-SCHUYLER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION-
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI 2017
Cristobal Salinas, Jr., Ph. D. Educator
Cristobal Salinas, Jr., Class of 2005, is a nationally recognized educator whose body of
research explores the economic, social and political context of educational opportunities for
historically marginalized communities. He has authored many journal articles and has been a
speaker at national conferences including the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity. His
experiences as a Schuyler Community Schools student learning a new language and adapting to a
new culture provided him with an awareness and understanding of the challenges that many
multicultural students face within education. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Nebraska-Kearney, a Master of Education and in 2015 a Doctor of Philosophy in
Education degree from Iowa State University. He is an assistant professor at Florida Atlantic
University where he has served as Chair of the Leadership Studies Faculty Advisory Committee.
On the national level he was invited to serve on a panel for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant
program for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an advisory board at the University of Texas
at Austin. He has received awards from national organizations including Emerging Faculty Leader,
NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, Social Justice Collaboration award from
ACPA-College Student Educators International, and the 2017 College of Human Sciences-Iowa
State University Outstanding Young Professional Award. Cristobal is the son of Cristobal and
Josefina Salinas.
2017 RECIPIENTS
-SCHUYLER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION-
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI 2017
Christopher R. Langemeier
Nebraska State Senator
Chris Langemeier, Class of 1990, was elected to the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature in
2004 and re-elected in 2008. He was born in and continues to reside in Schuyler where he is a
licensed real estate broker and a certified general real estate appraiser. He received a Bachelor's
degree in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While in the Legislature,
Chris served as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and the Redistricting Committee
and Vice Chairman of the Banking Commerce and Insurance Committee. He has served on the
Lower Platte North Natural Resources District and has been a representative to the Nebraska
Association of Natural Resource Districts. Chris has taken a leading role to implement changes in
the state's laws, specifically those relating to irrigation and wind energy. Since serving in the
Legislature, Chris has remained active in the Schuyler community and statewide. He was
appointed a member of the Nebraska Supreme Court Nomination Committee and to the Nebraska
Appraiser Board. He currently serves on the Loup River Public Power Board of Directors. He is the
co-founder of the Schuyler Enrichment Foundation, a member of the Schuyler Economic
Development Committee, Schuyler Chamber of Commerce, Schuyler Rotary Club and Colfax
County Fair Board. Chris has taught religious education classes and is active with Boy Scouts,
youth baseball and youth basketball programs. Chris is the son of Roland and Norma Langemeier.
James Sindelar, Class of 1940, and Delores Faltys Sindelar, Class of 1943, have
demonstrated unprecedented support for Schuyler, the community they formerly called home.
They have made significant financial donations for the construction of the Schuyler Public Library
building and for scholarships to assist Schuyler Central High School students in furthering their
education. The Sindelars were raised in rural Colfax County during challenging times in our
nation's history: the Great Depression, World War II and the farm crisis of the early 1950's. They
married in 1947 and began farming. Hardship brought on by drought forced them to move to
Lincoln, Nebraska where James attended business college. He worked in the insurance business
in Lincoln, and eventually they moved to Boulder, Colorado. Delores became a secretary with the
University of Colorado while James worked for Colorado Public Service as a bookkeeper until his
retirement. James has remembered his community with a generous and pivotal donation to make
the new public library building become a reality. The estate of Delores Faltys Sindelar provides
philanthropic support to a scholarship program in order for youth to experience the opportunities
that the Sindelars did not have. James is the son of the late Joseph H. and Emily Sindelar.
Delores was the daughter of the late Joe and Olga Faltys.