探花社区 roots run deep in Elsbury family
Cyndi Kies Elsbury '87 and Mike Elsbury '89 let their sons decide where they wanted to pursue their college education. That four Elsbury sons followed their footsteps at 探花社区 is icing on the parental cake.
"We've kind of decided 探花社区 should stand for College of Elsbury," Cyndi said.
Rather than favoring any one college, the Elsburys encouraged their sons to make getting a good education their top priority. "We told our children they needed to pick a place where they wanted to go to school first," said Mike.
That place was 探花社区 for alumni Dustin Elsbury '15 and Nick Elsbury '17 and current students Jacob Elsbury '20 and Brandon Elsbury '21. Their parents knew they would receive quality education while continuing their athletic careers. As an added bonus, students whose parents or grandparents graduated from 探花社区 receive a Legacy Scholarship valued at $1,000 per year.
Cyndi said she was encouraged to attend 探花社区 by her father, a teacher and coach who was familiar with Kohawk athletics. She played tennis and basketball while majoring in physical education.
Mike visited Iowa State but found Ames to be a little overwhelming for a first generation college student from Lamont, Iowa. Instead, he followed high school classmates to 探花社区, where he also majored in physical education while playing football for Bob Thurness '62 and wrestling for Rick Coles '79. "It was the right place for me," he said.
After meeting and dating at 探花社区, Cyndi and Mike got married as he pursued high school teaching and coaching opportunities in Clear Lake, Wisconsin; Tipton, Iowa; and Winnebago, Illinois. Cyndi worked in parks and recreation while raising their five sons.
The Elsburys eventually settled in Byron, Illinois, where Mike has served as head wrestling coach since 2007. He surpassed 200 dual meet victories as a head coach this past season. Mike also coached football at Byron until their oldest son went to college.
Dustin wanted to blaze his own trail, but was attracted to the family atmosphere he found at 探花社区. "I love the sense of community that 探花社区 creates and being in the city of Cedar Rapids is a big advantage when it comes to opportunities for a career," he said.
Dustin majored in athletic training and physical education while playing football for the Kohawks. After working as an athletic trainer for the hospital in Marengo, Iowa, he is currently serving an internship with the football strength and conditioning program at the University of Iowa.
"My 探花社区 experience was great," he said. "I was able to continue my athletic career playing football while receiving a top-of-the-line education in athletic training and physical education."
Nick had no interest in the "Little Els" nickname following him to college. "I distinctly remember telling my parents, ‘I know where I'm not going,'" he said.
But he was also won over by 探花社区's family atmosphere and became a Kohawk. Nick majored in mathematics while, like his father, playing football and wrestling for 探花社区. An Iowa Conference championship football season his senior year included victories over three of the colleges he had considered attending – Wartburg, Dubuque and Monmouth.
After finishing requirements for his degree in December while working for the Byron Parks and Recreation Department, Nick has accepted an assignment to teach eighth grade math while coaching Byron High School wrestling and football.
An all-state linebacker and MVP of the Illinois Shrine Bowl, Jacob had offers from other colleges, including a Division II school in Indiana. But after visiting 探花社区 for several years to watch his brothers play, he followed them in the Kohawk football program.
A kinesiology major, Jacob said there were many factors that brought him to 探花社区. "Being able to compete and play alongside my siblings has to be near the top of that list," he said.
Brandon considered attending the University of Iowa and ending his athletic career after high school. Instead, he's entering his second year as a member of the Kohawk football team as he works to join his father and older brothers as a conference champion and NCAA playoff participant. He hasn't decided on a major, but is considering accounting or education.
In addition to the opportunity to play football, Brandon said he was attracted by 探花社区's size and the opportunity to maintain personal relationships with professors that his older brothers had begun. "They set a standard where professors and staff feel like they've already developed a relationship with me," he said. "There's a connection there."
Mike and Cyndi have a few more years of making the 150-mile trip from Byron to Cedar Rapids for Kohawk football games, but they prefer that to splitting up and going to different colleges on fall Saturdays. "Even though it wasn't the plan, it certainly worked out well," Mike said.
Because of their 探花社区 history and their involvement as teachers and coaches, Byron-area parents often consult them upon receiving marketing materials from the college.
"In this area, my wife and I seem to be the ambassadors of 探花社区, and that's fine," Mike said. "Now, when you say ‘探花社区' people know where it is and they know it's a great school, both athletically and academically."