Longtime professor retires after 21 years

Katherine Bahr, an English and Humanities professor at CSC, is retiring after 21 years, at the end of this semester.

After retiring, her focus will be creative writing and taking care of her mother. She said she would also like to do some traveling, but will remain a part of the Chadron community. Bahr has grown very accustomed to this area, and even met her husband here.

Bahr, originally from Augusta, Georgia, graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia in 1971. She received her Master’s degree from Valdosta State University in 1977, and completed her Ph.D. in English from the University of Georgia in 1998.

Bahr taught one year of English at Valdosta High School from 1977-78. She was a part-time Adjunct English Instructor for a community college in Richmond, Virginia, in 1986. From 1990-1994, she was an English teaching assistant at the University of Georgia.

Bahr saw an ad in her adviser’s office for a position at Chadron State in 1994. Although she had never been to Nebraska, she was accustomed to traveling, as she grew up as an army brat. This position also gave her the opportunity and versatility to teach English, as well as Philosophy courses. She got the job and moved to Chadron with her youngest daughter Sarah. Her oldest daughter Rachel was already attending college and stayed in Georgia.

Aside from her career as a professor, Bahr is also an award-winning writer. She has seven published works, and has written conference papers. She also helped a Hot Springs, South Dakota, native put together a book on the history of Cuny Table which was printed in 2004. Bahr’s article in Great Plains Quarterly won her the 2011 Frederick C. Luebke Award for Outstanding Regional Scholarship. Frederick C. Luebke was the founder of the Quarterly, and the award in his name is given annually to the best article that was published all year.

Bahr has been a part of many CSC organizations, including membership in PSYART, Mid-Western MLA, and LGBT Allies. As a negotiator for CSCEA, the faculty union, Bahr dealt an 11 percent pay raise for the faculty during the 2008-09 school year, in a time of recession. She also served five years with the Mari Sandoz Society Board of Directors on the program committee.

Fellow English and Humanities professor, Dr. Thomas D. Tucker, said that Bahr was one of the first people he met when he came to CSC, and they have made a great friendship since.

“She is a fun person to know, and very collegial,” he said.

Bahr said that her day-to-day work has made it all worthwhile. Her favorite moments are when students return and tell her how they have used information learned in her classes.

“I have really enjoyed my students and the members of my department,” Bahr said.