Spring 2025 UNK Today

UNK TODAY U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E B R A S K A AT K E A R N E Y A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N

SPRING 2025

‘THEY WANT YOU HERE’

Rural Immersion Program brings UNK health science students to the communities that need them.

UNK hosted a drone show in late August as the highlight of its back-to-school celebration, marking a first for the city of Kearney. The show, designed by Fantasy Drone Shows in Norfolk, was held at the conclusion of the Loper Lot Party event at Hilltop Mall in Kearney. The drones lit up the night sky with personalized displays that celebrated UNK, the Lopers and the broader Kearney community. The Loper Lot Party also featured a variety of food trucks and free games for all to enjoy.

Hilltop Mall businesses offered deals earlier in the night.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNK TODAY UNK ALUM NI | SPRI NG 2025 | I SSUE 42 VICE PRESIDENT OF ALUMNI RELATIONS & DEVELOPMENT

Lucas Dart ’97 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

Tricia (Sunderman) Danburg ’94

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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI COMMUNICATION

ONE ROOM, ONE TEACHER AND THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THEY SERVED

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Shonna Hill 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

10 ‘THEY WANT YOU HERE’: RURAL IMMERSION PROGRAM BRINGS UNK HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THEM

UNK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LEAD COUNCIL BRYCE ABBEY, PH.D., ’04, MAE ’06 PRESIDENT KEARNEY, NEBRASKA

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JADE (MEADS) BROWN ’09, MAE ’11

AN INTERVIEW WITH RUSTY KEMP ’98

ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVE KEARNEY, NEBRASKA

ANITA (FRITZ) CORY, PH.D., ’90, MSE ’93 GREEK REPRESENTATIVE NORTH LIBERTY, IOWA

ERIKA (BALTZELL) FARRELL ’13 NEBRASKA REPRESENTATIVE ELKHORN, NEBRASKA

MICHELLE (MARKS) KRAUSE ’02, MSE ’05 NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ROSWELL, GEORGIA

BRITTANI MOELLER, D.O., ’08

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KEARNEY REPRESENTATIVE KEARNEY, NEBRASKA

VICTORY BELL RINGS AGAIN: UNK ATHLETICS REVIVES CAMPUS TRADITION

20 MAKING A GENERATIONAL IMPACT: RETIRED SOCIOLOGY PROFESSOR’S ESTATE GIFT SUPPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS, STUDENT RESEARCH, A LECTURESHIP AND A FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECT

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OMAHA, NEBRASKA

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: UNK TODAY / UNK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 2204 UNIVERSITY DRIVE, SUITE 103 KEARNEY, NE 68845

DEPARTMENTS 6

KATTY (PUJADO) PETAK ’96

AROUND THE TOWER

308-698-5271 lopers@unkalumni.org

24 LOUIE’S PRIDE 28 FOREVER A LOPER CLASS NOTES

a MESSAGE from CHARLIE BICAK As I eagerly anticipate spring and the season of renewal, I’m reminded of the remarkable growth the University of Nebraska at Kearney has experienced during the 2024-25 academic year.

Enrollment has surged in key areas, particularly health science, with 34% of all incoming freshmen declaring a related major. In 2024, UNK post-graduate acceptance rates across 23 health science fields reached 85%, while medical school acceptances averaged 68%, far exceeding the national average of 10%. Most of these students continue their education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Political science is also expanding, thanks to the Kearney Law Opportunities Program, which guarantees seats at the University of Nebraska College of Law. Additionally, the Nebraska Good Life Opportunities Program is a partnership with the University of Nebraska at Omaha, offering a seamless path from a political science degree at UNK to a master's in public affairs at UNO. The industrial distribution program remains a top-three major, with graduates securing multiple job offers in logistics and related fields.

UNK’s facilities are also advancing. The Regional Engagement Center serves as a hub for university and community events. The Rural Health Education Building, set to open in early 2026, will expand UNMC programs in nursing, allied health, medicine, pharmacy and public health — allowing students to complete their entire medical education on the UNK campus. This unique partnership between UNK and UNMC represents a significant step forward in health care education.

As I reflect on my time as Interim Chancellor, I take great pride in UNK’s role as a thriving academic, cultural and economic center in central Nebraska.

My hope for all of us is to embrace the promise offered by spring and summer — seasons of renewal, growth and new possibilities. Just as our campus thrives with academic and professional advancements, I find personal fulfillment in witnessing the incredible progress of our students, faculty and staff. May this season bring you the same inspiration and growth.

Go Lopers!

Charlie Bicak Interim Chancellor

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.

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AROUNDtheTOWER

News and Events Across Campus

Recently Renovated Calvin T. Ryan Library Serves UNK Students in New Ways The Calvin T. Ryan Library now plays an even bigger part on campus, following a $25 million renovation that enhanced its layout, appearance and functionality.

removed the separation between the library and Department of Communication, which operates spaces such as the video, newspaper production and radio studios. Funding for the project came from a state-university partnership that addresses deferred maintenance across the University of Nebraska System.

Located on the second floor of the library, a new Loper Success Hub is a student-focused space that unifies the academic resources available on campus and provides a holistic support system. It houses Academic Advising and Career Development, Disability Services for Students, TRIO Student Support Services, Kearney Bound Scholars, First Gen Lopers, Tutoring and Academic Support and the Honors Program, creating a one-stop shop for students.

The renovated Calvin T. Ryan Library includes more individual and group study spaces for UNK students.

(Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

With an open layout, new furniture and upgraded lighting, flooring, paint, ceilings, restrooms, HVAC systems and IT infrastructure, the renovated building looks and feels more modern, welcoming and comfortable. Both entrances were replaced, making them more accessible and visually appealing, and staff offices and work stations were redesigned so it’s easier for patrons to receive assistance.

The Calvin T. Ryan Library also features multiple classrooms and technology labs as well as an improved archives and special collections area. The renovation

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The Loper Success Hub features lounge areas and spaces for both individual and group studying/learning. That’s a common theme throughout the library.

Evan Boyd, dean of the library, describes the changes as a “radical transformation” that shifts the focus of the nearly 100,000-square-foot building from its physical collection to support services and resources that better meet the needs of current and future students.

“Libraries have been changing in many ways over the last 30 years, one of them being that they are transitioning from book warehouses into active participants in learning and research,” Boyd said. “That’s really important here because the university wanted to reframe how it’s supporting students and helping them be successful.”

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From Dream to Reality: Regional Engagement Center Will Strengthen UNK, Rural Nebraska As they celebrated another “milestone day” for the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Charlie Bicak and Doug Kristensen were reminded of those “back-of-the-napkin” conversations they had more than a decade ago.

The University Village development was still a cornfield then, and the two men often talked about their vision for the property.

UNK Interim Chancellor Charlie Bicak addresses the crowd during the ribbonMost of those discussions started the cutting ceremony at the new Regional Engagement Center. same way: Wouldn’t it be great if … there were a space for community (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications) groups and organizations to come together; a place where nonprofits and educators can host workshops and seminars; a sessions and workshops that support workforce building that promotes collaboration among private development and continuing education. businesses and the university.

Staff from the UNK Alumni Association and “We no longer need to wish for or do the whatUniversity of Nebraska Foundation, Nebraska ifs,” Bicak, UNK interim chancellor, said during Extension and University Village operations are the October ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new all located there. Currently, Chief Industries, Regional Engagement Center. “Our dreams became ALLO Fiber, Olsson and Wilkins Architecture reality, and, in fact, I think this facility exceeded our Design Planning are leasing space in the building greatest expectations.” as private tenants.

About 200 people joined the current and former UNK chancellors as they dedicated the $15.6 million building that will serve as a focal point for University Village.

Located just south of U.S. Highway 30, the Regional Engagement Center features technology-rich office and meeting spaces that will connect people, businesses and organizations from across the state while enhancing the university’s academic activities.

An urban development within a rural community, University Village combines educational, residential, commercial and recreational opportunities to create a vibrant neighborhood that connects the university and city while serving the entire state. The 104-acre site also includes the Element 30 housing project, Ernest Grundy Tennis Center, Plambeck Early Childhood Education Center and UNK’s Village Flats apartments, along with the Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Kearney.

Each conference room was designed for different purposes — from large banquets, regional meetings, community events and town halls to smaller training

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AROUND THE TOWER

UNK Recognized as National Leader in Advancing First-Generation Student Success

Loper Nation Sets One Day for UNK Record, Raising More Than $289,000

The University of Nebraska at Kearney is a destination for first-generation college students.

student support. UNK is the only college or university in Nebraska to receive this recognition.

That’s not just a catchy slogan. It’s a distinction students, faculty and staff take great pride in.

An initiative of FirstGen Forward, the network provides a three-phase approach to first-generation student success by engaging and empowering higher education institutions to transform the first-gen student experience, advance academic and cocurricular outcomes and build more inclusive institutional structures.

Network Champions receive professional development opportunities, expert guidance and access to resources and innovation grants.

Loper Nation came together in a big way during the 2024 One Day for UNK. A record-setting 2,029 gifts were received from 1,358 donors in November, raising $289,568 to create a brighter future for the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

First-gen status is a badge of honor at UNK, where roughly four in 10 students can proudly claim this distinction. The university celebrates their successes each year during the First Gen Day event on campus and hosts the annual Nebraska Cultural Unity Conference that brings together high schoolers from different backgrounds to learn about leadership, professional development and higher education.

First-gen status is a badge of honor at UNK, where roughly four in 10 students can proudly claim this distinction.

(Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

UNK was recently recognized as a national leader in improving first-generation student success, joining 13 other universities from across the country in the inaugural class of FirstGen Forward Network Champions.

This exclusive group of higher education institutions is focused on advancing first-generation efforts and contributing to an important knowledge base of evidence-based practices, leadership engagement and

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The UNK First Generation Leadership Team supports these students through a comprehensive enrollment and success plan, and there are numerous campus resources available, including TRIO Student Support Services, Academic Advising and Career Development, success coaching, peer mentoring and tutoring. Students can also participate in the First-Gen Trailblazer Academy, a weeklong “practice run” that prepares incoming Lopers for their first semester on campus and boosts their confidence as they transition to college.

Formed in 2021, the First Gen Lopers student organization strengthens these connections among students, faculty and staff while increasing the sense of first-gen pride on campus. The group hosts FirstGen Friday Lunches and other events throughout the academic year, providing a social network and support system for first-gen students.

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Gifts were made online during the 24-hour period at givingday.unk.edu.

The number of gifts and donors, as well as the amount raised, all set new records. Gifts were received from 40 states and six countries to support the university. More than 200 UNK faculty and staff made a gift, also setting a record. Alumni and donors gave more than $153,000 in challenge and matching funds to encourage others to give.

One Day for UNK generated enthusiasm across campus. The giving day raised funds to support priorities across the university, including Loper students, scholarships, Loper Athletics, UNK’s three colleges, the library and the 86 student organizations, fraternities and sororities that participated.

The Japanese Association at Kearney (JAK) is one of those student organizations. In its 23rd year, JAK provides support for the university’s 100plus Japanese international students while raising awareness of Japanese culture in the Kearney community.

“Nebraska is thousands of miles away from home, so some students may feel isolated,” said Ryo Suzuki, JAK adviser. “We’re organized in a way that our students always have someone to talk to. We’re always putting the experience and knowledge of all of our students into the organization for it to be shared.”

Another student organization to participate in One Day for UNK is the VAW Medical Chapter.

The organization is made up of students who are committed to addressing health disparities in developing countries.

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Isabel Zaruba, fundraising chair of UNK’s VAW Medical Chapter, will benefit from funds raised during One Day for UNK. These funds will support her chapter’s upcoming trip to Guatemala, where they will address health disparities by working in mobile clinics and providing health education in underserved communities.

Chapter fundraising chair Isabel Zaruba said the VAW Medical Chapter will use funds raised during One Day for UNK to help support a trip to Guatemala, where students will work in mobile health clinics and teach education classes.

Zaruba, a freshman from Columbus, Nebraska, is in UNK’s pre-medicine program as part of the Kearney Health Opportunities Program, which recruits and trains students from rural Nebraska who are committed to practicing in those communities as health care professionals. She also has received scholarship support to pay for her undergraduate education.

She had a message for donors: “I would like to convey how grateful I am,” Zaruba said. “It’s just such a generous thing to do — to give to help students who you don’t even know.”

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FEATURE

‘THEY WANT YOU HERE’ RURAL IMMERSION PROGRAM BRINGS UNK HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THEM

By TYLER ELLYSON - UNK Communications Brodie Mitchell and Alexys Hurt sat at a table inside a cozy coffee shop just off Interstate 80, sipping specialty drinks and discussing their decision to pursue a health care career.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney students talked about their desire to help others and make a positive impact on their communities.

“It’s a very challenging career, but yet a very gratifying one,” said Mitchell, a sophomore from Cambridge in the pre-medicine program. “When you can directly see how your work is improving somebody’s life, that’s something that’s just so rewarding.”

Mitchell wants to practice family medicine with obstetrics, allowing him to care for patients of all ages. Hurt plans to work in radiologic technology, another of the 20-plus preprofessional programs offered by UNK Health Sciences.

“There’s such a wide variety of options in health care,” the sophomore from Dannebrog said. “You can go into a lot of things. It’s not just one specific career path.”

Both UNK students are part of the Health Science Club and Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP), a collaboration with the University of Nebraska Medical Center that provides scholarships, academic support and professional development activities for Lopers who plan to practice health care in rural communities.

<< UNK students Alexys Hurt and Brodie Mitchell gained firsthand experience in rural health care through the Rural Immersion Program.

They shadowed professionals at Sidney Regional Medical Center and spent five days in the western Nebraska community.

(Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

“Being from a small town, I know what rural hospitals do for communities,” Hurt said. “It’s a completely different experience from larger hospitals. In a rural hospital, you

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FEATURE can do a lot more and you build more personal connections with patients because you’re in a smaller community. That’s a big part of why I want to stay rural.”

“I think there’s something to be said about the camaraderie that you build in a small town,” Mitchell added. “You’re not just another doctor. I want those personal relationships with my patients, because I feel like that makes everything much more gratifying and rewarding.”

They heard the same comments during a summer trip to Sidney, population 6,400.

TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE Mitchell and Hurt spent five days in the western Nebraska community while participating in the Rural Immersion Program.

Available to any UNK health science student, this innovative program gives Lopers an opportunity to experience rural health care firsthand, going well beyond the traditional networking events and hospital tours.

Participants are exposed to numerous aspects of the profession – administration, laboratory services, emergency department, surgery, radiology and pharmacy, to name a few – allowing them to see how people in those departments work together to care for patients.

Julie Calahan, engagement and retention coordinator for UNK Health Sciences, calls it a “transformative learning experience.”

“The Rural Immersion Program is a unique opportunity for our students to gain valuable insights and experiences that go beyond the classroom,” she said. “Students are able to connect with health care providers and participate in hands-on experiences, and they’re also able to learn more about the hospital and community as a whole.”

Ten UNK students have participated in the Rural Immersion Program since it was launched in January 2024. Hospitals in McCook, Sidney and Cozad have hosted students so far, with York and Albion scheduled to join the program this summer.

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“Our goal is to help with workforce demand across the state,” Calahan said. “When we place students in these communities for a longer period of time, they have a more in-depth opportunity to be engaged and learn about the dynamics of the hospital. They also have an opportunity to meet with community leaders and learn about local initiatives.

“When they finish their professional school and are ready to start their career, they have these connecting points back to these rural communities.”

FILLING A NEED With nearly 900 undergraduate students currently enrolled in UNK Health Sciences, the Rural Immersion Program could serve as an important recruiting tool for hospitals that are struggling to fill their workforce needs.

There’s an urgent demand for more health care professionals in communities across Nebraska, and Sidney is no exception.

Jason Petik, chief executive officer at Sidney Regional Medical Center, called the current shortage “scary as hell.”

“We have a workforce that unfortunately went through a pandemic in the last four years, and that really hit us hard,” he said. “We’re really struggling to replace the people we lost.”

With roughly 400 employees and an annual payroll over $55 million, Sidney Regional remains an economic driver for the region and, more importantly, a necessity for the people living there. It’s the second-largest critical access hospital in the state, providing services that would otherwise be a 90-minute drive away.

During their visit, the UNK students got to see a new long-term care addition and heard about plans to build a new cancer center. The current Sidney Regional facility was completed in 2015, so it’s also a sign of the progress happening there.

“Sidney has a lot of great things going for it,” Petik said. “Yes, it is rural, and we don’t have access to absolutely everything all of the time.

But we do have a very tight-knit community and

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a very positive culture.

We’re trying to grow.”

And they want UNK graduates to be part of that growth.

Sidney Regional and more than a dozen other providers are part of UNK’s Hospital Partners program.

Representatives traveled to Kearney for the first-ever Hospital Partners Networking Event in February 2024, and a group of KHOP students visited the Sidney hospital later in the semester.

Obviously, Petik hopes these interactions lead to employment offers down the road. But he also understands the importance of promoting rural health care across the state.

“We want to help them recognize that they can have a huge impact on people’s lives in health care, and it doesn’t have to be in Lincoln or Omaha,” Petik said. “It can be in Holdrege. It can be in Imperial. It can be in Gordon. These young adults need to realize that their skill sets are so needed in rural areas.”

BETTER FUTURE Mitchell’s grandparents live in nearby Lodgepole, and his aunt and uncle own and operate a popular ice cream shop in Sidney, so he was already familiar with the community.

Still, he was excited to see health care “from a different perspective.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from job shadowing, it’s that no matter where you go, it’s almost always different,” said Mitchell, who works as a medical scribe at Tri Valley Health System in Cambridge. “Yes, you’re still treating patients, but the structure isn’t always the same.”

He was “really impressed” by Sidney Regional and the amount of community support the hospital receives.

“Listening to them talk about how important

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patient care is to them and how they’re trying to make it more efficient and effective for people makes me even more excited about where the future of health care is going,” Mitchell said.

Hurt also had a positive experience.

“I really like it,” she said of Sidney. “There’s a lot more than what I thought. When they say a rural town, it’s not really what I expected.”

During a community tour, Cheyenne County Tourism Director Kendra Mitchell showcased life outside the hospital. There’s a stunning golf course, beautiful parks and trails and vibrant downtown with a historic steakhouse, fancy boutique, unique bicycle shop, two-screen movie theater and numerous other businesses.

Kendra Mitchell and her now-husband moved there from Fort Worth, Texas, more than a decade ago to work for Cabela’s. Although the outdoor retailer is no longer headquartered in Sidney, the young couple stayed because they love the close-knit community.

“You don’t have to live in a big city to have a full life,” she said. “You can pursue a pretty adventurous career here in our small community.”

That message wasn’t lost on the visiting UNK students.

“These critical access hospitals in rural communities, they want you here,” Brodie Mitchell said. “They want to show you what they’re all about because they want you to come work for them someday.”

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FEATURE

The countryside was for growing things – corn, cattle, wheat. But most of all — the minds of children.

Since opening its doors in 1905, the University of Nebraska at Kearney — then the Nebraska State Normal School — has played a major role in educating Nebraska’s future educators.

Many of those early educators went on to teach in Nebraska’s rural areas, often in oneroom schools where they did everything.

Not only were these educators the only teachers students had from kindergarten through eighth grade, but they also maintained the school. Whether they taught in one-room schools or not, these rural teachers played a vital role in educating students in Nebraska.

These intrepid educators are honored through UNK’s One Room, One Teacher program in the College of Education. Housed inside the College of Education atrium stands a large plaque displaying the names and schools of 97 educators who were honored by family, friends and former students.

“Giving back to UNK through the One Room, One Teacher program was a special experience," said Nora (Van Pelt) Lindner '63 of Central City. The scholarships from this

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program help current UNK students — especially student teachers. “I credit my love of teaching and my success as a teacher to many of my experiences in the one-room, one-teacher and rural schools. There, I learned so many attributes necessary to succeed as an educator,”she said.

She and her eight siblings attended a one-room, oneNora (Van Pelt) Lindner '63 teacher school known as District #43 or “The Stove Poker School.” She went on to a successful teaching career.

Educators are honored each year at a special ceremony during homecoming week. Friends, family, faculty and students gather to honor teachers and students who attended one-room or rural schools.

Among those attending are recipients of the One Room, One Teacher scholarship.

When the teachers are honored, the students

want to honor them and their families as well and say, “Thank you.”

Abigail (Almanza) Bauerle ’20 MAE’23 was student teaching in the fall of 2020 during COVID-19, which she recalls was “so hard! I couldn’t go to my job as a tutor.

Without the One Room, One Teacher scholarship, I would have been in limbo,” she said. “The scholarship helped me pay for my tuition.”

Bauerle is a fifth grade ELA teacher in Chase County Schools, where she went to elementary school. It’s her third year in the classroom. "That makes it extra special to me," she said.

“My heart bursts with pride and happiness when I see the lightbulb turn on after a student has been working so hard on a concept," Bauerle said "Donors’ support helps teachers like me who have a love and passion for teaching.”

Honoring teachers and preparing the next generation of Nebraska educators are goals of the One Room, One Teacher program. More than 70 UNK students have benefited from scholarships.

“The program honors the legacy of rural schoolteachers in Nebraska,” said Mark Reid, Ph.D., dean of the UNK College of Education. “The rural school spirit lives on through the many scholarships awarded each year.”

FAMILY CELEBRATION The Ploma (Weinman) Geiser '66 family honors her (posthumously) for years teaching in a rural school. She began her teaching career in a one-room school, signing her first contract at the age of 16.

For further information or to give to the One Room, One Teacher scholarship fund, go to nufoundation.org/OneRoomOneTeacher, email Kristin Howard at kristin.howard@nufoundation.org or call the University of Nebraska Foundation at 308-698-5270 or 800-432-3216.

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FEATURE

HOW DID THE SUSTAINABLE BEEF PROJECT COME ABOUT?

AN INTERVIEW WITH

The idea for this project came after I had a significant personal incident: the loss of my pinky finger while working on a ranch we leased in South Dakota. I spent a year trying to save it. However, the finger ultimately had to be amputated in the summer of 2019.

While rehabbing, I was offered an opportunity to join then-Gov. Ricketts on a trade mission to Vietnam. That trip is when Sustainable Beef started.

During our last night in Vietnam, I found myself discussing the challenges facing the beef industry with Gov. Ricketts. He listened to my complaints and then asked me: "OK, Rusty, how do we fix it?" His challenge inspired me to act and is an example of why strong leadership is so important.

When I got back home, my partners and I took about eight months to research the needs of the industry. We decided that an additional packing plant was necessary, leading us to seek out progressive, heavy-hitting agricultural producers in the western part of Nebraska. We rallied seven or eight key players to support our project. The plant will open in April 2025, and when it opens, it will showcase more than five and a half years of hard work.

RUSTY KEMP ’98 We recently caught up with Rusty Kemp ’98, from Tryon, Nebraska. He recounts his education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, a career that revolves around ranching and launching the Sustainable Beef project.

TELL US WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY? My journey as a nontraditional student began with just three classes left to finish my degree at my previous institution, but I ran out of money. At the age of 25, I decided to enroll at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. I had always loved the city of Kearney and the community. The agribusiness program and the economics department were impressive, and I thought this would be the best place to finish my degree.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR AGRICULTURE?

WHAT WERE YOUR ORIGINAL FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT THE BEEF INDUSTRY?

Growing up during the ’80s farm crisis was challenging, especially when my generation was told there was no future in agriculture. We were told to learn something new and find a different career. But luckily, my wife, Rachael, and I managed to find a way to make it work. After buying our ranch in the Sandhills, we committed to raising all-natural, export-eligible Angus feeder cattle. It's been a lot of hard work, but also a lot of fun, and a fantastic way to raise a family.

In 2019, there was a fire at a packing plant in Holcomb, Kansas, causing a major disruption to the beef supply chain. These packing plants are huge, so when one shut down, it completely disrupted the supply chain and forced producers to ship cattle from Nebraska all the way to Washington state for processing. Prices completely fell through the floor; it was a terrible shock to the beef industry. The situation worsened with COVID-19, which prevented many producers from getting their cattle harvested.

We had a lot of frustrated producers, and it became clear that the timing was perfect for initiating a project with a significant economic impact, like Sustainable Beef.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH? WHERE YOU STARTED AND WHERE YOU ARE NOW. After high school, I found myself in Lincoln — a small-town kid in a big city. I was just a typical boy who didn’t know what I wanted to do. I always had a job and was constantly working, whether it was on ranches or in construction. It wasn't until I hit 24 that something clicked, and I realized I needed to accomplish something. So, I went back to college and cranked out an agribusiness degree from UNK, with a minor in marketing. Since then, my goal is to surpass my achievements each year. If I don’t accomplish more this year than I did the last, I feel like I am failing.

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FEATURE YOU ARE ON THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT BOARD. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? Through the years I’ve learned a lot, and it’s been a fun journey. There was an opening for an NPPD board member, and some folks in my area encouraged me to apply. I went for it, was interviewed by Gov. Pillen and was appointed in April 2023. This role has given me the chance to interact with many wonderful and smart people, which is important to me. I believe that if you’re ever the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.

BUILDING TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE. LIKE ONLY NEBRASKA CAN. In 1979, Donald E. and Viola C. Fox donated $1,000 to the chemistry department at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. This established the Donald E. Fox Endowed Scholarship Fund, an award that supports first-year students studying chemistry. Now, 45 years later, thanks to an estate gift from Viola after her passing in 2023, the Foxes’ endowment has grown to more than $675,000.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY. My wife Rachael is incredible. We got married, and in 2001, we bought Pioneer Ranch. She works harder than anyone I know. If she ever left, we'd need to hire two ranch hands, a bookkeeper and a cook to fill her shoes. She has a deep love for our boys and her animals, and she's also an amazing businesswoman.

Our oldest son, Cash, has joined us in the family business and has taken on a lot of responsibility, making us very proud. He works on agricultural operations, and when I took on the NPPD board role, which is a big-time commitment, he stepped in to help run the ranch. He’s been doing a lot of heavy lifting. Our younger son, Tucker, is a student at North Platte St. Pat’s High School and is active in football, wrestling and golf. He's also a great student, and we couldn't be prouder of him.

Viola’s estate gift supports Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, which prioritizes scholarships and workforce development, among other key pillars.

With the Foxes’ generous philanthropic support, UNK can further its dedication to those who come first: students. Instead of giving a scholarship to one student who shows promise, character and motivation, 20 students will now receive a scholarship.

Helping students succeed. Like only Nebraska does.

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO CURRENT UNK STUDENTS? Stick with the winners — the conversations are different. Your peer group is one of the few things you have complete control over, and it is important.

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Visit to learn more.

FEATURE

Making a Generational Impact

“I developed a passion for not only well-researched and skillfully presented course material, but also empathy and patience for the students who arrive less prepared than others to learn,” Bruggeman said.

Pigott-Janssen’s generous gift was made through the University of Nebraska Foundation. A portion of the gift is directed to three priorities in the sociology department: an endowed scholarship fund, an endowed undergraduate student research fund and an endowed fund to support a lectureship program. The rest of Pigott-Janssen’s gift will be invested for 20 years, with the resulting funds allocated to a future capital project based on a campus priority.

Retired sociology professor’s estate gift supports scholarships, student research, a lectureship and a future capital project

By ED RIDER - University of Nebraska Foundation Every teacher wants to positively influence the students in their classroom. The late Ruth Ann Pigott-Janssen, Ph.D., did just that and much more.

The beloved former professor and chair of the sociology department at the University of Nebraska at Kearney left a record-setting gift that will impact the lives of students for generations to come. This extraordinary investment — totaling nearly $2.25 million — is the largest estate gift from an emeritus faculty member in UNK’s history. She died in 2022 at the age of 87.

Ruth Ann Pigott-Janssen, Ph.D.

Pigott-Janssen spent five years as chair of UNK’s sociology department before retiring in 2000.

UNK Interim Chancellor Charlie Bicak, Ph.D., said Pigott-Janssen’s legacy at UNK extends far beyond her distinguished career as a sociology professor.

During her time as a sociology professor, Pigott-Janssen provided her students not only with a top-notch education in sociology classes, but also the gift of her time. One former student credits Pigott-Janssen with preparing him for college-level work and a higher education career.

“Ruth dedicated her life to education, fostering a passion for learning in her students and colleagues alike,” Bicak said. “Her gift is a testament to her enduring commitment to advancing sociology and empowering future generations. Ruth’s impact will continue to enrich the academic experience at UNK for years to come. We are profoundly grateful for her generosity and the indelible mark she has left on UNK.”

“Not only was I the only male in the class, but I was also woefully unprepared,” said Daniel Bruggeman, a 1980 KSC graduate. “She called me into her office for a series of tutorials where she patiently walked me through some of the essential features of a well-written and thoughtfully argued college-level paper. This had a transformative effect on my development as a student. It was a gift that would profoundly impact my future as a student and a teacher.”

Pigott-Janssen began her teaching career at Kearney State College, now UNK, in 1974 as a sociology instructor. She continued her education and earned her doctorate in sociology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1985.

Bruggeman, senior lecturer emeritus at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, retired in 2023 after 30 years of teaching at the college level. He credits Pigott-Janssen for being a role model for how a great educator leads a class.

Suzanne Maughan Spencer, Ph.D., succeeded Pigott-Janssen as chair of the sociology department at UNK. She said she is grateful for the time she was able to spend with Pigott-Janssen as the retired chair contemplated how her gift could assist students as well as the department.

“Her gift has had a profound impact on students and the department,” Maughan Spencer said. “Now, as the current department chair who also teaches the same classes Dr. PigottJanssen once taught, I am appreciative of her foresight, her contemplative planning and her generous legacy.

And I know she would be overjoyed to see the students’ eagerness to pursue their passion for sociological education without the stress of financial burdens.”

my educational experience at UNK by alleviating the financial strain of college,” Manning said. “This scholarship has allowed me the opportunity to redirect funds to professional development, such as the research conference I plan to attend in a couple of months.”

Daniel Bruggeman '80

Suzanne Maughan Spencer, Ph.D.

“The Ruth Pigott-Janssen Sociology Scholarship has assisted me in my academics here at UNK,” said Hannah Reeve, a senior sociology major from Potter, Nebraska. “This helping hand has allowed me to continue to pursue my goal of introducing social programs and support for the Nebraska Panhandle where I’m from.”

Pigott-Janssen’s gift supports Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future. The campaign seeks to engage 12,000 donors to raise $70 million for UNK. While Pigott-Janssen’s gift is the largest ever received from an emeritus faculty member, philanthropic gifts from former staff are not new to UNK, according to Lucas Dart '97, vice president of alumni relations and development at the University of Nebraska Foundation.

Crista Manning

“Through the years, many emeriti faculty have prioritized UNK in their philanthropic goals. They’ve been difference makers,” Dart said. “No one understands the lives of students better than a faculty member. Ruth and many others have acted on their capacity to change others’ lives through estate gifts.

Those decisions improve the UNK of today and the future.”

One of those students is Crista Manning, a senior from Grand Island, Nebraska, majoring in sociology and pre-public health.

“The Ruth Pigott-Janssen Sociology Scholarship has greatly influenced Hannah Reeve

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FEATURE

VICTORY BELL RINGS AGAIN:

UNK ATHLETICS REVIVES CAMPUS TRADITION

By TYLER ELLYSON - UNK Communications

Tom Paxson '68 had a grin on his face as he leaned against the metal trailer.

“It’ll make some noise,” he said before ringing the largest of two cast-iron bells attached to the blue and gold rig.

With each chime, time seemed to slip a little further into the past. Paxson started thinking about homecoming parades, pep rallies and football games at Foster Field.

He was proud to see this prominent piece of UNK history back where it belongs.

EARLY ORIGINS The long and mysterious journey of what’s now known as the Loper Victory Bell began around 1950. Or 1960. Depends on whom you ask.

That’s when Phi Tau Gamma, the first fraternity on campus, acquired the 36-inch-diameter, roughly 1,000-pound church bell.

Paxson, the chapter’s unofficial historian, roster keeper and alumni president, can only imagine where it came from.

“There were a lot of farm brothers in the fraternity back then, so my best guess is it came out of some small church in a Hildrethtype town,” he said. “Somebody probably got it for a song and it was sitting in the back of a barn somewhere.”

A California native and Beatrice High School graduate, Paxson attended UNK from 1963 to 1968, immediately after the school’s transition to Kearney State College. He believes the Victory Bell predates his enrollment by more than a decade, although the earliest reference in the UNK Archives doesn’t come until an Oct. 21, 1960, edition of The Antelope student newspaper.

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That article mentions approximately 20 members of Phi Tau Gamma traveling to Chadron State for the annual football game between these in-state rivals.

“They will be accompanied by the Phi Tau bell to ring the team on to victory,” it reads. The final score was 25-0, with Kearney coming out on top.

Back on campus, the Victory Bell was a fixture during football games and homecoming festivities. Strategically positioned in front of the main grandstand, it served as a rallying call and signal of Loper success.

During homecoming parades, the two-wheeled trailer hauled fraternity members and cheerleaders, often marking the end of the procession. Phi Tau Gamma won the $100 grand prize for its “For Whom the Bell Tolls” float in 1961, according to a student newspaper report. Many more homecoming awards followed.

In 1962, a “bell pull” was proposed and unanimously supported by the student council.

The plan was to pull the Victory Bell trailer from Kearney to Hastings using a team of Shetland ponies to “channel student enthusiasm during the Bronco Days celebration.”

However, this idea was scrapped after administrators from both campuses expressed concerns.

Eventually, a smaller school bell was added to the Victory Bell setup, allowing students to ring one after Loper touchdowns and the other following a win.

LOST AND FOUND The pony pull plan was far from the only hijinks associated with the Victory Bell.

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“I’m guessing every decade from the ’50s through the ’80s, the bell was stolen and/or vandalized,” Paxson noted.

One time, it was found partially submerged in the mud and muck at Cottonmill Lake.

Another time, it ended up in a cornfield north of Kearney. On a third occasion, it was hidden in a shed on an abandoned lot in town, covered in camouflage paint.

Usually, the fraternity received a phone call or cryptic clue revealing its location.

“I don’t think anybody wanted to destroy it,” said Paxson, who blames the shenanigans on rival fraternities.

“But I can’t prove any of that.”

Mark Reid '89 also remembers a few of these “kidnappings.”

Originally from Australia, he joined the fraternity in 1984, nearly 20 years after Phi Tau Gamma affiliated with a national organization and became Alpha Tau Omega. Reid graduated from KSC in 1989 and served as an adviser for ATO in the early 1990s and again from the 2000s until the chapter disbanded in spring 2015.

“It’s a mystery. It really is,” Reid said of the Victory Bell. “It defined ATO for a long time because it was always associated with the fraternity. Whether it was being used or not, it always had a prominent place outside both residences, the old house and University Residence South. It really became an icon for the fraternity.”

END OF AN ERA The fraternity stopped bringing the bell to football games — likely sometime in the 1980s — but it was still featured in homecoming parades and showcased at the ATO house.

When the fraternity moved onto campus in 1991, it was displayed outside University Residence South.

“For a long time, it didn’t get a lot of love,” Reid said. “It just sat out there and suffered the

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elements, all through the Nebraska summer and winter. And it held its own.”

In 2016, alumnus Duane McCan '69, MSE '71 restored the bell and trailer for a fraternity anniversary, which drew 150 brothers to Kearney. It was the Victory Bell’s last public appearance before being stored for several years in an outbuilding on Paxson’s property between Kearney and Gibbon.

‘WE NEED THIS’ UNK Athletic Director Marc Bauer MAE '99 was looking for old Loper sports memorabilia to display — items that represent the school’s storied history.

But he didn’t expect this email from Rich Brodersen '94, a UNK graduate who works for the University of Nebraska Foundation: “How would you like to revive the Victory Bell?”

Bauer jumped at the opportunity. “We need this,” he thought to himself.

“There are institutions that would love to have something like this,” he said. “I think our history is important, whether it’s the Normal School, Nebraska State Teachers College, Kearney State College or UNK. To be able to revive a tradition like this, that’s pretty awesome.”

The Victory Bell returned to campus this summer and was unveiled during this past football season. Former Phi Tau Gamma and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity members were on hand for the event.

“I’m so glad this is happening,” Paxson said at the time. “ATO will have a presence on campus again, and I think that’s important.”

“It’s something that’s unique,” Reid remarked.

“It’s one of those things that ties back to the history of UNK and one of its legendary fraternities.”

Just like the glory days, UNK students are celebrating their beloved Lopers by ringing those big bells again.

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LOUIE’S PRIDE

Moore Siblings Bring Competitive Nature, ‘Ranch Toughness’ to UNK Basketball

By TYLER ELLYSON - UNK Communications

His older sister, Samantha Moore, often hears a similar term — “ranch tough.”

player and five-time All-American in track and field.

Rusty also competed in track, earning All-American honors and winning two national championships in the 4x400 relay.

He coached basketball at Mullen High School for 14 years, leading the boys’ team to its first-ever state title in 2017. Rusty died in 2020 following a two-year battle with brain cancer.

They’re both references to the siblings’ blue-collar upbringing and the work ethic, determination and discipline they display as University of Nebraska at Kearney basketball players.

Jennifer taught and coached at Mullen and McPherson County high schools before moving to Alma, where she’s the head volleyball coach and an assistant track coach.

“Where we grew up, there’s not much to do but work,” said Clayton, a redshirt freshman at UNK. “And competitiveness kind of comes along with that.

Growing up, all you could really do for fun was compete with each other. It was either that or go outside and work. And competing with each other was more enjoyable than throwing hay bales around or fixing windmills.”

Raised on a ranch in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, the Moores have never known a life that didn’t revolve around hard work, humility and sports.

Their parents, Rusty and Jennifer, instilled those values.

To nobody’s surprise, their children followed in those footsteps.

SIBLING RIVALRY If they weren’t assisting with chores, the Moore kids were likely challenging each other in some sort of activity.

Siblings Samantha and Clayton Moore were threesport standouts at Mullen High School. Now, they both play basketball at UNK. (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

They were both standout athletes at Nebraska Wesleyan University, where Jennifer was a volleyball

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resonates with our team. It’s a lot of fun to be able to coach her because of that.”

Although Clayton and Samantha both admit they could have been nicer to each other growing up, that passion and intensity helped fuel their success.

She’s also versatile.

“Over the last couple years, from high school to college, I feel like we’ve grown our friendship,” said Samantha, a senior at UNK. “We’re still competitive, but I feel like we’ve gotten closer.”

I N S I DE LO PER AT HLET ICS

Clayton Moore’s teammates call him a “country boy.”

“I think that’s really where our competitiveness started to grow,” he added.

As youngsters, they played basketball in the house, using tape stuck to the basement wall as a hoop. Later on, those games moved to the driveway, where Clayton and Samantha battled their older brother, Lance.

“You can kind of imagine how that went,” Clayton said with a smirk. “Sometimes it got a little rough. I mean, there were no referees out there.

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Now, if you ask the siblings who the better athlete is, neither will claim that distinction.

Instead, they talk about each other’s accomplishments.

Samantha was a three-sport star at Mullen High School, scoring 1,550 career points in basketball and helping the Broncos finish third in the 2021 Class D2 state tournament. She also led the volleyball team in kills and blocks as a senior and qualified for the Class D state track and field championships in three events, including a runner-up finish in the 100-meter hurdles.

Clayton was equally successful. He averaged 18.1 points and 10.5 rebounds as a senior, earning Class D2 First-Team All-State honors in 2023. Also a three-sport standout, he played quarterback and defensive back for the football team and was a state champion in the 300-meter hurdles and state runner-up in the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump and 4x400 relay.

VERSATILE VETERAN When the time came to select a college, Samantha was the first family member to break the Wesleyan connection.

“I can be the guilty one,” she said with a laugh.

“I’ll take the blame for that. Right when I stepped on campus, I knew this was my place.”

The 6-foot-tall guard/forward battled injuries early in her UNK career and played behind some experienced starters. She appeared in eight games as a freshman and 26 as a sophomore.

The Lopers reached the NCAA Division II national tournament both seasons.

UNK Head Women’s Basketball Coach Drew Johnson calls her a hardworking, high-octane player.

“Sam is someone who brings a lot of energy to the team, whether she’s on or off the court,” Johnson said. “When she’s playing her best basketball, she’s really energetic and engaged, having fun and cracking jokes. That energy really

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After an injury forced her to miss the early part of the season, Samantha came back strong for the Lopers as a junior. She played in 21 games and started 16 of them, averaging 6.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest.

Those numbers were even better this season.

Samantha started every game for the Lopers and was a standout performer, finishing as one of the team’s top scorers, rebounders and playmakers.

She recorded the first triple-double in program history when she scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in a 95-26 victory over York University.

“She’s been really dynamic for us,” Johnson said.

“She shoots the 3 at a high percentage. She’s able to post up smaller guards. And she’s a great defender.

“It doesn’t get a lot better in this world than Sam Moore, and I’m thankful to have gotten a chance to coach her.”

YOUNG LEADER Clayton joined his older sister at UNK in fall 2023.

He liked the location and smaller, close-knit community — “I’m not a big-city guy,” he firmly declared — as well as the opportunity to play against top-notch teams.

“As athletes, you want to compete at the highest level you possibly can,” Clayton said.

“We were given the chance to compete here at UNK, a Division II university in one of the best conferences in the country.”

First-year Head Men’s Basketball Coach Marty Levinson describes Clayton as hardworking, humble, attentive and selfless — “pretty much all the qualities you would want in a teammate.”

“Even though he’s so young and he doesn’t have a ton of on-court playing experience at the college level, he’s already been a leader for us because of those characteristics,” Levinson said.

Following a redshirt season, Clayton was an important contributor for Levinson and the Loper men, playing in every game while averaging more than 5 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest.

Calling him a “pusher” who’s always looking to learn and grow, Levinson expects Clayton’s role to continue to expand.

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>> Redshirt freshman Clayton Moore (24) played in every game for the Lopers this season, averaging 18 minutes, 4.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest.

The Younes family is unparalleled in the support they provide UNK both personally and through their business.

Whether it’s endowing scholarships, building new facilities or sponsoring activities and programs, they always step to the front of the line for us.

(Photos by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

“He’s going to be a difference maker by the time he’s a junior or senior, even by next year,” the UNK coach said. “He’s been a blessing to have, not just on the floor but because of who he is every day.

“Clayton is much more than just a basketball player. He’s an amazing human being. That doesn’t always show up in the box score, but he’s a big part of our recent success.”

STRONG BONDS Now that they’re 20 and 22 years old, Clayton and Samantha can fully appreciate their relationship and the benefits of having a sibling to lean on.

They live in the same apartment complex, just south of the Health and Sports Center, and often get together to watch sports or play video games.

“Who wouldn’t want to attend the same school as their sibling, hang out and play the same sport?” Samantha said. “It’s so awesome. When we traveled on the road, I got to watch my brother play right after us and he got to watch me play. I’m beyond grateful. It’s such a blessing.”

“I can’t imagine it any other way now,” Clayton added.

Both recognized on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, Samantha is studying elementary education and Clayton is an agribusiness major.

She wants to teach in a small town in Nebraska, and he plans to return to the family ranch near Tryon.

Those rural roots run too deep to change.

<< UNK senior Samantha Moore averaged 8.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for the Lopers, who finished 20-9 overall and 13-6 in the MIAA. (Photos by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

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UNK TODAY

Both UNK and the Kearney community are stronger because of Paul, Linda and their entire family!

FOREVER A LOPER

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY ALUMNI

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.

1960

1974

1982

Larsen “Larry” Bowker, Ed.D., of Blacksburg, Virginia, was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame as a tennis coach.

He has published nine poetry books and three novels.

Delores and Alan Farlin MAE ’93 of Minden celebrated their 50th anniversary on Aug. 17.

Marcia (Hughes) Woerman of Gold Canyon, Arizona, retired from Mesa Public Schools.

1967 Lonnie Nelson of Cadiz, Kentucky, authored a book, "I've Lived My Dreams," detailing his life and reminding young people to always keep their early plans for their lives in mind.

1968 Don Davenport of Omaha retired as a software implementation specialist in 2014, then worked part-time at Metro Community College mentoring special needs students.

He is the author of the Kamaishi Heritage series. He recognizes former UNK instructor Jean 'Pettit' Findley ’77 of Loveland, Colorado, for inspiring his writing.

Dan Meyer MSE ’91 of Las Vegas, Nevada, retired from Clark County Public Schools.

Larry Thede of Toano, Virginia, retired from Qwest Communications in Colorado and moved to Virginia. He and his wife Laurie have three children and seven grandchildren.

Sharon (Mullen) Zavala of Grand Island retired as the head volleyball coach of Grand Island Central Catholic.

1975 Deb (Freeburg) Schroeder of Shelton is a member of the CHI Health Good Samaritan Foundation Board of Directors.

1976

Gary Hartman of Mesquite, Nevada, was inducted into the Scottsbluff High School Hall of Fame for coaching.

LTC Retired Dave Wendland of Tucson, Arizona, received the American Red Cross Visionary Award for South Arizona with more than 3,000 volunteer hours. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Southern Arizona Habitat for Humanity, and he volunteered for more than 10,000 hours.

1973

1979

1971

Dana Dillon of Fairfax, Virginia, has published “Sowing Dragon Teeth: A Novel of the Battle of Lexington and Concord,” set in colonial Massachusetts.

Doug Peterson of Kearney retired from Unverferth.

Danis (Richards) Willet of Lincoln retired from Lincoln Public Schools.

Al Blankenship MSE ’75 Al Blankenship MSE ’75 of Waverly was honored for 45 years of coaching at the Nebraska Coaches Association Annual Banquet. He has coached at Pleasanton and Waverly High Schools and Concordia University.

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1988

1997

Krista (Sheldon) Fritson, Psy.D., of Kearney is a member of the CHI Health Good Samaritan Foundation Board of Directors.

Felica "Fe" Goett MAE ’20 of Bradenton Beach, Florida, owns Blooms By The Beach and was voted Best of Florida 2024 Regional Winner.

Jack Moles MAE, Ed.S. ’93 of Lincoln is a volunteer for the Peru State College Foundation.

1998 Bill Curry of Albion was named the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals Region III Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year in 2024 and the 2025-2026 Middle School Principal of the Year. He is the middle school principal at Boone Central Public Schools.

1983

1991

Julie (Ingold) Stall of Kearney received the December KUDOS award from the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. She is a library serials associate at UNK’s Calvin T. Ryan Library.

Brooke Envick, Ph.D., MBA ’93 of Kearney received the Leland Holdt/Security Mutual Life Distinguished Faculty Award. She is a professor and the associate dean of faculty and strategic initiatives at UNK.

1984

Tom Hanson MAE ’99 of Seward is a training instructor with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Rashawn Harvey MS ’16 of Kearney was recognized with a UNK Staff Award for Excellence for superior service to students and the campus community.

1992

1999

Tina (Hansen) Chasek, Ph.D., MSE ’99 of Bellevue is the director of workforce expansion at UNMC Behavioral Health Education Center, which replicates the behavioral health workforce that is being done at UNK to other sites across Nebraska. She published a textbook, “Alcohol and Drug Counselor Exam Review,” to help others in the counseling field become licensed as addiction counselors.

Amy (Fagot) Cope of Kearney is the activities accountant at Kearney Public Schools.

Dale Filsinger of Lake Quivira, Kansas, retired as the chief risk officer from General Electric.

1985 Mike and Samantha Christensen of Tacoma, Washington, are parents of a son, Finnick Dean, born on Jan. 23.

1986 Linda (Staab) Johnson MSE ’09 and Carmen (Beedle) Brewer ’96, MS ’13, both of Kearney, are part of the UNK Graduate Admissions Team and were selected as the November 2024 Teamwork Excellence Award recipients at UNK. Greg Kealey of Deerfield Beach, Florida, earned medals for basketball shooting in his age category at both Florida State Senior Games Regional & State competitions, qualifying him for the National Senior Games, slated for Des Moines in the summer of 2025.

Rob Messbarger, M.D., of Kearney is the inaugural regional associate dean for UNMC’s College of Medicine’s regional medical school campus in Kearney.

1981 Ryan Heidemann of Longmont, Colorado, retired from United Airlines after more than 37 years as a pilot.

JoAn Scott '86

JoAn Scott of Indianapolis, Indiana, received the John Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Holly (Druery) Peterson ’99, Karla (Simmons) Rohde ’00, MS ’13, and Mark Liljehorn ’01 all of Kearney were part of a missionary group from First Baptist Church that traveled to Kisujszallas, Hungary, to host an Englishspeaking Bible camp for first through 12 graders.

1993 Kristi (Skala) Milks of Kearney was recognized with a UNK Staff Award for Excellence for superior service to students and the campus community.

Kevin Reichmuth, M.D., of Lincoln retired from the Army National Guard with more than 34 years of service and multiple combat deployments to the Middle East. He will continue his pulmonary, critical care and sleep medical practice in Lincoln.

1996 Aaron Babcock of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the general manager at Beaver Sports Properties, a brand storyteller for Oregon State Athletics.

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Annette Moser Lintz, Ph.D., of Kearney is the chair of the UNK chemistry department and received the Pratt-Heins Award for Teaching.

2001 Elizabeth (Krause) Tegtmeier MAE of North Platte is president of the Nebraska State Board of Education.

2002 Ben Brachle, Ph.D., of Kearney received the Wayne Klein Teaching Excellence Award. He is an associate professor of industrial technology at UNK. Curtis Brown of Hays, Kansas, was elected to serve as the chief judge in the 23rd Judicial District in Kansas.

Juan Guzman MSE ’05, MAE ’17 of Gibbon received the Reconocimiento Ohtli 2024 Award from Mexico’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Institute of Mexicans Abroad.

He is the director of diversity outreach and partnerships at UNK. Leah (Lewis) Stade, O.T.D., of Minden is the 2024-2025 UNMC Impact in Education, Emerging Educator Award recipient. She is an assistant professor of occupational therapy at UNMC.

Jason Miller, Ph.D., MA ’00 of Raleigh, North Carolina, was named a distinguished professor of English at North Carolina State University.

1994

Cara (Christianson) Ehegartner of Papillion is the clinical director for 360 Community Services in Omaha. Her husband, Bill Ehegartner of Papillion, is the CEO and owner of 360 Community Services. Their business supports people with disabilities and mental health issues throughout the Omaha metro area and is a certified provider for the State of Nebraska.

First Baptist Church missionary trip to Kisujszallas, Hungary

2000 Mary (Classen) Arko of Papillion is the deputy chief information officer for Sarpy County.

Melanie (Johnson) and Jay Dostal Ed.D. ’01 of Omaha work for Westside Community Schools. Jay is the principal at Westside High School, and Melanie is a teacher in the district’s transition program.

Eric Strand of Seattle, Washington, was inducted into the Grand Island Central Catholic Hall of Fame. He is the all-time leading scorer for UNK men’s basketball and has played professionally in Europe, South America and the United States. He is in the UNK Athletic Hall of Fame and the RMAC Hall of Fame.

Andrea (Martin) Teichmeier of Kearney was selected as the November 2024 Employee Achievement Award recipient. She is the admissions systems coordinator in the UNK Office of Admissions.

2003 Corey Schneider of Grand Island is a clean room tech lead IV and company trainer at Nova Tech, Inc.

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FOREVER A LOPER

FOREVER A LOPER

2004

2009

Paige (Newman) VanWinkle MAE of Kearney wrote a children’s book titled “The Wayward Adventures of Wendall the Wandering Sock.”

Mason Doughty of Lincoln and Madison Doughty ’15 of Omaha are financial advisers with CIO Wealth Strategies and have been recognized by Forbes as 2024 Best-in-State Next-Generation Wealth Advisors.

2005 Brandon Mowinkel MAE of Milford was recognized with the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals Distinguished Service Award. He is the junior/senior high school principal at Milford Public Schools.

Kirsti (Prouty) Schack of Kearney is the administrative coordinator at CSS Farms.

Ty Wisdom of Omaha is the head football coach at Chandler High School in Phoenix, Arizona.

2006 Beth and Tom Schlund of St. Louis, Missouri, are parents of a son, Samuel Thomas, born on Oct. 10. He has two sisters.

2007 Jamie (Backhaus) Bergstrom MBA ’09 of Brookings, South Dakota, earned her Certified Industrial Hygienist designation.

She is the environmental health and safety manager for Solventum Corporation.

Sarah (Blecha) Borchers, Ph.D., MBA ’08 of Kearney received the Nebraska Society of CPA’s Outstanding Accounting Educator Award for 2024. She teaches at UNK. Josh and Heidi (Weber) Johnson of Seward are parents of a son, Judd Parker, born on Dec. 31.

Paul Schleifer of Celina, Texas, is the director of finance at Methodist Healthcare System.

2010 Kelli (Dring) Fleek of Seward was inducted into the Kearney High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Tori (Klaus) Glandon MAE ’23 of Kearney is the Nebraska Choral Directors Association 2024 Outstanding Young Choral Director of the Year. She is the vocal music teacher at Horizon Middle School.

2016

Rachael (Cochran) Page MA ’12, MSE ’19 of Kearney was recognized with a UNK Staff Award for Excellence for superior service to students and the campus community.

Joee (Beckman) Muhlbach MAE ’21 of Kearney is the principal at Wilcox-Hildreth Public School.

2011 Michael and Melissa (Ruzicka) Piccolo of Maitland, Florida, are parents of a daughter, Morgan Lee, born Oct. 31.

2012 Luis Nieto of Lexington was selected as the 2024-25 Assistant Principal of the Year by the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals. He is an assistant principal at Lexington High School.

2013 Nate Sheldon of Lincoln is an assistant legal counsel for the University of Nebraska Foundation.

2014 Kaitlin (Duggan) Cruzan of Kearney is the marketing director at Buffalo County Community Partners.

Karlee Nuttelman of Kearney is the director of online learning and prevention education for the Delta Zeta Sorority.

Tim Bartling of Kearney is the director of academic technologies for the University of Nebraska Central Administration.

Nick Ridgeway of Kearney is a shareholder at Jacobsen, Orr, Lindstrom & Holbrook.

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Trey and Lexi (Jenkins) Blomenkamp ’16 of Broadwater are parents of a son, Damon Trey, born on Jan. 4.

Josh Hagel of Scottsdale, Arizona, is a vice president of sales, U.S., for Pixee Medical.

2008

Amber Lewis MA ’11, MAE ’17 of Kearney was named the 2024-25 Outstanding New Principal of the Year by the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals.

She is the principal at Horizon Middle School in Kearney.

Carly (Hillburn) Applegarth, RDN, of Beatrice is the food, nutrition and health educator at Nebraska Extension in Gage County.

2015 Haley Allen ’15 and Joseph Mendick of Omaha are parents of a daughter, Dempsey Elizabeth, born Aug. 10. She has a brother, Lennox.

2017 Austin and Alex (Alber) Jenn ’20 of Kearney are parents of a daughter, Collins Murphey, born on Dec. 3. She has a brother, Beckett.

Landon Killion of Omaha is a campaign manager at the Steier Group.

Holly (Green) Mauslein of Stillwater, Oklahoma, is an engagement strategist and program coordinator at DJ Case and Associates.

Derek Ott of Kearney is the UNK January 2025 Employee Achievement Award recipient. He is the print production specialist for communications and marketing.

Rachel Stauffer of West Fargo, North Dakota, was promoted to senior e-commerce manager at Aimbridge Hospitality.

2018 Peyton Carney of Omaha married Eric Golwitzer on Sept. 7.

Jordan and Carly (Sitorius) Miller MAE ’24 of Minden are parents of a daughter, Layla Sue, born Oct. 27.

Ivy Prater-Seifert of Springfield, Virginia, is the director of political engagement and grassroots for American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

2019 Jake Bartling of Kearney is a co-owner and provider at Dynamic Spine and Sports Performance.

Kale Gideon of Kearney is a financial adviser at Bluestone Wealth Advisors.

Mackenzie Puckett MBA ’21 of Lincoln is a director of development for the UNL College of Business at the University of Nebraska Foundation.

Odwuar Quinonez of Lexington is a bilingual kindergarten teacher at Bryan Elementary School.

2020 Jazzy Beringer of Lincoln is an attorney with Rembolt Ludtke.

Brooke Boroff of Grand Island was named the Nebraska Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year. She teaches social studies at the Kearney Public Schools Hanny Arram Center for Success.

Andrew Burival of Kearney is a senior category manager at Cash-Wa Distributing.

Corey Hoelck MAE ’24 of Giltner is an assistant offensive line football coach at UNK. Shelby Hoffmann of Aurora is the marketing and events specialist at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.

Austin Jacobsen MSE ’23 of Omaha is a media producer with Hurrdat Sports and a contributor to HuskerMax. Hannah Sealock and Zach McDuffee of Columbus married on Feb. 17.

Nate Polacek MAE of Kearney is an English teacher and cross country/ track coach at Kearney High School.

Christina (Dean) Stevens of Kearney was selected as the October 2024 UNK Employee Achievement Award recipient. She is a TRiO adviser in the Loper Success Hub. Abel Virgilio MSE ’22 of Kearney was recognized with the UNK Staff Award for Inclusive Excellence for demonstrating exemplary commitment to fostering a climate of inclusion and belonging for all students, faculty and staff across campus.

Nate Polacek MAE '20

Braden Rich of Kearney teaches business and is an assistant freshman football coach at Northwest High School in Lincoln.

Lopers in Memoriam 1949 Dale Ingram Gretna

2021 Max Beal of Kenesaw joined Tye & Rowling in Kearney as an associate attorney.

Faith (Santo) Hanzal Stapleton

Jonathan Madison of Lexington is the K-12 vocal and instrumental teacher at Creek Valley Public Schools in Chappell.

Glen Hopkins Riverton Anna (Newcomb) Hunnel Kearney

2022 Alex Goracke MSE ’24 of Giltner is the senior residence hall coordinator at UNK. DJ Hardwick of Benkelman is an assistant director of student and family transitions and leadership at UNK. Paige Kirby of Gering is a resource teacher at Gering Public Schools.

Scott Moser MSE and Grace McDonald ’23 of Lincoln married July 13.

Luke Searle of Edgar is a planner at BluePrint Engines.

2023

1953 Bill James Bellevue 1954 Earl Rademacher Lincoln 1956 Billy Moss Minneapolis, Minnesota 1958 Paul Forch Lincoln

Jordan Glenn MAE of Shelton is the assistant principal at Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools.

Harold "Mike" Moles Elm Creek

Jeana Peterson MAE of Kearney is the Nebraska Chapter of the American String Teachers Association 2024 Outstanding Orchestra Teacher of the Year.

James Titterington Fort Collins, Colorado

2024 Kheren Guillen of Imperial is a buyer for Parker Hannifin.

UNK TODAY

Ryan Johnson of Gothenburg teaches music education at Gothenburg Public Schools.

1950 Francis Arthur, Jr. Lincoln

Brett Steinke of Grand Island is a management trainee with Crete Carrier Corporation.

Colton Stuhr of Grand Island is a sourcing manager/import compliance for Parker Hannifin.

UNK TODAY

Allie Prososki of Lexington teaches middle school math and is an assistant volleyball and basketball coach at Minden Public Schools.

1959 Jim Arneson Seward Jerry Bydalek Gering Eldon Reiter MSE ’68 Kearney

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FOREVER A LOPER 1960 Mary (Wrin) Bergsten Axtell Ellen (Raymond) Boroff Kearney Jack Crowley Hastings Ronald Jorgenson Callaway Robert Noah Kenyon, Minnesota 1961 Dean Waddel Lincoln 1962 Joyce (Brock) Boss Elizabeth, Colorado 1963 Joseph Coble Bennington 1964 Donna Bryan Morrill Phyllis (Dokken) Gengenbach MSE ’68 Cozad 1965 Larry Barnhart Bonita Springs, Florida Nanna Cross Chicago, Illinois

FOREVER A LOPER 1967 Janette (Kruse) Vanderbeek Wahoo 1968 Art Fritson Kearney Hugh Miner Jr. Grand Island Carole (Alberts) Scherff Saint John, Washington 1969 Hon. Richard Kopf Lincoln Raymond "Boyd" Lindsay Lincoln Marjorie (Smith) Schneider Grant 1970 David Babbitt Kearney Susan Baumann Grafton Galen Conn MSE Beatrice Tony Weidner Grand Island 1971 Larry Carmann Davidson, North Carolina Nancy Garringer MAE ’90 Kearney Sally Gilbreath Omaha

Virginia "Bunny" (Johnson) Wattles MAE ‘83 Scottsdale, Arizona

Daniel Imel Holdrege

Terry Young Olathe, Kansas

Harold Sawyer MSE Central City

1966 Eugene "Butch" Ortgiesen Wilcox Marcia (Broom) Pierson Minden Cheryl (Wood) Ryan Minden Norm Sheets Hastings

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Barb (Haley) Skaden York Ronald Upson Beaver City 1972 Gary Bergstrom Lincoln Phyllis (Babcock) Clement Ord Mary (Bronson) Losey MSE ’94 Kearney

1980 Mary Jo (Meyer) Breece Holdrege

Bruce Whitten Lincoln

Jean (Gettelfinger) Krejci, Ph.D., MSE San Antonio, Texas

1973 Jerry Foote MSE ’92 Kearney

Dan O’Dea Lincoln

Al L’Heureux Hordville Caroline Mazankowski Le Roy, Kansas Larry Paul Lincoln

Rebecca (Roenfeldt) Freeland Marquette 1981 Patrice "TeeDee" (Elworth) Peterson Plattsmouth

Larry Schumacher Kearney 1974 David Baisinger MSE Lincoln

1983 Jackie (Hutsell) Adelung MBA ’88 Amherst

Larry Gries Omaha Marge (Augustyn) Mroczek Loup City

Angela (Wichman) Ziemer MSE ’84 Kansas City, Missouri

1975 Don Cunningham Lincoln

1985 LeAnn Elliott Kearney

Rick Freese Ashland

Scott Lindstedt Cozad

1976 Dan Hersh MAE Ord

1989 Marguerite "Lu" (Forney) Krueger MSE Phoenix, Arizona

Ron Jurgensen Kearney 1977 Karen (Prather) Brown MAE Kearney Gary Buehner Cozad Carol (Gronewold) Hudson MAE ’91 Shelton 1978 Connie (Engel) Homan North Platte

1991 Dallas Clayton MSE Villisca, Iowa Chuck Hervert MAE, Ed.S. ’97 Omaha 1992 Richard Bracha Mission, South Dakota 1995 Deb (Fecht) Wilbur MAE ’21 Kenesaw 1998 James Koontz MAE, Ed.S. ’05 Hastings

1979 Tom Kruger MAE ’82 Grand Island

UNK TODAY

UNK TODAY

Michael D. Martin Denver, Colorado 1999 Lisa (Cornelison) Reed Omaha Mary (Ladwig) Strohmyer Lyons 2000 Tom Kunkel, Ed.S. Hastings 2002 Matt Johnson Kearney Matthew Roehrs North Platte

Loper Faculty and Staff Notes Marshall Barth, Darla Morris and Travis Reynolds were selected as the October 2024 Teamwork Excellence Award recipients.

Greg Benson, Ed.D., received the Wayne Klein Teaching Excellence Award. He is a professor in marketing, agribusiness and supply chain management.

Ted Eichholz was selected as the September 2024 UNK Employee Achievement Award recipient. He is the assistant chief of police for UNK Police.

Chris Exstrom, Ph.D., was recognized with the David Stevenson Faculty Senate Distinguished Service Award.

Lori Frickey was selected as the June 2024 UNK Employee Achievement Award recipient. She is the office associate in teacher education.

Rob Fuller is an assistant coach for men’s basketball.

Toni Hill, Ph.D., was recognized with the Pratt-Heins Award for Service.

J.D. Meyers was selected as the May 2024 UNK Employee Achievement Award recipient. He is a custodian with facilities.

2004 Timothy Gleason MA Hanover Park, Illinois

Mitch Runco is the assistant head men’s basketball coach.

2005 Mary (Goshorn) Fink Norfolk

Scott Shafer was named MIAA Coach of the Year. He is the head tennis coach.

2009 Nick Bolander Omaha

Rick Squiers was named the 2024 MIAA Volleyball Coach of the Year.

Kirstin (Killion) Kirkland Kearney 2013 Mary "Kate" Tworek ME ’13 Omaha 2014 Erick Wadsworth MA Nampa, Idaho 2015 Elizabeth Ruth Kearney 2019 Marcus Fox Fergus Falls, Minnesota

Patty Seevers was selected as the July 2024 UNK Employee Achievement Award. She is an office associate with the admissions office.

Amanda Sladek, Ph.D., was recognized with the Faculty Award for Inclusive Excellence.

Melissa Wuellner, Ph.D., was recognized with the Pratt-Heins Award for Scholarship and Research.

Loper Faculty and Staff Service Anniversaries 10 years Mathew Begnoche, maintenance supervisor, facilities Derek Boeckner, Ph.D., chairperson and associate professor, mathematics & statistics Meredith DeHaven, employment specialist, human resources Anthony Donofrio, Ph.D., associate professor, music, theatre and dance Bryan Drew, Ph.D., professor, biology Tim Farrell, D.M.A., professor, music, theatre and dance Shane Hernandez, custodian, facilities Evan Hill, Ph.D., chairperson and associate professor, psychology Jia Huang, Ph.D., professor, mathematics & statistics Adam Jensen, Ph.D., professor, physics & astronomy Chris Moran, budget officer, budget office

33

FOREVER A LOPER

Sharon Obasi, Ph.D., associate professor, counseling, school psychology and family science

Loper Faculty and Staff Retirements

Michael Pettigrew, custodian, facilities

Rick Allum, custodian, facilities

Jacob Rosdail, associate professor, communication

Kathy Benne, office assistant, cyber systems

Wendy Schardt, director, student health and counseling

Jane Blum, director of field experiences, educator certification office

Terry Seals, carpenter, facilities Patty Seevers, office associate, admissions Megan Strain, associate professor, psychology Allen Thomas, Ph.D., associate professor, chemistry Dana Vaux, Ph.D., associate professor, industrial technology Jim Vaux, Ph.D., chairperson and associate professor, industrial technology Mallory Wetherell, professor, art and design 20 years Greg Brown, Ph.D., professor, kinesiology and sports science Ting-Lan Chen, D.M.A., professor, music, theatre and dance

Deborah Bridges, Ph.D., professor, marketing, agribusiness and supply chain management James Cook, Ph.D., professor, music, theatre and dance Jeff Dummer, custodian, facilities Gene Fendt, Ph.D., professor, philosophy Dora Gonzalez-Bermudez, custodian, facilities

Julieta Johnston, senior lecturer, mathematics & statistics

Suzanne Hayes, Ph.D., professor, accounting, finance and economics

Doug Kristensen, J.D., chancellor

James Lester, event/move team leader, facilities

George Lawson, Ph.D., professor, communication

Tami Plugge, executive associate, academic affairs

Jeff Morehead, locksmith, facilities

25 years Kelly Bartling, vice chancellor, enrollment management and marketing

Patty Reifenrath, senior lecturer, mathematics & statistics

Glenn Tracy, Ed.D., associate professor, teacher education

Dick Wardyn, grounds manager, facilities

Nita Unruh, Ed.D., associate vice chancellor of academic and student affairs; professor in kinesiology and sports sciences

Sherri Harms, professor, cyber systems

30 years Mark Ellis, Ph.D., dean of graduate studies, graduate studies and academic innovation

Bruce Eichhorst, Ph.D., professor, biology

Jill Purdy, director of finance, finance office 40 years Karla Bauer, accounting technician, finance office

34

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

Loper Faculty and Staff Deaths David Bauer Ed.D., professor, music, theatre and dance

David Nabb, Ph.D., professor, music, theatre and dance

Visit nufoundation.org/cga to learn more.

Barton Willis, Ph.D., professor, mathematics and statistics

Peter Yazvac, assistant athletic director of media relations, intercollegiate athletics

Jean Jacobson, collection coordinator, Museum of Nebraska Art

Two Beneficiaries Age Rate 65, 65 > 5.0% 70, 70 > 5.5% 75, 75 > 6.2% 80, 80 > 6.9%

Janna Shanno, administrative associate, graduate studies and academic innovation Ross Taylor, Ph.D., associate professor, cyber systems

Anne Foradori, D.M.A., professor, music, theatre and dance

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES:

One Beneficiary Age Rate 65 > 5.7% 70 > 6.3% 75 > 7.0% 80 > 8.1%

gift.planning@nufoundation.org | 800-432-3216

Rick Squiers, head coach, volleyball

Alan Wedige, university architect, physical planning real estate

When you contribute cash, appreciated securities or IRA assets to support the University of Nebraska at Kearney, not only will you advance the university’s mission, but you’ll also receive fixed lifetime payments with return rates based on your age.

These rates are suggested by the American Council on Gift Annuities (www.acga-web.org).

Darcy Isaac, office associate, political science

Katherine Kime, Ph.D., professor, mathematics & statistics

Scott Unruh, Ph.D., director for assessment and accreditation, academic affairs; assistant dean, College of Education; professor, athletic training

STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY’S FUTURE BY SECURING YOUR OWN.

John Hastings, Ph.D., professor, cyber systems

Victoria Goro-Rapoport, professor, art and design

Julie Shaffer, Ph.D., senior vice chancellor, academic affairs

Charitable gift annuities provide a unique opportunity to leave a lasting legacy while ensuring financial security for yourself or a loved one. With a CGA, you can make a profound impact on generations of future visionaries in Nebraska.

Lyle Colsden, professor, family studies

Howard “Jake” Jacobson II, professor, art and art history Joan Lewis, professor, teacher education Elizabeth Peck, Ph.D., director, Center for Teaching Excellence Ruth Schmitz, professor, marketing

HELP US BY TELLING THE STORY

Phil Shade, professor, accounting and finance

OF HOW THE UNIVERSIT Y OF NEBR ASK A

HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE TO YOU

UNK TODAY

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