Fall 2023 UNK Today

I Love NU Day 2023

A large contingent of UNK supporters converged on the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln April 6 to meet with lawmakers, show support for the university and promote its importance to the state during I Love NU Day.

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EMILY SAADI CHANGED HER MIND ABOUT UNK. NOW SHE’S READY TO CHANGE THE WORLD

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BRAD BOHN RETURNS TO UNK FOR ’FAMILY REUNION’

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’HELPING EACH OTHER’: FOR THE FIRST TIME, FUTURE PHYSICIANS WILL COMPLETE THEIR MEDICAL TRAINING IN KEARNEY

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KROHN BROTHERS SHARE PASSION, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNK STUDENTS

DEPARTMENTS

6 AROUND THE TOWER

24 LOUIE’S PRIDE

26 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS

28 2023 OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD RECIPIENTS

29 UNK ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 2023

30 FOREVER A LOPER CLASS NOTES

UNK TODAY

UNK ALUMNI | FALL 2023 | ISSUE 39

VICE PRESIDENT OF ALUMNI RELATIONS & DEVELOPMENT

Lucas Dart ’97

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

Tricia (Sunderman) Danburg ’94

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI COMMUNICATION

Shonna Hill

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Toni (Winsor) Meyers ’93

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR

Mitch Johnson ’93

University of Nebraska Foundation

PHOTOGRAPHY

UNK Alumni Association

UNK Communications and Marketing

University of Nebraska Foundation

UNK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LEAD COUNCIL

Hilke (Brandon) Meyer ’12, MBA ’19

PRESIDENT

OMAHA, NEBRASKA

Bryce Abbey, Ph.D., ’04, MAE ’06

CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVE KEARNEY, NEBRASKA

Anita (Fritz) Cory, Ph.D., ’90, MSE ’93

GREEK REPRESENTATIVE NORTH LIBERTY, IOWA

Erika (Baltzell) Farrell ’13

NEBRASKA REPRESENTATIVE ELKHORN, NEBRASKA

Andy Greer ’11

NEBRASKA REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

Michelle (Marks) Krause ’02, MSE ’05

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ROSWELL, GEORGIA

Brittani Moeller, D.O., ’08

KEARNEY REPRESENTATIVE KEARNEY, NEBRASKA

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: UNK TODAY / UNK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

214 W. 39TH ST.

P.O. BOX 2678

KEARNEY, NE 68848

1-308-698-5271

lopers@unkalumni.org

a MESSAGE from CHANCELLOR KRISTENSEN

I am writing this message on a warm, sunny summer day. You might imagine that the campus is quiet in the summer, that there is a lull between semesters. But it’s a busy place, albeit a different kind of busy. New Student Enrollment (NSE) is in full swing as students come to register for fall classes; Foster Field is a beehive of activity as it hosts athletic camps as well as the Shrine Bowl; summer enrichment programs such as Loper Launch are introducing scores of future Lopers to the University of Nebraska at Kearney; and our facilities crew is busy preparing residence halls and classroom buildings for fall, not to mention the in-progress construction of our Regional Engagement Center at University Village and our new sorority living center east of the Nebraskan Student Union, plus major improvements to C.T. Ryan Library and Warner Hall.

By early fall when this edition of UNK Today is circulated, we will have welcomed new freshmen and transfer students to the Loper family, and classes will have started (to me, there are few things better than move-in day and the first weeks of a new semester), we will have returned to “normal busy,” and homecoming will be on the horizon. I cordially invite you to “come home” to UNK for Homecoming 2023 or plan a visit soon. If you’ve not been to campus recently, I think you will be surprised and proud of the momentum and renewal that greet you.

Reflecting on my 21 years as UNK chancellor, I take pleasure and pride in the strides we as a university community have made in terms of new and expanded programs of study, research opportunities, state-of-the-art facilities and a carefully planned landscape. I am grateful for the support we — “we” includes all of you — have given each other along the way. And I am proud that, although campus is different, our core values have stayed the same: Learning Matters, Learning Environments Matter, People Matter and Responsible Stewardship Matters.

I hope you had a great summer and have an equally great fall and winter. Now and always, Go Lopers!

UNK Today is published twice a year by the UNK Alumni Association and the University of Nebraska Foundation and is the official alumni publication of the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

AROUNDtheTOWER

News and Events Across Campus

Brian and Carey Hamilton’s philanthropy impacts nearly every aspect of campus, from academics and athletics to extracurricular activities and facilities.

ey’re true pillars of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, according to Chancellor Doug Kristensen.

“If you’re graduating today, I guarantee they’ve touched your academic lives, your personal lives and your student involvement through their personal generosity and their nancial commitments to UNK and the university system as a whole,” Kristensen said during May’s spring commencement.

Calling them role models and leaders for the university and state, he selected the successful Nebraska business couple for this year’s Ron and Carol Cope Cornerstone of Excellence Award. Presented annually during spring commencement, the award recognizes individuals for their community service and support of UNK, the Kearney area, state of Nebraska and higher education. It is UNK’s highest honor.

e owners of Midway Auto Group in Kearney and Beardmore Chevrolet Subaru in Bellevue lead by example — “all for the bene t of our students.”

“ eir energy and willingness to serve and support our university is admirable,” Kristensen said.

Currently, the Hamiltons are executive committee members and UNK co-chairs for Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, a historic e ort to raise $3 billion to support University of Nebraska students, faculty, academic programs and research, including a $70 million goal for UNK. UNK’s campaign priorities include the Rural Health Education

Building, new student scholarships, endowed faculty professorships and chairs, Loper Sports Performance Network, Calvin T. Ryan Library redevelopment and student success programs.

e Hamiltons were also committee members for the Campaign for Nebraska, a 10-year e ort that raised more than $1.8 billion for the NU system, including $61.2 million for UNK.

Brian Hamilton served on the University of Nebraska Foundation Board of Directors during the rst campaign, and Carey Hamilton is a current board member. ey’ve both been on the University of Nebraska President’s Advisory Council, as well.

Brian and Carey Hamilton honored with Cope Excellence Award

Carey and Brian Hamilton

Paul Twigg to lead College of Arts and Sciences

e University of Nebraska at Kearney has selected Paul Twigg as the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

A longtime biology professor, Twigg has served as the college’s interim dean since September 2022. His appointment to the permanent position was e ective July 1.

“I look forward to becoming the full-time leader of the College of Arts and Sciences. I have always felt that my work is the most valuable when it impacts students, and I consider becoming dean as another opportunity to do this,” Twigg said.

Twigg joined UNK in 1992 as part of the rst faculty cohort hired following the school’s transition to the University of Nebraska System. As a researcher, he’s secured more than $32 million in grant funding.

Twigg served as the graduate chair in the UNK Department of Biology from 2016-20, overseeing an online master’s program with more than

400 students and several grant-funded graduate assistant positions. He also helped launch a new master’s degree program in health science.

As an assistant/associate dean, Twigg played a key role in the creation of the College of Arts and Sciences, formed in August 2018 by merging the colleges of Natural and Social Sciences and Fine Arts and Humanities. Arts and Sciences is UNK’s largest academic college, with 2,400 students and 220 full- and part-time faculty. It includes the departments of art and design, biology, chemistry, communication, criminal justice, English, geography, health sciences, history, mathematics and statistics, modern languages, music, theatre and dance, physics, astronomy and engineering, philosophy, political science, psychology, social work and sociology, along with the international studies, STEM education, and women’s, gender and ethnic studies programs.

Twigg was an associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences for two years prior to his appointment as interim dean.

Paul Twigg

Record 56 students accepted into Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP)

Future health care professionals from communities across the state will attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall as part of the largestever class to enter the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP).

A total of 56 high school seniors were recently accepted into KHOP, a pipeline program designed to grow the state’s health care workforce by recruiting and educating students from rural Nebraska who are committed to practicing in these areas after professional school. Participants are awarded fulltuition scholarships to attend UNK and guaranteed admission to the University of Nebraska Medical Center if all requirements are met.

“We’re very excited to be welcoming this historic freshman class into the KHOP program,” said

Peggy Abels, director of UNK Health Sciences. “It is encouraging to have such a highly talented group of students dedicated to practicing health care in rural Nebraska. We look forward to working with them to help alleviate the workforce shortages in our state.”

Launched in 2010, KHOP addresses an urgent need for health care professionals in rural Nebraska by providing top-notch training for students from these communities. Program participants can study in the elds of dental hygiene, dentistry, medical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant and radiography.

In addition to the full-tuition scholarship, members receive a $2,000 room waiver through the KHOP Learning Community. A requirement for freshmen, the one-year residential learning community gives students a chance to explore various health care careers while receiving support and guidance as they transition to college. KHOP members also meet with health care providers and tour medical facilities in the Kearney area, better preparing them for professional school.

BRAD BOHN RETURNS TO UNK FOR ’FAMILY

REUNION’

By TYLER ELLYSON - UNK Communications

One word comes to mind when Brad Bohn thinks about the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Family.

“UNK is a family,” he said. “I love the people here and I love how the institution keeps us connected.”

e 2006 graduate talked about this family and its impact on his life during the spring commencement ceremony.

An assistant professor of family medicine and practicing family physician at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Bohn was invited back to his alma mater to deliver the keynote address at the May 19 event.

“Family is at the heart of what I do on a day-to-day basis as a family physician. Family is what means the most in the world to me,” said Bohn, who encouraged attendees to “find your family, develop your family, and sustain your family.”

In the traditional sense, Bohn has numerous family members with ties to UNK. His four brothers all attended the university and so did his wife, Sarah, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders in 2007 and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology in 2009. Her father, Peter Longo, is a longtime political science professor on campus and the current associate vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.

But, as Bohn noted during his speech, not all family members are related by blood or marriage. His definition is much broader:

“A group of people, related or not, who work together for a common cause and who love each other.”

ese people are members of his Loper family, too.

FIRST EMBRACE

A Ravenna native, Bohn arrived at UNK in summer 2001 as a recipient of the prestigious Board of Regents Scholarship and a member of the Loper football team.

He recalls “nervously reporting” to thenhead coach Darrell Morris, “back when there was grass on Foster Field and before it was Cope Stadium.”

“ at was my first embrace with the UNK family,” he said. “I instantly had over 100 players and coaches who were in many ways my family.”

After redshirting as a freshman, Bohn played three seasons for the Lopers, starting at defensive tackle before shifting to the offensive line. UNK earned a share of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title in 2002 and reached the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in program history.

Following back-to-back five-win seasons and multiple injuries, Bohn decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to pursue other opportunities on campus.

“It was such an exciting time for me because there was always something else to do and something new to move on to,” the academic all-conference honoree said. “I loved all the opportunities to do different things here.”

As a senior, Bohn served as student body president and student regent, which he called a “life-changing experience.” He sat on committees that designed Antelope and Nester halls and co-founded UNK’s version of e Big Event, the university’s largest single-day service project.

Bohn received the Mary Jane and William R. Nester Student Leadership Award and UNK Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Award before graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science.

He also met Sarah when they were both undergraduate students at UNK, although they didn’t start dating until he was in medical school.

“My wife and I have a fun time reminiscing about how things used to be,” Bohn said. “It’s just impressive how many changes there are.”

SPECIAL HOMECOMING

One thing that hasn’t changed is the university’s emphasis on high-quality education.

Bohn gained hands-on medical experience in many of his classes, and the gross anatomy lab on campus allowed him to dissect and study cadavers as an undergraduate.

“I didn’t have a lot of colleagues in medical school who had those experiences, so I felt like I was a step ahead when I got to medical school,” he said.

Bohn was accepted into the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he became the first person to serve as student regent at two different University of Nebraska campuses. He was president of the UNMC College of Medicine Class of 2010 and completed U.S. Air Force Commissioned Officer Training as a distinguished graduate. After graduating from UNMC, Bohn went to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for his family medicine residency.

“ e family medicine training clinic was in a town of about 5,000 outside Rochester, so I got the small-town feel and small-town patients to take care of, but then I also had the world-class hospital experience from the downtown Mayo location,” said Bohn, who finished his residency in June 2013.

He began his career as a family physician at the

Brad Bohn

Kearney Clinic and also served as an adjunct faculty member for UNMC and director of the hospitalist program at Kearney Regional Medical Center.

In 2017, Bohn and his family moved back to Rochester, Minnesota, when he accepted a position at Mayo Clinic. He spends about half his time teaching, and the other half is dedicated to caring for patients.

A 2013 recipient of the UNK Alumni Association’s Distinguished Young Alumnus Award, Bohn has served in the Nebraska Air National Guard for 16 years, including a 2018 deployment to Afghanistan with the Lincolnbased 155th Air Refueling Wing. Currently, he’s a flight surgeon and lieutenant colonel with the 133rd Airlift Wing, an air transportation unit based in Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

Even though it means spending time away from his wife and four young children, military service is something Bohn feels “called to do.”

“For me personally, I think it’s setting a good example for my kids,” he said. “I’m hoping they’ll see you’re serving something bigger than yourself — that it’s not just about you, it’s about doing something for others.”

Unfortunately, because of a swim meet in Iowa City, his wife and children weren’t able to see him speak at the spring commencement ceremony. He took a “family photo” anyway, posing at the podium with hundreds of fellow UNK graduates in the background.

“ is has been a special homecoming for me to return to my UNK family,” Bohn said. HELP

US BY TELLING THE STORY OF HOW THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE TO YOU

Alumni, it’s time to come home to Kearney!

There are several events throughout the weekend where you can reconnect with fellow alumni.

Friday, September 29

11:30 a.m.

Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon*

Nebraskan Student Union, Ponderosa Room

2:30 p.m.

Chemistry Department’s Annual Dr. Don Fox Lecture

Copeland Hall, Room 131

3:30 p.m.

One Room, One Teacher Induction Ceremony College of Education Atrium

5:30 p.m.

Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet*

Nebraskan Student Union, Ponderosa Room

6:00 p.m.

ROTC Alumni Social

American Legion, 1223 Central Ave.

Saturday, September 30

10 a.m. Parade Downtown Kearney

Noon–2 p.m.

Loper Brews & Brats Tailgate

Sponsored by First National Bank Omaha Loperville, Cope Stadium Parking Lot

2:00 p.m.

UNK vs. Washburn University

Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field

6:00 p.m.

ROTC Alumni Banquet

Younes Conference Center South, 416 W. Talmadge Road.

*Tickets for the Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon and Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet may be purchased at unkalumni.org/homecoming. You can find more event details at unkalumni.org/homecoming.

EMILY SAADI CHANGED HER MIND ABOUT UNK. NOW SHE’S READY TO CHANGE THE WORLD

By TYLER ELLYSON - UNK Communications

Emily Saadi didn’t want to attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

“Growing up in Kearney, the plan was always as far away as possible,” she explained.

During her freshman year in high school, that meant New York City. As she got older, though, her dream school kept moving closer and closer to home.

“By the time I was a junior and senior, I had visited a lot of di erent campuses — in state, out of state, all over,” Saadi said.

She settled on Creighton University in Omaha, and started the enrollment process. However, the decision never really felt right.

“I was not happy at all, and my parents noticed that,” Saadi said.

ey encouraged her to check out UNK, the local university she never seriously considered.

“So I came on a tour — mostly to get out of school — and while I was here I was just really impressed by the authenticity of the tour guides,” she recalled. “ e students were very genuine about their experience. You could tell they really cared about UNK.”

She also met that day with Chuck Rowling, chair of the Department of Political Science. ey chatted about her future plans,

opportunities available on campus and how UNK could help her reach her career goals.

“I went home and I changed everything, literally, in April of my senior year, which was a little nerve-wracking, but I made that decision and I haven’t regretted it at all,” said Saadi, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in global peace and security.

PROFOUND IMPACT

Rowling also remembers that conversation from four years ago.

“Within minutes of meeting Emily and her mom, Nadia, I knew that she would have a

profound impact on this campus — assuming, of course, that she ended up coming to UNK,” he said. “Her maturity, intellectual curiosity, commitment to social justice and infectious personality were all on full display during that conversation. And those qualities have certainly remained throughout her time at UNK.”

e political science professor and pre-law adviser describes her as an impressive thinker, writer, communicator and leader, both within and outside the classroom.

“Emily is one of those students who is drawn to complex issues and ideas that require us to really consider the ethical and moral implications. I have always appreciated that about her,” Rowling said. “Beyond that, she has been an incredible mentor to so many students on our campus, especially within the political science department.”

As a pre-law student, Saadi was involved in numerous political science organizations, including Locke and Key Society, American Democracy Project, Pre-Law Society and Model United Nations. She competed with the Model UN team at conferences in New York City and Washington, D.C., and was part of two international eld study courses led by Rowling. Students traveled to Northern Ireland in summer 2022 and Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands in spring 2023 to learn about international a airs, human rights and international law.

Saadi called the trips “an amazing learning and bonding experience.”

“My involvement on campus was a way to form deeper relationships with people and be a more well-rounded person at the end of college,” she said. “Did it lead to more late nights trying to catch up on homework and things like that? Yeah, but it was never time that I felt like I was wasting.”

Outside the Department of Political Science, Saadi was part of the UNK Honors Program, Chancellor’s Ambassadors, Catholic Newman Center, Phi Eta Sigma honor society,

Undergraduate Research Fellows, Nebraskats show choir, campus intramurals and UNK Student Government.

She served as student body president and student regent in 2022-23, allowing her to advocate for fellow Lopers during University of Nebraska Board of Regents meetings and other events. at experience also gave her an opportunity to connect with students across the NU system and hear their stories.

“It was very eye-opening to me to learn about everything the University of Nebraska has to

o er,” she said. “Being from Nebraska, I was de nitely selling it short beforehand. And it gave me a lot of hope about everything this university can do in the future.”

MOVING FORWARD

As she leaves campus, Saadi sounds a lot like those tour guides who convinced her to come to UNK. She even served as a campus visit assistant herself.

“I feel like my four years at UNK were de ned by relationships — genuine, authentic

Emily Saadi and Luke Sykes ride in the 2022 UNK Homecoming Parade.

relationships,” she said. “ roughout my time here, I’ve been surrounded by people who actually care about me and what I want to do, and they want to do everything they can to help me along that path.”

Saadi plans to work and travel over the next year while checking out a brand-new list of potential universities to attend. She wants to pursue a master’s degree in international relations, preferably at an institution in Europe, before returning to the U.S. for law school. Her goal is to practice immigration and international human rights law, giving a voice to people who are often silenced or overlooked.

“I grew up here, but I have family members from Palestine who spent years of their lives in refugee camps, and I think those people are often forgotten,” Saadi said. “ ere’s a lot of

good that can be done by looking more deeply at these issues, bene ting both our country and the people impacted.”

Rowling knows that prospective student he met in 2019 will continue to make a positive impact on the world.

“If there is one thing I can be con dent in saying about Emily, moving forward, it is that she will devote her time and energy toward helping her community and improving the lives of those around her. at is just who she is,” he said. “It was during our initial meeting over four years ago that she indicated that she would like to go to law school and one day use her talents to work on and advance international human rights. She still has that goal and, given what she accomplished at UNK, I am certain that she will achieve it.”

Emily Saadi graduated from UNK in May with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in international relations before

school.

KROHN BROTHERS SHARE PASSION, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNK STUDENTS

By KRISTIN HOWARD- University of Nebraska Foundation

Twins Brad ’98 and Brice ’00 Krohn aren’t your ordinary outdoorsmen. Growing up in Treynor, Iowa, just east of Omaha, the brothers enjoyed the outdoors and everything nature has to offer. They hunted and fished and worked on area farms. As they entered college at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, both realized their love of the outdoors was more than a hobby, but also a passion that both brothers wanted in their professional lives as well.

While students at UNK, Brice and Brad studied wildlife biology and continued to work jobs within their field of study — being open to trying new things to further their skill sets. Further, UNK offered projects and studies out in the field, where the brothers gained hands-on experience. Both brothers credit UNK and the biology department with an excellent education that prepared them for careers in wildlife conservation and habitat management.

Today, Brad is project leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Rainwater Basin Complex, which includes 63 Waterfowl Production Areas throughout a 21-county area of south-central Nebraska, and Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge in north-central Kansas. Brice is president and chief executive officer of the Crane Trust in Wood River. Their passion has led the brothers toward becoming leaders in migratory bird conservation along the Platte River from Lexington to Grand Island.

Though neither envisioned their careers keeping them around Kearney, they wouldn’t change anything. “Kearney is a hard place to leave behind. The landscape, wildlife, community — it doesn’t get any better,” said Brice. Brad agreed. “Kearney is a great place to call home. Our families love it and the outdoors as well. It’s the perfect fit,” he said. Not only do the brothers involve their spouses and children in outdoor life and activities, but also they both consider engaging with UNK students a priority. UNK biology professor Keith Geluso, Ph.D., has partnered with the brothers to provide opportunities for students to gain experience in wildlife biology.

“It is wonderful to have both of these alumni reach the top positions in the field of wildlife biology so close to campus,” said Geluso. “I use these gentlemen as examples for incoming wildlife students.

Brice Krohn

Brad Krohn

“Many of our students could attend colleges throughout the United States, but these students choose to remain local to be near family and to assist with our farming/ranching communities. Brice and Brad are always there for our students as well as for faculty to conduct research on the lands they oversee.”

One such student is Brice’s son, who will be attending UNK this fall to study biology and wildlife management. He’s following in the

footsteps of his dad to continue preserving ecosystems. “I’m proud and happy he wants to pursue this passion as well,” said Brice.

Brice and Brad demonstrate that if someone is open to learning new skill sets, trying new things and optimizing opportunities, they can succeed and even remain close to home. Further, the brothers are paying it forward by mentoring and guiding UNK students.

“I see them around town often, such as at our kids’ sporting events, and they always have a big smile, asking when I’m bringing more students out for projects and research,” Geluso said. “UNK clearly benefits from having both these alumni in the community in more ways than one!”

For more information on the Crane Trust and activities/opportunities, visit https://cranetrust.org

Counting Cranes is a short film about the Crane Trust’s crane counting process: https://plattebasintimelapse. com/2022/03/counting-cranes

Below: Photo courtesy, Lori Potter ’77

AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CONSORTIUM

Monday, November 13

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center, Lincoln, NE

Helping Nebraska Alumni jump-start and advance their careers. Register at huskeralum.org/Career-Catalyst-23-NU

LEAVE YOUR LEGACY THROUGH ESTATE PLANNING.

University of Nebraska at Kearney alumni have made a tremendous impact on our students and our state through private philanthropy. October is National Estate Planning Awareness Month and the perfect time to make an even bigger difference in the lives of current and future UNK students. You may think you have to be wealthy to contribute. However, to get started, all you need is the passion to ignite positive change and the desire to support Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future.

For more information on making a gift from your estate, contact a gift planning representative at the University of Nebraska Foundation or download our estate planning kit to get started. We are here to help you leave your philanthropic legacy.

BETTERING OUR STATE. LIKE ONLY NEBRASKA CAN.

800-432-3216

gift.planning@nufoundation.org nufoundation.org/estate-planning

’HELPING EACH OTHER’

For the First Time, Future Physicians Will Complete Their Medical Training in Kearney

By Kelsey Kirk

Cordelia Harbison grew up visiting Lexington Regional Health Center in Lexington, Nebraska.

For at least a decade, she would drop off dinner to her stepmom, who was a nurse at the hospital. ose night-shift visits showed Harbison the impact that physicians can have on their patients, especially in a rural part of the state. And it made her realize a career in medicine was within reach.

“ at drove me to want it even more,” Harbison said, “especially seeing the amount of good you can do in a rural area.”

Harbison is in her sophomore year at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She’s majoring in chemistry with a health science emphasis. She plans to become a family practice physician.

Harbison, 19, will stay in Kearney — a 30-minute drive from her family home in Lexington — for the duration of her collegiate career. And upon finishing medical school, Harbison hopes to stay in central Nebraska to practice in a rural town.

at’s one of the goals of the Kearney Health Opportunities Program, a joint project between UNK and the University of Nebraska Medical Center that was established in 2010. In 2015, the $19 million UNMC-UNK Health Sciences Education Complex opened its doors, offering programs in nursing and allied health professions on campus in Kearney.

Now the two campuses have teamed up again, this time offering start-to-finish training for physicians. UNMC is bringing its College

of Medicine to Kearney with the planned construction of an $85 million Rural Health Education Building.

e continued collaboration is designed to meet the urgent demand for health care workers in rural Nebraska. Dentists, nurses, pharmacists and numerous allied health professionals are in short supply, and the state has designated every county in Nebraska, except for urban Douglas and Lancaster, as health care shortage areas. But perhaps nowhere are the shortages more urgently felt than in primary care. A 2022 report by UNMC Rural Health Initiatives said more than a quarter of counties in Nebraska have either no family physician or just one family physician serving an area of more than 2,000 people.

e Rural Health Education Building, set to be complete in 2025, for the first time will allow future physicians to complete their medical training in Kearney and bring public health and pharmacy students to UNK while expanding offerings for allied health and nursing students. e initiative aims to build on the success of the Health Sciences Education Complex, which has seen 85% of its graduates start their careers in rural Nebraska.

Harbison said she’s excited to be part of the program, especially as a member of one of the first generations to go through it.

“It’s almost shocking to think you can have (an academic) medical center here in Kearney, Nebraska,” Harbison said. “I am excited because I don’t know of many medical centers in small towns. is is going to be the center of Nebraska, a diamond in the rough.”

Harbison wants to return to a small community after graduation. e Lexington area would be ideal, she said, but she would enjoy serving elsewhere in central Nebraska, too.

While Harbison briefly considered going into pharmacy, shadowing physicians in Lexington let her see the difference in how physicians work compared with pharmacists.

“ at kind of put me in their shoes,” she said. ose shadowing experiences were moving, Harbison said, especially seeing the way each doctor knew their patients on a more personal level.

Harbison, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, was especially moved to see physicians working with Spanish-speaking patients and connecting with them despite the language barrier.

Another driving factor was the experience Harbison’s sister had during her pregnancy.

Cordelia Harbison, far left, a sophomore at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, has witnessed the impact physicians can have on their patients in rural areas. It drove her to pursue a career in medicine.

When Harbison’s sister, who lives in the Ogallala area, went into labor, her doctor was at another appointment 60 miles away.

In her sister’s case, everything went smoothly. But Harbison said other people may not have the same positive outcomes.

“I want to be able to help,” she said. “You don’t want to have to go through that stuff alone.”

e decision to land at UNK fell into place her senior year of high school, Harbison said. Staying close to her hometown was a plus and felt less intimidating than moving to Omaha to attend UNMC after graduation.

e Kearney Health Opportunities Program’s goal is to support health care workers in training and improve health care delivery in rural areas. Harbison identified with that objective, and she wanted to make her intentions clear in her applications. She even made her siblings read all her scholarship applications to be sure she was getting the message across.

“I want to see rural areas that don’t have to struggle with health care,” Harbison said. “I wanted to express how seriously I wanted to return. Some people sign up with no intention of returning to a rural area. I want to give back to people what they gave to me.”

Harbison said students in the program all have the same end goal: making a difference as physicians and health care workers.

“We’re not so much competing with each other and trying to outwork one another, but helping each other achieve the same goal,” Harbison said. “Everyone genuinely wants each other to succeed.”

Scan the QR code to support the Rural Health Education Building.

LOUIE’S PRIDE

Finishing in Style: UNK golfer Paige Lucero goes from national championships to commencement stage

By TYLER ELLYSON - UNK Communications

Before she hit her first shot in the final round of May’s NCAA Division II Championships, Paige Lucero received a piece of advice from her coach, Shawn Rodehorst.

He told her to slow down, look up and enjoy the moment.

“Golf can teach you a lot. People will tell you it teaches you integrity and it teaches you hard work,” Lucero said, “but the one big thing I took away is that you have to enjoy what you’re doing.”

The University of Nebraska at Kearney spring graduate certainly relished her time both on and o the course.

“I’ve had such an amazing experience at UNK,” she said. “It’s hard to put into words. I’ve made so many friends who have become like a second family.”

A native of Kingman, Arizona, where she attended Lee Williams High School, Lucero grew up golfing in the warmth and sunshine of the desert Southwest. She said her journey to the Midwest is a “really funny story.”

“When I was in high school, I was in the athletic training program, and that’s what I thought I wanted to do,” she explained. “My high school athletic trainer [John Blake] actually graduated from UNK, so he kind of put it on my radar.”

Lucero sent Rodehorst an email expressing her interest in UNK, but never received a response. A few weeks later, she tried again.

“We still kind of joke about that,” Rodehorst said with a laugh. “I could have sworn I emailed her back,

but apparently it didn’t go through. It’s a good thing she emailed me again a month or so later.”

With the connection finally complete, Lucero and her parents flew to Nebraska for an o cial visit.

“The second I stepped on campus, I looked at my mom and said, ’This is where I want to be,’” she recalled. “I knew it’d be a little bit of an adjustment with the cold, but I just felt at home on campus. It was small enough that I could know people on campus, but it wasn’t so small that I had to know everyone. It was just a great fit.”

Rodehorst agrees.

Although she’s “a little on the quiet side,” the UNK coach counted on Lucero to lead by example.

“O the course, she’s a very good student and she does all the things you would want someone to do,” he said. “On the course, she has developed more than just about anybody I can think of. She’s someone you can point to as an example of what hard work really does.”

A four-year starter for the Lopers, Lucero improved her season stroke average from 85.1 as a freshman to 80.23 in 2022-23. She ranks ninth in school history in career stroke average (81.78) and seventh in rounds played (76).

This season, she played her best when it mattered the most.

Lucero carded a 7-over 223 to tie for 12th place at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Central Regional, a 54-hole tournament hosted by the Grand Falls Golf Resort in Larchwood, Iowa.

<<Paige Lucero, left, received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science during UNK’s spring commencement.

UNK finished third in the nine-team field, shooting a school-record 886 to qualify for the NCAA Division II Championships for the first time in program history.

The following week, Lucero led the Lopers with an 11-over 227 during the national championships at Fox Run Golf Club in Eureka, Missouri. She finished 38th individually, and UNK was 13th in the team standings.

“That experience was surreal,” Lucero said. “Getting to play alongside some of the top players in the nation was awesome. It’s not something you get to do every day, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

There was little time to celebrate, though.

After finishing their final round of the season, the Lopers were on a plane later that evening. They arrived in Kearney at 3:30 a.m. the following morning, giving Lucero less than seven hours to prepare for another memorable event.

She walked across the stage during May’s spring commencement ceremony to receive a bachelor’s degree in exercise science.

“It was a long couple of days,” Lucero said with a laugh. “Honestly, I had kind of come to terms with the fact that I probably wouldn’t be able to make it back, so when I was able to walk, it was really exciting. That definitely gave me a moment to reflect and look back at all the people who have supported me along the way. And it’s great to have that diploma in hand and know that all my hard work was worth it.”

A four-time Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Academic Honor Roll selection and two-time MIAA Excellence Award winner, Lucero graduated summa cum laude with her father, mother, sister and boyfriend in attendance. She started physical therapy school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in June.

UNK golfer Paige Lucero competes in the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Central Regional in May at Grand Falls Golf Resort in Larchwood, Iowa.

(Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

UNKAA DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS

e 43rd annual University of Nebraska at Kearney Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize alumni for their outstanding professional, civic, cultural or charitable accomplishments. e recipients will be celebrated during UNK homecoming weekend festivities.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Brian Buhlke, D.O., F.A.A.F.P. (1993)

Brian Buhlke, D.O., F.A.A.F.P., is the chief of sta and trauma director for the Merrick Medical Center in Central City, Nebraska, and is an American Academy of Family Physicians Fellow. Buhlke has been recognized as the National Rural Provider of the Year (Nebraska), UNMC Adjunct Professor of the Year and Nebraska Rural Physician of the Year, among many other awards. He is a dedicated volunteer for a variety of organizations in Central City and across Nebraska. He resides in Central City.

Tim Carman (1984)

Tim Carman is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and columnist for e Washington Post. His work has appeared in numerous editions of the “Best Food Writing” collection. He has also written for Imbibe magazine, American Scholar, Food Network magazine and other publications. Before joining e Post in 2010, he served as food editor and columnist for Washington City Paper. Carman lives in Hyattsville, Maryland.

Tim Schlattmann (1985)

Tim Schlattman resides in Los Angeles, California, and is a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee. He is a 2007 Peabody Award recipient and has received multiple Writers Guild of America and Golden Globe Award nominations. His writing credits span television comedy, drama, animation and lm.

Jim Rundstrom Distinguished Alumni Service Award

Ryan Tworek (1998)

Ryan Tworek of Mission Viejo, California, is an enterprise account executive for MasterControl. He also worked as an account executive for Pluralsight, Veeva and Oracle. Tworek has been a leader among UNK alumni living in southern California for most of the years since his graduation, including service as a board member and president of the former UNK Southern California Alumni Association. In recent years, Tworek and his wife, Andrea, have hosted alumni functions in their home. He has also continued to play an active role within the UNK Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity alumni community.

Distinguished Young Alumnus Award

Dusty L. Birge (2011)

Dusty Birge of Kearney started his career at General Electric, completing the Commercial Leadership Program. He began his entrepreneurial journey and started three successful businesses in the past seven years. Birge founded a startup in Kearney called Fast Forward and leads the organization as the chief executive o cer. He has received numerous awards for his entrepreneurial e orts and was recognized as the 2022 UNK Emerging Entrepreneur.

College of Business & Technology Distinguished Alumna

Alexi (Tice) Wellman (1992)

Alexi Wellman resides in Papillion and currently serves as the CEO of Altaba. She has held executive roles with Yahoo and Nebraska Book Company and was a partner at KPMG LLP. Wellman has held numerous board positions and currently is a director and chair of the audit committee of Werner Enterprises Inc. (WERN), and ESS Inc. (GWH). Additionally, she is a venture capital partner, angel investor and speaker. Wellman spends time volunteering with underprivileged youth and supporting the Nebraska startup ecosystem.

College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year

Maureen (Gaffney) Nickels (1974, MAE 1978)

Maureen Nickels of Grand Island, now retired, dedicated her 43-year career to the education of children in Nebraska. Maureen was an elementary teacher for Grand Island Public Schools for 26 years and served as the Nebraska State Education Association’s organizational specialist and retired sta liaison for 17 years. She served on the Nebraska State Board of Education and was the National Association of State Boards of Education 2022 Distinguished Service Award recipient, along with many other awards. She is an active volunteer for several organizations and served on the UNK Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Dr. Donald E. Fox Distinguished Chemistry Alumna

Ruth (Udey) Harding, Ph.D. (2006)

Ruth Harding, Ph.D., of Livermore, California, is an operations manager in the Global Security Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore. Following her graduation from UNK, she earned a Master of Science in forensic chemistry and a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry, both from Michigan State University. Harding has spent 13 years with the LLNL, with roles as a graduate student intern, postdoctoral researcher, assurance o cer, quality manager and now operations manager.

Dr. Gary Thomas Distinguished Music Alumnus

Justin Zeleski, Ed.D. (2005)

Justin Zeleski, Ed.D., resides in Omaha and is the orchestra director and strings teacher at Millard West High School, Rowher Elementary and Black Elk Elementary, previously teaching at Franklin Public Schools (Nebraska) and Clark County Public Schools (Nevada). He is an active member of the American String Teachers Association, serving as the secretary of the Nebraska chapter. Zeleski has been the recipient of several honors for his work in and out of the classroom, including being a Fulbright Program scholarship recipient in 2018.

2023 Outstanding Senior Award recipients

The University of Nebraska at Kearney Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Award recognizes seniors for excellence in scholarship and leadership, as well as involvement and dedication to UNK and the Kearney community.

More information on these outstanding Lopers can be found at unkalumni.org.

Brooke Carlson, daughter of Kim and Gary Carlson of Elkhorn. She earned degrees in mathematics and physics with an emphasis in pre-mechanical engineering. Carlson is pursuing her master’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she serves as a graduate teaching assistant.

Joseph Hiatt, son of Jim and Sheryl Hiatt of Spencer. Hiatt graduated with a degree in political science and a minor in ethnic studies. He is enrolled in the MBA program at UNK and is working at the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce in investor relations.

Tristan Larson, daughter of Brett and Belinda Larson of Trumbull. Larson graduated with a degree in exercise science with a health science minor. She is attending physical therapy school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Grace McDonald, daughter of Brent and Amy McDonald of Rockville. She received degrees in multimedia and journalism. McDonald is a multimedia journalist at 10/11 KOLN/ KGIN-TV in Lincoln.

UNK ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 2023

Four former student-athletes and one media representative will be inducted into the University of Nebraska Kearney Athletic Hall of Fame at a banquet and ceremony held during the UNK homecoming weekend.

Those being inducted are Mike Miller (2005), football; Ted Reehl, wrestling; Heather Steffen, women’s basketball; Lisa (Graff) Timmins (1999) softball; and Buck Mahoney, meritorious service.

More information on the inductees can be found at lopers.com.

Lisa (Graff) Timmins

Buck Mahoney

Heather Steffen

Mike Miller

Ted Reehl

FOREVER A LOPER

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Alumni are making an impact in their communities every single day. Please share those stories with us at lopers@unkalumni.org.

Loper Alumni Profile: KEN VERGITH ’78

“Kearney State College chose me,” said Ken Vergith, when reflecting on how he came to KSC.

Vergith grew up in Fremont and played all levels of youth baseball. In 1972, while pitching for Fremont in the state legion tournament at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, he was approached by a man who would change his life.

“I had just finished pitching against Grand Island in the state tournament. We won, and after the game, a gentleman stopped me and asked where I planned on going to college,” said Vergith. “I hadn’t planned on going to college. I was the oldest of seven children from a divorced family, and my mother couldn’t afford to send me.”

The man turned out to be Guy Murray, the KSC baseball coach. “Coach Murray said he’d like me to come play baseball for him and I was awarded a scholarship," Vergith said. "That in a nutshell is how it happened!”

Throughout his college career, Vergith was a four-year letterman for the Antelope baseball team from 1973 to 1977. During that time, he set several pitching records on his way to

earning NAIA first-team All-American honors in 1975. Vergith pitched three no-hitters and set school records in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched. Vergith was a three-time NAIA All-District 11 first-team selection and was named to the 1976 Great Plains Conference first team. His pitching led KSC to the district championship in 1974. In 2022, Vergith was inducted into the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame.

“I was blessed with such an amazing experience at Kearney State College and that’s due to my teammates and Guy Murray,” said Vergith.

“Coach Murray was a great friend and mentor, and he always treated me with the utmost kindness, [and] his whole family did. During my acceptance speech at the Hall of Fame banquet, I told everyone that I shared this with Guy Murray, because without him, I’m not here.”

Vergith is now happily retired, living in Lincoln with his wife, Diane. They have two children, son Kasey and daughter Candace, and three grandchildren.

His advice to current students is simple: “Don’t keep your eyes on the destination, just enjoy the journey.”

1956

Robert Dick of Torrance, California, served as the vice president of Diversified Education, operating five vocational schools. He published several books and retired at the age of 85.

1957

Patricia (Kelly) Hoehner MSE ’67, Ed.S. ’82, Ed.D., of Kearney celebrated 25 years of service as a professor of educational administration at UNK.

1962

Lynn McBride of La Vista retired from Heartland Lutheran High School.

1964

Jack Hausmann MSE ’69 of Parker, Colorado, celebrated 35 years as an agent for New York Life, and is now retired.

1966

Wayne Gappa of Kearney received the 2023 Kearney Legion Baseball Person of Honor.

1972

Mary "Liz" (DeWitt) Wroblewski MAE ’84 of Ravenna is the first woman to serve on the Dawson Public Power District Board of Directors.

1974

Barb (Lehmkuhl) Estes of Kearney retired as an office associate in the human resources office at UNK.

1975

Tom Kropp MAE ’79, Ed.D., of Kearney celebrated 40 years of service as a professor in kinesiology and sports sciences at UNK.

1978

Kaye (Dolph) Sorensen MAE ’90 of Kearney retired as a senior lecturer in mathematics and statistics at UNK with 20 years of service.

Ken Vergith of Lincoln was inducted into the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame. He played for the Lopers from 1973 to 1976.

1980

Julie (Ryan) Hill of Lincoln retired after working 24 years at Liberty First Credit Union and with 43 years of work experience in the financial industry at various institutions in Nebraska and Florida.

Colleen Lewis of Kearney retired from UNK’s Calvin T. Ryan Library with 45 years of service.

Cheryl (Thomas) Montgomery of Kearney retired from the University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union.

Carl Streeter of Ord retired from Ord High School after 43 years of service. He taught life sciences and coached football, wrestling and track.

Todd Thalken of Kearney is a member of the Kearney Area Community Foundation Board of Directors.

1981

Tami (Eatherton) Anderson MAE ’92 of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 36 years of service.

Kim (Laeger) Humphrey MAE ’00 of Kearney celebrated 30 years of service with Kearney Public Schools.

Miles Marshall of Kearney was inducted into the Nebraska Auctioneers Hall of Fame. He was recognized for his contributions to the profession, commitment to excellence, and leadership skills throughout the past 45 years.

Dave Slagle of Lincoln is the executive vice president/chief operating officer at Midwest Petroleum Equipment.

1982

Darla (Monter) Morris of Kearney celebrated 40 years of service as the finance director of the Nebraska Safety Center at UNK.

Krista Pierce of Gibbon is a health educator at Two Rivers Public Health Department.

Teresa Poorman-Maaske, D.D.S., of Kearney retired with 33 years of service as a pediatric dentist. She owned The Tooth Fairy.

1983

Sonja Darveau of Kearney celebrated 40 years of service and is an accountant in the UNK finance office.

John Higgins of Omaha has been named the new coordinator of officials for the Western Basketball Officiating Consortium.

Becky (Swanson) Maag MSE ’88 of Chandler, Arizona, retired in 2015 after 31 years teaching elementary school.

Mo Maag MSE ’88 of Chandler, Arizona, retired from teaching high school math after 40 years, the last 25 at Hamilton High School in Chandler.

Leigh Selting of New York, New York, retired after a 34-year career as a professor and associate dean at the University of Wyoming. He was awarded emeritus status in December 2022.

1984

Karen (Dozler) Fusby MAE ’94 of Kearney celebrated 35 years of service to Kearney Public Schools.

Paige (Prascher) Garringer MAE ’93 of Kearney celebrated 35 years of service to Kearney Public Schools.

1986

Curtis Cochran, Ph.D., of Riverside, California, is president and chief executive officer of Cochran Consulting LLC. He has written 10 books, including “Winning the Culture Game!”

Tami (Tophoj) Frye MAE ’92 of Kearney celebrated 35 years of service to Kearney Public Schools.

1987

Tom Neppl of San Diego, California, is an account executive at Velociti.

John Pepitone of Northridge, California, is a director of philanthropy at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center.

1988

Barbara (Larson) Barr of North Platte is the senior vice president/human resources director at NebraskaLand Bank.

Duane Cernousek of Holdrege played the role of Jeeves in the Kearney Community Theatre production of "Jeeves at Sea." He is a purchasing agent for Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District.

Robin (Blacker) Martin of Bennet is the chief operating officer at inSOURCE Inc.

1989

Christine (Lockhart) Brown of Bladen is the director of learning and engagement at the Museum of Nebraska Art.

Eric Kitzelman MSE ’09 of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 32 years of service.

1990

Jolene (Johnson) Berg of Kearney celebrated 25 years of service at UNK and is currently a student accounts manager.

Mary (Jolly) Fruhling MSE ’04 of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 21 years of service.

Nanette (Swim) Hogg, Ph.D., MSE ’97 of Kearney celebrated 30 years of service at UNK and is the communication department chair and an associate professor.

Hayley (Patocka) Jelinek of Kearney is a health educator at Two Rivers Public Health Department.

Terry Schifferns MAE ’94 of Gibbon recited her poetry at an event presented by Prairie Art Brothers and the Kearney Public Library as a part of the Front Porch Reading Series at the library.

Connie (Meyer) White of Omaha is the director of public relations at University of Nebraska Foundation.

Lynette Womeldorf MSE of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 26 years of service.

1991

Ray Dietz MAE ’00 of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 30 years of service.

Kathy Gifford MSE of Kearney was the Outstanding Retiree for Kearney Public Schools. She retired in 2014 but has never retired from education. She served on the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education, continues to support the FCCLA and FBLA programs, KHS Career Education, and served on the Kearney Public Schools Foundation board.

Brian Hagan MAE ’95 of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 25 years of service.

Perry Mader of Scottsbluff is the city administrator in Nebraska City.

Vicki (McCown) Maupin of Kearney earned an Outstanding Educator Award from Kearney Public Schools. She has devoted her time and energy to teaching and guiding each of her students and recently retired from Kearney Public Schools after seven years of service.

1992

Kim (Smith) Carlson, Ph.D., MSE ’94 of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service to UNK as a professor and is currently the co-chair of the biology department.

Lisa (Schaaf) Cline of Kearney was recognized with an Outstanding Support Staff Award by Kearney Public Schools for her efforts as the substitute coordinator. She has been with KPS for 22 years.

Tonya Duncan of Paxton is the senior vice president mortgage lending manager at NebraskaLand Bank in North Platte.

Matthew Johnson of Kearney celebrated 25 years of service to UNK and is the senior assistant director of financial aid.

Sylvia (Stewart) Mishou ’95 of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service with Kearney Public Schools.

Senja (Freeland) Stephens MAE ’04 of Lexington was the mezzo-soprano soloist at the Axtell Area Oratorio Society’s 63rd performance of George Frideric Handel’s "Messiah." She has participated in the yearly production for 31 years.

Michelle Warren, Ph.D., of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is the director of international studies.

Tammy Weatherly of Lincoln is the payroll accountant at the University of Nebraska Foundation.

1993

Gary Barth of Kearney is the Ameritas 2023 Lester A. Rosen Humanitarian and Achievement Award recipient. The award is presented each year to a financial services representative who has achieved great professional success while maintaining a high level of commitment to community service.

Darby Carlson MSE ’95 of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service to UNK and is a senior lecturer in biology.

William Clarke, Ph.D., of Kearney is the 2023 Distinguished Kearney High School Graduate. He has set himself apart in the field of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine by focusing on the development of drug analysis, clinical mass spectrometry and devices for point of care testing.

Jake Jacobsen MAE of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service to UNK and is a senior lecturer in communication.

1994

Beth (Jones) Dorrell of Gretna is a mortgage banker at Five Points Bank.

Peggy Longmore MSE of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 20 years of service.

Chris Pocock MSE ’08 of Kearney celebrated 25 years of service with Kearney Public Schools.

1995

Pat McFadden MSE of Kearney celebrated 35 years of service with Kearney Public Schools.

Larry Pazdernik of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools with 27 years of service.

Michelle (Zecha) Sawicki of Omaha is the vice president and mortgage division manager at Five Points Bank.

1996

Kris (DeNaeyer) Grassmeyer MSE ’00, MAE ’02 celebrated 25 years of service to Kearney Public Schools.

Hilke (Brandon) Meyer ’12, MBA ’19, Rod Howe ’77 and Jana Howe at the Omaha Lopers After Hours

Shane Schramm of Omaha retired with 23 years of service as a special agent with the United States Secret Service in Omaha, Dallas and Washington, D.C., offices.

1997

Nicole (Beeson) Mailahn of Kearney is on the board of directors for the United Way of the Kearney Area and is an attorney with Jacobsen Orr law firm.

1998

Missy (Obermeier) Hatcher MAE ’03 of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service with Kearney Public Schools.

Krista (Gokie) Heiss of North Platte is the executive vice president chief credit officer at NebraskaLand Bank.

Aaron Marcusson MAE ’00 of Rowlett, Texas, teaches at Belton School District #124.

Timothy Perrigo of Bellevue is a senior software engineer with Signature Consultants.

Ryan Tworek of Mission Viejo, California, is an enterprise account executive for MasterControl.

1999

Jay Christensen MAE ’11 of Omaha married Amanda McCurry Nov. 26.

Monica (Whiting) Noel MSE ’04 of Shickley is a guidance counselor at Sutton Public Schools.

Diane Small MA ’09 of Kearney retired from Kearney Public Schools.

2000

Anne Cummings MS ’07 of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is a senior lecturer in biology.

Jana (Farnsworth) Piper MSE of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service with Kearney Public Schools.

2001

Kris (Blankenship) Hunzeker of Nebraska City won first place in the Nebraska State Patrol Inspector Championships. Kris is a 19-year veteran of NSP, stationed in Lincoln, and is assigned to the Carrier Enforcement Division. Kris previously won the competition in 2017 and 2018.

Trena (Dejmal) Miller MAE ’05 of Elm Creek

celebrated 20 years of service with Kearney Public Schools.

2002

Jay Blattner and Brittani Moeller, D.O., ’08 of Kearney are parents of a daughter, Breklyn Reese, born Apr. 23. She has two brothers, Jase and Jarren.

Justin Coleman of Elkhorn is a salesman at Eakes.

Jodie (Lilienthal) Fisher of Ravenna celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is a network engineer in IT infrastructure services.

James Hyde III of Inlet Beach, Florida, is the chief executive officer at Venminder, a third-party risk management software technology and solutions provider used by customers for the onboarding, ongoing management, offboarding and risk management of vendors throughout their lifecycle.

Amy (Helzer) Nebesniak, Ph.D., of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is an associate professor of mathematics and the associate director of the honors program.

2003

Maria (Sayre) Beucke MAE of Kearney celebrated 25 years of service to Kearney Public Schools.

Mandy (Hardin) Farber of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service to Kearney Public Schools.

Jim Farrell and Katie (Weber) Wiegel ’05 of Elkhorn were married July 21, 2022. Megan (Riessland) Fryda MSE ’06 of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service to UNK and is the director of academic resources and institutional research.

Jon "JT" Troshynski of Denver, Colorado, is a real estate broker associate with Compass.

Laron Williams, Ph.D., of Columbia, Missouri, was awarded the Arts and Science Professor of the Year at the University of Missouri. He is the Frederick A. Middlebush Chair of Political Science in the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs.

2004

Daniel Bergman MAE of Newton, Kansas, is a professor in the School of Education at Wichita State University, and released a book, "Teaching Is for Superheroes."

2005

Brett (McCurdy) Haskell, Ph.D., of Lincoln is the director of the UNL sport psychology program.

Lindsey Leach of Kearney married Andy Nokes April 15. Lindsey is an account manager for Grainger.

2006

Kristie Artz-Dorn MSE ’17 of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is the assistant director of financial aid and a scholarship counselor.

Brad Bohn, M.D., of Rochester, Minnesota, was the commencement speaker for UNK’s spring commencement. Brad is an assistant professor of family medicine and consultant in the Department of Family Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He and his wife, Sarah ’07, MSE ’09, have four children, ages 1 to 10.

Kristi (Andrews) Gargan of Kearney works at Wilkins ADP in business development and HR.

Heather (Jahnke) Garrelts MAE ’10 of Beatrice teaches English at Beatrice High School.

Brigham and Erin (Kochenderfer) Lambley ’05 of Ridgefield, Washington, are parents of a son, Clifton Raymond, born Oct. 5. He has a brother, Callan James. Brigham is in machinery sales with Peterson CAT, and Erin is a shareholder at Landerholm, P.S. Emily (Goertzen) Watts celebrated 10 years of service at Kearney Public Schools.

2007

Staci Jacobson of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service and is the online coordinator and academic coach for UNK Online.

Derek Minshull of North Platte is the senior vice president/credit analyst at NebraskaLand Bank.

Jamie Quenzer of Roswell, Georgia, is the vice president of marketing at Flight Schedule Pro.

2008

Nicky Clark of Omaha is the executive director of Elevate Omaha.

Karmen Grant MAE of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service at Kearney Public Schools.

Brandon Hammond of Kearney celebrated 25 years of service to UNK and is the executive director of IT infrastructure services.

Mark and Jordan Nelson of Basehor, Kansas, are parents of a son, August Allen, born March 16. Mark is a senior audio video specialist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

Brent Roemmich of Kearney is a billing specialist at Two Rivers Public Health Department.

2009

Ben Allemann of Nashville, Tennessee, is the vice president of growth at Relatable Healthcare.

Lauren (Mollard) Brandt of Kearney is the office manager at Wilkins Architecture Design Planning.

Matthew Connot MAE ’20 of Kearney is the head baseball coach and teaches science at Kearney High School.

Damon Day MAE of Kearney celebrated 20 years of service to UNK and is an assistant professor in kinesiology and sports sciences.

Angie (Scherbarth) Kreutzer of Kearney is on the board of directors for the United Way of the Kearney Area and is a mortgage loan office at First National Bank of Omaha.

Callie (Erickson) Metz of Kearney is the director of marketing and communications at Artisan Studios.

Katie (Moore) Rose of Columbus is an assistant principal at Columbus Middle School.

Jesse Valenti of Kearney is the finance supervisor at Two Rivers Public Health Department.

Scott Wemhoff of Montgomery, Texas, married Shea Bills Nov. 26.

Gabriel and Kimberly (Stones) Zwiener ’12 of Pleasanton are parents of a son, Samuel James, born March 21. He has two sisters, Sydney and Aubrey.

2010

Cristianne EagleFeather Moreno MS ’14 of Hastings opened EagleFeather Counseling, focused on individuals needing to complete court-ordered substance use and/or mental health evaluations.

Kelli (Dring) Fleek of Seward is a project design manager at True North Custom Homes Inc.

Jason Gfeller MS ’16 of Kearney teaches science and theology at Kearney Catholic High School.

Elizabeth (Chrisp) Klingelhoefer of Amherst is a shareholder of Jacobsen Orr law firm in Kearney.

2011

Kelci (Fulton) Wood of Omaha is a fifth-grade teacher at Holy Name School in Omaha.

2012

Tom Knott MS ’15 of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is an academic outreach specialist in health science programs.

Steve Stutzman of Kearney is the Kearney High School head softball coach.

2013

Josey (Yentes) Blessin MAE ’19, Ed.S. ’23 of Lexington is the school psychologist at Lexington Middle School and Morton Elementary.

Shawn Lienemann MBA ’22 of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is a workstation support specialist in information technology services.

Logan Mitchell of Kearney is the owner and operations manager of Kearney Winnelson. Jessica (Janitscheck) Randles of Kearney is the marketing manager at LandMark Implement.

Wendy Space of Minden is a mental health peer support specialist with Kearney Police Department and Buffalo County Sheriff.

Eric Tenkorang MS of Grand Island celebrated five years of service to UNK and is a learning designer with UNK Online.

2014

Brandon Drozd MBA ’21 of Kearney is the workforce development and leadership program manager for UNMC Office of Public Health Practice.

Jennifer Beck of Kearney is the donor relations coordinator at Kearney Area Community Foundation.

Gregory "Steele" Davidson of Kearney is a quality assurance manager for Trius Federal Credit Union.

Chelsea (Anderson) Feusner, Ed.D., MAE of Holdrege graduated from the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy.

Brad MS ’15 and Stefanie (Skrdla) Green MAE ’19 of Kearney are parents of a daughter, Marlow Mae, born June 15. She has a sister, Evelyn, and a brother, Graham.

Andy Greer of Lincoln was ordained at Messiah Lutheran Church and is an associate pastor.

Mannie Reinsch MA ’16 of Pueblo, Colorado, is the senior associate athletic director at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. Shelby (Maloley) Shipp of Kearney received the 2023 Positive Image of Nursing Award from the Nebraska Nurses Association. She is president of the nursing staff at CHI Good Samaritan Hospital.

2015

Bobby Adamson of Roeland Park, Kansas, is the senior manager of strategic partnerships at Kansas City Chiefs.

Aric Blender of Kearney is a board member at the United Way of the Kearney Area. Aric

Jennifer Beck

is employed with Contryman Associates as a tax accountant.

Michael Cremers MBA ’20 of Grand Island celebrated 20 years of service to UNK and is the director of facilities.

Meredith (Herring) Johnson of Kearney is the principal of Kearney Public Schools’ Emerson Elementary.

Shelby (Peters) Liesemeyer, M.D., of Kearney is a doctor at Family Practice Associates.

Mitch Peters MBA ’22 of Kearney was recently awarded the College of Business and Technology’s MBA Honored Graduate. He is a lecturer in the industrial technology department at UNK.

Carly Wollman of Phoenix, Arizona, is the training manager and retention specialist for Arizona State University’s online department.

Russell Zutavern of Axtell is a financial service officer at Trius Federal Credit Union.

2016

Jenn DeBord of Kearney earned an Outstanding Educator Award from Kearney Public Schools. She is a special education teacher at Horizon Middle School.

Erin Dwyer of Elmwood is the assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Holly Groteluschen, M.D., of Kearney is a doctor at Family Practice Associates.

Andy Hanson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a director of development at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.

Bailee (Schuster) Knott of Kearney is an HR business partner at The Buckle.

Ashley (Hansel) Markwardt MAE ’22 of Kearney teaches second grade at Northeast Elementary School in Kearney.

Matthew Nickerson of Kearney is the director of project management at SCORR Marketing.

Hailey Schroer MAE ’20 and Michael Buck ’17, MS ’19 of Olathe, Kansas, were married May 13. Hailey is a third-grade teacher at Belmont Elementary School in Shawnee, and Michael is a sheriff’s deputy at Johnson County.

2017

Annie (Wolfe) Dineen of Arvada, Colorado, was inducted into the Omaha Marian High School Athletic Hall of Fame for her

accomplishments in volleyball and basketball.

Nathan Harms, M.D., of Kearney is a doctor at Family Practice Associates.

Akaela Lieth of Kearney is the marketing and communications coordinator at Two Rivers Public Health District.

Nathan Moore of Kearney celebrated 10 years of service to UNK and is a workstation support specialist in information technology services.

Ashley (Bruha) Olivas MSE ’20 of Kearney celebrated five years of service to UNK and is the TRIO senior advisor with student support services.

2018

Elizabeth Moro of Grand Island is a financial service officer at Trius Federal Credit Union.

Austin and Taylor Partridge of La Vista are parents of a daughter, Lyla Teal, born June 15. Austin is the director of public finance investment banking at First National Bank of Omaha.

Kaley Werner of Grand Island is a mortgage banker at Five Points Bank.

2019

Hanna Hake of Creston is a marketing coordinator at Farmers Pride Cooperative.

Matthew Huffman of Axtell is a director of information technology at Trius Federal Credit Union.

Taylor Janicek of Omaha is an assistant director of annual giving for Creighton University.

Jaclyn Kerner of Cambridge is a lending financial services officer at Trius Federal Credit Union.

Courtney Shundoff of Kearney is an elementary teacher and an assistant volleyball coach at Lexington Public Schools.

Colton Wierzbicki of Papillion is an NSAA assistant director and the primary administrator in charge of baseball.

2020

Emily Beaver of La Vista is a health educator at Two Rivers Public Health Department.

Valeria Lozano of Kearney is an academic advising specialist with UNK.

2021

Amanda Hendrickson of Belleville, Kansas, is the head of web and video development and account coordinator with 314 Graphic Design, a division of JenRus Freelance.

Blase Rokusek ’23 of Hartington is the UNK graduate student of the year.

Richie Ross of Lincoln is the head boys basketball coach at Lincoln High School.

Maddie Squiers of Kearney was honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s 30 Under Thirty Club, which recognizes rising club volleyball coaches.

Vanessa Taylor of Kearney is a loan processor at Trius Federal Credit Union.

2022

Alexis Henry of Hastings is a marketing associate for Sampson Construction.

Hunter Novacek of Kearney is president of Winlectric.

Karlie Tisthammer of Albion is a retail assistant branch supervisor at Trius Federal Credit Union.

Lopers in Memoriam

1950

Robert Larson

Kearney

Jasmine Thompson of Elm Creek is a graphic designer at JDesigns.

Amanda Hendrickson

1953

Joe Davenport

Cedar Park, Texas

Ray Stine North Loup

1964

Jan (Schroeder) Beck

Lincoln

1965

Charles "Chuck" Pfaff

Omaha

1966

Leora (Rider) Hansen

Blackfoot, Idaho

William "Bill" Holliday Aurora

Sandra "Sandy" (Mazanec)

Meyer

Lexington

1968

Robert Curtright

San Antonio, Texas

1976

Eugene Liska Jr. MAE

Sutton

David "Dave" Poore

Cozad

1977

Michael A. Taylor

Lincoln

1978

Donna (Yocum) Dircksen

North Platte

David "Dave" Hahn

Fremont

Gale Jones

Norfolk

1981

Dan Speirs

Kearney

1986

Joe Davenport, of Cedar Park, Texas, was a member of the alumni board of directors and was instrumental in the development of the UNK Alumni House. He was a devoted alumni leader in Texas and received the UNK Alumni Association

Distinguished Service Award in 1992. He died Dec. 29.

1954

Richard "Dick" Means

Mills, Wyoming

1957

Ivan Simpson MAE ’60

Beatrice

1958

Clark Yanda

Bates City, Missouri

1961

Joe Zavitka

Seward

1962

James "Jim" Carter

Elkhorn

Rollie Drake MSE ’69

Axtell

John Payne

Kearney

1963

Shirley (Eckhardt) Grauer

Lenexa, Kansas

James "Jim" Hardekopf

Kearney

Verlyn L’Heureux

Lincoln

Sue (Hoff) Rose

Superior

Diana (Barr) Sall

Lincoln

1969

Roger Brandt Kearney

Richard Lutjeharms

Alma

Muriel (Anderson) Shea

MSE ’75

Lexington

1971

Jeff Foreman

North Platte

Curtis "Mark" Lallman

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raeford Lewis MSE ’73

Manhattan, Kansas

1972

Michael Grutsch

Lincoln

1974

Jayne Flory MSE ’77

Gibbon

Thomas Ott McCook

Cecelia (Neumann) Allison

Stapleton

Carol Bender

Seward

Larry Dillon

Grand Island

Marla (Lott) Newland MSE

Ravenna

1987

Kathleen (Dusatko) Siffring

Omaha

1989

George A. Miller III

McAllen, Texas

1990

Terri Raburn

Lincoln

1992

Cindy (Johnson) Carlson

Loomis

1995

Michael Shafer

Grand Island

1997

Travis Chapman

Beatrice

1998

Rochelle (Krell) Morris MAE ’03

Vero Beach, Florida

Julie Pokorney

Doniphan

2003

Nathan Sawyer

Omaha

2007

Angela (Armstrong) Dreher

MAE

Franklin

2011

Cody Spencer

Emmett, Idaho

2012

Kala Suntych

Cairo

Loper Faculty and Sta Notes

Caleb Diller is the assistant men’s and women’s tennis coach.

Carrie Eighmey, head women’s basketball coach, was the 2023 MIAA Coach of the Year. She is now the women’s basketball head coach at the University of Idaho.

Paul

Loper Faculty and Sta Service Anniversaries

10 years

Sean Arnold, plumber, facilities management

Aaron Blackman, senior lecturer, communication

Drew Johnson is the head women’s basketball coach.

Twigg, Ph.D., was named the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He joined UNK in 1992 as a faculty member in the biology department.

Drew Johnson

Joe Davenport

Christopher Blocher, custodial leader, facilities management

Noelle Bohaty, associate professor, music, theater and dance

Surabhi Chandra, Ph.D., associate professor, biology

Ford Clark, senior lecturer, communication

Jonathan Dettman, Ph.D., chair and associate professor, modern languages

Steph Gallaway, digital and multimedia production coordinator, university communications and marketing

Todd Gottula, senior director of communications and marketing, university communication and marketing

Patrick Hargon, associate director, learning commons

Kristy Kounovsky-Shafer, Ph.D., associate professor, chemistry

Sandra Loughrin, Ph.D., director, women’s studies; associate professor, sociology

Patrick McMahon, utility operator, facilities management

Jeff Morehead, locksmith, facilities management

Maria O’Malley, Ph.D., professor, English

Aurora Ramirez Best, custodian, facilities management

Eric Rosenthal, custodian, facilities management

Whitney Ryan, associate head athletic trainer, intercollegiate athletics

Randy Slaymaker, operations support technician, facilities management

Christina Sogar, Ph.D., associate professor, social work

Phu Vu, Ph.D., associate professor, teacher education

Fletcher Ziwoya, Ph.D., associate professor, communication

20 years:

Paul Burger, Ph.D., professor, geography

Jodi Holt, director, admissions

Dawn Mollenkopf, Ph.D., co-assistant chair and professor, teacher education

25 years:

Kurt Borchard, Ph.D., professor, sociology

Paula Fuestman, accounting technician

David Hof, chair and professor, counseling, school psychology and family sciences

Todd Jensen, library web services manager

Lisa Neal, university registrar

30 years:

Rick Schuessler, professor, art and design

Sri Seshadri, Ph.D., professor, marketing, agribusiness and supply chain management

Janet Steele, Ph.D., professor, biology

35 years:

George Lawson, Ph.D., associate professor, communication

Peter Longo, Ph.D., professor, political science; associate vice chancellor of academic and student affairs

55 years:

Jack Garrison, associate professor, theater

Loper Faculty and Sta Retirements

Ricky Allum, custodian, facilities management

Deborah Bridges, Ph.D., professor, marketing, agribusiness and supply chain management

Kristy Buchmeier, office associate, educator certification office

Susan Jensen, Ph.D., professor, management

Joy Kutsch, facilities management and planning

Dan May, professor, visual communication and design

Joni Weed, academic advising and career development

Loper Faculty and Sta Deaths

Arthur “Art” Bates, Lincoln, professor of music from 1963-1992

Karl Borden, Gibbon, professor of accounting, finance and economics from 1985-2023

Glen Powell, Kearney, professor of education from 1979-2012

Bruce Stewart, Kearney, professor of mathematics and statistics from 1965-2000

Building and maintaining a strong network is more important than ever! Connect with UNK alumni and students through The Range, our new online networking website just for Lopers.

This is a great opportunity to:

u connect with fellow alumni;

u offer your expertise as a mentor or find your own mentor;

u connect with an alumni-owned business; and

u hire a new employee or find your new career.

Sign up today!

therange.unkalumni.org

Hello, I’m Flat Louie! Will you help me spread the word? One Day for UNK is coming in October!

Step 1: Cut along the dotted line to free me from the page!

Step 2: Take a photo of me when you’re out and about or a selfie of us together wherever you are.

Step 3: On or before Oct. 6, use #OneDayforUNK when you share your photo on Facebook, Instagram or X, formerly known as Twitter.

Step 4: Visit givingday.unk.edu to see your photo featured. You may even win a prize!

givingday.unk.edu

#OneDayforUNK

One Day for UNK is a 24-hour, virtual day of giving and engagement in support of Loper students.

Scan here to make your gift!

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