Life of Service: Rick and Nancy Vonburg Honored for Decades of Dedication to EWC

TORRINGTON, Wyo. – When Rick and Nancy Vonburg walked onto the stage at Eastern Wyoming College during the annual Scholarship Donor Dinner on Oct. 8, they were met with more than applause. They were being honored with the Albert C. Conger Distinguished Service Award, the college’s highest recognition, for nearly five decades of unwavering commitment.

For the Vonburgs, the award symbolizes a lifetime built around family, community, and the belief that education can transform lives. And for a couple whose story has become intertwined with EWC’s own, the recognition felt like coming home.

From Ranch Roots to the Classroom

Rick and Nancy both grew up in small Wyoming ranch communities, Nancy (Hinman) on a sheep farm near Greybull and Rick among registered Hereford cattle near Basin. Long before they stepped into classrooms, they understood the importance of hard work, responsibility and community, values that would later guide their careers in education.

Rick earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in agricultural economics and completed a year in the doctoral program at the University of Wyoming. After teaching for two years at Wayne State College in Nebraska, he joined EWC in 1973. During his 43-year tenure, he instructed courses in agriculture, economics and statistics, and eventually chaired the Department of Agriculture, Business, Welding and Cosmetology.

Nancy earned her associate degree from Northwest College in Powell before completing a bachelor’s and master’s in English Education at UW. She taught English and business etiquette at EWC early in her career, later stepping away to raise the couple’s five children and eventually returning as a substitute teacher in the local school district.

Both found inspiration in the classrooms and hallways where generations of students passed through their doors.

“The kind of students we attract at EWC are just the greatest,” Rick said.

Working as a Team

The Vonburgs’ shared commitment to their community grew naturally from their early years together.

“Rick was an introvert when we got married,” Nancy recalled. But the transformation came quickly after Rick accepted the EWC position.

The couple became active in the Jaycees and Jaycettes, later serving as state presidents of their respective organizations. The experience pushed them into leadership and deepened their bond.

“We just started going places and working as a team,” Nancy said.
Rick agreed, their impact has always been a joint effort.

Rick also served on the EWC faculty association, including as state president of the Wyoming Community College Faculty Association. Beyond campus, he spent 28 years on the Torrington City Council and served as president of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities.

Together, the Vonburgs held numerous roles in their church and, even in retirement, continue to serve on EWC advisory committees, the Foundation Board and the Board of Trustees.

Building a Legacy, One Child at a Time

Service isn’t just something Rick and Nancy modeled, it shaped their children’s lives as well. Many began their academic journeys at EWC before moving on to careers of their own.

Their oldest daughter, Tronica, earned a degree in education from EWC, where she was a charter member of Phi Theta Kappa. She also worked as an English tutor during her time at the college, experience that helped her secure her first job in Texas after graduation. That path eventually led her to her current role at Texas Tech’s Child Development Center in Lubbock.

Their son Trevin graduated from EWC with degrees in welding and sociology. He and his wife spent several years traveling the country in an RV, taking welding jobs from coast to coast and border to border. The couple later settled in Beatrice, Nebraska, where he worked as a welder and maintenance employee at a hog-processing plant. In 2006, Trevin died in a motorcycle accident. The family continues to honor his memory through a memorial scholarship at EWC.

Their daughter Tristica also began her education at EWC, earning an associate degree in elementary education before transferring to the University of Wyoming. She completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education and now teaches first grade in Cheyenne.

Their son Trenton received his associate degree in elementary education from EWC and went on to complete his bachelor’s degree at the University of Wyoming. He works today with the Wyoming Education Department in Cheyenne.

Their youngest daughter, Trenille, took classes at EWC while still in high school before finishing her degree at Casper College. She now works as a realtor in Cheyenne.

A Life of Simple Joys

For all their accomplishments, Rick and Nancy are as grounded as the ranchlands they came from. They share a love for board games and card games, especially bridge, which they play through the Goshen County Bridge Marathon.

They also enjoy gardening, growing produce they can and freeze for their children, grandchildren and neighbors. And on open Wyoming roads, Rick still loves to ride his motorcycle, a pastime that connects him to the place they’ve always called home.

A Legacy That Endures

At the Scholarship Donor Dinner, Foundation President Todd Peterson captured what so many feel about the couple’s contributions: their long-term commitment to the college is unmatched.

Rick and Nancy accepted the award with humility. Their decades at EWC were never about recognition, they were about serving students, strengthening their community and supporting one another.

The Vonburgs didn’t just teach at Eastern Wyoming College. They shaped its culture, its programs and its people. And as generations of students continue to benefit from their work, and from the scholarship created in their son Trevin’s memory, their legacy will continue to grow.