February 2026 Central Connection
February 3, 2026
New pathway program focuses on teaching
Central Community College and the University of Nebraska-Kearney are launching a new 2+2 guided pathway program that creates a seamless transition for students who want to complete an associate degree at CCC and then transfer into UNK’s teacher education programs.
The partnership streamlines course requirements and clearly outlines the classes students need at each institution, ensuring they can progress smoothly without losing credits or extending their time to graduation.
“This is a student-first partnership that lowers cost, clarifies the path to licensure and helps build a stronger, local pipeline of well-prepared teachers for Nebraska schools,” said Candace Walton, CCC vice president of innovation and instruction. “With this agreement, students can move confidently from an associate degree at Central Community College into a bachelor’s in education without leaving central Nebraska.”
Designed to prepare future educators across a range of fields – early childhood, elementary, middle level and special education – the guided pathway allows students to complete their first 60 credit hours through CCC before transferring to UNK , where they finish their bachelor’s degree. Students enrolled in the pathway program can apply for scholarships and other financial aid at UNK.
“By aligning UNK’s teacher education programs with CCC’s coursework through a guided pathway agreement, we open doors to greater access and ensure students can graduate on time and begin their teaching careers,” said associate professor Jesslyn Hollar, chair of the UNK Department of Teacher Education.
UNK and CCC also have guided pathways in accounting, finance, management, marketing, supply chain management, criminal justice, history, social studies and social work.
 |
|
Festive holiday spirit Central Community College-Columbus closed 2025 with an immersive audience experience Dec. 6-7. It included pre-show activities; a combined band and choir concert; and a “Charlie Brown Christmas” performance featuring Trey Hill of Columbus as Charlie Brown (front and going clockwise), Raquel Bordy of Columbus as Snoopy, Charlotte Broker of Ord as Sally, Cat Tartibu of Columbus as Lucy and Janey Parra of Schuyler as Linus. |
CCC honors staff with special anniversaries
The following full- and part-time Central Community College employees completed special anniversaries in 2025:
Administrative Office
Twenty-five years: Matt Gotschall, college president.
Twenty years: Lauri Shultis, college security director.
Ten years: Jesse Barto, Enterprise System Services director; Francesca Davis, institutional effectiveness director; and Sheila Kiiker, retired payroll accounting assistant.
Five years: Joe Black, grants development coordinator; Jeremy Broxterman, information technology systems engineer; and Andrea Persampieri, instructional operations coordinator.
Columbus Campus
Thirty-five years: Jim Baldwin, custodian supervisor, and Doug Pauley, retired associate dean of training and development.
Thirty years: Beverly Mackie, nursing administrative assistant, and Mary Young, athletic director.
Twenty-five years: Deb Adkisson, assessment technician.
Twenty years: Dan Davidchik, associate dean of training and development; Emily Mach, psychology instructor; and Allen Stenzel, mechatronics instructor.
Fifteen years: Kristin Hoesing, speech instructor; Jeanne Micek, nursing assistant and medication aide trainer; and Mike Sobota, environmental health and safety coordinator and trainer.
Ten years: Candace Becher, English instructor; Britt Blackwell, accounting instructor; Doug Holt, mathematics instructor; Chase Janssen, agribusiness instructor; James Johnson, mathematics instructor; Staci Prellwitz, psychology instructor; and Sara Rood, athletics administrative assistant.
Five years: Shawna Booth, Academic Success Center tutor; Jill Broberg, health instructor; Doris Gonzalez Vargas, adult education instructor; Eric Lopez, TRIO program coordinator; Patricia Marquis, mathematics instructor; Christopher Sander, mathematics instructor; Trevor Spear, industrial technology instructor; Shayla Stock, business administration instructor; Melissa Usasz, mathematics instructor; Marie Wadas, biological science instructor; and Douglas Wagner, bus driver.
Grand Island Campus
Thirty-five years: Shelly Kort, business administration instructor, and Laurel Volpe, adult education instructor.
Thirty years: Barry Horner, veterans and military services director.
Twenty-five years: Roberto Lopez, custodian; Michel McKinney, medical assisting instructor; Kellie Newhouse, community and workforce education administrative assistant; and Shawna Stump, health information management services instructor.
Twenty years: Susan McDowall, English instructor, and Jeff Schulz, sociology instructor.
Ten years: Laura Andersen, Academic Success Center technician; Marcia Donley, nursing instructor; Maria Flores, enrollment specialist; Brett Forsman, construction technology instructor; Matt Grimes, custodian supervisor; Libby Theoharis, occupational therapy assistant instructor; and Ben Versaw, information technology and systems instructor.
Five years: Norma Adams, information technology service center specialist; Terri Bossow, nursing instructor; William Gordon, sustainability professional intern; Sheryl Seibert-Bough, assistant adult education director; and Shelly Wragge, human services instructor.
Hastings Campus
Forty-five years: Sondra Meyer, instructional technology specialist.
Thirty-five years: Wanda Cloet, dental hygiene program director.
Twenty-five years: Ken Gompert, information technology systems specialist, and Andrea Hays, Academic Success Center director.
Twenty years: Nate Allen, dean of career and technical sciences; Debra Schardt, dental hygiene instructor; and Chris Waddle, Hastings Campus president.
Fifteen years: Tara Bialas, disability services director; Jason Davis, dean of student success and enrollment management; Jerry Hull, mechanic; Robert Schuster, automotive technology instructor; Paula Southworth, early childhood education instructor; Linda Supanchick, custodian; and Amy Wahlmeier, mathematics instructor. Ten years: Sam Alsmadi, economics instructor; Georgina Hueske, student accounts director; Ryan Pfeil, truck driving trainer; Courtney Rempe, kitchen and catering manager; Carmen Taylor, purchasing manager; and Margaret Treffer, college registrar.
Five years: Robert Brewer, environmental health and safety specialist: Madjil Clark, CPR instructor; Adam Daake, advanced manufacturing design technology instructor; Renae Evans-Griess, CPR instructor; Sandra Kliewer, chemistry instructor; Susan Klusman, admissions director; Kimberly Milovac, hospitality management and culinary arts instructor; Rae Lurk, Pearson Vue tester; Abby Rennau, dental hygiene instructor; Deb Russell, registration and reverse transfer specialist; and Lisa Seaman, dental hygiene instructor.
Holdrege Center
Thirty years: Diana Watson, regional director and international studies coordinator.
Five years: Pauline Morse, adult education instructor, and Sara Stevens-Stehl, administrative assistant.
Kearney Center
Ten years: Leighton Jones, biological sciences instructor, and Jared Pettit, mechatronics instructor.
Five years: Diane Bombeck, student services assistant; Paula Gaasch, adult education instructor; Dan Gettinger, associate dean of community and workforce education and training; Shawn Patsios, veteran and military services coordinator; Patricia York, nursing instructor; and Nevada Zimniak, shipping and receiving and building maintenance technician.
Lexington Center
Ten years: Amy Hill, regional director.
Five years: Angela Elfgren, adult education coordinator.
CCC employees begin their retirement
Mary Beaty of Hastings and Beth Meyer of Grand Island have retired from Central Community College.
Mary Beaty has been administrative assistant in the academic education department at Central Community College-Hastings since 2012.
Prior to joining the CCC staff, she spent 18 years in corrections, beginning as a corrections officer and ending as a shift officer. For five years, she was an administrative assistant for the Nebraska State Patrol Training Academy.
Beaty, who grew up in Glenvil, earned a GED high school diploma while living in Baltimore. She later received an associate of applied science degree in paralegal studies from CCC.
She and her husband, Victor, have six children, 21 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Beth Meyer has been payroll manager at CCC since 2010.
She began work at CCC in 2003 as a payroll assistant.
Prior to joining the CCC staff, she worked at Nebraska Wireless Telephone Company where she handled inventory and accounts payable and receivable. Her employment history also includes Schweser’s in the Conestoga Mall, Eakes, Principal Financial Group and seven years of providing in-home daycare.
Meyer is a graduate of Oxford High School who went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer science education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is an active member of Berean Bible Church in Grand Island.
She and her husband, Don, have two children and two grandchildren.
Employee news
Administrative Office
Kevin Julesgard has shifted positions from post sward grant director to project accountant.
New employees include Abdirahman Suleman, client systems administrator, and Mirna Zamarripa, accounts payable specialist.
Columbus Campus
Tara Brazee has joined the staff as a registration and assessment technician.
Jerry Muller has shifted positions from industrial technology coordinator and trainer to mechatronics instructor.
Luis Pulido has resigned as men’s soccer coach.
Grand Island Campus
Jose Marquez has shifted from part-time to full-time custodian.
Allie Remm has resigned as career and employment services specialist.
English instructor Susan McDowall received the 2025 Spirit Award in December.
The award recognizes Grand Island, Holdrege, Kearney and Lexington employees who make a significant contribution to CCC, focusing on service above and beyond what is considered a normal part of their job description.
Her nomination cited her dedication, compassion and unwavering support for students.
In addition to being an instructor, she is a mentor, advocate and role model who makes her classroom a space where students feel seen and valued.
“Her commitment goes above and beyond,” the nomination said. “She meets individually with more than a hundred students each semester and has even traveled to another campus on her own time to help a struggling student succeed.”
Outside of class, McDowall tutors students, sponsors the FOCUS Club, and helps create events like CCC’s Day of the Dead celebration that brings hundreds of people to the campus each year.
She also has served her fellow colleagues through her leadership on the Negotiations Committee, Educational Association and Assessment of Student Learning Committee.
Hastings Campus
New employees include Joy Bronson, assistant registrar; Ryan Dubas, director of retention services, an areawide position; and Lindsey Geiser, events coordinator.
Andrew Sevigny, custodian, and Sara Stroman, health program director, have resigned.
Kearney Center
Jack Annen has joined the staff as a mechatronics instructor.