry class that left the biggest impression on Griffith. He hadn’t even taken the subject in high school, but by his sophomore year at MCC, he was loving the subject and his understanding of it was growing “tremendously.”

The thing that sticks with me is that from that first time on campus, it seemed like everybody I came into contact with had a genuine interest in me succeeding

In the classroom, one subject that interested Griffith was computer science, taught by Lynn Salyer, who also taught math. Griffith took both of those courses as well as accounting, chemistry with Jim Hall and physics with Jim Garretson.

He particularly enjoyed the instructors in Barnett Hall.

Griffith received an associate degree from MCC in 1989 then transferred to the University of NebraskaKearney where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.

After working for a health food supplement company in Wray Colo., he moved to Lyons, Kan. and worked as a chemist at North American Salt. In 1998, Griffith headed to Green River, Wyo., and worked for Solvay Minerals as a chemist.

Four years later, he took a chemist job with BD at its plant in Columbus. He later transferred into the operations group where he led a manufacturing team of 85 associates. At that time, BD’s main product was large syringes.

Griffith would eventually move into the cannula department where the stainless-steel portion of needles were created and cleaned.

“After that, I took on a project engineer role where I was responsible for building an addition to the plant,” Griffith said. “We started a new process to treat the plastic resin that we used in injection molding, developed new cleaning processes for the cannula manufacturing department and took on various other small projects.”

In 2012, after 10 years at the BD facility in Columbus, Griffith returned to Broken Bow to take a position with the BD facility there.

He currently works in manufacturing and continuous improvement.

“Most of my job focuses on improving manufacturing processes to be more efficient and reliable,” Griffith said. “I work with various teams throughout the plant to improve high-speed assembly lines as well as manual production lines.”

He has received many H.P. Becton Quality Awards for improving the quality of products, solving production issues and saving the company millions.

Griffith credits MCC for getting him to where he is today.

“The instructors really made us feel like they wanted us all to be successful,” he said. “They cared about people, and that made an impression on me. I’ve really tried to duplicate that in my professional career.” w w w. m p cc. e du | 13

NORTH PLATTE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION DONATES $44K TO NPCC Students in the building construction, electrical, welding and heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology programs at North Platte Community College will benefit from one final donation from the North Platte Home Builders Association.

Expo to NPCC in the form of applied technology scholarships.

The Home Builders presented a check for $44,011.55 to the North Platte Community College Foundation. The funds will also support the college’s dual credit/early entry career exploration program in years that endowment funding allows.

“This donation continues what we tried to do before, which was to provide some funds for students who might be struggling financially and to encourage more people to look at the trades for a career,” said Josh Powell, former executive officer for the Home Builders.

“All trades related to construction are low on employees and have been for some time now.”

The Home Builders Association, started in 1965, was a local, non-profit organization made up of professionals in the building industry.

They were known for their generosity and for years donated a portion of the proceeds from their Home and Outdoor 14 | w w w.m p cc . e du

The Home Builders dissolved in October of 2022, and the check presented to the college represented the last of the association’s funds after expenses had been paid.

Jake Rissler, director of Institutional Advancement, said the college is extremely grateful for the Home Builders’ support of NPCC’s applied technology programs.

“This scholarship will ensure the association’s mission, will impact lives through current and future students and will ultimately guide the future success of the industry,” Rissler said. “Our region needs dedicated professionals in the trades, and this gift will ensure students receive the training they need. Students, their families and the entire community will feel the impact of this donation. On behalf of Mid-Plains staff, students and the NPCC Foundation, I sincerely thank Josh, Mike and all the board of the Home Builders Association for making this possible.”

More information about the applied technology programs offered through the college can be found at mpcc.edu.

Those interested in making a donation to the NPCC Foundation can do so by emailing Rissler, at risslerj@mpcc.edu or calling (308) 535-3754.

LOCAL SINGER FOLLOWS DREAMS INTO A LIFE WORTH LIVING

If there’s one thing Matthew “Rascal” Martinez believes in, it’s living life to the fullest.

learn as many songs as I could. Practice and persistence are how I got to where I am today.”

“All I’ve ever really wanted is to be a musician,” Martinez said. “I grew up on the oldies. My parents would listen to Bing Crosby, The Beatles, CCR and Johnny Cash. That good stuff was always on at holiday parties, and everyone would be dancing to it and having a great time. I just took it all in.

I wanted to be part of that.”

Eager to show off the skills he learned, Martinez began performing for his aunt and uncle. Eventually, the performances expanded to family gatherings.

When he was about 13, Martinez talked his dad into buying him a guitar. The gift lit a fire in him that burns to this day.

“I never did take formal lessons, but my brother taught me some basic cords that were super simple, and I played around with those,” Martinez said. “I had an amp that I could plug a microphone into. I YouTubed everything and tried to

“It just kind of snowballed from there,” Martinez said. “I would run a laptop and play the songs, and that’s how I got started deejaying parties for friends and family.”

Martinez enrolled at MPCC following his graduation from Sutherland High School in 2012.

“Mid-Plains really was the best choice for me,” Martinez said. “Because I already had an established business, I wasn’t crazy about the idea of moving and starting all over. Choosing MPCC allowed me to stay close to home, pay as I went

along and receive a quality education.”

Some of the biggest lessons Martinez gained from Mid-Plains came from the business hallway.

“I was over there a lot,” he said.

“Understanding economics, accounting – that’s all useful when it comes to running your own business.”

By the time Martinez graduated from MPCC in 2015, he felt confident enough to start out on his own. His deep, raspy voice and soulful sound quickly gained popularity.

Martinez’ band won the Texaco County Showdown in May of 2013, and in December of that year, he gained national attention when he was featured on “The Morning Dammit” show in Chicago. He has since released four albums and toured the nation. w w w. m p cc. e du | 15

NPCC STUDENTS GIVE BACK THROUGH HELPING HANDS PROGRAM

Mid-Plains Community College students in North Platte are getting as much out of a local mentoring program as the youth they are serving.

A group of MPCC students have been working with the North Platte Public Schools’ Helping Hands program.

Through the part-time, paid positions they are responsible for serving as positive role models for elementary students identified through NPPS as having behavioral health needs.

They provide support in the classroom, keep the students on task, assist with coping skills and follow and implement behavior improvement plans. The mentorship is done in the classroom as well as at lunch, recess, physical education periods and after school.

Brandy Buscher, NPPS student services director, and Maggie Butler, NPPS 16 | w w w.mp cc . e du

student services coordinator, came up with the idea for Helping Hands after seeing data released by the University of Nebraska Medical Center regarding the shortage of mental health professionals in rural Nebraska.

life,” Wright said. “It’s such a wonderful feeling. I can’t even explain it.”

It has made a huge difference in what he wants to do with his own life.

“With Helping Hands, we are really trying to ‘grow our own’,” Buscher said. “The thought was that if we could recruit students from the college and make them fall in love with our NPPS family, that hopefully they would keep working with youth and behavioral health needs.”

“Helping Hands has changed my perspective,” said Wright. “I know it’s a cliché, but the program made me realize that kids are 100 percent of our future.

You never meet the same one twice, and when you see them in such different conditions – you want to love them all and support them in every way possible.”

MPCC student Matthew Wright mentors 12 kids. Some he sees multiple times a week, and others, who don’t need as much support, he works with a couple times per week.

Since joining Helping Hands, Wright has decided to change his focus to developmental psychology and social work. His goal is to obtain bachelor’s and master’s degrees in those fields.

“Because I assist children with behavioral issues, the best part has been seeing them graduate out of the program and succeed in everyday

“My ultimate goal is to earn a doctorate then come back and work for North Platte Public Schools,” Wright said. “Hopefully, one day I can achieve a professorship.”

MCC GRAD DELIVERS UNIQUE TRIBUTE TO CAMPUS

A 1967 graduate of McCook Junior College returned to campus in February and presented a unique gift to the place he attended as a student, worked at an employee that served as cornerstone of his career.

Jon Burkey, former MCC Physical Resource director, presented MCC Vice President Kelly Rippen a scale model of something that has been of great importance most of his life — the McCook campus.

It took him almost as long (eight years) to get a master’s degree as it did for him to complete all the intricate details of the topographical model, complete with histories of each of the buildings.

He built the model largely out of cardboard, glue, rocks, a whole lot of patience and meticulous inspiration for the place that shaped his life. The model measures six feet long by two feet wide and includes 10 campus buildings.

Burkey came to McCook from Bartley, and after exploring several career options, turned to a career in education where he was involved for 40 years. He received his bachelor’s degree at Kearney State College.

He spent nine years teaching in Shelton and Holdrege before getting his second master’s degree in school administration. He spent four years as principal at Wymore then received his specialist’s degree in administration at Kearney and took a job as superintendent

at Perkins County in Grant where he spent 16 years. In 1998, he applied for the superintendent position at McCook High School.

In June of 2002 Burkey started his job as MCC Physical Resource Director and continued through October of 2009. He was at the center of major renovations at most every building on campus. His time on campus at two points in his life left an impression and led to the idea of making a model.

Burkey believes MCC’s tradition to be one of the college’s greatest assets.

“It’s a pride thing, community-wide, and it is genuine. This area embraces its proud college tradition and has taken ownership like few community colleges do.”

His model is a tribute to that and is now on display in the trophy cases in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center. w w w. m p cc. e du | 17

ARGENTINIAN STUDENT AWARDED $5,000 GRANT FOR RESEARCH AT MPCC

Mid-Plains Community College’s Mathematics and Science division has received an approximately $5,000 grant to assist in the development of an affordable data logger that farmers can use to monitor soil moisture content.

The grant will cover the cost of prototype parts and about 400 hours’ worth of development and testing. Funding came from Nebraska’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

MPCC student Juan Zanguitu started the project as part of an Engineering Communications course. He wrote the grant proposal with assistance from math and physics instructor Jared Daily and Kristin Borman, grants coordinator.

“Agricultural producers depend on data-driven decision making more than ever before in this technologically dependent world,” Zanguitu said. “New and improved, commercially available 18 | w w w.m pcc . e du

sensors and data loggers flood the market each year, and the prices reflect the profits to be made. However, smaller producers and farmers in developing nations tend to use technology less, in part due to economics.”

His thought was that a low-cost, opensource, universal data logger would allow small producers and farmers in developing nations to implement technology into their operations at a cost conducive to more efficient and effective farming and business practices.

“This project involves the development of such a data logger using existing microcontroller technologies and readily available components to limit cost of materials and production,” Zanguitu said. “The data logger will be designed to interface with a variety of existing sensors and products, and it will also be customizable for use with other devices. All of the devices and software developed in the project will be

maintained as open-source products for anyone to use and improve.”

Assisting producers in developing nations is something near and dear to Zanguitu’s heart. He was raised in the Argentinian town of 30 de Agosto, which has about 7,000 residents.

“I’m inspired to help countries like mine with limited agricultural resources.”

Zanguitu said. “This data logger will allow researchers and farmers to monitor field conditions and make better management decisions at an affordable price.”

Zanguitu is on track to graduate from MPCC in the spring of 2024 with an Associate of Science degree with an emphasis in engineering. After that, he plans to transfer to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and pursue a bachelor’s degree in software engineering.

His goal is to work in the areas of virtual reality and artificial intelligence. His hope is that one day his inventions will have a positive impact on the world.

DIESEL TECHNOLOGY GAINS NEW EQUIPMENT THROUGH PERKINS GRANT Students in MPCC’s Diesel Technology program are learning on a newly patented Dyno Tech DT843 dynamometer.

Dynos measure force, torque and power in engines. The DT843 offers the ability to load test 800 horsepower at 1000 RPM, along with a rated torque capacity of 4300 lbs. per foot.

NPCC TEACHING GRAIN BIN ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS Students at North Platte Community College are getting realworld experience working with the electrical components needed to operate grain bins.

The electrical department recently purchased a custom grain bin mock-up trainer to teach students about the safe installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of grain bin electrical systems.

The trainer is providing the students with first-hand experience that will make them more employable in the future.

“Electricians are after employees with this type of training,” said Jake Elmshaeuser, electrical instructor. “The equipment these students are learning on can be found at any farm anywhere.

It’s a pretty advanced set up, and it makes more sense when you can put your hands on it.”

Other features include a bidirectional valve for testing clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, standard PTO shafts capable of running at 540 and 1000 RPM along with flywheel adaption to accommodate stationary engine testing and torque arm calibration for field verification by technicians.

“We will use the dyno a couple ways,” said Steve Kramer, Applied Technologies chair. “We will use it for troubleshooting and to break engines in properly after an overhaul.”

The new equipment is on par with dynamometers used by local dealerships.

“When we started looking for a new dyno, we went to different shops in our service area to see what was preferred by the industry,” Kramer said. “When students are trained on the same equipment our business partners are using, it makes the students more marketable.”

The dyno was purchased using $28,904 worth of Perkins Grant funds. The same grant was also used to buy five circuit training boards for NPCC’s diesel department.

Previously, students learned the skills in the classroom.

“The past couple years it has been strictly a test,” said Scott Mustion, electrical program lab assistant. “We would give students a sheet of paper with the design and make them size it according to code.”

He said many contractors in the area are ag-affiliated, and the grain bin training plays into any ag scenario the students could come across on the job.

The trainer was paid for with a combination of a $16,800 Perkins Grant and $7,000 in three-year instructional equipment funds from the college. w w w. m p cc. e du | 19

NPCC ADDITION OF MEN’S & WOMEN’S GOLF

The North Platte Community College athletic department expanded its intercollegiate athletic programs with the addition of men’s and women’s golf.

The approval by the Board of Governors on Wednesday, September 14 will grow the athletic department from four varsity sports to six by the fall of 2024.

“As we gathered input for our next strategic enrollment plan, one of the most frequently noted items was the expansion of collegiate athletics,” said President Ryan Purdy. “Men’s and women’s golf was an obvious decision as we have several area schools that compete, and we have available housing capacity to accommodate those students.”

In the late 1940s, the National Junior College Athletic Association hosted the first men’s golf championship in Kansas City, Mo. The championship was then reclassified in 1968 as a national championship and moved to Roswell, 20 | w w w.m pcc . e du

N.M. Currently, the NJCAA has 73 teams competing in the NJCAA DII classification.

The NJCAA added women’s golf to the books in June 1976 as the first official championship took place in Temple, Texas.

The new Knights women’s golf team could compete in the DI or DIII classification, but enough interest from other NJCAA institutions could possibly create the DII classification prior to the addition of the athletic program in 2024. This DII classification would align the women’s golf program with the other women’s programs within the athletic department.

“Adding men’s and women’s golf programs will enhance our athletic department,” said Kevin O’Connor, the college’s athletic director. “We have seen a significant increase in the popularity of golf at the high school level, and we want to continue to provide opportunities for students to pursue their passions.”

The men’s program intends to tee off in the fall of 2023, with the women’s program to follow in 2024 once approval is granted by the NJCAA.

MCC GOLF & BASEBALL BEST SEASONS

GOLF The MCC golf team capped a recordsetting season finishing 16th in the NJCAA National Tournament in May at Newton, Kan. This was the school’s bestever finish at nationals and the fifth time in the past six years MCC qualified for the tournament.

Under coach Coach Tyler Loop, MCC won its first ever West District Championship and ranked 13th in the final regular-season Division I standings, also the team’s best ranking ever.

MCC golfers won the Region IX championship for the third time in school history and won their last eight regular-season tournaments. Loop was named the region’s coach of the year.

Sophomore Ethan Gough and freshman Cade Cryer were named Region IX First Team, while sophomores Brayden Dahl and Cayden Wynne were named to the Second Team.

The team set six other school records and Gough became the first MCC golfer to be named to the NJCAA Division I PING All-American and All-District Team.

Only five golfers in the nation received First-Team All-American status.

Four sophomores moved on to four-year programs.

BASEBALL MCC came up two wins short of qualifying for the NJCAA College World Series in 2023.

A mid-season programbest 16-game win streak propelled the team to 33 wins during the regular season – the most in the past 10 years and the 22-12 record against region opponents was also best ever.

MCC swept Lamar twice at home to open the postseason. At the final-four in Colorado Springs, MCC beat Western Nebraska and Otero then lost twice to Southeast CC in the championships. As district runner-up, MCC advanced to the

West Districts, losing 9-8 in extra-innings to No. 19 Pima (Arizona) then lost to Southeast, finishing the year 37-25.

MCC batted .319 and ranked 10th nationally among 170 Division I schools with 579 runs, 143 doubles (sixth most), 90 home runs (ninth best), as well as top-10 totals in extra-base hits with 1,090.

Starting pitcher Myles Chabi and outfielder Ethan Murdoch were named Region IX First Team and DH/catcher Michael Quick was selected Second Team.

Murdoch batted .405 with 17 home runs and 74 RBIs and was named SecondTeam NJCAA All-American – the highest honor ever for an MCC player. He is now playing at Marshall University.

Chabi went 9-3 with a 3.96 E.R.A. striking out 52 hitters in 61.1 innings. Quick batted .361 with six home runs and 47 RBIs in 48 games.

Ten sophomores moved on to four-year programs. w w w. m p cc. e du | 21

MCC EAST CAMPUS LAUNCHES WITH BRICK BREAKING CEREMONY

Mid-Plains Community College officially kicked-off construction on its East Campus in McCook with a brick breaking ceremony July 19.

The campus, at 905 E. Seventh St. in McCook, was formerly the Elks Club.

Owners Perry and Vicky Case donated the building and surrounding property to the college in 2015 in the hopes that it could be used for educational purposes.

Since the college took possession of the property, approximately $600,000 worth of work has been put into preparing it for renovations. That included asbestos removal and stripping the interior down to concrete, brick and steel.

The project will allow the college to expand beyond its formerly landlocked borders and offer increased and 22 | w w w.m pcc . e du

enhanced training for students, businesses and industries.

and distance learning classrooms among other amenities.

Most of the existing brick on the outside of facility will remain. It will be cleaned and tuckpointed so that it is weather sound.

The lower level will be dedicated primarily to health occupations, including nursing, emergency medical services, nurse aide and medication aide programs.

All of the utilities will have to be reestablished and a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system installed. Because of the number of HVAC penetrations, half the roof will be replaced as well.

The patio on the east will be removed and replaced. It will be constructed with the option of adding a pergola at a later date.

The upper level of the building will consist of the Business and Community Education department, an open-concept flex space, a 250-person event space, a catering kitchen and general purpose

“The basement will bring greatly improved modern spaces to nursing and EMT service training,” said Mike Steele, the college’s vice president of Administrative Services.

The goal is to open the East Campus in January of 2025.

The total cost of the project including renovation, equipment and furnishing is estimated at $11.3 million, $9 million of which came from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, $1 million of which is from MPCC’s tax levy capital dollars and the remainder to be privately raised.

CLASS NOTES Chris Leitner ‘92 was named CEO of Tenaska, a leading independent energy company. Leitner has been with Tenaska since 2003 and was previously president of Tenaska Development and Tenaska Generation.

Jackie Reyes ’21 is an elections clerk working in the Dawson County Clerks Office.

Brittany Pollard ’21 is employed with Valley County Health Systems. Pollard obtained ASCP certification after graduating from MPCC’s Medical Laboratory Technician program.

OBITUARIES Mike Deibert, ‘95, Died September 17, 2012

BIRTHS Nikita Naomi, born April 15, 2023, to Danya ’20 and Cesar ’20 Venegas

Dale L Kramer, ‘89, February 19, 2017 Terry L Evans, ‘84, Died December 4, 2020 Grant Charles Mann, ‘00, Died December 9, 2021 Ernest (Ernie) Weyeneth, ‘67, Died September 30, 2022 Paul Jochum, ’78, Died October 20, 2022 Owen Stagemeyer, ’55, Died November 17, 2022 Ruth Eileen (Schmidt) Palensky, att. ‘45, Died December 13, 2022 Judy (Herbst) Brown, ‘68, Died January 6, 2023 Andrew Nicholas Sughroue, ‘03, Died January 17, 2023 Henry E Guerrero, ‘89, Died January 23, 2023 Warren Murray Cecil, ‘00, Died April 29, 2023 Kay Connery, ‘97, Died April 29, 2023 Judith C (Carlon) Cook, ‘97, Died May 27, 2023 Cynthia Marie Cotton, ‘95, Died June 4, 2023 Mark A. Smith, att. ‘78, Died June 19, 2023 Joseph H. Adams, ’86 & ’87, Died July 2, 2023 Josephine Cecily, “Micki” Cox att. ‘60s, Died July 9, 2023 Ronald Max Koester, att. ’99, Died July 17, 2023 Dennis G Schoup, ‘93, Died July 17, 2023 David Michael James, att. ’89, Died July 20, 2023 Carol Victor Wahlmeier, att. ’61, Died July 27, 2023

MEMORIALS Naomi Getty, 89, of Mars, PA, passed away May 4, 2022, following a prolonged battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Getty was a member of the Mid-Plains Community College faculty in North Platte, teaching piano, organ, and music theory.

Charles “Mike” Lowber Hendricks, 76, formerly of McCook, passed away Sept. 20, 2022. Hendricks began his career as a Tulsa Police Officer and ended his career as a Sociology and Criminal Justice professor at McCook Community College, retiring in 2016 after 21 years of service.

Robert Brown, 91, of North Platte, passed away Oct. 13, 2022. Brown was an automotive mechanic instructor at Mid-Plains Community College for 21 years until retirement in 1995.

Les O’Donnell, 82, of North Platte, passed away May 22, 2023. O’Donnell graduated from Benkelman High School in 1958 and attended McCook Junior College before transferring to the University of Nebraska. Les coached two generations of softball players from North Platte and the surrounding area. w w w. m p cc. e du | 23

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