About 30 Chadron State College students gathered in the CSC Student Center Tuesday evening to remember their friend and classmate  Sterling Atkins. The freshman from Broken Bow, NE,  died Feb. 9 from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.

Russ Seger, a Chadron pastor and adjunct faculty member who has expertise and a doctorate in the disciplines of death and dying, spoke to the group encouraging them to share stories. “It’s healthy to gather and remember Sterling. The grief may not go away but it won’t hurt as much if you tell stories and begin to manage the loss,” he said.

Several Resident Directors spoke about their humorous memories of the 18-year-old and laughter rippled through the group as four YouTube videos of his pranks and practical jokes were shared by a close friend, Heather Gall.  Gall shared accounts about antics involving Nerf guns and Ghost Peppers. “There wasn’t a day when he wasn’t smiling,” she said.

The CSC Campus Activities Board sponsored the opportunity to share and celebrate Atkins’ life. Aaron Prestwich, interim executive vice president of student affairs said, “The Atkins were obviously a close family. Sterling enjoyed life and made a lot of people smile. He had many close friends and there was a nice turn-out.

—Tena L. Cook, Interim Marketing Coordinator