Scholarship to honor former CC employee Jeff Turner announced

The Jeffrey L. Turner Construction Scholarship has been established to honor former Casper College employee Jeff Turner.

The scholarship, established by Lisa and Nathan Rode, Turner’s daughter and son-in-law, will award one student $625 for the fall and spring semesters for a total of $1250. To qualify, students must be enrolled in construction technology or construction management at Casper College, be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Financial need will be taken into consideration.

Turner taught construction technology, engineering, and architecture at Casper College from 1977 to 1986. He served as director of career services for a year before assuming the role of assistant vice president for physical plant and campus development in 1987. He remained in that role until his retirement in 2003.

According to Lisa Rode, after spending much of his youth working on a family ranch, Turner served in the Air Force for four years in the U.S. and England, working primarily in electronics. After returning to the States, he earned an associate degree from Central Wyoming College and a bachelor’s degree in industrial education from the University of Wyoming. He completed advanced studies at both UW and Colorado State University.

Turner came to Casper, where he taught construction technology at Natrona County High School for several years before becoming an instructor at Casper College.

“He was a longtime member of the American Vocational Association, the Wyoming Vocational Association, and the Association for Physical Plan Administrators. Under his leadership, Casper College became the first community college to be admitted to the Association for Physical Plant Administrators,” said Lisa Rode. Turner received the President’s Award from the Rocky Mountain affiliate for his work mentoring other community college plant administrators.

After retiring, he oversaw construction contracts in Wyoming’s Sheridan and Johnson counties for the Wyoming School Facilities Commission. “In his spare time, Jeff designed and built with his own hands a beautiful home and garage/workshop/apartment with the assistance of his wife, brother, and the occasional neighbor and subcontractor,” noted Lisa Rode. “Jeff is enjoying retirement with his wife, Judy, in Buffalo, Wyoming, and Mesa, Arizona. He tends to their properties, entertains neighbors and friends, and works on his golf game at least twice a week,” she added.

To apply for this and other Casper College scholarships, click here.

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