ARGENTINIAN STUDENT DEVELOPS STATE-OF-THE-ART TRANSLATION TOOL
Mid-Plains Community College has a new tool to help bridge the gap between English-speaking and nonEnglish-speaking members of the public, students, faculty and staff.
MPCC student Juan Zanguitu, with assistance from Tara Naughtin, MPCC systems analyst, and Brady Heinz, assistant systems analyst, developed a language translation software tool using artificial intelligence.
Zanguitu understands firsthand the struggles that language barriers can create. He is from Argentina, and his native language is Spanish. Although he had a firm grasp of English before coming to the U.S., he’s cognizant of the fact that not everyone does.
“Mid-Plains Community College is a vibrant community with students, faculty and staff hailing from diverse linguistic backgrounds,” said Zanguitu. “However, this diversity also presents a significant challenge: communication barriers. Many international students do not speak English fluently, which can
impact their academic journey, administrative processes and social integration within the college.”
He said the need for effective communication is critical to ensure that every member of the college can reap the full benefit of academic and extracurricular activities, comprehend college resources and engage in meaningful interactions with others on campus.
“This need is essential for fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where every member of the college, irrespective of their first language, has equal opportunities to succeed and engage,” Zanguitu said.
“Non-English-speaking students need to know what their teachers are saying and what’s on the syllabus, and if they don’t, they’re already a step behind.”
He’s hoping the new one-stop solution will position Mid-Plains as a leader in innovation and leadership for leveraging technology to enhance educational accessibility by
fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment and promoting an appreciation of diversity and equal participation for everyone.
He got the idea for the tool after his own experience of trying to find an accurate translation device.
“I like software development, and for that we use AI a lot,” Zanguitu said.
“A key part that most translators are missing is the nuances and cultural background of the languages. I grew up using Google Translate and realize how limited it is.
ChatGPT does a good job of taking into account not only the literal translations, but also the cultural meaning of those words. After I found out about artificial intelligence and ChatGPT, I thought why not mix them both and create a live interpreter and translator.”
His new AI-powered translation tool leverages the capabilities of the ChatGPT chatbot to provide realtime, accurate translations across a multitude of languages.
It translates emails and documents and offers live interpreter services. The latter will support a variety of settings such as lectures, meetings and college events, ensuring all participants can fully engage in the dialogue regardless of the language spoken.
Zanguitu believes the AI system could also eventually lead to the recruitment of a wider international student population by showcasing the college’s commitment to supporting linguistic diversity and easing the transition for non-English speakers.
The software was placed on tablets and will be piloted at both campuses in North Platte as well as those in McCook and Imperial.
The Mid-Plains Community College Ready-to-Work Building Construction program provided an opportunity for Ogallala High School students to gain valuable building construction experience while addressing a workforce need in Keith County.
The tiny cabin, a 16 by 20-foot structure featured Andersen® 100 Series windows, LP® SmartSide® Siding, a Pro-Panel steel roof and a covered front porch with recycled plastic decking and handrails.
The students who participated in this program went through safety training and gained basic building construction, résumé and interview skills that will make them more employable in the future. They also earned a Building Construction Technology certificate from MPCC.
The students also built a 3-foot by 6-foot dog house and an 8-foot picnic table, which were sold at auction in April.
Graduates from McCook campus 49
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Graduates from North Platte campus
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MCCOOK CAMPUS
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Working collaboratively with the community campuses, trainings and programs are offered through the Business and Community Education (BCE) department. BCE’s reach is broad, offering program opportunities to business and industry, continuing education courses for the upkeep of certificate and credentialing, offering conferences and workshops, Ready for Work training programs, motor school programing, as well as traditional community education courses for everyone from youth to the elderly.
The department’s motor school program wrapped up its second year of Commercial Driver Training courses. Throughout the 2023-24 year, trucks and trailers were wrapped to advertise MPCC courses and bring awareness to potential students and business partnerships. A CDL simulator was also purchased to aid in classroom instruction.
Behind the scenes, staff is diligently working to merge two student tracking systems and provide a new registration look for our students. Once completed, the non-credit courses taken by a student will appear on their for-credit transcripts. This will assist the student in earning badges and business credentialling for their newly learned vocational skills.
Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team qualified seven student-athletes for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo. June 9-15.
Cinch Painter, of Springview, led the way with a third-place finish in the steer wrestling event. Painter would go on to be recognized as the Rookie of the Year for excellence in the arena during the CNFR.
Teammate Jackson Lunn scored in all three rounds in the bareback riding event but failed to qualify for the short round. Rex Day (steer wrestling) and Whitney Jennings (breakaway) each posted times in two of their three rounds to finish in the top forty in their respective events.
Auaki Kaai, roughstock coach, accepted a plaque at the CNFR Coaches Breakfast in recognition of the MPCC Stampede being named the 2023-2024 Rodeo of the Year for the Great Plains Region. Additionally, Kaai was named Great Plains Region Coach of the Year.
The MPCC Rodeo Team hosts the Stampede every year in September at the Wild West Arena in North Platte. It’s the third time in four years MPCC has earned the recognition.
DJ Martian and Madison McGee each received $800 scholarships from NEBRASKAland Days funded by NLD’s annual Cowboy Kickball event.
Rex Day and Whitney Jennings were honored with $1,000 Dual Excellence Scholarships from the Wranglers booster committee. The award is given to rodeo team athletes who excel in the classroom and arena during the fall semester. Selection is based on GPA and total points earned.
Additionally, four members were awarded $1,250 scholarships from the Kiplinger Foundation during the team’s annual spring fundraiser rodeo in McCook. Team members were: Jace Richter, Ryan Shepherd, Whitney Jennings, and Kapeka Alcain.
BASEBALL
| The McCook Community College baseball team finished the Region IX schedule at 18-10 and third in the standings, 28-26 overall.
Sophomore Aiden Johnson (Westminster, Colo.) was the lone MCC player receiving firstteam honors, leading the pitching staff at 7-4 with a 4.25 ERA and struck out 79 hitters in 59 innings walking just 15. He was second in Region IX in wins, strikeouts and ERA.
Cory Wouters (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) was named the Region IX Freshman of the Year. He led MCC in hitting and was second in Region IX with a .416 batting average, with 12 doubles, nine home runs and 44 RBIs in 52 games. He went 3-7 on the mound with an 8.71 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 41 innings.
Players selected to the 2023-2024 Academic All-Region IX men’s team included: Aiden Johnson, Blake Benallo, Blake Dale, Cory Wouters, Eli Schaeffer, Jackson Finder, Jackson Yeager, Jake Quinlivan, Jason Serafinchon, Josh Jedretich, Lachlan Jones, Michael Quick, Nathan Hutchison, Will Edwards, Zeke Minic, Kyler Cox, Leif Friedrich, Luke Bies, Maddox Shaver and Wrigley Strong.
Johnson, Yeager and Wouters were selected to the first team on the Omaha World-Herald’s all-Midlands JUCO team. Honorable mention went to Quick, Ethan Badcock, Bies and Edwards.
GOLF | The McCook Community College golf team finished fourth at the District 1 Championship in Pueblo, Colo. For the first time since 2017, the team did not qualify for the NJCAA National Championship tournament.
Freshman Andrew Brown (Wollongong, Australia) and freshman Matt Grimonprez (Villenuave-d'ascq, France) qualified to compete as individuals at the national championship at Hobbs, N.M.
Brown finished the tournament at +24 shooting rounds of 76, 78, 74 and 80 for a total of 308. Grimonprez had a 326 with rounds of 86, 83, 77 and 80.
In the classroom, Brown was named to the All-Region IX academic team and was a second-team selection for the NJCAA all-academic team.
Coach Tyler Loop, who spent 11 years at MCC, helped the team to five national tournament appearances between 2018 and 2023, including a No. 16 place finish a season ago and a No. 13 ranking in the final regular-season rankings.
On Aug. 8, Grant Case was named MCC’s new men’s golf coach. He arrived from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he played for five years (20182023). He is a native of York, Neb. and has undergraduate degrees in marketing and sports management and a master’s in management.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
| MCC Men’s Basketball finished the regular season 10-20 overall and tied for fifth place in the Region IX standings at 4-8.
The Indians, seeded sixth in the post-season tournament, upset third-seeded Northeastern Junior College on the road but the season came to an end with a 99-72 loss to Gillette College to finish with a 11-21 record.
Four players received post-season recognition. Freshman Louie Tucker was selected third team all-Region IX. Sophomore Martel Evans was an honorable mention selection pick. Sophomores Ty Foster and Brandon Kabuya-Mpoyi were picked for the Region IX all-tournament team.
Tucker and Evans were both picked for the Omaha World-Herald's All-Midlands Junior College team and named to the all-NCCAC team along with freshman Bryan Akanmu. Akanmu and Thabo Manyere were both named to the Region IX all-academic team.
In June MCC hired new head coach Dillon Hargrove, taking over for Jacob Brandl. Brandl will lead his alma mater at North Platte Community College. Hargrove is coming off a national championship at National Park College, a Division II program in Hot Springs. He led them to a 31-1 record this past season and compiled an 82-27 coaching record over the past four years.
SOFTBALL
| The Lady Indian softball team was one of four Region IX teams that qualified for the post-season tournament this year under a new format.
MCC finished the regular season at 33-19 and went 13-11 in region play gaining the No.3 seed for the tournament. As a result, the Lady Indians traveled to La Junta, Colo. to play second seed Otero Junior College in a best-of-three-game series.
The Lady Indians opened the series with 8-4 win but lost the second game 16-15. The season ended with a 12-3 loss as the team finished with a 34-21 record.
Three players were named to the all-Region IX 9 team. Sophomore Ella Covill-Marter and freshman Anna Elliott were named to the first team and freshman Lexi Knapp received honorable mention.
Covill-Marter, Elliott and Knapp were also named to the Omaha World-Herald's all JUCO Midlands team along with pitcher Sadie Kahl, catcher Laila Gutierrez and shortstop Andie Suhai.
Sophomore Brylee Dean (Gering) received honorable mention. She hit .367 with five home runs and 44 RBIs in 47 games.
By virtue of the team’s 3.29 GPA, it received NJCAA designation as an Academic Teams of the Year award.
VOLLEYBALL
| The MCC volleyball team claimed the region’s second seed, its highest-ever tournament seed, with a 6-4 record against Region IX South teams and a 22-11 season overall.
Greta Bolognini and Fernanda Merancio were named all-Region IX South first team and Gabby Caskey was selected to the second team.
In addition, Bolognini was named the region's libero of the year and emerged with the most digs of any players in the nation with 707. She was named the Region IX defensive player of the week four times and national defensive player of the week once. She finished her MCC career with 988 digs and signed on with D1 Kent State. Merancio finished the season with 412 kills, along with 131 digs and 53 total blocks. Her kill total was 13th most in the nation. She was named Region IX offensive player of the week and selected to the all-tournament team for the season-opening MCC tournament. She will continue her career at Missouri Southern State University, a division II school in Joplin, Mo.
Academically, the team earned a 2024 designation from the NJCAA as an Academic Team of the Year with a 3.64 team grade point average.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
| The McCook Community College women’s basketball team finished the regular season 16-14 and went 4-6 in the south region, placing fourth among the six teams in the Region IX South. The Lady Indians opened the tournament at home with a 48-43 win over Lamar Community College.
No. 16 Casper College downed MCC in quarter-final action as the Lady Indians closed out the season at 17-15.
Gemma Gruettner-Bacoul and Audra Vine were both selected to the Region IX's AllSouth team while Gruettner-Bacoul also earned all-defensive-team honors and was named to the all-tournament team.
Gruettner-Bacoul and Vine were named to the Omaha World-Herald's All-Midlands Junior College team and to the all-Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference team along with Suzan Sisman.
Gruettner-Bacoul will continue her career at East Tennessee State, a Division I program. Academically, the team had a composite GPA of 3.64 which was seventh best among 162 Division I junior college teams, attaining Academic Teams of the Year designation. Eight players earned NJCAA all-academic awards including: Carlota Alonso, Hanne Verdaguer, Rebecca Dunn, Natalie Harmata, Audra Vine, Ebba Zalamans, Noa Iglesias Chorda and Suzan Sizman. These eight also earned academic all-Region IX awards.
VOLLEYBALL
| The NPCC volleyball team punched their ticket back to the Region IX Championship after winning their semifinal matchup.
The Knights fell to No. 1 Central Community College in a five-set thriller to bring their season to a close. North Platte finished the season with a 14-21 overall record.
Three NPCC volleyball players Vanessa Wood, Jaelyn Dicke and Emily Johnson were subsequently named to the NJCAA All-Region IX Team.
Wood, of Greeley, Neb., concluded the season first in the region and 15th in the nation with 455 kills – a total that places her sixth all-time in the NPCC Volleyball record books.
For their efforts in the classroom, Dicke and Kathryn Folkers were selected for the NJCAA’s All-Academic First Team. Aubrey Grant, Talli Martin, Elsie Ottun, Samantha Riggles and EmiLee Walnofer landed on the NJCAA’s All-Academic Second Team, and Emily Johnson scored a spot on the NJCAA All-Academic Third Team.
As a whole, Knights Volleyball had an cumulative 3.59 GPA – earning them an Academic Team of the Year honor from the NJCAA.
The team was also selected to receive the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT – making it one of seventeen teams from the National Junior College Association Division II level to receive this recognition.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
| The NPCC women’s basketball team returned to the district championship after clinching their second Region IX title in three years.
Knights traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to take on eventual national champion Kirkwood Community College. North Platte knotted the game up in the opening minutes of the third quarter, but Kirkwood answered down the stretch to secure the 75-53 win.
Upon finishing the year with a 19-11 overall record the Knights program was rewarded with a number of postseason recognitions. Dazjanae Greene, Jada Grigsby, Reece Halley and Samantha Riggles all earned All-Region IX, while Grigsby, Greene and Riggles were tabbed as all-conference selections.
Additionally, Nariah Golden and Greene were named to the Omaha World-Herald’s AllMidlands Women’s Basketball Team.
Jeff Thurman recorded his 100th career win as the head coach of the Knights program, while recording his fourth Region IX Coach of the Year honor and his second Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year designation.
Upon the conclusion the year, Halley was selected as a NJCAA All-Academic First Team honoree, while teammate Emily Johnson landed on the NJCAA All-Academic Second Team.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
| The NPCC men’s basketball team closed out the 2023-24 campaign with a 13-16 overall record, while claiming the NCCAC title with a 5-1 record in conference play.
Parker Baumann and Bryce Baez were named to the NCCAC team, while Davion Evans received honorable mention accolades from the conference. Additionally, all three student-athletes were named to the Omaha World-Herald's All-Midlands men's basketball team, while Baez and Evans received Region IX South honors.
Additionally, interim head coach Kade Erickson was named NCCAC Co-Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the season.
Longtime NPCC men's basketball head coach Kevin O'Connor was inducted into the NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on May 17. O'Connor was a fixture on the sideline for the black and gold for 39 years, owning a 744-439 overall record during his tenure.
O’Connor is the winningest coach in Region IX men's basketball history after guiding North Platte to two NJCAA National Tournament appearances and 22 Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference titles.
Jacob Brandl was named the next head coach of the program in May. Brandl spent the previous four years as the head coach of the McCook Community College men’s basketball program. Brandl was a two-year starter for the Knights from 2006-08 and owns a 47-72 coaching record.
MEN'S GOLF
| The NPCC golf team capped off their inaugural year. Eight golfers from around Nebraska and Colorado wore the black and gold during the 2023-24 season.
Under the guidance of Will Peers, the Knights competed in ten tournaments and hosted their home invitational at the River’s Edge Golf Course on April 17. NPCC golfers competed in the North Central District Championship, where they finished 11th in the team standings.
Transfer sophomore Jayden Jones led the way with a 236 (+20) over the three rounds, while David Winkelmann (+21), Taytom Timbers (+25) and Caeson Clarke (+31) rounded out the golfers that completed all three rounds in the tournament.
SOFTBALL
| On June 3, the North Platte Community College athletic department named Mark Franzen its third head coach in program history.
Franzen spent over a decade coaching local youth softball teams. He began his career as a 12-18U head coach for the North Platte Express in 2007. During his nine years at the helm, he guided the Express to a Wyoming State Championship and an appearance at the National World Series tournament.
In 2014, he became the head coach of the 12-16U North Platte Express team where he oversaw all aspects of the program. Recently, he has served as an assistant coach for the North Platte Junior Belles (12-16U) and the North Platte Express (12-14U).
“I am looking forward to the challenge,” said Franzen. “This is the next step in my coaching progression and a big opportunity for me.”
Franzen graduated from North Platte High School in 1991, before earning an Associate of General Studies degree from Mid-Plains Community College in 2014. He currently owns Franzen Plumbing in North Platte.
2023-24 GENERAL FUND REVENUE BY SOURCE 2023-24
Mid-Plains Community College is nearing the finish line on East Campus in McCook.
The project will allow the college to expand beyond its formerly landlocked borders and offer increased and enhanced training for students, businesses and industries.
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 and distance learning classrooms among other amenities.
The lower level will be dedicated primarily to health occupations, including nursing, emergency medical services, nurse aide and medication aide programs.
The target date for the opening of the building will be January of 2025.
The total cost of the project including renovation, equipment and furnishing is estimated at $11.3 million.
Mid-Plains Community College announces a partnership with the Dundy County Community Hospital Foundation and the Benkleman community that will expand educational opportunities within the service area.
As part of the distance learning & telemedicine grants offered by the United States Department of Agriculture, this new learning center will assist rural communities with overcoming remoteness to promote equity and economic opportunity in rural America.
The new location is part of the new strategic plan developed by the institution. The college dedicated $50,000 to the project, with the Dundy County Community Hospital Foundation fundraising the remainder of the renovation.
The facility will offer a distance learning classroom and integrated technology that will allow students the ability to connect to educational resources offered at any of its campuses.
The goal is to begin educational programming and distance learning opportunities in the spring of 2025.
