Studnicka family receives Family Tree Award

By Tena L. Cook, Marketing Coordinator

CHADRON – The Family Tree Award is presented annually to families with a tradition of attending Chadron State College. The 2024 recipient of the Family Tree Award is the Studnicka family.

Ella Schlaman Studnicka, matriarch of the family, was born in 1916 in Lodgepole, Nebraska. Her parents were Dick and Doretta Schlaman. She graduated from Lodgepole High School and enrolled at CSC in 1933. She earned a two-year teaching certificate by the summer of 1934. From 1934 to 1944, Ella taught in the Sunol and Chappell Public Schools. In 1962, she returned to CSC and completed a bachelor's degree in education. She taught in the Sidney Public Schools from 1962 to when she retired in 1978.

Ella and her husband, Lumir, had nine children: LaNita, Cheryl (deceased), Louella, Robert, Janet (deceased), Cynthia, Steve (deceased), Lila, and Ronald. Ella died in 2000.

LaNita, who was born in Champaign, Illinois, graduated from Sidney High School in 1963. She earned a bachelor's degree in education from CSC in 1966. She was the president of the Lutheran Student Association, treasurer of the Campus Center Board, secretary of Cardinal Key, a member of Sigma Delta Nu, and Alpha Phi Sigma.

She and her husband, Herbert (deceased) Roeser, had four children: Gretchen Twohig, Sara English, Richard Roeser, and Adam Roeser.

Now retired, she taught English at Scottsbluff Senior High from 1966 to 1971 and at Aurora High School from 1971 to 1972. Roeser continued teaching English at Grand Island High School 1972 to1975 and 1982 to 2007. She earned a master's degree from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 1991. She also taught at Central Community College from 2008-15.

Cynthia was born in Sidney and married Steve Yantzi, also a CSC graduate. They live in Kemmerer, Wyoming, and have three children: Lindsay Henning, Phillip Yantzi, and Julie Willman.

Yantzi graduated from Sidney High School in 1972 and attended CSC, graduating in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. She earned a teaching endorsement in 1980. At CSC, she was a tutor, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, and a member of Daughters of the Crossed Sword.

She continued her education at Creighton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 1988. At Creighton, she was a member of Sigma Theta Tau international nursing honor society and was named the Nursing Student of the Year.

She was also a science educator in Chadron, Kemmerer, and at Western Wyoming Community College. Other positions included administrative assistant at the Pine Ridge Job Corps and church organist. Cynthia worked as a Registered Nurse and certified nursing assistant in Chadron, Sidney, and Kemmerer and is now retired.

Steve was born in Chadron and graduated from Chadron High School in 1971. In 1977, he earned a bachelor's degree in biology. He also earned a degree in medical technology in 1984. He was employed by the U.S. Forest Service, South Lincoln Medical Center, P&M Coal, and Chevron Mining. He retired as a Coal Quality Supervisor in 2017.

Studnicka was born in Sidney and graduated from Sidney High School in 1979. He earned two bachelor's degrees from CSC in 1985, one in agri-business and the other in industrial technology. He was the vice president of his senior class club and a member of the Industrial Arts Guild.

In 1982, he graduated from Western Nebraska Technical College with an associate's degree in aviation maintenance technology. He also earned an airframe and powerplant license.

He and his wife, Michelle, have one son, Seth.

From 1986 to 1994, Ron worked as an assistant county supervisor and county supervisor for Farmers Home Administration, United States Department of Agriculture in Chadron, Wray, Colorado, and Sidney, Nebraska, earning the Nebraska County Supervisor of the Year in 1991. From 1994 to 1998, he was a loan production officer for Nebraska State Bank. He worked as an independent mortgage loan broker from 1998 to 2001. In 2005, he was the credit manager for the FEC AG cooperative. From 2007 to 2011, he was a financial analyst for Cabela's; from 2011 to 201, he was the payroll manager and worked for Adams Industries as controller. Ron worked on the family farm with his father from 1973 until Lumir died in 1990. Ron, Michelle, and Seth now work the farm, making Seth the fourth generation to do so.

Seth was born in Scottsbluff and graduated from Sidney High School in 2019. He earned a Bachelor's degree in education with a 6-12 grade mathematics endorsement in May 2024. He was an Eagle Leader, a member of the Blue Key Honor Society, and a member of Kappa Mu Epsilon. He teaches geometry and algebra II at Sidney High School and is an assistant boys' basketball coach at Sidney Middle School.

Each recipient family of the Family Tree Award must include a minimum of three generations of graduates. At least two of the family members must have a record of outstanding service to the college, the alumni association, their community, or their profession.