Some graduates of Northeast Community College look back on their college years as the time they built a solid base for their careers.
Some alumni have lifelong friendships that started at Northeast, and some first met their spouses on campus. If you were to ask 1998 graduate JJ Snodgrass about how Northeast most impacted his life, his answer would be “all of the above.”
JJ graduated from Neligh-Oakdale High School in 1995. He selected Northeast because his brother and sister already attended, and it was affordable.
“I came to Northeast not knowing what I wanted to do,” JJ explained. “So, I took a lot of general classes like English and math.
“I spent a lot of time in the pool room above the old cafeteria,” he said, “and ended up running into a guy who was selling his drafting kit. At that time, you got a briefcase with all your mechanical pencils, straight lines, edges, and rulers. He was selling it for $50. I liked drafting in high school, so I borrowed $50 from my dad, bought the drafting kit, met with my adviser, and got enrolled as soon as I could. It was fate how that decision would ultimately lead me to Nucor.”
Since JJ was paying for his own college education, working was a necessity.
“I would come to school at 7 a.m. and be in lab until shortly after lunch, maybe 1 or 2 o’clock, and then go to work as a part-time plot clerk at Vulcraft until 5 or 6. After that, I would work at Menards until about 9 p.m.”
JJ went on to become not only a detailer for Vulcraft in Norfolk, but also to work at various Nucor divisions, including the Nucor Detailing Center and Nucor Cold Finish. He has been with the company for 29 years and currently works as a sales service manager for Vulcraft Nebraska.
As for friendships, JJ said, “I lived off campus but spent a lot of time on campus. We had — and still have — really good men’s and women’s basketball teams. Going to those games and having that group of kids you got to hang out with, have a good time, walk over to the dorm and just hang out. Those were some good times.
“You always have that tie, spending every morning together from 7 until 1 or 2 p.m., helping each other get through school, get through life,” he said. “You see their families grow up, their kids graduating and getting married. It’s great to have those memories to look back on.”
He said there are several former Northeast classmates he still sees or talks with weekly.
But perhaps the chance meeting at Northeast that most shaped the rest of JJ Snodgrass’s life was a red-haired girl from Humphrey who also took classes in the Maclay building.
JJ said he and the former Helen Olmer first met at a party in downtown Norfolk.
“I bumped into her the next day in a Maclay hallway,” JJ said, “but we parted ways for years. There was some sort of connection there that always made me wonder where she was.”
A few years later, JJ’s father, Bob Snodgrass, met his future daughter-in-law at Copycraft Printing when he went in to have some business cards printed. She recognized the last name and asked if he was related to JJ.
“So my dad goes out to his truck, immediately calls me, and says this little redhead down at Copycraft Printing is asking about you. I knew right away who it was, got brave, and called her up and asked her on a date.”
The couple celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary on April 27.
JJ and Helen have three sons. Keaton is a sophomore at Wayne State College who plans to be a secondary math educator. Owen graduated from Norfolk Catholic this spring and is attending University of Nebraska — Lincoln this fall to study meteorology, and Calen will be a freshman at Norfolk Catholic in the fall.
In 2013, JJ was offered the opportunity to work for Vulcraft in Florence, South Carolina as a sales supervisor. “I took that step, and got completely out of my comfort zone of being a Nebraska boy,” he said.
The move also meant that JJ would have to give up his community involvement in Norfolk, including the Norfolk United Way, Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce, and City of Norfolk Planning and Zoning Commission.
“When you step away, you lose that connection to the community,” JJ said of the move to South Carolina. “What we did find, though, is when we step away from everything we support, everything that supports us, we had to rely on each other more. It brings your family closer together. You find other things that drive you, and push you, and make you happy.”
The family returned to Norfolk in 2018, but JJ hasn’t been as involved in the community as he was before. “A lot of what we get involved with now is centered around what our boys are involved with,” he said. “Our time and energy goes toward the church and school now. It helps our boys and other kids. It is something we take a lot of pride in.”
Most recently, JJ and Helen spearheaded set design and construction for the Norfolk Catholic musical, “Moana Jr.” Their middle son, Owen, served as stage manager, while Calen ran the lights.
If JJ could talk to high school students trying to decide on their future, he said he would tell them they don’t have to look outside Northeast Nebraska for a college or potential career.
“You don’t have to go far away to find great opportunities. We have a tremendous community college right here that is flexible, affordable and sets you up to be successful in your field of study, all right here in Northeast Nebraska! Stop on out and take a tour sometime, you’ll be impressed with what Northeast has to offer!”
Any student interested in learning more about Northeast Community College may visit northeast.edu/admissions.
Northeast Community College encourages all alumni to share their stories by visiting northeast.edu/giving/alumni.
Photo ID: JJ Snodegrass and his wife, Helen, are shown with their children. JJ advises young people that Northeast Nebraska has great opportunities for them. (Courtesy photo)
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