Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Memorial Fund Established
SIDNEY — A memorial service for Western Nebraska Community College students Yemin An and Zhaoxin Chen will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 17, at the Elk's Lodge #1894 in Sidney. An and Chen died Thursday, April 1, in an accident during hands-on instruction at the WNCC Aviation Maintenance Facility in Sidney.
Facial coverings will be required at the service and social distancing will be observed. Additionally, to honor the traditions and customs of the families, WNCC respectfully asks that individuals refrain from wearing red or pink attire.
Yemin An began his education at WNCC in 2019 as an Aviation student. He was an active student on the Sidney Campus, as a member of Phi Theta Kappa - Alpha Rho Omicron chapter, and the Aviation Voc-Air student organization. He also served as a resident assistant in the fall 2020 semester.
Zhaoxin Chen began his studies at WNCC in 2019 on the Scottsbluff Campus before transitioning to Sidney to enroll in the Aviation program. Chen was also an active member of the campus community, as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa – Alpha Rho Omicron chapter and the Aviation Voc-Air student organization.
A memorial fund has been established to help support Aviation students during this difficult time.
"We have received an outpouring of support from the community over the last two weeks," WNCC President Dr. Carmen Simone said. "It's been an incredibly difficult time for so many. As we move forward, I am grateful to our Foundation for their willingness to work alongside us in meeting the critical needs of our Aviation students. I can’t thank the community enough for their support.
The fund is to help current aviation students cover expenses such as travel, counseling services, living expenses, and other additional needs as instruction was paused following the tragedy that occurred.
Any remaining funds will be used to establish a memorial scholarship for future Aviation students to honor Yemin and Zhaoxin. For more information on the memorial fund, or to donate, please visit WNCC.edu/community/foundation.
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