UNO Magazine Spring 2024

Ever wonder how to leave a lasting impact? Your planned gift to UNO becomes a powerful legacy, shaping lives like Karmen VanDeWalle’s, who received a social work fellowship empowered by donor generosity.

Karmen says, “The endowment has empowered me to pursue my dream of becoming a clinical social worker while actively serving my community. Without this scholarship, my time commitment to [so many] essential organizations would not have been possible.”

Bill and Monica Blizek, inspired by their UNO experience, paid it forward by creating this endowed fellowship. Join them: your impact will endure, creating ripple effects for generations.

LEAVE A LEGACY OF CHANGE AT UNO

Learn more: nufoundation.org/giftplanning

Karmen VanDeWalle (Right)

Mavericks,

On October 6, 2023, I delivered my first State of the University Address with the theme “We Innovate for the Public Good.” More importantly, I introduced the UNO Core statement:

UNO is an urban public research university educating people of the world. We innovate for the public good through pragmatic and impactful research and discovery. We advance the social and economic mobility of our learners and serve our communities through inclusion rather than exclusion. We assume the responsibility for workforce and economic development within our state and beyond. We devote each day to transforming lives.

As we continue to expand access to quality education for the Omaha community, we are focused on helping students succeed in their academic journey and advance economic and social mobility. Our goal is to position UNO as a leader in Nebraska’s workforce development. For instance, we created Career Connect which is a collaborative program with 140 employers who pledge to offer paid internships to our Mavericks. Since pledge day in May of 2021, these employers have posted 8,809 paid internships on UNO’s Handshake platform.

Another core mission of UNO is to provide opportunities for the Omaha community to engage in honest and open dialogues. The Service Learning Academy recently celebrated its 25th year anniversary and it is important to me to share with UNO and our community that our students give back 300,000 hours every year to the community.

Since introducing our CORE we have furthered our educational mission by diversifying our portfolio and are consistently advancing our approach to understand the needs of our learners. An example of this is that we started microcredentials, the fastest growing segment of education. By the fall of 2024, we will offer up to 50 different microcredential courses. In addition, UNO’s sponsored research and creative activity has grown from 25 million to 42 million in the last two years. Let’s keep this trend going.

I am proud of the accomplishments UNO has achieved thus far, and I look forward to seeing how we continue to grow and innovate within our academics, athletics and community engagement. I hope you agree with me that the UNO CORE reflects these aspirations and our successes.

The lessons we learned from the past and the challenges we face today will propel us into the future. We must choose to be the first university that is dedicated to inclusion rather than exclusion. We must dedicate ourselves to serving the community. We must be the university that is dedicated to innovating for the public good.

Sincerely,

Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA UNO Chancellor

MANAGING EDITOR

Davina Schrier

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jennifer Arnold

ART DIRECTION/DESIGN

Heidi Mihelich cre8ivenergy

COVER ILLUSTRATION

C+C Mini Factory

Chelsea Cates and Quinn Metal Corbin (BA, 2005)

CONTRIBUTORS

John Fey, Ally Havenridge, Melodae Horst, Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D., Melissa Lindell Kozak, Cassie Mallette, Kelly Jefferson Minty, Robyn Murray, Juli Oberlander, Samantha Pastorino, Liz Renner, Kara Schweiss, Connie White, Victor Winter, Ph.D.

ADVERTISING

Gary Domet gmd6@cox.net or 402-995-1918

Direct editorial inquiries to: Managing Editor, UNO Magazine 2285 S. 67th St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68106 800-432-3216, unoalumni@unoalumni.org

Send all changes of address to attention of Records or visit unoalumni.org/recordupdate.

UNO Magazine is published three times a year. UNO graduates in Nebraska receive two issues – the fall issue and either the spring or summer issue. All UNO graduates receive the fall issue. UNO Fund donors of $25 or more of the past two years receive all three issues.

Views expressed within this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the UNO Alumni Association or the University of Nebraska Foundation.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha shall not discriminate based upon age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender-identity, sex, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status, religion, or political affiliation.

Curling up with a good book is a distinct experience – the crisp scent of paper, the whisper of pages turning, the way words can come alive on the page. But what is it about stories that captivate us? I believe it’s the sense of wonder they inspire. They transport us to new worlds, introduce us to new ideas and invite us to explore the vast expanse of human imagination.They spark our curiosity, and it begins when you see the cover.

The cover of a book, a magazine, any printed publication serves as the gateway to the stories and ideas contained within. It’s the first thing that catches your eye, piquing your interest and inviting you in. The UNO Magazine cover artwork is designed to do just that – to illustrate the theme of the issue and entice readers to turn that first page.

This summer, we’re thrilled to celebrate the art and the artists who have created UNO Magazine covers with an exhibition at the UNO Criss Library gallery. Featuring commissioned artwork from all 38 issues, this exhibition will serve as a testament to the power of creativity to activate curiosity and exploration.

This spirit of curiosity is prevalent throughout the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Here, curiosity is more than just a trait; it’s a driving force that propels us forward on our quest for knowledge and advancement. It fuels innovation.

From groundbreaking research that’s changing the world to innovative teaching methods that engage and inspire students, innovation for the public good is happening every day at UNO. In this issue, you’ll learn about UNO students, faculty and alumni who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and making a positive impact on the world around them. They question and discover. Then, they use that information to help people experiencing dementia, increase the effectiveness of food labels and create novel inventions that save lives.

Much like the innovators in this issue, creative storytellers are finding new solutions and ways to evolve. The way we read has undergone a digital revolution. E-books, audiobooks and digital magazines have become increasingly popular, but there’s still something uniquely special about reading a physical book or magazine. There’s a tactile pleasure in turning the pages, a sense of connection and a feeling of immersion that can’t quite be replicated by a screen. While we embrace digital platforms and continue to implement changes to improve accessibility, we don’t have plans to move away from the experience of opening a printed version to read.

I hope UNO Magazine is this unique and inspiring experience for you and I hope you continue to be curious about what’s next.

Sincerely,

Davina Schrier Managing Editor

COVER ART

All 38 issues of UNO Magazine since its launch in Fall 2010 have been covered in original artwork. The illustrations, paintings, drawings, photographs and collages — some by UNO alumni — delight and intrigue and depict the theme woven throughout the internal content. Experience them all on display this summer in the H. Don and Connie J. Osborne Family Gallery at UNO Criss Library.

Excellence

Honored

The achievements and service of eleven University of Nebraska at Omaha alumni were celebrated at UNO Alumni Night of Honor on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, at UNO’s Mammel Hall. Presented by the UNO Alumni Association and Omaha Athletics, the eighth annual awards gala included the induction of members of the Omaha Athletic Hall of Fame. The following alumni received recognition at this special awards ceremony with guests and past alumni award recipients.

PHOTOS STARTING FROM TOP

Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Award

Scott Vlasek, Lacey Merica, Brian T. Allison

Alumni Public Service Award

Speaker John Arch

Young Alumni Achievement Award

Rick Knudtson, Ashley Kuhn

Omaha Athletic Hall of Fame

Sandy Derby-Higdon, Janice Theresa Kruger, Bruce Benedict. Not pictured: Danny B. Fulton, Greg Zanon Learn more about each of the alumni and their outstanding achievements at unoalumni.org/honor.

Award Nominations

Omaha Athletic Hall of Fame

A joint venture of the UNO Alumni Association and UNO Athletics, the UNO Athletic Hall of Fame began in 1975 to recognize former athletes, coaches, administrators and others who have made lasting contributions to Maverick Athletics.

Nominate an athlete, coach or administrator at unoalumni.org/athleticfamenomination by June 1, 2024.

Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Award

Established in 1974, Outstanding Service Awards honor faculty, staff, alumni or friends who have shown long, outstanding service to the alumni association and/or university. 120 individuals have been given the honor. The award was renamed the Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Award in 2022 in honor of Jim Leslie, President of the Alumni Association from 1973-2006.

Young Alumni Achievement Award

Established in 2014, Young Alumni Awards recognize outstanding career achievement, active community involvement or exceptional service to the university by UNO graduates 40 or younger.

Submit Outstanding Service and Young Alumni Achievement Award nominations at unoalumni.org/awardnomination by June 1, 2024.

LOU ANNE RINN AND MARK STEELE RECEIVE UNO CITATION FOR ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Lou Anne Rinn, J.D., a 1977 University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) graduate, and Mark Steele, a 1990 graduate, received Citation for Alumni Achievement Awards during the university’s December 2023 commencement ceremony on Friday, December 15, 2023, at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb.

The Citation for Alumni Achievement, inaugurated in 1949, is the UNO Alumni Association’s highest honor and the university’s oldest award. It encompasses career achievement, community service, business and professional engagement and fidelity to UNO. Rinn and Steele are the 188th and 189th graduates, respectively, to receive the award.

Learn more about Rinn, Steele and past recipients and submit nominations for Citation for Alumni Achievement Awards at unoalumni.org/citation. Nominations for December 2024 awards are due June 1, 2024

UNO alumni and friends are invited to campus to collectively volunteer their time and complete service projects to benefit our great university.

SERVE UNO DAY

Saturday April 27, 2024

10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Sign up to participate at unoalumni.org/monthofservice!

UNO ALUMNI CHAPTERS

UNO Alumni Chapters are an extension of the UNO Alumni Association, linking alumni with the university while providing opportunities to network with fellow Mavericks in their city.

Just like the UNO Alumni Association, membership in a UNO Alumni Chapter is free!

Chapter members serve as ambassadors for UNO in their city and attend social events and activities throughout the year where they can network and have fun with fellow alumni and friends. Each chapter also has a LinkedIn group where alumni can stay connected and share opportunities and additional ways to engage.

Learn more at unoalumni.org/chapters.

2023–24 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNUAL MEETING

The 112th UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 4:30 p.m., at the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, Room 107. A proposed slate of atlarge members will be elected and made available to the public.

If you would like more information, contact Bianca O’Shaughnessy at 402-504-3342 or boshaughnessy@unoalumni.org.

APRIL 24 MAY 7 AND 25 Mavs on the Move Mavs on the Move Minneapolis Kansas City

MAY 11

JUNE 15 Cinco de Juneteeth Mayo Parade Parade Omaha Omaha

Details will be announced at unoalumni.org.

Lou Anne Rinn, J.D. (BA, 1977) Mark Steele (BA, 1990)

The Career Closet provides UNO students with FREE professional attire for interviews, career fairs, jobs and more. The project is made possible through generous donations from alumni and friends. More than 1,200 items were donated since the Career Closet launch in January 2024.

All UNO students are invited to browse our collection of new and gently used business-professional or businesscasual attire clothes at Career Closet pop-up shop events. Learn more at unoalumni.org/careercloset.

Join us in advocating for a stronger future for the university, the state of Nebraska, and the world.

For Cami Bisson, it was a class called Introduction to Health Careers that got her started. Now a senior at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Bisson discovered a career she’d never considered: genetic counseling.

I WAS, LIKE, WOW, THAT IS SUPER INTERESTING. TO BE ABLE TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND HOW THESE [GENETIC] INTERACTIONS UNFOLD AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON IN OUR BODIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

CURIOSITY PURPOSE

Students interested in health care start their careers at UNO

by Robyn Murray

When Bisson, a first-generation college student, first enrolled at UNO, she didn’t want to work in health care. Her mother is a medical assistant, and Bisson had seen the long hours she put in and how she sometimes took a second job to support her family.

But when Bisson learned more about her options, she changed course.

“There was something about being in the medical field, of having a knowledge base and being able to share that with people, while also getting to hear other people’s perspectives and stories based on their experiences, that really drew me in,” Bisson said.

Bisson is just the kind of student Nebraska needs. The state is facing a severe shortage of health care professionals. From physicians to dentists, pharmacists to occupational therapists, counties across the state are in dire need.

As the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s closest partner by proximity, UNO plays an essential role in tackling this challenge by providing foundational STEM classes and a path to a health professions education. But that can be a tall order, because pursuing a career in health care requires a lot — of education, money, time and, critically, confidence.

“It’s intense,” said Paul W. Denton, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at UNO. “The competition is very high to get into health care, and students feel the pressure even before they walk onto campus. They wonder if one mistake can remove their potential.”

Denton said one setback can get in the way of a student completing their undergraduate degree before they’ve even had a chance to get into their health care training program. That is particularly true for first-generation college students, who may not have support networks at home or resources to draw from. He recalled a student whose car was totaled after she was rear-ended. She couldn’t afford to replace it, so she struggled to get to class.

“It’s heartbreaking to see somebody who, if something bad happens, can’t get themselves out of that hole,” Denton said. “It can change their trajectory completely.”

Denton said an emergency fund would go a long way to supporting pre-health students. One resource currently on campus is shepherding pre-health students through graduation. The Urban Health Opportunities Program (UHOP), which is partly supported by private donations, offers full tuition assistance, wraparound support and guaranteed entry to UNMC if program requirements are met. For students like Winnie Ladu, a pre-health senior at UNO, UHOP made all the difference.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT GOES A LONG WAY, MENTAL SUPPORT GOES A LONG WAY. BECAUSE IT’S A LONG PROCESS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE THINKING OF PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION BEYOND THE COLLEGE LEVEL.

Ladu is the daughter of South Sudanese immigrants and aims to attend UNMC in the fall with plans to become a physician. She said the South Sudanese community in Omaha will celebrate with her.

“I think it’ll be a great accomplishment for not only myself, but for all of us,” Ladu said, “because we all hold each other up.”

As a physician, Ladu hopes to serve the South Sudanese community in Omaha as well as other refugee and immigrant groups. She believes she will connect with them as a health care provider who shares their background. Diversity in the health care workforce is another critical need, as Nebraska’s demographics continue to change.

“Studies have clearly shown that when you train someone from a community and they return to that community, the payback is awesome,” said Paul Davis, Ph.D., professor of biology and the director of the Health Careers Resource Center, which manages UHOP. “The community feels more connected, the individual patient feels connected to their provider, and providers are able to give back beyond just their day job. Those things really move the peg.”

Davis said as the state’s metropolitan university, UNO draws people from various backgrounds, which is particularly helpful to address the health care shortage but also means students enter UNO at all levels of preparedness.

“The undergraduate university experience is really where it should all come together,” Davis said. “The goal of coming to a place like UNO is to help bring everyone up to the same level, so that by the time they leave they’re ready for the challenges.”

Davis said he wants to ensure UNO’s STEM education continues to excel, and he hopes to reach more students earlier. Denton works with UNO students who serve as STEM mentors in Omaha’s public schools, which he said pays dividends.

“If you try to engage students at the college level and they’ve already convinced themselves that they can’t do math, or that they’re not a science person, you can’t really reach them,” Denton said.

“I think we need to help build our K12 students up even before they get to UNO, because we might bring some students to campus who otherwise would never have created a shadow on our door.”

T hrough Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, UNO and the College of Arts and Sciences are focused on securing philanthropic funding that helps ensure pre-health students receive the support they need to succeed throughout their academic careers. This support includes expanded scholarship opportunities, advising and mentoring services and learning communities. This investment will offer enormous dividends for each student, the future health care workforce in the state and ultimately the health and well-being of Nebraskans. Visit OnlyinNebraska.org/uno to learn more.

Winne Ladu

Pre-health senior at University of Nebraska at Omaha

At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Vanessa Chavez Jurado embodied what it means to be a scholar. As a first-generation college graduate and the daughter of Mexican immigrants, she understands the value of hard work and an exceptional education. For Vanessa, it was never a matter of whether she would attend college, but rather how she would make it happen. Scholarships allowed her, like so many others, to pursue her professional goals. Today, she teaches Spanish at a public high school in Omaha, educating her students and, at the same time, helping to solve Nebraska’s teacher shortage.

A relentless focus on student access and success is a main pillar of Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future. Join the campaign and uplift more students just like Vanessa. Creating the future our students deserve. Only in Nebraska.

MODERN CLASSROOM MIRRORS WORK ENVIRONMENT

An outdated computer lab at the University of Nebraska at Omaha was recently refurbished as a modern professional technology space thanks to a generous gift and input from FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha).

Located on the second floor of the Peter Kiewit Institute Building on UNO’s Scott Campus, the FNBO Code Studio was redesigned with oval tables, docking stations and whiteboards to provide flexibility and encourage student collaboration. Renovations occurred over the spring and summer, and the refurbished space opened in fall 2023.

“This partnership with FNBO allows faculty to experiment with new pedagogical approaches while supporting student teamwork and innovation,” said Martha Garcia-Murillo, Ph.D., Lee D. and Willa Seemann Distinguished Dean of the College of Information Science & Technology (IS&T). “The FNBO Code Studio closely resembles the workspaces in technology-centric companies such as FNBO, helping to prepare students for their future careers.”

FNBO also made a gift through the University of Nebraska Foundation to create a scholarship to forever provide financial assistance to students pursuing an IS&T degree. The gift was matched by other funds to establish the FNBO Information Science & Technology Endowed Scholarship Fund. The amount of the gift was not disclosed at the donor’s request.

FNBO CODE STUDIO IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL ALLOW STUDENTS ACCESS TO GREAT RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THEIR EDUCATION.

“FNBO Code Studio is an amazing opportunity that will allow students access to great resources throughout their education. I am excited about this partnership as it will continue to support workforce development,” said UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA. FNBO’s investment expands on the Omaha-based company’s involvement with IS&T. FNBO participates in the college’s Learn and Earn initiative, which launched in the 2022-23 academic year to increase students’ access to professional experiences while encouraging graduates to stay in the region to pursue tech

careers. The initiative connects students with local companies such as FNBO through job shadowing, class projects and paid internships.

Sammy Sufian, vice president of technology at FNBO, said it’s important for employers in the information technology sector to connect with students early and often throughout their university careers to prepare them for life post-graduation.

“We can’t afford to view academia and corporate America as two sequential, mutually exclusive entities anymore,” he said.

The company’s decision to invest in the FNBO Code Studio reflects a desire to create a hub where students can interact with industry professionals and learn in a studio environment that encourages project collaboration.

“We want to make sure students have access to modern technology and modern facilities that really mirror our own workspaces here at the bank,” Sufian said.

Brian Dorn, Ph.D., associate dean for academic and faculty affairs for IS&T, said students typically sit at their own machines in front

of a lecturer for computer science and engineering classes, but that’s not how tech industry professionals operate.

“It’s collaborative, it’s centered around teams of people solving problems together,” he said.

UNO student Zaid Kakish, an undergraduate majoring in computer science and cybersecurity, believes the FNBO Code Studio is a great addition to the Peter Kiewit Institute Building.

“I have enjoyed my class in the FNBO Code Studio room a lot this semester as it provides a super fun and interactive environment to work, discuss and socialize with other students in the classroom,” he said.

FNBO’s gift was made as part of Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future. The campaign is a historic effort to engage at least 150,000 benefactors to give $3 billion to support University of Nebraska students, faculty, academic and clinical programs and research to address the needs of the state.

— Connie White

Nebraska Heartbeats and the Healing Power of Music

Mary Perkinson, D.M.A., an award-winning artist, associate professor, and community leader, brings together the power of music, service and research.

Perkinson’s inspiration comes from the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s HeartStrings ® program, a music therapy-informed program that brings live, interactive presentations to healthcare and residential facilities.

“I thought, how cool would it be to model that program in Omaha,” Perkinson says, “I wanted to focus on one group of culturally underserved individuals and get to the heart of a best practice by working with experts in the field.”

Perkinson, a University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) music professor, founded Nebraska Heartbeats in 2018.

“Our mission is to engage individuals with dementia in meaningful ways through music that’s joyous,” Perkinson says. “The music listening and engagement brings about a sense of well-being for the listeners and caregivers alike.”

Nebraska Heartbeats is a platform for musicians to engage with their community in ways that build relationships and make a difference. The curriculum was developed by Vaishali Phatak, Ph.D., ABPPCN (neuropsychologist, UNMC); Steven Wengel, M.D. (geriatric

psychiatrist, UNMC); the UNO Maverick Quartet (Gregory Clinton; Mary Perkinson, D.M.A; Brian Sherwood; and Olga Smola, D.M.A.); and Bridget Shevlin, MT-BC (music therapist).

During Nebraska Heartbeats sessions, UNMC researchers study music and memory while UNO faculty and students engage with participants through musicmaking, listening and reminiscing.

Dementia deteriorates the mind in stages; it can develop to the point of patients becoming non-verbal. Nebraska Heartbeats seeks to connect with patients through all stages of dementia, which makes music a vital stimulant.

“Music has a unique durability that individuals at all stages of dementia are able to enjoy,” says Perkinson.

Through the power of music, patients with dementia become more energetic and active when they hear their favorite songs from the past.

“Someone will be relatively non-verbal, but when they hear a song that they remember from their 20s or 30s, all of a sudden their eyes will just light up, they become more energetic and alert,” Perkinson says. “Music has the ability to tap at the tip of the iceberg of exploring music and memory research.”

Perkinson remains steadfast in her passion for service and research, and Nebraska Heartbeats demonstrates that passion.

“I want musicians to be educated about the dementia community so they can work with individuals in ways that are joyful and effective.’’

– Samantha Pastorino

Mary Perkinson, D.M.A.

The UNO Maverick Quartet – Olga Smola, violin; Mary Perkinson, violin; Brian Sherwood, viola; and Gregory Clinton, cello – performs at the UNMC Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.

Our society is currently undergoing a historic transformation due to Generative AI, which includes Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini and art generators like Midjourney and DALLE. This technology is incredibly versatile, extremely capable and evolving at an astonishing rate.

Incorporating Generative AI into modern organizations is no longer optional. In an analysis published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in January 2024, they predict that 60% of all jobs in advanced economies will be impacted by AI. Furthermore, predictions of the size and scope of the impact on the jobs market are increasing as the capabilities of LLMs increase.

Education is one of the areas most significantly impacted by Generative AI. ChatGPT 4 has expert and near-expert level abilities in virtually all subjects taught across K16. Gemini Ultra has expert-level capabilities. As for the capabilities of ChatGPT 5, which is expected to be released later this year…the world is holding its breath.

The ever-increasing capabilities of LLMs create enormous opportunities for students who want to learn, but also for those who are not so interested in learning, which is a challenge for educators. Regardless of mindset, the younger generation is learning how to work with LLMs to solve the problems that are put before them, and it is up to educators to give students the “right” problems to solve.

From an educational standpoint, working with an LLM should make an individual more capable over time. Properly engaging with this technology should also serve as a force multiplier of one’s abilities. Educators must re-imagine education and integrate LLMs into their curriculums to achieve these goals.

To leverage LLMs in an educational setting, assignments will need to fundamentally change and become more interactive. Students could be required to submit a dialog (e.g., a debate) with an LLM instead of a monolog on a particular topic (e.g., an essay or a report). Structured concept explorations can also enable customized, virtual experiential learning using LLMs. This will prepare students for the job markets of the future, where these skills will be required.

Starting in the 2024 academic year, the Computer Science Department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha will offer an introductory course on Generative AI. This sophomore-level AI course will be part of a new bachelor’s degree in AI that the Computer Department developed in the Fall of 2023. The new program is currently working its way up the administrative approval ladder. Also, UNO’s Computer Science Department and its Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives are developing a series of microcredential courses for professionals. The first course in this series should be available in the summer or early fall of 2024.

– Victor Winter, Ph.D. UNO Professor of Computer Science

To take a deeper look at the current and developing trends of AI, visit IS&T’s Labs and Centers website.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ADVANCEMENTS IN EDUCATION

EXPLORING UNCONVENTIONAL SECURITY THREATS

What are the chances a drug cartel or cyber criminals with negative intentions could disrupt Nebraska’s livestock or crop production? And more importantly, how could we deter a threat like this?

Questions like this feel like they belong in a suspense or thriller novel; however, in an unassuming office inside the Peter Kiewit Institute, a group of students and professors spend their days contemplating the possible outcomes of the darkest national security threats.

The Nebraska Deterrence Lab is a hybrid collective of professors, more than a dozen undergraduate and graduate students and visiting fellows who research, model and hypothesize about real-world threats to national and global security. The lab is led by Michelle Black, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Deanna House, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Information Systems & Quantitative Analysis Department.

“We are truly interdisciplinary,” says House. “We work together in a manner that builds something better than just one of us can.”

Using proprietary methodology and software, the co-directors drive research that leads to solutions that can augment problemsolving by security organizations such as the Department of Defense, FBI and NATO.

The Nebraska Deterrence Lab brings students from a variety of discipline areas together and encourages experiential learning opportunities through collaboration with professionals in the region and around the world.

“The melding of the humanities and the technical is important for our future generations,” says Black. “The students work naturally together and learn from each other, too.”

THE BEAUTY OF AN ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT IS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE TIME AND BE THOUGHTFUL SO WE CAN BRING IN DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS. AND IF WE CAN HELP SECURITY AGENCIES CONSIDER OUTOF-THE-BOX OPTIONS, THAT’S SUCCESS.

When a project is presented to the lab the first step is to gain an understanding of the question they are asking. From there the team researches, collects data and begins the analysis. The Deterrence Lab uses proprietary software developed by Dr. House and UNO students called MADAM, which stands for Multi-Actor Deterrence Analysis Modeling. The software facilitates analysis within a multi-player scenario through a multi-actor deterrence concept lens. Not only has MADAM reduced analysis time but it allows for the researchers to contemplate scenarios with more complexity.

The lab uses what House coined “academic agile” for their development methodology. Black and House drive the development activities and they learn from how the “users” — the students and project stakeholders — conduct analysis and make decisions.

“Agile allows us to build robust prototypes quickly,” says House. “And tack on additional functionality as we learn and grow.”

One Deterrence Lab project looked at potential threats posed by the thawing of the Arctic Circle. As ice melts, new countries and organizations are exploring the area. The lab considered possible security threats that could arise if weapons and military bases were established there and their process identified which countries would operate, join alliances or be pushed to hostility.

The benefit of the Nebraska Deterrence Lab is the ability to continually innovate. “The beauty of an academic environment is we have the ability to take time and be thoughtful so we can bring in different solutions,” says Black. “And if we can help security agencies consider out-of-the-box options, that’s success.”

The Nebraska Deterrence Lab actively strengthens students’ critical thinking and national security writing skills through collaborative research projects with the government and defense institutions. —

Decoding Behavior, Driving Business

This fall marks 10 years of groundbreaking and innovative research being conducted at the Jack & Stephanie Koraleski Commerce and Applied Behavioral Laboratory (CAB Lab) inside UNO’s College of Business Administration. The lab is a state-of-theart research facility that enables diverse experimental research with immense practical implications. The Koraleski CAB Lab equips researchers with the tools to capture and analyze rich neuro-physiological data by combining eye-tracking, pupil dilation, facial expression, skin conductance (galvanic skin response or GSR) and virtual reality.

“The lab forces researchers to think differently about their ideas or their research methods,” said Dr. Muntaha Bani Hani, the lab’s Director of Applied Research Operations and Administration. “The lab provides the tools to bridge the gap between theoretical research and applied research. It makes the research applicable to businesses. So, as we innovate, we can look at problems differently and we can help businesses figure out the best way to attract customers.”

This combination of technologies is rare among business schools. At the time of its founding, the Koraleski CAB Lab was one of only 22 in the U.S.

Bani Hani and her team of graduate and undergraduate research assistants are currently working on a project that involves eye-tracking technology and food labels. They are exploring how consumers interact with food labels to reveal what they notice first and the subtleties of their understanding and use in daily decisions, thereby informing more effective food labeling strategies.

“We can look at their website, and the user interface, how can that be modified based on

eye tracking and facial expression analysis?” said Bani Hani “So, we can use this analysis to inform businesses in Omaha and the entire Nebraska market.”

The lab has partnered with several Omaha and greater Nebraska area companies including Union Pacific Railroad, Gallup, Kiewit and the Department of Defense to conduct applied business research.

“The CAB Lab bridges the gap and connects students and researchers with businesses in the community,” said Bani Hani “We are trying to reach businesses across the state so they know that we have this lab that they can utilize for their business, and it can help them generate more revenue and reach their goals.” Each of the students who work in the lab and help to conduct the studies do so for different reasons, but they all agree that the ability to take part in innovative research is a big part of the draw for them.

“One of the many reasons I love this job is that it allows me to use the skills that I learn in my classes. From economics to marketing, to sales, I get to contribute to the lab and hone my skills for my future career,” said Sylvia Hutfless, undergraduate research assistant in the CAB Lab.

Graduate research assistant Kellie Lindsay utilized the tools in the lab to conduct a study based on her master’s thesis on emotional responses and economic decisionmaking. Her work has also been published in an academic journal, an achievement uncommon among master’s level scholars.

— Melissa Lindell Kozak Senior Director of Communications & Marketing,

Administration

Are you a business owner who is interested in working with the lab? Email them at unocablab@unomaha.edu.

The Koraleski CAB Lab equips researchers with the tools to capture and analyze rich neuro-physiological data by combining eye-tracking, pupil dilation, facial expression, skin conductance (galvanic skin response or GSR), and virtual reality.

Omaha Athletics leads industry standards in student-athlete holistic care and development

The NCAA announced last fall that member institutions will be engaged in enhancing student-athletes’ lives through what it called a “holistic student-athlete benefits model.” UNO’s Adrian Dowell, vice chancellor/director of athletics, spelled out the directive in an opinion piece published last October in the Nebraska Examiner, and noted that Maverick student-athletes got the jump on that before the calendar turned to 2024.

Dowell wrote:

“Fortunately, the University of Nebraska at Omaha saw this need well before the NCAA moved to make new requirements. Thanks to impactful support from our campus and community, we have proactively taken steps not only to adhere to the new Division I standards but to exceed them. We are committed to supporting the physical, mental and intellectual wellness of our Mavericks in a way that nurtures their success in the classroom, competition and to build future leaders for our community.”

by John Fey

“We’ve always been providing support to our student-athletes in many of these areas, both internally and partnering with campus units, whether that was academic and career development or mental health education,” she said. “But really what the NCAA is doing is asking member schools to create a more streamlined environment of support to meet the needs of the modern-day student-athlete.”

WE ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS OF OUR MAVERICKS IN A WAY THAT NURTURES THEIR SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM, COMPETITION AND TO BUILD FUTURE LEADERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

Although some pieces of this puzzle are enhanced, Omaha Athletics got a jump on the new standards. “The nice thing is we’re ahead of it. We’ve been doing a lot of the work to implement this education over the last 18 months.”

Taking the lead for UNO’s compliance on those new standards was Lindsey Ekwerekwu, who serves as executive associate athletic director for student-athlete success/senior woman administrator. She leads the staff members who help enhance the overall studentathlete environment and experience. In her area, emphasis is placed on academics and student-athlete development, athletic training, strength and conditioning, Title IX compliance, mental health and nutrition services.

Ekwerekwu, who arrived at UNO 12 years ago, said she and her colleagues have been doing much of that type of work for years.

You might think to reach the new NCAA standards, Ekwerekwu’s department workload would increase. To a certain extent, she said, that’s true.

“We’ve partnered with campus colleagues in the Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives to create a microcredential called Mav360,” she said. “This partnership with campus has been instrumental in helping us deliver this programming in an easy to consume, streamlined manner that is easily accessible to our students. We are thrilled with how Mav360 allows us to deliver real-time content in ways that make sense for the busy student-athlete.”

A group of graduating student-athletes at the 2023 UNO Alumni Association Graduation Celebration with Courtney Speakman, academic and student-athlete development coordinator (front, left), Dani Brooke, assistant athletic director of student-athlete development (back, left) and Lindsey Ekwerekwu, executive associate athletic director for student athlete success/ senior woman administrator (front, right).

A key focus area within Mav360 is mental health and nutrition education.

Lending aide to the latter areas is Dr. Taryn Ninemire, senior associate athletic director for athletic performance. Entering her ninth year at UNO, she takes the lead in sports medicine, sports physiology, nutrition, mental health and strength and performance. It’s quite encompassing, she said, but necessary for the overall success of the student-athlete.

“Athletes have to focus a lot of time on training, competing, physical/mental preparation, as well as studying, spending time with their families, friends and quality of life,” Ninemire said. “We understand that time management is key to that success. We have tried to support our athletes by being aware of these demands and incorporating resources that allow for enhanced time management.”

Helping to reach those goals, team physicians make on-campus visits twice a week to make it more convenient for athletes who otherwise would have to wait in a doctor’s office to be seen. The university’s microcredential course provides athletes educational resources that they can access from anywhere, anytime that works for them. New staff have been hired in the areas of clinical and sports psychology, mental health and sports nutrition.

Have the athletes taken advantage of these resources, and are they appreciative? Absolutely.

Senior hockey player Nolan Sullivan said the off-ice support helps freshmen comfortably adjust to life after high school.

“They take care of the freshmen and the guys who are at risk as well,” he said. “The tutoring options and other different things are really good resources to help you get your stuff done. Lindsey and the others are awesome.”

Hockey players in particular miss a lot of class time with so many road trips, and that’s where Ekwerekwu’s staff comes to the rescue.

“The biggest thing is connecting with our teachers about our travel schedules,” Sullivan said. “Having a mediator between the two is super helpful.”

Regan Zimmers, a graduate student on the soccer team, said she owes a lot to Ekwerekwu and the others in the department.

“I honestly can’t think of something that Lindsey and her staff haven’t helped me with in my time here at Omaha,” Zimmers said. “Without a doubt, I know I would be so lost without the help of Lindsey and her staff.”

Ekwerekwu takes pride in the successes they’ve had with student-athletes, the bottom line being their amazing overall grade-point average and graduation rates.

“I can tell you this, for our fall 2023 semester GPA for all of our student-athletes was a 3.48,” she said. “That’s the 23rd consecutive semester of a 3.30 or higher. Our most-recent graduate rate is 93 percent, and that likely will go up.”

OMAHA HOCKEY HALL OF FAME COACH AND LONG-TIME

ADMINISTRATOR MIKE

KEMP ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Mike Kemp joined Omaha Athletics as the first head hockey coach on July 1, 1996. The 2000-01 team posted 24 wins, the most in a single season in UNO hockey history and a record that still stands today. The 17-5-0 home record that the team achieved is also the best home record in program history.

After 12 years of coaching, Kemp served as Associate Athletic Director; Senior Associate Athletic Director - Events/Facilities; and Executive Associate Athletic Director. He oversaw the design and construction of the Hamilton Academic Excellence Room, the conversion of Caniglia Field into a premier soccer facility and the design and construction of Baxter Arena.

“Although his accolades are numerous, his true legacy is evident by the number of lives he impacted as a coach, administrator and leader in the college hockey landscape. I am so grateful to Mike for his leadership, friendship and mentorship,” said Adrian Dowell, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics.

Kemp was inducted into the Omaha Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2020, Kemp received the NCHC Commissioners award for leadership to hockey.

“Thank you to the University of Nebraska Omaha and the city of Omaha for giving our family so much support for the past 28 years,” said Kemp. “The experiences I have had and the people I have met throughout my career have truly been a light in my life. I will always be a Maverick!”

Mike Kemp (left) hands the Pride of the Maverick trophy to Omaha captain Nolan Sullivan after a 7-2 exhibition win over Minnesota State Mankato 7-2 in October 2022 at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb.

PHOTO ▸ Mark Kuhlmann / Omaha Athletics

The UNO Women’s Walk returns to its roots and honors

Connie

Claussen’s legacy

Maverick HERoes

In 1968, a popular television advertisement designed specifically for women included the slogan, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” That same catchphrase could apply today for Omaha Women’s Athletics.

Looking back on it all is Connie Claussen, the university’s first director of women’s athletics. Even before the arrival of Title IX in 1972, Claussen was the driving force behind the start of sports for females at UNO.

Funding for women’s sports was scarce, to say the least. Claussen had to beg and plead for what little financial support she could obtain from the university. She went so far as to reach into her own pockets to boost the fledgling women’s athletic teams.

A historic breakthrough came in 1986 with the fundraiser known initially as the Diet Pepsi/UNO Women’s Walk. The event had a most-modest beginning, Claussen recalls.

It all started with a conversation Claussen and other UNO officials had with Buzz Stibbs, who then was general manager of the Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. They convinced his company to become a sponsor of the walk.

“I can’t remember if I called him or he called me,” Claussen said, “but he was a big, big help.”

The event’s early years took place inside the now-called Sapp Fieldhouse. In the early years, participants walked around Al Caniglia’s football field track – when weather permitted. There were a couple of years when rain, or even snow, sent walkers into the Fieldhouse.

“I think our goal was $5,000, and we raised $12,000,” Claussen said recalling the first Women’s Walk. “I was fortunate enough to get some people in Omaha who were a little powerful to get things going. Marian Ivers got a lot of people involved with teams. She was well-respected.”

From that humble start, the Women’s Walk took off to become UNO’s top fundraiser for athletics. Since 1986,

more than $3 million has been raised for the athletic programs.

The walk’s name was changed in 2012 to honor Claussen and the late Don Leahy, who led Omaha Athletics for two terms (1974-85 and 1995-97). The Claussen-Leahy Maverick Run continued to grow, moving in 2013 to Aksarben Village. In 2023, more than 2,200 participated.

This year, all funds from the Maverick Run will be directed toward women’s athletics. It is part of a new initiative embarking under a fitting name: Maverick HERoes. The first-of-its-kind philanthropic initiative is focused on growing support for Omaha Athletics including scholarships, enhanced programming, mental health and nutrition support and leadership development.

Today, a committee of former UNO athletic staff members and ex-athletes is charged with planning the run/walk. The panel includes Ellie Brecht, who played basketball at UNO (2015-18) and now serves as Omaha Athletics director of development.

“I’ve had the privilege of being involved in the Mav Run as both a student-athlete and now as an administrator,” Brecht said. “Getting to experience the Run from the studentathlete perspective helps me see the impact that it has on both our community and university. It’s been a joy and privilege to be a small part of the event’s growth.”

Creating the HERoes initiative, she said, is “a direct reflection of the hard work and the tremendous foundation that Connie Claussen and so many other trailblazers have laid.”

UNO’s move to NCAA Division I in 2011 caused the need for even more funding for all sports, adding to the importance of the Mav Run.

“You won’t meet a current or former student-athlete who doesn’t know what the Mav Run is,” Brecht said. “The reality is that this event is so critical for our student-athletes to

HERoes

experience because it’s our mission to position them to engage with our community and its members and to give back however they can.”

The Maverick Run takes on a special twist on April 20 – it is Claussen’s 85th birthday. To honor her legacy, supporters are invited to add an $85 donation to the Maverick HERoes fund.

Adrian Dowell, who took over Omaha Athletics in 2021 as vice chancellor/director of athletics, learned quickly the impact Claussen had on the university and the run/walk.

“Our current successes would not be possible without the giants who preceded us, and Connie is certainly one of those impactful figures,” Dowell said. “Connie is not only responsible for creating this incredible event, but she also was the ultimate pioneer and champion of Omaha Women’s Athletics. It’s only appropriate to honor her on her birthday surrounding the Maverick Run/Walk.”

Karen Ressegieu, a retired UNO administrative assistant who helped with the walk for decades and participated, looks back with pride on what Claussen created.

“There have been other schools across the country that used the same blueprint to do fundraising,” Ressegieu said. “They tried to follow what Connie had set up as a pattern.”

Claussen clearly is humbled by the kind words regarding her place in history.

“That is neat, but it’s probably because I’m old,” she joked. “I certainly don’t need the recognition. It was because of the others who did all the work that made it a success.”

Learn more about Maverick HERoes.

When you think of sports legends in Nebraska, few rival Connie Claussen. She is the only person to have received the UNO Alumni Association’s Outstanding Service Award (1976) and Citation for Alumni Achievement (1997) and be inducted into the UNO Athletic Hall of Fame (1983). In 2021, UNO recognized Claussen’s contributions by naming its new softball complex in her honor.

NOSTALGIC, THEATRICAL AND ALWAYS

THEATRICAL, ALWAYS PLAYFUL sometimes absurd

Artists Corbin and Cates create things that make you go hmmm...

by Kara Schweiss

Many ventures begin on a small scale, but Quinn Metal Corbin and Chelsea Cates launched their collaborative photo project C+C Mini Factory on a really small scale.

“Basically, we take miniatures and toys and create miniature worlds around them. Sometimes we like to think of it as miniature installations or miniature theater stages. And then we take the pictures and create sort of these whimsical, magical worlds,” Cates said. When they began their creative collaboration in 2012, Corbin and Cates were both far from home in Brooklyn; Corbin is a UNO graduate and the daughter of retired UNO professors David Corbin and Josie Metal-Corbin, Cates is from the West Coast. With her background including photography and art, Cates was originally interested in creating large-scale installations as she’d done for thesis work.

“Quinn’s idea was, ‘Why don’t we get together and try to do that on a miniature scale?’” Cates said. “Neither of us had the space or the money, so that was sort of the impetus, and we were both working at jobs we didn’t really love and wanted a more creative outlet.”

Animals are typical subjects, sometimes in natural backgrounds like an Appaloosa perched high on a Columbia River Gorge overlook or a wolf in the foreground of Bash Bish Falls in Massachusetts; sometimes the scenes are surreal, like a stage lit cockatoo singing into a microphone, a raccoon playing The Oregon Trail on a computer or canine bachelors vying for attention on the set of “Puppy Love Connection.”

“A lot of it was actual toys from the ‘90s that I had with me; I’d recently brought a suitcase of them back after I visited Omaha,” Corbin said. “We were just playing around with that, and that’s where it started.”

The name came easily. “C+C Mini Factory” not only alludes to the last names of its creators, but also to the era of their youth and one of its quintessential music groups, C+C Music Factory, known for “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).”

“When we were thinking of a name for our project, that was just a really great pun, and also a fun throwback that gave a nod to the nostalgia of the ‘90s, which we are also very much about,” Cates said.

C+C Mini Factory had an unexpected early boost with the rise of social media.

“We ended up being featured by Instagram,” Corbin said. “We had like 75 followers (at first), and then at the peak, we probably got up to 60,000 or something. It was a very quick rise.”

In 2015, C+C Mini Factory received a Shorty Award (introduced in 2008 to honor creators in the social media world) for Best Instagrammer, winning over six other finalists including big names like Mindy Kaling and Kate

Chelsea Cates and Quinn Metal Corbin

PHOTO ▸ Marcus Middleton

Spade. Cates and Corbin received recognition from various other media sources, too, which led to collaborations with the likes of Starbucks and Mozilla Firefox. They even had their work exhibited in New York and San Francisco galleries.

Buoyed by their early success, Cates and Corbin began pursuing a book project for C+C Mini Factory. Unlike their social media experience, however, this channel proved to be challenging as they struggled for years to find the right concept. “We had some failed attempts,” Corbin said.

A friend in the publishing business, Allison Cohen, pitched C+C Mini Factory at Running Press Kids, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. A farm theme arose from the discussions.

“We weren’t necessarily thinking a children’s book, but it became a natural fit as we had these conversations,” Corbin said.

“A Night at the Farm: A Bedtime Party,” co-authored by Cates and Corbin under the C+C Mini Factory brand, was

published by Running Press in 2021. The 32-page children’s book featured a cast of miniature farm animals and their bedtime adventures: “The long day is over. Now it’s time for some fun. Because when the farmer goes to sleep… the party’s just begun!”

By 2022, Cates had relocated to Portland, Oregon, and Corbin had returned to Omaha and her roots in theater, working as a manager for Great Plains Theatre Commons. Through various creative connections, the concept of creating a musical adaptation of “A Night at the Farm” for The Rose Theater gelled over time. Jackie Kappes served as playwright, Liz Stinman came on as music director, and Matt Gutschick was the artistic director for the eventual world premiere of “Night at the Farm: A Bedtime Party” that ran from January 19 to February 4 this year.

Suzanne Withem, who served as director, already knew Corbin from local youth performing arts activities and, later, UNO classes. “It was really cool to get to work with Quinn,” she said.

PHOTO ▸ Debra Kaplan, Courtesy of The Rose Theater

I LOVED SEEING THE ADULTS JUMPING UP AND DANCING, TOO… ALTHOUGH IT WAS A SHOW FOR PRESCHOOLERS, I THINK EVERYBODY CAN GET SOMETHING FROM IT. IT’S A WONDERFUL STORY.

The book was a great fit for adaptation for children’s theater, she said, not only because of the lively characters, but also because the story was especially suitable for younger children eager to interact.

“The way that Jackie adapted the book into the play, she really wanted audience participation,” Withem said. “Jackie also wrote in opportunities for the kids to do singing, call-and-response and even get up on their feet and dance along with the characters on stage.”

“It was so inviting for the kids to just be free to laugh out loud, to be a part of what’s happening and express that during the show,” said actor Candace Gould, who played the character Kitty. Gould said she also enjoyed helping refine a new production with a diverse team of creative individuals.

“What a great book Quinn and Chelsea wrote. It would be such an honor, I would imagine, to have your book adapted into theater, kids’ theater, especially,” she said. “It was so well-received by my nieces and nephews… And I talked to so many different parents who were like, ‘This is my very first show, but we are definitely going to be bringing them again.’ It was a great show.”

UNO alumna and Corbin’s Great Plains Theatre Commons colleague TammyRa’ (who uses one name professionally) played the part of Mama Goat and made an appearance as DJ Rabbit. She’s known for recent dramatic roles like Celie in “The Color Purple” at the Omaha Community Playhouse, but TammyRa’ said she enjoyed the novelty of performing for a young audience.

Quinn Metal Corbin, back center in black, poses with some of the cast of “Night at the Farm – A Bedtime Story” at The Rose Theater.

PHOTO ▸ Debra Kaplan, Courtesy of The Rose Theater

THE RICHARD HOLLAND ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Holland Foundation is adding $2.5 million to the Richard Holland Endowed Scholarship Fund, bringing this fund to $3 million. The fund was created in 2023 to honor the legacy of Richard Holland, an alumnus who studied art at the University of Omaha (now UNO). The permanently endowed fund is the largest scholarship fund to benefit UNO’s College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM), and will provide an estimated 12 scholarships annually, reducing students’ financial burden and making higher education more accessible.

“I loved it,” she said. “It was a fun time.” She added that as a mother and grandmother, she appreciated that families with small children could enjoy the musical without “shushing.”

“Here you have these preschoolers that are just excited about it. We have some fun music in there, and they want to get up and dance,” she explained. “It is wonderful to take your child to a show where they don’t have to be quiet.”

The adults in the audience also had a good time, TammyRa’ added. “I loved seeing the adults jumping up and dancing, too… Although it was a show for preschoolers, I think everybody can get something from it. It’s a wonderful story.”

According to Corbin, the show played to over 5,000 audience members over its three-week run and was enthusiastically received. TammyRa’ said she felt “Night at the Farm” could live beyond its debut performance at The Rose. “I truly think that this show could go on tour.”

Corbin coordinated a successful crowdfunding effort to support a cast recording of the musical — with the original Omaha-based composer and arranger Graham Ulicny managing its mixing — to share “original, playful earworms with children and adults alike; aid in potential future licensing of the show; and give a wonderful opportunity for Omaha artists to add to their portfolio.” Studio time was scheduled for mid-March and updates for the release of the cast recording should be announced on C+C Mini Factory’s social media.

And much like the book “Night at the Farm” took on new life on the stage, there may be more ahead for C+C, too — like a television series, Corbin said.

“We’re in different phases of that being explored and shopped around,” she said. “So, hopefully…”

For more information about C+C Mini Factory and their miniature masterpieces go to cargocollective.com/ccminifactory; and follow them as they continue to explore the boundaries of the imagination on Instagram @ccminifactory.

Preference for the UNO scholarships will be given to students who have participated in NorthStar, P4K or other similar programs, first-generation students and those with financial need. About 40% of UNO’s undergraduates are firstgeneration students whose parents did not graduate from a four-year university. Holland himself was a first-generation student as were his three siblings.

C+C Mini Factory created a diorama setup that involves four specifically placed light sources and a hand-built set with customized items like the UNO mug.

The idea behind it is that the innovation comes from the students current and former (Mavericks) themselves. The notebook is left intentionally blank so that the viewer can insert their own strong suits and innovations in their own field fostered by UNO’s programs. The possibilities being endless are represented by the starry background of space. The method of pouring coffee is a playful nod to the innovation of the maverick itself in using horns for refills. The items on the left side are representations of an array of areas of innovation found on campus (science, math, arts, writing, etc).

ON THE COVER

Richard D. Holland

PHOTO ▸ Audrey Wardian, Courtesy of The Rose Theater

THE HEART OF INNOVATION:

HUMANCENTERED DESIGN IN TECH

by Juli Oberlander

While traditional science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs focus on technical and problem-solving skills, the Walter Scott, Jr. Scholarship Program (Scott Scholars) stands out due to its commitment to help students build empathy, understand human behavior and prioritize organizational needs.

For STEM students at UNO, Scott Scholars is the premier educational experience to increase their technical, creative and leadership skills. Established by the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation in 1997, Scott Scholars provides undergraduate tuition, room and board and multi-disciplinary learning opportunities.

An important component of this program is the Scott Scholars Design Studio, where students help community organizations resolve challenges using human-centered design thinking, a problem-solving technique that involves understanding a client’s pain points, wants and needs as a part of the idea development process.

Harnoor Dhaliwal, associate executive director for Scott Scholars, says the internship prepares students for careers by developing their emotional and social competencies.

“We’re building those into this experience,” Dhaliwal says. “So that when they enter the workforce, they are a valuable member of whichever organization they join, not only because of the technical expertise they possess but because of the whole-person education they received.”

Community Action Projects allow Scott Scholars to collaborate with Omaha-area organizations to identify a problem, discover how the challenge affects people and brainstorm potential solutions. Using the five steps of design thinking — empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test — student teams select one solution to prototype and work with community partners to analyze the impact of the prototype in solving the problem.

Kaitlyn Baysa, a former Scott Scholar and current Design Studio program coordinator, says empathy-building is key. One of her favorite Scott Scholars projects is Sisters in STEM, an event that promotes STEM to young Omaha girls. After determining that elementary and middle school students needed more access to STEM opportunities, Scott Scholars created the event in partnership with Prairie STEM, an education-based nonprofit. Sisters in STEM has since spread to other areas, and Baysa says many girls have expressed interest in STEM careers as a result of the event.

“They [Scott Scholars] really set the foundation for it,” Baysa says, “and for other programs to build upon, which is really cool.”

Although Baysa provides guidance, Scott Scholars work in teams to facilitate community action projects. Baysa says the students’ leadership and collaborative skills set them apart as future workforce members.

“It’s very much led by the students,” said Baysa.

Currently, Scott Scholars are working with the University of Nebraska Medical Center Emergency Department to address language barriers between physicians and non-English speaking patients. Inspired by the video game Super Mario Maker, the

Esther Samuel (standing) and fellow Scott Scholars Design Studio interns were tasked with solving language barrier challenges for patients and physicians at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

WHEN THEY ENTER THE WORKFORCE, THEY ARE A VALUABLE MEMBER OF WHICHEVER ORGANIZATION THEY JOIN, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE THEY POSSESS BUT BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE-PERSON EDUCATION THEY RECEIVED.

students developed a similar drag-and-drop platform that uses graphics to explain the emergency room discharge process.

Esther Samuel, a Scott Scholar, says students collaborate with physicians to understand pain points, create empathy training and increase doctor-patient trust.

“It’s just a joy to meet with them because they’re excited about the project we’re working on, and we’re excited about it,” Samuel says. “It’s a great partnership.”

Dhaliwal says UNMC will implement the technology over the next few months and he foresees its potential to revolutionize patient care on a national scale.

“I couldn’t be more proud of all of the empathy work they did with patients and physicians to learn about this problem set, and these are the future leaders that healthcare needs,” Dhaliwal says.

To further the impact of Scott Scholars, the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation recently committed another $23 million to the program. At UNO, a $20 million pledge expands the capacity from a total of 128 students to 168 students. A $3 million pledge supports the program’s expansion at the University of Nebraska Medical Center where an inaugural class of 12 Scott Scholars began their first year of medical school in the fall of 2023.

As a pre-med student, Samuel says Scott Scholars has been instrumental in shaping her academic and professional trajectory. Beyond financial support, the program offers personalized mentorship and career guidance, paving the way for her success.

She says the program even helped her obtain a job at the UNO Health Careers Resource Center.

“That constant and consistent checking in on students is really helpful to keep us on track on what we want with our lives and how we want to enter our careers,” Samuel says. “I think all of that has prepared me for my future.”

Dhaliwal says Scott Scholars seeks to offer a first-class STEM education nationally and internationally.

“I think we have an immense task ahead of us,” he says, “but one that we’re fully committed to achieving so that we can realize that goal of being the gold standard, the most prestigious and successful STEM scholarship program in the country.”

AND THE MILKEN EDUCATOR AWARD GOES TO...

From left, Stephanie Bishop, vice president of the Milken Educator Awards; Dr. Tammera Mittelstet (OK ‘12); recipient Jacob Eitzen (NE ‘23); Bellevue West High School Principal Kevin Rohlfs; Bellevue Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Rippe; Roger Kassebaum (NE ‘97); and Nebraska Commissioner of Education Dr. Brian Maher.

PHOTO ▸ Courtesy of Milken Family Foundation

Jacob Eitzen Receives Prestigious ‘Oscars of Teaching’ Award

by Melodae Horst

Jacob Eitzen employs an unconventional approach to engage his students, often initiating class discussions with intriguing challenges such as guessing the top 10 downloaded apps on an iPhone from the previous year.

If students are disengaged, he uses a ‘commercial break’, an opportunity to inject some fun and recapture their attention.

In November, Eitzen, a Bellevue West High School Teacher and University of Nebraska at Omaha alumnus was presented with the Milken Educator Award, nicknamed the ‘Oscars of Teaching’ Award, and a $25,000 prize. Recognizing his exceptional teaching skills, the award highlights his dedication to fostering a dynamic learning environment. Eitzen, who earned a master’s degree in mathematics in 2018 through a scholarship from UNO, now leads the AP Statistics program at his school.

Bellevue West High School Principal, Kevin Rohlfs, nominated him for the award and said Etizen’s passion and compassion make him a good teacher. His innovative teaching methods are also key to his success.

Rohlfs said Eitzen’s classes begin with thought-provoking questions, such as the odds of winning the lottery or the economics of a monthly Panera “Sip Club” subscription, which immediately captivate his students.

For Eitzen, it isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about forging connections with each student.

“As a teacher you’ve got to be a Swiss army knife of relationships just to know what is it that this kid needs versus that kid,” he said, highlighting the importance of understanding and catering to the unique needs of every individual.

Eitzen’s curriculum emphasizes not only mathematical reasoning but also effective communication of findings and conclusions. For example, he often utilizes scenarios from a TV series featuring legal proceedings to challenge students to decipher the underlying mathematics and articulate their interpretations.

“The math is going say some pretty powerful things, but it won’t mean anything if you can’t communicate about it,” Eitzen said.

Beyond the classroom, Eitzen extends his innovative approach to other roles, particularly as a leader of Bellevue West’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). He said the master’s program at UNO deepened his expertise in mathematics. It fueled his interest in leveraging spreadsheets and statistics to extract meaningful insights from vast amounts of educational data, benefiting the staff and the school district.

Reflecting on the evolving landscape of statistics education, Eitzen underscores the importance of nurturing critical thinking skills.

“We need to continue to educate students who can rationally and critically think, analyze a situation and follow a set of process steps,” he said.

Debunking the notion of mathematics becoming obsolete in the era of artificial intelligence, he asserts, “It still needs a human to tell it what to do.”

As a father of three young children, Eitzen is driven by the belief that mathematics serves as the cornerstone for shaping the future. “We want to raise young adults to be the generation who will take our world and our communities to greater heights,” he said.

Kelsey Larsen, one of Eitzen’s first AP Statistics students, earned math and computer science degrees at UNO and is now employed by CATCH Intelligence as a data science consultant. She reflects on his impact.

“He shared personal and public examples of ways statistics could not only be applied to our own lives, but also the world around us,” Larsen said.

Similarly, Nathan Walther, inspired by Eitzen’s passion for teaching, is now pursuing degrees in mathematics and education at UNO, aiming to follow in his footsteps. “Through his actions, [he] showed how great it can be to be a teacher, and I wanted to be like that for future generations.”

Starts with

EMBRACING WORKFORCE HIGHER EDUCATION in the

We are over a year into the launch of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to the public. While the common initial response from the public was often one of fear or uncertainty, more people are starting to see AI as a tool and an opportunity rather than a replacement and a threat.

EMBRACING AI WORKFORCE HIGHER EDUCATION

by Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D. and Cassie Mallette

ACCORDING TO LIGHTCAST, A PROGRAM THAT ANALYZES TRENDS IN THE JOB MARKET, THE NUMBER OF MONTHLY JOB POSTINGS MENTIONING AI SKILLS

According to Lightcast, a program that analyzes trends in the job market, the number of monthly job postings

making scenarios, we make our students more marketable to employers. Teaching them the future-ready skills they can

The ultimate goal at UNO? Ensure that students are wellprepared – including on the appropriate use of AI – for not only their future careers, but also to be engaged, productive, well-informed citizens. As AI continues to advance, UNO’s Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives will continue to not only support our campus, faculty, and students but also share effective practices and innovative ways to implement AI with the broader Omaha community.

How can alumni, and those already in the workplace get involved in our campus efforts with AI? Twice each year, UNO hosts a Future of Work Symposium Series dedicated to unpacking critical issues and co-creating solutions. Much of our content of the first three events in this series has included elements of AI. Watch for our next event in this series coming up in early Summer 2024.

In addition, UNO is rapidly developing a number of shortform, skills-based microcredentials, perfect for the working professional. These non-degree offerings typically take 15 hours to complete and are focused on the development of a specific competency or area of focus. We like to say – “give us three of your lunch breaks a week for five weeks and you can complete a microcredential.” In 2024, UNO plans to launch its first AI microcredential, with the intent of adding additional offerings on this topic throughout the year. More information on microcredentials at UNO is available at online.unomaha.edu.

We frequently get asked the question: “Will AI replace humans?” Simply put, our answer is no. AI is not a tool that is here to replace us; rather it is a tool that can help us work more efficiently, productively and creatively. By embracing AI, particularly to assist in the most mundane and repetitive elements of our work and lives, we free up our highly valuable time to focus on uniquely human and highly rewarding opportunities for critical thinking, problemsolving, adaptability, collaboration, consulting and analysis.

Through continued collaboration with our community partners and employers, UNO is in a great position to deliver the AI skills that the workforce demands.

AI IS NOT A TOOL THAT IS HERE TO REPLACE US; RATHER IT IS A TOOL THAT CAN HELP US WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY, PRODUCTIVELY AND CREATIVELY.

Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D. serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovative and LearningCentric Initiatives at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her seventeen-year career in higher education has largely been focused on using technology to innovate and align campus offerings with what’s needed most in the workplace and communities we serve.

Cassie Mallette serves as an Instructional Designer at UNO, where she also teaches Sociology. Her work focuses on mentoring and supporting new online faculty, having led numerous seminars on effective practices for teaching online and artificial intelligence.

The authors can be reached for questions or comments at jlindburg@unomaha.edu or cmallette@unomaha.edu. For more about UNO’s Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives, visit innovate.unomaha.edu.

Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D.

Cassie Mallett

UNDERESTIMATED

Three of Appsky’s founders – Jade Wicks, Taylor Korensky and Spencer Robinson.

UNDERESTIMATED EXCELLENCE

Entrepreneurs tap into Nebraska’s innovation ecosystem through the Nebraska Business Development Center

by Kelly Jefferson Minty, Communications Director, Nebraska Business Development Center

“That’s happening in Nebraska?” is a phrase Josh Nichol-Caddy hears more than he’d like to in his role as the director of the Innovation and Technology program at the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC).

“The innovation space has really gained momentum here,” says Nichol-Caddy. “From ag tech to health tech to cybersecurity there are some really cool ideas taking off here. When I talk to people about the things our clients are doing, they’re surprised — but really, they shouldn’t be. Nebraska is doing big things right now.”

Ben Johnson, former University of Nebraska at Omaha electrical engineering student, co-founded Grain Weevil with his father.

The robotic Grain Weevil works to move through the grain bin to level the grain, break up crusts and feed grain into extraction augers.

WE’RE HELPING CREATORS AND INNOVATORS BREAK NEW GROUND. IT FEELS LIKE A TRUE EMBODIMENT OF THE UNO MAVERICK SPIRIT.

Situated within the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), NBDC helps entrepreneurs and business owners along their company journeys. With offices across the state, NBDC provides no-cost business consulting, welcoming anyone with a dream of starting or expanding a company. Nichol-Caddy’s program specifically caters to the visionaries working to transform their ideas into viable commercial opportunities.

“It’s really exciting that UNO, through NBDC, can offer support to these innovators at no cost,” he says. His role, he explains, is a bridge — a connection between the brightest minds in Nebraska and the resources that can turn their idea into a real business or product.

He and his team, a group of UNO graduate students, work directly with clients on essential business functions, from customer discovery to navigating the application process for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and exploring patent options.

One example of a company that received SBIR support from NBDC’s Innovation and Technology program is Grain Weevil, a company founded by Chad Johnson and his son Ben, a former UNO student. Grain Weevil is developing a robot designed to enter grain bins, keeping people from doing one of the most dangerous jobs on a farm and one that claims several lives a year. Grain Weevil was named NBDC’s 2022 Innovation Business of the Year.

“As an undergrad at UNO, I met many of the people that would become huge contributors to Grain Weevil’s success,” said Ben Johnson. “Most importantly Zane Zents, our Lead Software Engineer, who was my roommate through the Engineering Living & Learning Community. Since graduating, NBDC has been a fantastic resource for Grain Weevil’s development. They worked with me to refine our pitch before our largest innovation contest and helped us achieve over $1 million in grant funding.”

But the program goes beyond just what NBDC can provide technical support for; it’s about fostering a robust ecosystem of collaboration. The NBDC team actively works to connect innovators with other key players in Nebraska’s innovation landscape. One

shining example of a company NBDC regularly works with is Appsky, founded by UNO alumni Jade Wicks, Taylor Korensky, Spencer Robinson and Tyler Reher. Appsky works with entrepreneurs who have great business ideas but need technical support to bring them to fruition. Together with the entrepreneur, they collaborate to find a software solution that makes sense, and then build it.

“As an entrepreneur, tapping into Nebraska’s innovation ecosystem offers a significant advantage: once you establish a connection within this network, you instantly gain access to a wealth of resources to help drive business success,” said Wicks.

“The collaborative efforts made by different players in the ecosystem are what help Nebraska’s entrepreneurs and small business owners thrive. You’re only one or two degrees away from having a meeting with an investor, funder, future customer, fellow entrepreneur or educational resource. We wouldn’t be where we are as a business if it wasn’t for this community. We are grateful we are in the position to introduce new founders to resources they didn’t even know existed.”

Building on Appsky’s success, Wicks, Korensky, Robinson and Reher are now at work on their second business – VisionSync, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform that empowers organizations to plan, track and align the execution of their strategic plans.

The type of clients Nichol-Caddy and his team work with at NBDC are diverse. One company is pioneering an innovative method to grow cells, a breakthrough that will allow researchers to develop treatments for a variety of medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and certain cancers. Another is working on a device designed to enhance focus and patient safety in operating rooms by adjusting the music surgeons are listening to automatically based on a patient’s changing conditions. Yet another is creating an app to streamline the loan application process for agricultural producers.

“Being part of NBDC, particularly the Innovation and Technology program, is really exciting. We’re helping creators and innovators break new ground,” said Nichol-Caddy. “It feels like a true embodiment of the UNO Maverick spirit.”

CLASS NOTES

53

SYNTHA JUDD ESSEX (BS) was honored during the 70th anniversary of the founding of Angel Flight at NATCON, a multi-day conference for members of both Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings. When the first Angels’ Flight formed on OU’s campus in the fall of 1951, Essex was named chairman of the organization, wrote their constitution and obtained approval for the group as a campus organization.

55 JERRY NORENE (BFA) has continued his passion for golf, playing 18-hole rounds three days a week at the Money Hill Golf and Country Club, even when he’s a week away from his 90th birthday. Norene’s love for golf started all the way back in 1942 and he has recorded over 14 holes-in-one over the decades.

66

JOEL C. SNELL (BA; MA, ’70) has recently updated his website, joelsnell.com. Professor Snell has been a consultant, writer, teacher and now Emeritus at Kirkwood College. He is one of the most published academics at the junior and community college level. His website includes his publications, books, research interests and more. Snell also posts articles, books and commentary onsocialvibes.net. joelsnell@hotmail.com

77 JOHN M. MCNAMARA (BS) has published his latest novel “The Ferguson Rule”. Set in Chicago, the novel focuses on the story of Terry Bernard, a widow, who inherits his wife’s friends and their activism. Together, they battle the homophobic, racist, anti-science, book banning, misogynistic, Christo-fascists trying to enforce their beliefs on the local library, school board and the village council.

jmcn49@comcast.net

JOHN M. FEY (BS) has published “Meet Dave Sullivan,” a book about ex-UNO football player Bill Danenhauer, who had later turned into a pro-wrestler. The book can be ordered from Amazon.

78

PATRICIA DELANCEY (BS) retired from the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services, Division of Public Health in August of 2023. Before working with the State of Nebraska, she was the Executive Director of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

84

RICK D. POESCHL (BS) won a Super Bowl 58 ring as a staff member with the Kansas City Chiefs. Poeschl, who played football at UNO in the 1980s, is currently a ball boy for the Chiefs. This is his post-retirement part-time job after serving as Fire Chief in Les’s Summit, Missouri.

95

J. MICHAEL TIMMONS, Ph.D. (BS) was named Director and State Geologist at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources. Timmons first went to New Mexico, which has one of the largest state geological surveys in the country, during his undergraduate studies at UNO in 1994. Under Timmons, The Bureau of Geology will continue to find opportunities for research and service on the variety of resource challenges facing the state.

01

JEFF LEANNA (BS; MPA, ’05) was named Senior Director of Human Resources and Client Services for JDS Consulting, a behavioral healthcare company headquartered in Huntington Beach, CA. Leanna consults on healthcare insurance billing and utilization management, data analytics, LGBTQ healthcare and healthcare regulatory policy. Residing in the Nebraska Panhandle with his husband and daughter, he co-founded Panhandle Equality, an LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit organization.

jeff@jdsconsultinginc.com

02 THOMAS TWEEDY (BS) was the Site Head (plant manager) at Upside Foods when they were the first company in the world to earn FDA and USDA-FSIS approval to create and market cultivated meat.

04

03

TRAVIS TOUGAW (MA) published his debut novel, “Foxholes,” on Jan. 11, 2024. Two additional novels in the series, “Captives and Last Call,” will follow on June 6, 2024, and Nov. 7, 2024, respectively. “Foxholes” is a work of fiction, but I hope that, like all stories, it conveys some deeper truths about humanity and relationships,” said Tougaw. “And, I hope that people will also find it to be a fun, page-turning mystery with characters they’ll want to spend time with in the next two books.”

JOSEFINA LOZA (BA) appeared on ABC’s awardwinning Tamron Hall Show on Feb. 29, 2024. She discussed her challenges of starting and sustaining a business as a single mom and her battles with burnout. Her appearance comes following her launch of the Amazon Hot New Release, “Resilience in Words: The Motivational Insights of Josefina Loza + Daily Planner & Journal by Olabanji Stephen.” Loza is an awardwinning public relations professional celebrated for her dynamic leadership and innovative strategies.

08 Tenia Padilla

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

has been working as On-Site Production with WWE for the last 16 years. This year, she is headed to her 10th Wrestlemania in April, and it will be her second time traveling to Saudi Arabi with WWE in May. In the past, Padilla has been a VIP Manager for Motley Crue and Alice Cooper, Dressing Room Coordinator for Kanye West and a Production Assistant for Seether and Deep Purple.

06

CHANIE ERB (BS) was an original board member and served as President of CALM (Crisis Aid for Littles and Moms) from 2020 to 2022 in Niceville, FL. CALM offers transitional housing and life skills training to mothers and their children in crisis situations. Erb presently serves as POC at the CALM Village, another housing opportunity for mothers and their children between transitional housing and living on their own.

07 SILAS TSANG (MFA) was awarded the National Murrow Award for his work with WTOL and its 11 Investigates team for their “Dark Side of Cedar Point” investigation. The multi-part investigation into sexual assaults at Cedar Point received one of the most prestigious awards in broadcast and digital news in the investigative category.

09 KILEY FREEMAN (BA) was inducted into the 90th Class of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans (TOYO). Freeman is an Omaha native, business leader, community advocate, proud Maverick and mom of three. As a business leader, she oversees a team of 50 employees in Loup Logistics, a whollyowned subsidiary of Union Pacific. As a community advocate, her experience as a woman in a non-traditional field informs her belief that DE&I and belonging initiatives are critical to any organization’s success.

10

LT. COL. JEFFREY S. LEHMKUHL (MPA) published a feature article in the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs (JIPA). The feature, “Irregular Influence – Combating Malign Chinese Communist Party Actions in Southeast Asia,” is the first installment of a two-part series. Part two will be published in the next journal edition and will provide a proposed course of action to deter CCP actions.

13

NATALIE MCGOVERN (BS) released her debut single, “Say What You Wanna Say,” on Spotify and all streaming platforms. The single is part of a larger project, an EP titled “Reverie,” and is an anthem about speaking your mind and not making compromises. McGovern has performed the National Anthem for the U.S. Olympic Swim and Curling Trials and is a crossover artist who has performed in Omaha, NE in theatre, music and film.

14

ALEXANDRIA M. HODGE, ESQ. (BA) has joined Stock and Leader as an Associate in the school law practice group. She graduated cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law in May 2023. Upon graduation, Alexandria was awarded a Dean’s Citation for Service to the University of Baltimore School of Law and the Platinum Pro-Bono Award for over eighty hours of pro-bono service to low-income community members.

14

SCOTT PARSE (BS) was inducted into the Omaha Hockey Hall of Fame on Feb. 23, 2024. The former All-American and the all-time leading scorer for UNO later went on to play for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League. Parse was inducted into the UNO Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.

12 MEGAN KAY LINDEMULDER (BS) has released her first children’s book, “Frank the Frenchie and the Christmas Tree Hunt,” as part of her “Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda” series. Lindemulder is passionate about writing, poetry and storytelling, and she saw that like her French Bulldog Frank, the innocence of a child can often lead to lessons learned. Stories in this series, with more to come, will teach children valuable lessons in an exciting and loving manner. meglindemulder@gmail.com

15 NONI WILLIAMS (BA; MS, 2021) was inducted into the 90th Class of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans (TOYO). Williams is a poet, storyteller, mathematician and senior data professional, and her mission is to connect with her community through poetry and data, sharing her passion for critical thinking, introspection and innovative problem solving.

17

DR. EMILY A. GEEST (MS) was awarded the 2023 Conservation Hero of the Year award at the Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden for her work with monarch butterflies, community science and launching a plant head start lab in Oklahoma to help bolster rare milkweed species populations in the state. Her research on monarch butterfly ecology began during her masters at UNO, where she studied monarch butterflies in residential gardens compared to natural areas.

14

JACOB EITZEN (MA) received the Milken Educator Award and a prize of $25,000. Nicknamed “the Oscars of teaching,” this award is reserved for outstanding educational professionals who exhibit exceptional teaching skills and deliver noteworthy student learning outcomes. Eitzen’s remarkable contributions to teaching AP Statistics at Bellevue West High School have resulted in more than half of his students not only passing the course, but they also achieve a score of 3 or above on the AP test. We want to celebrate your accomplishments in our digital and print communications. unoalumni.org/ unoclassnote

19 MARIJANA KOTLAJA (PHD) has been awarded a $1,311,484 Department of Health grant to assess programs funded under a $30 million community-based violence prevention initiative. Kotlaja is an assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She focuses her research on the prevention of juvenile delinquency, with an emphasis on using advanced scientific methodology to inform crime policy and practice. This five-year project started in January 2024.

For more information call the UNO Child Care Center at 402.554.3398

INCLUDE:

IN MEMORIAM

Deceased alumni reported to the UNO Alumni Association or University of Nebraska Foundation between October 7, 2023 and March 1, 2024. We extend our condolences to the family and friends of these graduates.

1945 Gordon D. Hansen

1949 Peggy L. Chasen

1951 John W. Madden

1951 Theodore M. Kyster

Suzanne Nelson Tolman

1953 Dorothy R. Lemon

1954 Jack A. Frost

LaDonna D. Rhodes

1956 Edwin R. Keiser

Ralph A. Nielsen

Martin F. Petereit

1957 Donald R. Flanagan

1958 Thomas G. Blair

Rudolph Mudra

1959 Sharon K. Thomsen

1960 Joyce L. Brader

1961 Clifford S. Hayes

Philip C. Boatright

William E. Hinchey

1962 James R. Baratta

Jane C. Archerd

1963 Georgia K. Taylor

John Ritner

Roger H. Kronholm

Arthur H. Beeck

1964 Dennis C. Hansen

Ronald L. Swain

William K. Tokumoto

James W. Martin

1965 Jackie L. Casper

Eugene P. Kudlacek

Stephan O. Takechi

1966 John P. Curran

Arlyce M. Olsen

Frances S. Grabbert

1967 Caryl J. Hultquist

Ballard Fleming

Robert A. Hult

Judith A. Stratbucker

1968 Phyllis E. Chambers

Anthony V. Saputo

Lewis W. Miller

William C. Reitan

1969 John D. Morgan

Patricia J. Fairchild

Richard Lundquist

Victoria J. Preister

Gilbert A. Mathews

1970 Warren W. Benson

Catherine S. Potter

1971 Donald D. Dibble

Lawrence W. Sherwood

1972 Frank M. Bluvas

Maxine J. Hall

Robert L. Salach

1973 Russel E. Boardman

Thomas R. Haynes

Edward W.

Lueninghoener

1974 Donald L. Johnson

1975 Henry J. Wing

Robert D. Anderson

Rosemary L. Lane

1976 John V. McNamara

1977 Susan E. Ogborn

David M. Daughton

Janet M. Stibor

Ofelia Markovich

1978 William J. Broadhurst

1979 James R. Fullerton

Nancy A. Jackson

Stanley G. Wiegert

1980 Dale W. Petersen

Richard B. Atwood

Robert O. Ekdahl

Joyce E. Ellis

James E. Raymond

1981 Kevin T. Moriarty

John R. Wendl

1982 L arry R. Ainsworth

Maxine A. Vaca

1983 John E. Cripe

James W. Eisenhardt

1984 Mary R. Ennenga

Kathleen A. Higgins

Christa E. Kohout

Helga J. Hanson

1986 Richard E. Chrostek

Diane C. Martin

1987 Alene C. Nestander

Daniel J. Corcoran

1988 Thomas J. Stock

1989 David D. Campbell

Michael Strehle

Sondra S. Peters

1990 James Zelfel

Kathryn A. Barrett

Deron C. Moore

1992 Kevin P. Phelps

Lora J. Salem

1993 Richard W. Brady

1996 Vicki J. Tomlinson

1997 Rose M. Hill

1998 Charles R. Hamilton

1999 Jeanie M. Carlson

2001 Krystal K. Fahrenkrog

Jill M. Haswell

2005 Nichole D. Case

Aaron P. Von Behren

Adam M. Winter

2012 Xin Song

2018 Kevin D. Stormberg

2020 Jonathan D. Hoeser

2021 Michael C. Bragg

Get your Future Maverick an O BABY! shirt when you submit a birth announcement within your child’s first year at unoalumni.org/futuremavs. We’ll also publish the good news in an upcoming issue of UNO Magazine.

Nora Bertolino, daughter of Angelo and MONIKA (ROOT, ’17) BERTOLINO of Gloucester, MA and granddaughter of Wesley Root and Mark and Valerie Ellis

Emerson Betts, son of KRYSTAL (FESSLER, ’15) and DARREN BETTS (’09, ’17) of Omaha

James Boesch, son of MICHAELA SCHENKELBERG (’11) and Brandon Boesch of Blair, NE

Luke Courcier, son of MELANIE (DRYAK, ’19) and NICK COURCIER (’18) of Omaha

Eloise Cummings, daughter of Naomi Cochran and Jacob Cummings of Noble, OK and granddaughter of DEBORAH (CROUSE, ’12) and EDWARD CUMMINGS (’90)

Minerva Daseler, daughter of YUIKA (SUZUKI, ’20) and NICHOLAS DASELER (’17) of Murfreesboro, TN

Marietta DeWispelare, daughter of SARAH (BOHRER, ’17) and CLETE DEWISPELARE (’15) of Bellevue, NE

Crew William Ewald, son of AMANDA (ELSASSER, ’18) and DANE EWALD (’14) of Omaha and grandson of Robin and DOUG EWALD (’87)

Henley Frickel, daughter of Alex and SHELBY (ADAIR, ’16) FRICKEL of Lincoln, NE

Juneau Gehringer, daughter of TAYLOR (FLAIRTY, ’15, ’18) and JOEL GEHRINGER (’23) of Omaha

Ryker Goettsch, son of Joseph and JESSICA (GAMMONS, ’18) GEOTTSCH of Omaha

Sloane Hampton, daughter of JENNA (LANGEMEIER, ’15) and KYLE HAMPTON (’18) of Omaha

Peyton Kulig, daughter of Courtney and ZACHARY KULIG (’19) of Palatine, IL

Charlotte Lyons, daughter of LAURANNE (BECKWITH, ’12, ’18) and JOSHUA LYONS (’12, ’18) of Omaha, NE and granddaughter of COLLEEN (NEE, ’71) and WILLIAM BECKWITH (’71)

Dak Malsam, son of Courtney and Brett Malsam of Dubuque, IA and grandson of CRAIG MALSAM (’93)

Shay Morris, son of CONNOR MORRIS (’18) of El Paso, TX and grandson of SUSAN LENNARD (CHRISTENSEN, ’89)

Mac Neill, son of ASHLEY NEILL (KILDOW, ’15) of Cheyenne, WY

Trinity O’Brien, daughter of SARAH O’BRIEN (’18) and Douglas Havener of Lincoln, NE

Weston Odell, son of ANNESHA MITRA (’12, ’17) of Omaha

Daniel Reeves, son of BRITTANY (WILSON, ’18, ’22) and MASON REEVES (’19) of Omaha

Leighton Schwarting, daughter of Travis and ERIKA (MALLORY, ’16) SCHWARTING of Omaha and granddaughter of Pam and Kevin Schwarting.

Roman Anthony Svehla, son of OLIVIA (RODRIGUEZ, ’22) and CALE SVEHLA (’21) of Omaha and grandson of HEATHER SVEHLA (’97) of Bellevue, NE

Elliott Svoboda, son of Seth and LISA (BOONE, ’09) SVOBODA of Orlanda, FL

Jaretzi Quitl, daughter of JONATHAN QUITL (’14) and Jennifer Palomera of Omaha

Whit Warming, son of Grant and KYLIE (SCHWARTING, ’18) WARMING of Omaha and grandson of Pam and Kevin Schwarting

Jackson Zelensky, son of Ashlie and JONATHAN ZELENSKY (’18) of Omaha

Rylee Henrichs, daughter of Grady and ABBEY (YOUNG, ’16) HENRICHS of Omaha

A LOOK AT HAPPENINGS ON AND OFF CAMPUS

DURANGO’S BIRTHDAY BASH

UNO students, faculty and staff celebrated Durango’s 52nd birthday with free cake and swag surprises!

MAVERICKS GIVE BACK

Mavericks and community members took part in UNO’s 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Volunteers at Youth Emergency Services dedicated time to sorting clothes, filling bags with food, cleaning and packaging toiletries.

NCITE PROVIDES INSIGHT

Ian Moss, U.S. Department of State Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Chelsea Cohen, U.S. Department of State Countering Violent Extremism Policy Advisor and Dexter Ingram, U.S. Department of State Counter Violent Extremism Office Director, met with NCITE senior researchers and spoke at an NCITE panel during their two-day visit to UNO.

I’VE NEVER SEEN AN ORGANIZATION LIKE IT. THE WAY NCITE CAN RESPOND TO WORLD EVENTS AND ADAPT AND RESEARCH — AND REALLY PROJECT THAT RESEARCH INTERNATIONALLY — IS HUGE. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. IT SAVES LIVES. DEXTER INGRAM

BRUSHING UP

Having taught painting and drawing courses at UNO since 1998, students in Barbara Simcoe’s painting class immerse themselves in their art alongside the experienced professor.

EMPOWER, EDUCATE, ELEVATE

African Culture Connection helped kick off UNO’s Black History Month celebrations in the Milo Bail Student Center. Students, faculty and staff experienced the richness of West African culture through vibrant attire and signature dishes.

LIGHT UP THE RIVERFRONT

The “Discover With Durango” series continues as students explore Kiewit Luminarium, which has more than 100 interactive exhibits and a kaleidoscope of programs to interact with.

GREEN THUMBS UP

Exploratory Studies students plant garlic and crimson clover seeds in the gardens of the Omaha-based nonprofit Together Inc. as part of a service learning project.

COMING SOON: CENTER FOR CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH

Assistant Professor of Biomechanics Yuri Salkovskiy, Ph.D. demonstrates how light a piece of cloth created in the materials lab is at the Biomechanics Building. UNO’s Department of Biomechanics received an $11 million award for vascular disease research from the National Institutes of Health. With the funding, UNO researchers will study how devices, like the stint Alexey Kamenskiy, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Biomechanics is holding, can better improve blood flow.

WHEN YOU WALK AND YOU BEND YOUR LEG, THE STENT BENDS AND TWISTS AND COMPRESSES SIMILARLY TO HOW THE ARTERY BENDS.

ALEXEY KAMENSKIY, PH.D.

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Asian food, a Japanese performance, a Lion Dance, music and crafts were all part of the third annual Lunar New Year celebration hosted by UNO’s Asian Student Association, Southeast Asian Organization, International Student Services, Karen Student Association and Friends of Japan.

GROWING FUTURE MAVERICKS

UNO service learning students spent time with Walnut Creek Elementary School students at the university’s Glacier Creek Preserve. The current Mavericks helped hopeful future Mavericks collect and sort seeds which they will use later to plant a pollinator garden.

EYES ON THE SKY

UNO students, faculty, staff and community members lined the Pep Bowl to watch a helicopter from the 40th Helicopter Squadron out of Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, land as part of the United States Air ForceAviation Inspiration Mentorship Program. A few cadets had the chance to get incentive rides, making this kind of opportunity even more unique and something only available in Air Force ROTC.

Test your brainpower with these puzzles created by UNO graduate Terry Stickels (’76) in his “BIG Brain Puzzle Book.” For more information on Stickels, or to order any of his books, visit terrystickels.com.

WORDPLAY

You will find out this paragraph is unusual. Why? You’ll find out soon, if you don’t know by now. Think about what’s right in front of you. Don’t rush-you can sit for days or months to think about this. But, I know you won’t drag this out for too long. You won’t fail. I know you. Your brain will finally find a solution. By now, you probably know what’s wrong with this paragraph, right? What do you think? I await your solution. I’ll wait as long as you want to wait. So, what’s your logical mind say about this paragraph? I know you know by now.

LOGIC

Alphametics are fun because they spell out a phrase, slogan, person’s name, movie, etc. For the uninitiated, alphametics (also called cryptarithms) are number/letter puzzles where letters represent digits in an addition problem.

Here’s an example:

Here’s an updated version. It has 2 solutions.

O = 0

A = 9

S = 8 for both solutions.

MATHEMATICS

Eight people decided to invest in a new computer device. If there had been 6 more initial investors, the expense for each person would have been $1,500 less. What was the initial cost per person?

ANSWERS

EDUCATION FROM ANYWHERE

Online at UNO offers flexible learning pathways that meet you where you are in life.

Whether you’re looking to start a new program as an undergraduate, continue your education as a grad student, finish a degree you already started, or add credentials and certificates to help grow in your career, you’ve come to the right place.

Flexible Online Classes

Classes are offered fully online or a hybrid of online and on-campus to fit your life and schedule.

Fully Accredited Online Programs

UNO’s nationally recognized programs and faculty provide a quality education from a reputable university.

Meet Workforce Demands

Align your education to career opportunities with in-demand degrees in fast growing fields.

6001 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68182-0510

U.S.

15, NO. 1

UNO MAGAZINE is the flagship publication of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is published three times a year. It is mailed to all UNO graduates and to community leaders in and out of Nebraska. Please share your copy with anyone who might benefit from the work of our great university.