By Shelby Westinghouse, Chadron State College
CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State College student Gabriel Broussard has been chosen as the Project Strive/TRiO Student of the Month for January 2026.
Broussard is a junior from Aurora, Colorado, studying business administration with a minor in marketing. He is also a wide receiver for the Eagles’ football team.
CSC has felt like home to Broussard since he first visited campus. He was originally nervous coming from a city to a small town but quickly saw the benefits of a tight-knit community, like Chadron.
“The people here are great. Everyone cares about you; they want to see you win and they want to see you grow and succeed,” Broussard said.
He plans to attend a police academy and become a state trooper after earning his degree. While shadowing a Nebraska sheriff who is also a family friend, Broussard discovered his love for the fast pace and excitement of the job.
“He was the whole inspiration for me. I got to see how everything goes down: the scary stuff, the cool stuff, and helping people out. All of it resonated with me,” he said.
Broussard has started the police academy application process, hoping to take the next steps in securing his career this summer.
Among the faculty at CSC, Broussard has developed a connection with Associate Professor Markus Jones. Although Broussard was only enrolled in a few writing classes with Jones, his impact was long-lasting.
“He was more than a teacher. He really cared about me,” he said.
As a first-generation college student, Broussard finds Project Strive a helpful resource. Particularly, he enjoys having a place to get away from any chaos to focus and study in the basement of the King Library.
“Going to college, I wanted to make sure that I was doing everything right. Project Strive provided that guidance,” Broussard said. “They are people you can talk to and trust.”
Chadron State College’s Project Strive/TRiO program, located in the lower level of the King Library, is an academic enrichment program committed to help students succeed. Project Strive also focuses on career exploration, cultural and social enrichment, and self-awareness. To be eligible for the program, a student must be one of the following: A first-generation student where neither parent has a four-year degree, meet low-income status based on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services criteria, or have a documented disability.
For more information, visit https://www.csc.edu/projectstrive/.