Candidates visit CSC for senior director position

Last week two candidates for the recently opened position of senior director of student affairs visited Chadron State College. Both candidates are currently employed at South Dakota School of Mines, Rapid City. The candidates toured the campus and went to lunch at the CSC cafeteria to talk with some students and student government representatives.

On March 26, Pat Allen Beu met with students and answered some questions about himself and his reasons for applying for the job. As the current director of retention and testing registrar and academic services, he is actively involved with helping students.

“I enjoy helping students be successful. That is the main thing I am worried about,” Beu said.

The student government representatives asked many questions regarding his philosophies on helping student government and what he would change if he was to receive the job. He was also asked how he could improve retention at Chadron State.

Beu has been at the School of Mines for 10 years. Before his time there, he was employed at Peru State College, Peru. as the director of student services and support for ten years and at the University of Great Falls, Great Falls, Mont., for 13 years as the learning resource counselor before his time at Peru.

The second candidate for the job, Michael Keegan, visited Chadron on Friday.  He is currently the director of student activities and leadership at South Dakota Mines. He has been at the school since 2006.

“I work heavily with students and student government,” Keegan said. He is a co-adviser to the student senate at Mines.

Keegan has experience working with student government and with student groups on the campus in Rapid City. The student government representatives from CSC that went to lunch with Keegan asked him many questions about his work with the student government at Mines.

Both candidates are going through an interview process at CSC. The decision for who will receive the job will be made later this semester.