26 minute read
AROUND THE TOWER
from Fall 2021 UNK Today
by LoperPride
AROUNDtheTOWER
News and Events Across Campus
Pete and Jane Kotsiopulos receive Cornerstone of Excellence Award
Pete and Jane Kotsiopulos receive the Ron and Carol Cope Cornerstone of Excellence Award from UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen.
Pete and Jane Kotsiopulos aren’t the type of people who expect recognition for their contributions to the Kearney community and state of Nebraska.
It’s quite the opposite.
Jane actually gets a little embarrassed by the attention they receive.
e couple’s most recent honor came during spring commencement at UNK, where they received the Ron and Carol Cope Cornerstone of Excellence Award. e award is presented to individuals in recognition of their community service and support of UNK, the Kearney area, state of Nebraska and higher education. It is UNK’s highest honor.
“Like the Copes, after whom the award is named, the recipients must be true cornerstones of our university,” said UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen, who called the Kotsiopuloses consummate Kearney and UNK supporters.
“ ere aren’t many other couples like Pete and Jane Kotsiopulos,” he said.
Pete and Jane have served on numerous UNK boards and committees, including the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, capital campaigns and as University of Nebraska Foundation trustees. He’s a former member of the Nebraska State College Board of Trustees, Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education and University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Counselors, and she’s been active on the UNK Academic A airs Advisory Board and UNK Athletics Board.
Large sculpture planned for Central Green at University Village
Parable sculpture planned for University Village
UNK is transforming the Central Green space at University Village by adding a new sculpture to the mixeduse development.
e piece of art named Parable will include three large steel arches, with the shortest being 25 feet in height and the tallest 40 feet high at its peak. e sculpture measures 47 feet wide and will be surrounded on each side by four concrete performance stages and seating. It is created from hundreds of 2-inch steel pipes welded together to form three intersecting parabolas.
“ is will transform the University Village space and lls the vision we’ve always had for it,” said Michael Christen, University Village executive director and UNK director of business services. “ e sculpture really is a centerpiece of the development and statement of what we want it to be, and what it can be.”
Designed by internationally recognized public art studio Cli Garten Studio of Venice, California, the sculpture is being fabricated in Utah.
e Central Green where the sculpture will be located is in the main corridor near the north entrance of the University Village development. e space will be used for outdoor gatherings and events, including concerts and similar performances. e monument will be the rst thing people see as they enter University Village.
Work on Parable has started, and installation is planned at University Village later this year after landscaping work is completed. e sculpture will cost $1.3 million to create and install, with funding coming from private donations.
Work begins on new fraternity, sorority housing complex
Work started in July on a $26.65 million project that replaces and relocates fraternity and sorority housing on campus.
Approved in February by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, the project includes a renovation of Martin Hall, a 39,700-square-foot residence hall last occupied in 2014, and construction of a new threestory, 39,000-square-foot residence hall directly north of Martin Hall.
e new building will feature chapter lounges on the rst oor and housing pods on the second and third oors. It’s designed for larger chapters with more members living on campus. Martin Hall will have a similar layout, with the addition of shared chapter rooms in the basement and a community great room/clubhouse space on the main oor that encourages interaction among the di erent organizations. By renovating Martin Hall, UNK is able to utilize an existing resource and preserve some of the building’s historic elements while adding new amenities and upgrades.
With up to 165 beds in the new building and 80 in Martin Hall, there’s enough living space and chapter room availability for all 12 UNK fraternities and sororities.
e new Fraternity and Sorority Life housing complex is located just east of the Nebraskan Student Union.
Proposed opening dates are August 2022 for Martin Hall and January 2023 for the new residence hall.
e current fraternity and sorority housing — University Residence North (URN) and University Residence South (URS) — will be razed after the new complex is complete.
Fraternity and Sorority Life Housing Complex
Aviation program soaring to new heights
In March, 22 students earned their pilot wings when the UNK Aviation Program hosted its rst-ever Solo Wings Ceremony recognizing solo ight status.
UNK’s aviation program o ers a ight operations emphasis for students who want to be commercial pilots and an aviation support services emphasis that prepares graduates for other jobs in the industry, such as air tra c controller, airport manager or aircraft maintenance technician.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the airline industry, program director David Ballinger sees light at the end of the tunnel.
e high demand for commercial pilots and salaries that can reach six gures are among the program’s selling points.
Although most people immediately think of commercial airlines, pilots are also hired for corporate aviation, charter services, re ghting, law enforcement, medical transport, aerial photography, ight instruction, agribusiness and many other areas.
UNK is one of just two schools in Nebraska with a collegiate-level aviation program.
UNK’s aviation program attracts students from across the globe, with more than half of the current enrollees coming from locations outside the U.S.
Limbach, Larson elected student body president, vice president at UNK
Noah Limbach of Kearney and Tristan Larson of Trumbull are student body president and vice president at UNK for 2021-22.
As student body president, Limbach represents UNK as a student regent on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and serves as the o cial student body representative to the administration and public. e president also has the power to approve or veto legislation passed by the Student Senate.
Limbach is a pre-physical therapy student studying exercise science with a health sciences minor. He serves as president of the Exercise Science Club and vice president of recruitment for the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He’s also a Chancellor’s Ambassador and ompson Scholar, and a member of Volunteers Around the World, Greeks Advocating for the Mature Management of Alcohol and Order of Omega honor society.
Limbach was recognized as a homecoming king nalist in 2020, ompson Scholars Learning Community Outstanding Student of the Year in 2019-20, Sigma Phi Epsilon Sound Body Member of the Year in 2020 and Sigma Phi Epsilon Member of the Semester in fall 2019.
Larson is majoring in exercise science with minors in health sciences and nutrition. She’s a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, UNK Honors Program and Circle K and serves as a resident assistant.
UNK students have incredible opportunities to learn outside the classroom.
From study abroad to internships to hands-on research and much more, Lopers are experiencing new things every day while preparing for their future careers.
ese opportunities, and the positive impact they make, are the focus of a new podcast featuring real stories from UNK students participating in realworld learning.
“ e Loper Experience,” which is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular platforms, spotlights UNK’s experiential learning opportunities through interviews with the students themselves.
e podcast is also a way to promote recent changes to UNK’s experiential learning program.
“Now part of every degree, experiential learning continues to be a main feature of the UNK educational experience,” said Kyle Means, director of marketing at UNK. “Students can choose to participate in our ‘Beyond the Books’ programming, as well as our ‘Create Your Own Adventure’ pathways to help boost those soft skills employers nd desirable.”
Tristan Larson (left) and Noah Limbach
New podcast showcases UNK students learning outside the classroom
Save the date for the inaugural ONE DAY FOR UNK: 24 HOURS OF LOPER GIVING
#OneDayforUNK Oct. 6-7, noon-noon, 2021 givingday.unk.edu
One Day for UNK is a 24-hour virtual day of giving and engagement in support of University of Nebraska at Kearney students. The entire UNK family — students, faculty, sta , alumni, parents, friends and fans — will come together to raise critical funding for scholarships, UNK’s three colleges, various programs, student organizations, Loper Athletics and other great causes. It’s a chance for Lopers everywhere and the entire Kearney community to empower our students and champion our favorite campus!
One campus. One community. 24 Hours.
Give back boldly, Lopers. Let's fuel our future together!
Keep yourself warm and toasty this winter! Make gifts totaling $60 or more during #OneDayforUNK and you'll receive this exclusive UNK beanie!
UNK's STEM BUILDING ENCOURAGES COLLABORATION AND DISCOVERY
By KRISTIN HOWARD - University of Nebraska Foundation
“Do you know what a fl ip phone is?”
University of Nebraska at Kearney student Uriel Anchondo loves discovery and being connected. For him, the fl ip phone is more than just an artifact of his childhood; it’s a symbol of his academic and career goals.
“I was 8 or 9 years old, always on my mom’s fl ip phone, changing the settings, fi nding interesting information, showing her that I could change the language to Spanish,” said the fi rst-generation college student from Grand Island, Nebraska. “I loved fi guring it all out.” Th is curiosity — along with a supportive family, scholarships and motivation to succeed academically — has propelled Anchondo on what he calls “an incredible path.”
An applied computer science major with a minor in fi nance, Anchondo spends much of his time in UNK’s Discovery Hall. Th e state-of-the-art STEM facility is home to the construction management, industrial distribution, interior and product design, aviation, cyber systems, mathematics and statistics, physics, astronomy and engineering programs. Th e hall opened in August 2020,
replacing the Otto C. Olsen industrial arts building.
Located on UNK’s west campus, Discovery Hall was designed speci cally for the programs that will drive economic growth in greater Nebraska.
“ e name Discovery Hall is so appropriate,” said UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen at the facility’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2020. “ is building is not a lecture hall. is building is all about discovering new things and having people work together. Truly, there will be lots discovered in this building, and it’s bene ting our students and our state.”
is rst-class facility, he said, is changing Nebraska by o ering opportunities for current and future students that “we’ve never dreamed of before.”
For Tim Jares, Ph.D., dean of the UNK College of Business and Technology, Discovery Hall is a special place.
“Students and visitors are engaged in the learning environment from the minute they walk in the door,” he said. “ e lab spaces are specially designed to facilitate experiential learning. Learning by doing means our students will retain much more of what they learn and will be much better equipped to make informed career decisions.”
Anchondo’s goal is to work for a big tech company, and he said he had a vision of his future when he entered Discovery Hall for the rst time.
“ ere was glass everywhere, sleek furniture and workspaces … and we get to learn there!” he said.
Discovery Hall’s open oor plan was intended to promote collaboration and innovation across di erent academic departments. Anchondo discovered this collegiality extends throughout the university.
“My favorite part about UNK is that I have discovered other communities and groups on campus that have allowed me to branch out and connect,” he said. After graduating from UNK, Anchondo would like to work as a computer or business systems analyst.
And his analogy takes it full circle: “Before it was just a ip phone. Now we’re all connected.”
Uriel Anchondo
Doug Kristensen was a rst-year state senator when he stepped to the podium to address his colleagues on that fateful day in April 1989.
“It’s the only time I remember being nervous in the Legislature,” he admits.
Even then, 13 years before he became chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kristensen understood the magnitude of the situation.
e Legislature was preparing to debate LB247, a higher education bill that would forever change the trajectory of the school he now leads.
“ e Rotunda was packed, mostly Kearney supporters, quite frankly,” said Kristensen, who was asked to introduce the amendment that ultimately brought Kearney State College into the University of Nebraska system.
FORWARD-LOOKING VIEW
e battle over the future of Kearney State College had been brewing for several years.
An attempt to bring both Kearney State and Wayne State colleges into the university system failed in 1974, and another bill that would have united all four state colleges with the University of Nebraska was shot down in 1985. State Sen. Lorraine Langford of Kearney and others even proposed an idea to turn Kearney State into an entirely new university.
Jerome Warner had a di erent vision. e state senator from Waverly knew Nebraska was too small to sustain competing public university systems, so he focused on maintaining a single, uni ed system.
With around 10,000 students, including its main campus and several satellite locations, Kearney was the largest of the four state colleges, easily outpacing Chadron, Peru and Wayne, which produced just 40% of the system’s total enrollment combined.
However, because of the Nebraska State College Board of Trustees’ funding philosophy, the Kearney campus lacked the money it needed for capital improvements and faculty pay increases.
“ ey were just at being taken advantage of. ere’s no question about it,” said Pete Kotsiopulos, a prominent Kearney businessman who served on the board of trustees from 1983 to 1989.
City leaders knew Kearney’s strength and visibility weren’t properly utilized by the state college system. So did campus administrators
By TYLER ELLYSON - UNK Communications
such as then-President William Nester and Chief Financial Officer Earl Rademacher.
“Kearney really had the view of moving forward, and I think that’s the hallmark of this community. It’s the hallmark of this campus, too,” Kristensen said. “I think this campus has always had a very forward-looking view. What are we going to do next? What do we need to do to serve people? How are we going to get it done? Who’s going to help? And what can you do? That discussion has happened year after year after year here, and I think it shows.”
Fortunately, a certain state senator from Waverly saw things the same way.
Warner, whose father, Charles, introduced the 1903 legislation that created the original Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney, crafted the plan to add Kearney State to the University of Nebraska system. His amendment was added to LB247, a bill sponsored by Sen. Ron Withem of Papillion, then-chairman of the Legislature’s Education Committee, that called for a comprehensive study of higher education and created a new Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. The measure was co-sponsored by Langford and Kristensen, a Minden senator whose legislative district included part of Kearney.
“The real war came when we introduced the amendment,” said Kristensen.
BATTLE LINES DRAWN
Officially, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents took a neutral stance on the measure; however, individual members privately spoke against the bill.
The State College Board of Trustees opposed the bill, but Nester, Kotsiopulos and other supporters continued to move the plan ahead.
Battle lines had been drawn, especially when it came to Lincoln and Chadron-area lawmakers, media outlets, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln student body and other pro-UNL factions who thought the addition of Kearney State would dilute the university system. One political cartoon from the Lincoln Journal depicted the Legislature forcing the board of regents down the aisle to unite with Kearney State during a shotgun wedding.
In the end, LB247 passed the Legislature by a vote of 36-11; then the fight moved to a completely new level.
The state Attorney General’s Office questioned the bill’s constitutionality, since the board of trustees was tasked with governing four — not three — state colleges. A lawsuit sent the issue to the Nebraska Supreme Court, where four of the seven justices deemed the law unconstitutional.
The thing is, it takes a supermajority of five justices to overturn an act of the Legislature.
“We’re here by one vote,” Kristensen said with a smile.
HISTORIC MOMENT
Kearney State College officially joined the University of Nebraska system on July 1, 1991, when the school’s name changed to the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Campus celebrated with a “Start the Day with UNK” ceremony. Nester, who became UNK’s first chancellor, planned to lift off from Foster Field in a hot air balloon before high winds grounded his flight, and a barbecue lunch was attended by then-Gov. Ben Nelson and University of Nebraska President Emeritus Martin Massengale.
Kristensen, who went on to serve as speaker of the Legislature from 1997 to 2002, called it a “historic” moment.
“UNK is very lucky to be part of the university today. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to this campus,” he said.
Th e prestige that came with the “university” name paid immediate dividends as the school was able to more easily attract high-quality faculty. Signifi cant salary increases included in the UNK Education Association’s fi rst three contracts made the school even more competitive and moved it well beyond the undesirable distinction of being among the lowest-paying four-year public colleges and universities in the U.S.
Although there was some hesitancy at fi rst, UNK faculty now embrace their role as both educators and researchers, using their time in the lab or fi eld to enhance their teaching and provide additional hands-on learning opportunities for students.
Seventy-fi ve percent of UNK faculty have terminal degrees, compared to 60% three decades ago, and the university off ers signifi cantly more academic programs for students, particularly at the graduate level.
Th e physical changes have been just as impressive.
UNK has constructed or enhanced numerous residence halls over the past 30 years, built a new Wellness Center, College of Education building and Health Science Education Complex and renovated Copeland Hall, West Center, Bruner Hall of Science and Cope Stadium.
In the past three years, the university has improved the Nebraskan Student Union and Fine Arts Building, opened a state-of-the-art STEM facility (Discovery Hall) and developed University Village, a 104-acre campus addition where the Village Flats apartments and LaVonne Kopecky Plambeck Early Childhood Education Center are located. An indoor tennis complex and private housing development are currently under construction at University Village, and a Regional Engagement Center is expected to open there in early 2023. Other projects, such as the installation of a new fi ber network and construction of the central utilities plant, are less fl ashy but equally important.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
UNK’s role as an economic and educational hub for greater Nebraska has only been enhanced by its affi liation with the university system. A collaboration with the University of Nebraska Medical Center allows students to prepare for health care careers in Kearney, and similar partnerships provide opportunities for students to study at the University of Nebraska College of Law or UNL College of Engineering.
To this day, UNK remains one of the region’s best schools for current and future PK-12 teachers and school administrators while also off ering top-notch programs in areas such as business, aviation, supply chain management and kinesiology and sport sciences. Th e list goes on and on.
“Most people would agree that Kearney would be a totally diff erent community without this campus,” said Kotsiopulos, who served as the city’s mayor from 1994 to 2002 and later held positions with the University of Nebraska system and University of Nebraska Foundation. “People would sell their soul to have some higher education element in their community.”
Kearney’s population has increased from around 24,000 to nearly 34,000 since UNK joined the university system, and roughly 1 in 7 residents has at least one degree from the school, which attracts students and employees from around the globe.
With nearly 1,000 faculty and sta members, UNK is among the city’s largest employers.
“Generally speaking, it’s one of the topics that come up when somebody asks, ‘Why are you here?’” Kotsiopulos said.
Kristensen looks back at the past three decades with “tremendous satisfaction and pride,” realizing how lucky he’s been to be in the right place at the right time.
Smith-Whiteside overcomes obstacles to be first in family to attend college
By ERIKA PRITCHARD - UNK Communications
Phadiziana Smith-Whiteside didn’t know a single family member — parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles or cousins — who had attended college.
An Omaha Northwest High Magnet School graduate, Smith-Whiteside also was homeless for several months during her senior year and the summer after graduation as she prepared for college. And she continuously worried about her health — the e ects of diabetes and a tumor diagnosis.
Despite these obstacles, she persevered and is now excelling as a junior at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
DIFFICULT JOURNEY
Smith-Whiteside grew up “very poor” with her parents and two brothers in North Omaha. ey lived on limited funds and food stamps and resided in low-income housing in a dangerous part of the city.
“Growing up in an area like that, where a lot of things happen, my mom always told us if you’re going to do anything in this world, just be kind,” Smith-Whiteside said. “‘Keep God rst, family second and just be kind. And I promise you that it will go a long way.”’ Smith-Whiteside took her mom’s advice to heart. ough she didn’t have much herself, she would save her money from part-time jobs and spend it on neighbors and strangers. Once, she bought and donated a wardrobe to a student who wore the same clothes and worn-out shoes to school every day.
Smith-Whiteside also was an active volunteer at Dream City Church and for the nonpro t organization Partnership 4 Kids, formerly known as Winners Circle.
“I just love giving back. I feel like when people give me something, it’s only right to keep passing it forward,” she said.
And Smith-Whiteside bene ted greatly from Partnership 4 Kids. She rst connected with the Omaha-based organization when she was a kindergartner at Conestoga Magnet Elementary School. rough the program, Smith-Whiteside met with adult mentors from the community several times a month in her school.
As Smith-Whiteside continued with the program in high school, her mentors encouraged her to go to college, and the organization awarded her a $2,000-per-semester scholarship.
Smith-Whiteside also received support from College Possible, a nonpro t that helps lowincome students become college graduates.
e organization provided guidance on college and scholarship applications and bused students to area campuses for tours.
All the while, Smith-Whiteside was balancing work and school and, from April through August 2019, she faced the added challenge of homelessness.
Her family’s landlord sold their rental after the landlord’s husband died, Smith-Whiteside explained, and they couldn’t nd another a ordable place to live before their home was sold.
“It’s so hard to nd Section 8 homes. A lot of people don’t accept you,” she said.
Her parents and younger brother stayed with her uncle in a small apartment. Smith-Whiteside worked late and didn’t feel safe driving in that neighborhood at night.
“I was sleeping from friend’s house to friend’s house, couch to couch, and sometimes in my car while I was still in school,” she said.
She was also dealing with major health issues at the time. In March of that year, doctors found a benign tumor between her ovaries and uterus that couldn’t be removed. She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at age 10 and started developing painful skin boils at age 12.
UNK SUPPORT
As a ompson Scholar and rst-generation college student, Smith-Whiteside has bene ted from the support she receives at UNK.
Right away, she joined TRIO Student Support Services, a federally funded program that provides academic and personal support, nancial guidance and career development opportunities to rstgeneration and income-quali ed students and those with documented disabilities.
Her TRIO adviser, Bambi Sell, connected her with an English tutor who taught her research paper formats. is was especially bene cial to Smith-Whiteside, who wasn’t required to write papers in American Psychological Association or Modern Language Association styles at her high school.
“It was really nice to have Bambi there guiding me through everything and to have that type of support,” Smith-Whiteside said.
Smith-Whiteside also receives support from the ompson Scholars Learning Community. e learning community has taught SmithWhiteside professional skills such as how to create a resume and interview for jobs. e program also acclimated her to campus and helped her develop relationships with sta members and students.
“It’s not mom but having them here to support me was nice,” she said.
GIVING BACK
Smith-Whiteside’s passion for giving back inspired her to major in social work and minor in family science. She also has a desire to attain UNK’s early childhood family advocate certi cate.
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” she said. She learned about the social work profession in high school while job shadowing a social worker who helped older adults with disabilities. “I could see myself doing this,” she thought. As a social worker, she wants to help families stay together.
Smith-Whiteside also has a passion for working with children. She often babysat and worked at her mom’s day care in Omaha. “Being with kids always brought joy to me,” she said.
Volunteering and working ve days a week at UNK’s LaVonne Kopecky Plambeck Early Childhood Education Center has strengthened that love. So, she decided to pursue both social work and early childhood education careers.
As a teacher assistant in the prekindergarten classroom, Smith-Whiteside helps lead teacher Cassie Morten facilitate activities for the children.
Morten said Smith-Whiteside brings brightness and joy to the classroom.
“She bonds with each child in their own special way. She knows how and what each child’s interests are and focuses on those interest to make them happy,” Morten said. “She can calm and soothe a child easily. If a child has an emotional state, I can look over in seconds and she has them calm and smiling. She is an inspiration to watch and see her love for children.”
Lead teacher Cassie Morten, second from left, and teacher assistant Phadiziana Smith-Whiteside, right, help prekindergarten students learn the letter “P” during a lesson at UNK’s LaVonne Kopecky Plambeck Early Childhood Education Center
— CHARLOTTE PERRY
For Charlotte, that place is the University of Nebraska. Even though she’s lived in the San Diego area for decades, the North Platte native established a fund to benefit the University of Nebraska at Kearney, because “Nebraska stays in your veins.” Before establishing her fund, Charlotte says she “put a lot of thought into where her money would do the most good.” In the end, that came down to future generations of UNK students, who will benefit from Charlotte’s thoughtfulness and estate planning for many decades to come.
— Charlotte Perry
Visit nufoundation.org/charlotteperry to learn more about Charlotte’s story.
For 85 years, the University of Nebraska Foundation has served as the trusted philanthropic partner for the University of Nebraska, helping donors like Charlotte leave a lasting legacy. For more information on how you can include the University of Nebraska in your estate plans, please contact the foundation’s gift planning team.
