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UNO Athletics CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE. ALL THE BEST FROM YOUR F R I E N D S A T M E T H O D I S T.

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vol. 1, no. 3 fall 2010 www.unoalumni.org/unomag

CREDITS

Letters to/ from the Editor

6 9 10

Alumni Association Online Worldwide

Managing Editor

Philanthropy Matters

Anthony Flott

Partners

associate Editors

Jennifer Arnold, Tim Kaldahl art direction

Emspace Group cover illustration

AndrĂŠ Jolicoeur

Letter from the Chancellor

The Colleges

23 Get to Know

Athletics The Big Snoo e

Cooking up a

A former UNO student battles anorexia and helps others facing the same fight.

Contributors

UNO Magazine is published three times a year by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the UNO Alumni Association and the NU Foundation. Direct editorial inquiries to Managing Editor UNO Alumni Association 6705 Dodge St., Omaha, NE 68182-0010 Phone: (402) 554-2444 Toll-free: UNO-MAV-ALUM Fax: (402) 554-3787 Email: aflott@unoalumni.org Send all changes of address to attention of Records or visit www.unoalumni.org/records

Dr. Jennifer Huberty is trying to reverse the upward climb in the number of obese children.

A Healthy Addition

Walking a Fine Line

Sweating it out Over Yoga Hip on Hypnosis

50 Just For You 52 Bookmarks

Fighting for Her Life

Student Stars with Research

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

Fighting an Epidemic

NOTES

Dave Ahlers, Dr. Ally Dering-Anderson, Bryce Bridges, Becky Bohan Brown, Nancy Castilow, Bruce Chase, John Fey, Tim Fitzgerald, Bill Hawkins, Jeffrey Kaipust, Rich Kaipust, Mary Kenny, Tom Kerr, Don Kohler, Greg Kozol, Tom McMahon, Beverly Newsam, David Noonan, Megan Schmitz, Nick Schinker, Ward Schumaker, Joe Shearer, Scott Stewart, Terry Stickels, Wendy Townley, Les Valentine, Kevin Warneke, Terry Zank.

Fighting the Flu

46 Taking Sides 48 Sights & Sounds

44 57

Retrospect

For Fun

FROM THE EDITOR

UNO Magazine continued to generate warm fuzzies from readers with the Summer 2010 issue — except for those who took sides with the “Point/Counterpoint” presentation on global climate change. Those pages drew the most emails — and led to changes in this issue. As one reader pointed out, “Point/ Counterpoint” implies some sort of debate — which isn’t the case. Rather, UNO Professors Robert Smith and Bruce Johansen simply were asked to give 10 reasons why we do/don’t need to worry about global climate change. There was no give-and-take or back-and-forth discussion. Given that, we’re renaming that department to “Taking Sides.” If you have a take on the topic this issue — the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes — drop us a note. Following are excerpts from responses to the global climate change articles and other Letters to the Editor. Enjoy the feedback — and this issue’s focus on health.

Anthony Flott Managing Editor

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Letters to the Editor Reader feedback is key to making UNO Magazine among the best university publications in the country. Write us about the magazine, the university, or suggest a story. Letters must include the writer’s first and last names, address and phone number and may be edited for taste, accuracy, clarity and length. www.unoalumni.org/unomag-led

Dinner downer To Dr. Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado: I am disappointed in the tone of the article, “Dinner with Fidel.” The continually cozy, first-name reference to the brutal, self-imposed dictator throughout the story proved unsettling. This man and his regime killed or imprisoned countless numbers of their fellow countrymen. His totalitarian government continues to murder and imprison any opposition. Why else would so many Cubans risk the dangerous 90-mile stretch of sea to set foot on U.S. soil? B.J. Duis (’98) Editor’s note: The article’s tone originates with its writer. Dr. Benjamin-Alvarado only was a story source and had nothing to do with its presentation. The debate heats up It does not matter whether you believe in global warming or not. The main point should be that fossil fuels (coal and oil) are filthy forms of energy in both their extraction and their use. In a society that will not tolerate cigarette smoke, why are we tolerating these pollutants? Scientists and others should stop squabbling over global warming and put their efforts into finding clean energy that does not kill or pollute. Margaret Mainelli UNO Mathematics Department

Your Point / Counterpoint global climate change feature implies a serious debate in the sciences whether the globe is warming as the result of human use of fossil fuels. There is not. Any serious commentary would take some space. Consider two points: Point one: The globe is warmed by greenhouse gases, claims Prof. Smith. True but irrelevant! The problem is not that the globe is already warm; it is that the globe is heating up. The current warming trend promises disaster if current rates of greenhouse gas releases continue. Point two: Water in the atmosphere has more powerful greenhouse effects than do carbon compounds, says Dr. Smith. True, but irrelevant! The scientific concern is that carbon compounds in the atmosphere contribute powerfully to warming, in part by leveraging increases in the amount of water in the atmosphere. Andrew Jameton Professor, College of Public Health, UNMC Editor’s note: Dr. Smith requested that it be noted that he asked Dr. Jameton to debate global climate change. Dr. Smith said the invitation was declined. While both professors have nice lists about global warming, we should understand that neither is a specialist in the

FROM THE CHANCELLOR

Dear Alum: field by a long shot. Several thousand scientists have spent their lives on this subject and concur that the warming is caused by man’s work on this earth. One of my friends, a global warming scientist, has given up arguing with the opinion buffs, saying: “Skip the science and watch the melting, as warming does melt ice. Watch Greenland.” But the biggest questions for Dr. Smith: What if you are wrong? Or, if we plan and invest and invent, what is the great harm? Richard D. Holland (’48) Clean and classy A word of congrats on the new UNO Magazine. I was no longer receiving it by mail — and was missing reading it — when it appeared in UNO’s blurb on Facebook. I downloaded it and finally read it this morning. It is so classy. Love the graphics and photos — a very clean and up-to-date look. I can’t wait for the next issue! Ruth Manning Rivals Love this issue. My husband gets the Georgetown alumni mag and the UNO mag rivals it! Nice work! Sherry Kennedy Brownrigg (’92) Go Large I found the summer edition of the magazine quite interesting in content, layout and variety of subject matter. As a “retired” illustrator and graphic designer, however, I cannot understand why so many times the choice is made for such small type throughout the publication. It is not “reader friendly” at all, particularly for older readers and those with less than 20/20 vision. Yours is not alone, in the world of publishing, to print so much material in a diminished size. … I particularly found the article “On Top Down Under” well-written and very interesting as astronomy is one of my favorite subjects. Harlan Petersen (’53) Re: UNO Magazine I’m emailing to congratulate you and others involved in the magazine on its content, quality and the coverage of not only alumni topics, but those topics of interest encompassing a wider view of the university. Ron Barnett (’54) Business buzz Thank you for the supply of magazines you provided to Information Services for John Fiene’s meeting this week. They added to our presentation and served as a wonderful promotion of UNO for the area business executives in attendance. John’s guests left with a positive impression of UNO that will carry out into the Omaha community. Cathy Bosiljevac UNO Information Technology Services

Recently, I had the privilege of taking part in the groundbreaking ceremony for Roskens Hall, preparing the building for its new occupant, the College of Education (COE) in 2011. It’s a move made possible by the opening of Mammel Hall on UNO’s Pacific Street campus as the new home of the College of Business Administration this fall. We owe enormous gratitude to Ruth and Bill Scott, to John Scott and to George Haddix and his family, all of whom provided significant building and program support. Our sincere gratitude, as well, extends to Carl and Joyce Mammel, whose gift of Mammel Hall freed Roskens Hall for COE. Also, much thanks to Ron and Lois Roskens, whose names grace the building and who helped build the modern campus during its formative years. Despite the limitations of the building, the quality of teacher preparation has continued to evolve, meeting workforce demands and changes in the educational landscape with a richness of experience and opportunities to grow. UNO prepares more than 60 percent of metropolitan-area teachers and more than 30 percent of teachers statewide. Also, 50 percent of administrators in the greater Omaha schools have UNO degrees. COE students and faculty also provide thousands of free and reduced-cost services in speech and hearing, counseling and learning disabilities clinics. Outreach efforts have created partnerships in schools, businesses, government agencies, civic groups, community organizations and sister institutions throughout the world. At home, faculty and students are involved in cuttingedge research into health issues and life-threatening diseases, all the while educating the next generation of teachers and educational leaders for our community, state and beyond. More so now than ever, metropolitan educators must be prepared to address complex challenges brought about by poverty, English as a second language, shifts in ethnic and cultural diversity, truancy, and the medical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing of the young people they serve. The newly transformed Roskens Hall will provide places for the university, metropolitan teachers and community partners to collaboratively address these issues, as well as prepare future teachers to inspire a love of learning in their students, give them a sense of place in the world, and, most importantly, instill hope for the future. On July 27, our good friend and colleague, John Langan, passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. John’s impact on COE as a longtime faculty member, department chair and dean, as well as his passionate work on behalf of students in the K-12 schools, continues to define the college and its future. John’s excitement about the new facility was contagious, and I know he was with us at the groundbreaking in spirit, anxious for Roskens Hall to re-open, and for us to get on with the important business of education. Until next time,

Chancellor John E. Christensen

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Making Connections

Association celebrates 2010 successes

Association events in 2010 included a visit to UNO alumni in Arizona with a tour of the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

Alan Kolok’s connections have taken him halfway around the world, researching the harmful effects of runoff into water from banana plantations and gold mines in Colombia. A UNO professor of biology, Kolok is an expert on Nebraska waters, particularly how they are affected by agrichemical contaminants and how that impacts fish. But during a visit to the Thompson Alumni Center, Kolok made another connection that could impact Omaha’s water quality. Kolok in February spoke at the Golden Circle Lunch Bunch, a monthly UNO Alumni Association program dating to 1983 for grads of 45 years ago or longer. There Kolok visited with 1954 graduate Jack Frost, chairman of the Metropolitan Utilities District Board of Directors. Through that visit Kolok has established relationships with MUD personnel that he hopes will facilitate water-related research of benefit to all Omahans. The Golden Circle Lunch Bunch was just one of the alumni association’s events and programs during We reached the first half of 2010 that connected nearly 3,000 alumni and friends with more alumni and students in the first UNO. The association had a transitional six-month fiscal year as it switched its six months of this accounting and reporting to correspond year than we did with UNO’s academic year calendar.

in the same time period last year.

“We reached more alumni and students in the first six months of this year than we did in the same time period last year,” says Association President Lee Denker. “Not only did we connect with alumni in Omaha and on campus, but we also had successful outreach events in Phoenix, Denver and Kansas City.” Other association events included the ever-popular UNO Alumni Night on the Ice and a tailgate at the MIAA Conference Basketball Tournament in Kansas City. Also reached were 841 students, many of them at the UNO Grad Fair preceding the university’s May commencement. While picking up their cap and gown, UNO students were introduced to the Alumni Association and other campus groups

important to their post-UNO life, such as the Career Center, at this new association event. Staff also represented the association at events hosted by other campus and off-campus groups, registering 159 visits at community functions. Many alumni chose to participate virtually. The Association’s Web site and its presence on social media sites Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn attracted nearly 3,200 registrants and participants. The association told UNO’s story often and through diverse mediums, producing nearly 450,000 print and electronic messages. That included 150,000 copies of UNO Magazine, which in February debuted to rave reviews as the university’s new flagship publication. Readers now include 3,000 influential community, business, political and educational leaders. If the success of such programs, activities and communications is measured in support for the university, the association can count another success in 2010. Alumni and friends provided $165,830 in UNO Annual Fund donations from January to June, twice what was raised during the same period in 2009. The Thompson Center also performed well above expectations. The popular conference and event facility provided UNO-affiliated groups with $45,366 in free rental, 12 percent above projections. Thompson Center revenues also resulted in a contribution of $71,000 to alumni programming, 24 percent more than last year. Association accomplished such feats with numerous assists, including help from an active and dedicated board of directors. David Craft (’90, ’92) and Blake Edwards (’99), for instance, co-chaired the association’s Chancellor Scholarship Swing Committee. Through their leadership the association raised scholarship revenue and refocused attention on student scholarship recipients. Also helping with alumni programming were 65 volunteers, such as Kristen Patterson (’09), who helps manage UNO Young Alumni social media sites.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Giving is Good for Your Health More than likely, we’ve all experienced it. Whether putting a few quarters in the bell-ringer’s kettle during the holidays, contributing canned goods to a local food pantry, or sending a check to support a favorite cause, we’re filled with a sense of satisfaction when we make an extra effort to help. As it turns out, it’s more than a feeling — studies show that giving is beneficial to our health.

Serving U! in 2010-11 Inspired by the broad impact of UNO’s service and community engagement priority, the UNO Alumni Association is rededicating itself to fulfilling its own mission of service to the University, which began with the association’s founding in 1913. The Alumni Association’s “Serving U!” campaign kicked off in July and will continue throughout the 2010-11 academic year. Each month, members of the UNO Alumni Association family will come together to serve campus and the broader community. “Serving U!” launched when Alumni Association staff “popped in” to nearly two dozen campus departments with a surprise gift of Maverick-branded popcorn tins. The tins were in gratitude for the assistance those departments provided the Alumni Association in the last academic year. “Serving U!” continued in August when the association distributed hundreds of water bottles to students moving into UNO’s four residence halls. “Serving U!” opportunities are listed on the association’s online calendar at www. unoalumni.org/calendar. That includes an opportunity to give back with other alumni during UNO’s Seven Days of Service March 19. Interested in joining the “Serving U!” campaign, or have an idea how we can serve UNO or the community? Email Alumni Programs Coordinator Elizabeth Kraemer at ekraemer@unoalumni.org or call (402) 554-4802 (toll-free at UNO-MAV-ALUM).

A survey of more than 30,000 American households revealed that people who gave money to charity were 43 percent more likely than non-givers to say they were “very happy” about their lives. Likewise, volunteers were 42 percent more likely to be very happy than non-volunteers. According to Arthur Brooks, author of, “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism,” the act of giving directly affects our brain chemistry. People who give experience feelings of exhilaration and a burst of energy similar to that experienced after intense exercise, followed by a period of calmness and serenity referred to as a “helper’s high.” Brooks notes that philanthropy has myriad health benefits, including lowering the production of stress hormones that cause unhappiness. “There’s evidence that it helps people with their asthma, in cardiovascular disease, weight loss, insomnia,” Brooks writes. When you make a decision to improve your health through charitable giving, please consider supporting the health of your alma mater through a gift to the UNO Annual Fund. You’ll be supporting UNO in the areas of alumni communications, community engagement, student support and academic excellence, and you’ll be helping a great university become even better. Any size gift is truly appreciated.

Don’t be a Scrooge! Join us for the 2nd annual UNO Alumni Night at

A Christmas Carol Wednesday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. Omaha Community Playhouse Relive the enduring story of Ebenezer Scrooge with Omaha’s No. 1 Christmas theatre tradition — back for its 35th showing! The evening includes an exclusive Intermission Reception with desserts and cash bar for UNO alumni and guests. Tickets: $25 per adult; $15 ages 5-22 (tickets regularly $39/$24). Availability limited; register by Nov. 15 at www.unoalumni.org/eventregister or call (402) 554-4802.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Attention Arizona Alumni Save the date — Jan. 31, 2011 The UNO Alumni Association is hosting another Mavs on the Move Outreach to Arizona on Monday, Jan. 31, 2011. Place and time to be determined. More details to come at www.unoalumni.org/unoevents.

Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011

Chill out at Alumni Night on the Ice Join fellow grads and their families for the eighth annual Alumni Night on the Ice Saturday, Feb. 12. Get ready for the Mavs’ battle against the University of Wisconsin with this great pregame fun: • Buffet reception at Qwest Convention Center; • Door prizes and free Mav Tattoos; • Hockey 101 with former Mavs and a pep talk from UNO Coach Dean Blais; • Great Lower Bowl seating; designated seating for CBA, Communication and AFROTC grads; • UNO dance team. All that for just $20 per adult, $15 per child age 2-10 (children under 2 free). Per-person cost of $20 includes game ticket and pre-game buffet (pulled pork sandwiches, chips, salad, cookies, tea, lemonade). Cash bar available. Children’s cost of $15 includes game ticket and plated children’s meal. Hockey tickets distributed at reception. Register online at www.unoalumni.org/ eventregister or call (402) 554-4802.

Alumni Scholars The UNO Alumni Association welcomed its third class of UNO Alumni Scholars at the start of the fall semester. Four students received UNO Alumni Association Scholarships, awarded to graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated leadership and involvement during high school. Recipients also must have a minimum ACT composite score of 24 and either rank in the top 25 percent of their class or have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. The $2,500 annual scholarships are renewable for up to four years total. Receiving 2010 UNO Alumni Association Scholarships (above): Stacia Gerbers, Superior High School; Sean Robinson, Millard South High School; Matthew Gardner, Omaha North High School; and Yasmine Farhat, American Academy for Girls at Mizahar (Dubai). Bios of the four recipients and other association scholarship information are available at www.unoalumni.org/scholarships

Award nominations Have someone you would like to nominate for the UNO Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Citation for Alumnus Achievement? Send them our way at www.unoalumni.org/awards-nominate

We’ve got you covered Looking to get covered? Visit the Alumni Association Web site at www.unoalumni.org/insurance to see the discounted options available to UNO graduates for health, life, auto, and long-term care insurance.

ONLINE WORLDWIDE

Bridging the Distance Online Worldwide education brings University of Nebraska to more students

Call it distance education. Online learning. Extended education. Now Nebraskans — and people throughout the world – who want to finish their degree, earn a master’s degree or Ph.D., or increase their earning power with a specialized certificate or endorsement — can earn a University of Nebraska degree online. And, they can find information about all of the University’s online education programs at a single location, a new Web platform called University of Nebraska Online Worldwide. University of Nebraska Online Worldwide — www.nebraska.edu/ online — provides information about more than 80 accredited programs, including bachelor’s and advanced degrees as well as certificates and endorsements, and more than 1,000 courses in a wide range of fields, including agriculture, biology, business, computer science, education, engineering, public administration and many more. Programs and courses are offered by the University’s four campuses, with some developed collaboratively among campuses, including a Ph.D. in educational administration offered by UNO and UNL. By marketing all of NU’s distance programs together under one virtual “roof,” Online Worldwide will better serve Nebraskans looking to further their education and will allow the university to capture a larger share of the rapidly growing national and international market for online learning, NU President James B. Milliken says. “Online Worldwide offers a tremendous opportunity to students who want a high-quality, affordable education from a highly reputable institution,” Milliken says. “Our distance courses are taught by the same excellent faculty who teach on our campuses — ensuring that students in Nebraska and around the world have access to challenging, relevant curricula developed by experts in their fields.” In addition, growth in online education represents one of the University’s best opportunities to increase revenue — which will be critical in the coming years. A recent study by the Sloan Consortium found that 1 in 4 college students took at least one course online in fall 2008 — a 17-percent increase over the previous year. NU students generated more than 93,000 credit hours online in 2009-2010 — a 30 percent increase over 2008-2009. But there is a broader market to be tapped that extends well beyond campus borders. “More than 255,000 Nebraskans have completed some college but have not earned a degree,” Milliken says. “Distance learning is a great solution for those Nebraskans. It gives them a chance to become more competitive in today’s job market, increase their earning power and improve their quality of life — all while continuing to balance work, family and other obligations.”

UNO School of Public Administration Director John Bartle.

The University has a number of degree completion programs to complement its current offerings. Demand for online learning also is growing worldwide because of the increased importance of postsecondary education in today’s knowledge-driven workforce. A new report from Georgetown University projected that 63 percent of all jobs will require some level of postsecondary education over the next decade, and that the demand for workers with at least an associate’s degree will continue to outpace supply. According to the report, Nebraska ranks seventh in the nation in the percentage of jobs that will require post-secondary education. UNO offers a wide range of programs online, including bachelor’s degree completion programs, master’s degrees and a range of certificates and endorsements. John Bartle, professor of public affairs and director of the School of Public Administration, says that the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree, which UNO has offered online since 2000, is the most-recognized graduate degree for professional positions in the public and nonprofit sectors. “UNO’s online MPA offers the same high-quality curriculum as on campus,” Bartle says. “Courses are small and highly interactive, and are taught by full-time faculty who are leading scholars with extensive practitioner experience. This degree is the pathway to a career focused on solving public problems and managing public and nonprofit organizations effectively.” UNO’s MPA is ranked in the top 20 in the nation in five sub-fields. Bartle also mentioned the master of science in urban studies, whose graduates take positions such as managers, planners, technicians or community organizers, and work on critical issues facing communities. Programs in library science, information technology and education are other high-demand areas among UNO’s many online offerings. University of Nebraska Online Worldwide is the result of extensive study and collaboration by a university-wide Distance Education Coordinating Committee. Consultants retained by the committee said the university has a major opportunity to grow its distance learning enterprise, and recommended that all distance programs be marketed under a single brand to maximize resources. Responsibility for developing and delivering courses and programs remains with each campus.

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS

A Learning Transformation Roskens Hall begins redevelopment as the new home for the College of Education By Scott Stewart

Building a Healthier Community UNO’s College of Education has a lengthy history of service to the Omaha metropolitan area. It contributes to the health and wellbeing of the community in a number of ways: The college prepares more than 60 percent of teachers in the metropolitan area and 30 percent of teachers statewide. More than 50 percent of the Omaha-area school administrators are UNO alumni. College of Education students in counseling and speech pathology annually provide more than 2,000 hours of free or reduced-cost services to the local community. The college faculty is conducting research into health issues affecting people around the world: stroke, cerebral palsy, peripheral arterial disease and multiple sclerosis, along with work to predict and prevent often lifethreatening falls in the elderly.

The transformation that began at Roskens Hall this summer goes well beyond a building makeover. The $13.7 million redevelopment project is being promoted as an educational overhaul, too.

a college do in one way or another,” Edick said at a groundbreaking ceremony Aug. 19. “It will always serve as a monument to the support of our community, the generosity of our donors and the vision of our leadership.”

“We are not only breaking ground on a renovation,” College of Education Dean Nancy Edick says, “but we are breaking ground for new ways of learning and leading in the profession of education.”

Ruth and Bill Scott and Dr. George Haddix, all of Omaha, are the principal donors to the project, a fundraising priority for UNO through the University of Nebraska Foundation’s Campaign for Nebraska.

Former home to UNO’s College of Business Administration, Roskens Hall is being transformed into a modern educational facility that beginning in the fall 2011 will house COE. The building will feature classroom facilities and outreach clinics focused on teaching, educational administration, counseling, learning disabilities and speech/hearing education.

The donors all have strong connections to education. Ruth Scott and Haddix’s late wife, Sally, both were educators.

“This renovation will provide an enhanced experience for students, faculty and staff,” Edick says. “Classrooms and common spaces will enhance collaboration among students and provide partnership opportunities with the community, enabling the College of Education and UNO to move forward as a leading metropolitan university.” CBA moved to its new home, Mammel Hall, this summer, making room for COE in Roskens. The redeveloped facility will provide COE with an additional 20,000 square feet and upgraded instructional and community engagement spaces. The project is almost entirely paid for by private funds.

“As teachers, both Ruth Scott and Sally Haddix impacted countless lives in our community and our state,” Edick says. “It is an honor to have their names forever tied to our college and our building.” The redeveloped building will include expanded classroom space, a student resource laboratory, an innovative technology laboratory, modern speech and counseling clinics, collaboration rooms and new public spaces. The college’s School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation will remain in its facilities in the newly renovated HPER building. Roskens Hall will support the college’s programs of excellence, which include the community engagement efforts of the Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium (MOEC), teacher and administrator development programs, and clinical work of the department of special education and community service and of the department of counseling.

“While all of the college’s classes may not be conducted here, this beautiful, state-of“If we have improved facilities, we’ll be able the-art building will touch everything we as to better execute the strategic plan and

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS strategic goals of the College of Education,” says Dick Christie, executive director of MOEC, a collaboration between UNO and 12 area school districts. “In terms of the quality of graduates, certainly improved facilities will create the opportunity to build on that quality.” For the department of teacher education Roskens Hall will provide new facilities to assist teachers looking to improve their skills. One such feature is the Innovation, Design, Engagement, Activities and Synergy Room (IDEAS), which will resemble a library specifically designed for educators and their needs. “We look forward to having inviting spaces for students and community-based activities, a place they can identify as their academic home,” says Lana Danielson, chair of the teacher education department. Roskens Hall also will feature new homes for the speech and hearing, learning disabilities and counseling clinics, allowing for improved services and more space for students to learn skills.

“When students graduate and start their careers, they quickly learn how much collaboration is required for the professions of speechlanguage pathology and special education,” says Kristine Swain, chair of the department of special education and communication disorders. “There will be two small group rooms which will allow for student clinicians to work with small groups of clients.” The new facility also will provide the counseling department and its clinic with updated equipment, migrating from outdated VHS technology to computer-based observation and recording, says Paul Barnes, chair of the department of counseling. A stunning new atrium will provide students with an area to congregate, study and relax without the need to travel to the western side of campus. “In our current space we have limited space for our students to gather,” Edick says. “It will provide a sense of place — a home.” For more information on the Roskens Hall renovation project, including floor-by-floor layouts, visit coe.unomaha.edu/roskens.

Educational Endeavors: George Haddix

Leading the Way: Ruth and Bill Scott Over the years, Ruth and Bill Scott of Omaha have contributed to their community’s progress, health and vitality in a quiet but exceptional way. Recently, the couple made the lead gift to support the redevelopment of Roskens Hall for the College of Education. Their commitment will benefit what they believe is one of Omaha’s greatest assets — its teachers. “Our community depends greatly on the College of Education’s expertise in preparing students for careers in education and other professions that are fundamental to the success of our community,” says Ruth Scott. “With this new facility we believe UNO will achieve even greater accomplishments. We are pleased to be part of the campus’ tremendous progress.” The Scotts’ gift also reflects a personal interest they have in the field of education. Ruth, a former teacher, earned a degree in education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1952. She taught school and later founded the Omaha Bridge Studio, where she teaches the game “everyone should play.” Bill Scott, also a UNL graduate, earned a degree from the College of Business Administration in 1953. He went on to pursue a successful career in finance that spanned nearly 40 years. More than 30 of those years were spent with Buffett Partnership and Berkshire Hathaway.

For George Haddix, Ph.D., any project benefiting teachers is a worthy endeavor. Yet the Roskens Hall redevelopment project is especially meaningful to him — and one he has chosen to support in an extraordinary way. Haddix’s gift benefits the college where his wife, Sally, earned a degree in education. She taught for more than 18 years, spending many years teaching third grade in Springfield, Neb. Sally passed away in 2008. Haddix, one of the project’s principal donors, believes the redevelopment of Roskens Hall is instrumental to the college’s vision. “After discussing the College of Education’s future plans for teacher preparation and program enhancements with the chancellor and dean it became clear that upgrading the physical facility is an important element of the plans,” Haddix says. “This redevelopment project underlines the UNO commitment to the college in a visible and functional package. We are happy to participate in such a project.”

The Scotts’ gift to the Roskens Hall project is one example of their tremendous commitment to the University of Nebraska. They have been among the principal benefactors supporting priority projects at UNO. These include the construction of Mammel Hall, expansion of the former Engineering building into the new home of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, and the Peter Kiewit Institute.

Haddix received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Omaha University in 1962. He went on to earn a master’s and doctorate degree. The Omaha native became a leader in the computer science technology industry. He led several companies, including Applied Communications Inc. of Omaha, US West Network Systems in Bellevue, Wash., and PKWARE Inc. of Milwaukee.

Their support of facility projects at the University of Nebraska Medical Center has transformed that campus, too. Thanks to their recent generosity, UNMC now has new facilities to house the College of Medicine, College of Public Health, a Center for Nursing Sciences, and other key campus additions.

Among his many achievements, Haddix is also recognized, along with his late wife, for their generous support of higher education in Nebraska.

the colleges

campaignfornebraska.org

All statistics as of July 31, 2010. The Campaign for Nebraska began in July 2005 and will conclude December 2014.

partners

ConAgra Foods’ Kelly Schaefer had an “a-ha” moment when she and several of her colleagues started discussing their backgrounds during a meeting. Many in the group — including several vice presidents — volunteered that they were the first in their families to go to college.

Schaefer, ConAgra Foods’ vice president of human resources, knew where she could get more of the same to help fill the ConAgra Foods intern program and workforce with needed skills — UNO, where more than half the student body is composed of first-generation college students. That they’re educationally adept and fit ConAgra’s corporate culture just sweetened the pot. Intern and employee hirings of UNO students and graduates are just one way the food giant and Fortune 200 company has partnered with UNO. The campus-to-campus relationship also has included UNO-provided IT education and marketing savvy. ConAgra Foods, with Omaha headquarters on a sprawling downtown campus, is one of the country’s largest food makers. Its consumer foods are found in 97 percent of America’s households and include everything from Chef Boyardee ravioli and Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn to Hunt’s tomatoes. Such reach puts a premium on talent at the 25,000- employee company. That’s where its UNO partnership pays the biggest dividends. Three years ago, Schaefer says, ConAgra made a commitment to hire entry-level talent from “our backyard” (the metropolitan community and Midwest) and to develop those hires through career enhancement opportunities. UNO — especially students in information technology, finance and human resources — have benefited. Of the 60 IT student interns rotating through several ConAgra Foods’ IT departments during a two-year stay, the majority are from UNO (many pictured above). Other UNO students this summer were among more than 140 mostly Midwestern student interns. On the continuing education front, ConAgra turned to UNO’s Nebraska Business Development Center two years ago for twoday project management classes for its information technology employees. More than 350 people have completed the program since it started, says Janet Tschudin, program director for

NBDC. NBDC developed a curriculum that receives refinement after every session. Employees who attend get an interactive experience peppered with ConAgra Foods examples. “There was a lot of planning that went into this, and it paid off for everyone involved,” Tschudin says. ConAgra and UNO also have worked together to fight hunger in the Omaha area. For the second consecutive year, Maverick Solutions, the UNO student-run PR firm, supported the ConAgra Foods Scouting for Food campaign by developing promotional items and events. The 2010 campaign collected 433,973 food products for Food Bank for the Heartland. This summer Maverick Solutions supported the Child Hunger Ends Here campaign as a pro-bono client. Its UNO Run N’ Munch, a 5K walk/run, netted $5,000 for Food Bank for the Heartland. ConAgra’s presence on UNO’s campus also has expanded. The company has partnered with UNO’s Career Center for more than five years and move-in day at UNO student housing locations last year featured a variety of ConAgra Foods’ snacks. In the fall of 2009, ConAgra also held a large event at its headquarters for UNO (and Creighton) faculty and deans to discuss its IT internship program and to help educate them about the company. More than 60 UNO faculty members attended the event, where executives gave various presentations. “We were happy to open up our research and development building for the event, including a tour of the test kitchens and Intern Info product samples prepared by For more information on ConAgra Foods’ our talented culinary team,” internship and full-time positions, contact the Schaefer says. “We continue UNO Career Center office at (402) 554-3523 to get positive feedback from or visit www.conagrafoodscareers.com. the event. And, everybody Partner with UNO loves food.” Want your company to partner with UNO? Everybody loves a good Contact Tim Kaldahl at (402) 554-3502 or takaldahl@unoomaha.edu partner, too.

the colleges

Funding a Dream An historic fundraising effort for the College of Business Administration has yielded a significant investment of private support in the college — completely financing the $41.5 million construction of Mammel Hall. The lead gift came from Carl and Joyce Mammel (above) — the largest single philanthropic gift to UNO in the university’s 100 years. It was followed by substantial gifts from Ruth and Bill Scott, Virginia Schmid and a wide variety of alumni and other supporters. CBA Dean Louis Pol lauded the Mammel family for its commitment. “When I think about the initial gift that made this possible, and all the benefit that will come over time to the students, faculty, staff and community, it really is overwhelming,” Pol says. The Scotts have supported projects throughout Omaha, including gifts benefiting the redevelopment of Roskens Hall, the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, the Peter Kiewit Institute at UNO, and several building projects at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “None of this dream, none of this excitement would exist without the Mammels, the Scotts and all our generous benefactors,” Pol says. “If not for them, we would not be here in this building today.” Fundraising continues in an effort to reach the college endowment goal of $7.5 million. This funding will enhance the college’s programs and benefit students and faculty. – Nick Schinker

A Shot in the Arm

By Nick Schinker

The opening of Mammel Hall improves the economic and physical health of the Aksarben neighborhood Where abandoned horse barns and an empty grandstand once stuck out as eyesores, Mammel Hall now stands, furthering the economic and physical recovery of the Aksarben-area neighborhood. New home to UNO’s College of Business Administration, Mammel Hall opened this fall and was dedicated Oct. 15. Dr. Louis Pol, CBA dean, says the $41.5 million project “will have a tremendously positive effect” on the economic health of the community. “This area of the city, the old Aksarben property, has evolved into an exciting mix of business and academics where people are drawn to learn, work, live and shop,” Pol says. “If you recall how this land was proposed as a site for casino gambling, then look around today, it’s easy to see we are the beneficiaries of Ken Stinson, the Aksarben Future Trust, and many other people who shared a vision of something truly valuable.”

Long before its doors opened to business students in August, Mammel Hall “created and supported construction-related jobs at a time when the economy was really struggling,” Pol says. “This building gave really meaningful work to skilled trades people, from those designing the project to those responsible for advancing it.” Mammel Hall, whose construction was financed entirely by private funds (see sidebar), will be a wellspring of programs and courses that advance partnerships with the Peter Kiewit Institute and other UNO colleges, the Scott Technology Center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the UNeMED Corporation and the private sector. Pol says possibilities include a business minor for construction management students and a business certificate program for doctoral and master’s degree students in biosciences. Each program would uniquely incorporate an entrepreneurial capstone project

the colleges Dean Pol agrees. “Mammel Hall could be one of the epicenters of the advancement of intellectual property in the region,” he says. “I believe the next five years are going to be incredibly exciting.” The building itself is designed to promote the physical and mental health of the people who study, teach, work and visit there.

designed to help carry new ideas toward commercialization. Tom Whalen, vice president of Human Resources and Organizational Development at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska — whose new headquarters is rising near Mammel Hall — says the insurance provider is interested in exploring internship opportunities for business students. “It is our belief that we can create and strengthen a relationship that will prove mutually beneficial to the school, its students and our enterprise,” Whalen says. Jay Noddle, president of Noddle Companies, the lead developer of Aksarben Village, says the area’s blend of academics and business creates many opportunities. “When we looked at how we could work CBA and the university into the (Aksarben Village) project, we felt we might be able to facilitate the creation of a place that’s pretty special — one that could become the economic engine for the region for a long time,” Noddle says. “Projects that draw in the academic element are few and far between. We saw the opportunity here to really make some magic.”

Mammel Hall is a model of environmental concern and healthconscious design and operation. It is built to meet standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). For example, low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and carpeting were used to minimize indoor contaminants. “Data indicate that people who work in ‘healthy’ buildings have fewer work days missed,” Pol says. “That results in a rise in productivity, morale and pride — all factors that contribute to a community’s improved economic health and wellbeing.” Mammel Hall is anticipated to enhance the city and state’s economic health by: • Building upon existing partnerships and creating new relationships among CBA, UNO, area businesses and the community; • Fueling research, education and job creation; • Serving as a catalyst for collaboration and as a source of new business ideas; • Providing space for businesses and civic leaders to interact with students and faculty; and • Uniting the offices and staff of the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC).

Sharing, Pedaling Getting around the expansive UNO campus isn’t exactly a walk in the park (OK, it can be if you’re headed to the Pacific Street Campus).

included one-speeds, three-speeds and even a tandem. Cyclists ride at their own risk but are encouraged to wear a helmet.

Since last fall, however, members of the campus community are only a free bike ride away from wherever they’re going.

The program was funded by a grant and bike donations from Boys Town.

That’s thanks to UNO Bike Share, begun last fall. School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation faculty members David Corbin and John Noble spearheaded the project, introduced to provide an easier way to get around campus, and to encourage physical activity and eco-friendliness. “Thousands of bike trips have been taken by UNO students and employees since the program started in September,” Corbin says. Corbin and Noble both point to student involvement for making the project a success. That includes assists from UNO student Corey Friesen, students in Noble’s class, and UNO Student Government. For the pilot, eight bicycles were provided for free use by any UNO student or employee. The bikes could be picked up or left off at any campus bike rack. The unlocked bikes

“Recently, several individuals donated several bikes that we have added to the fleet,” Corbin says. Corbin has consulted with at least five other colleges — including the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Creighton University — interested in starting a similar bike share program. Corbin says, “It’s a lot of work.” “Since the bikes get so much use, there are always flat tires or repairs to be done,” he says. “Fortunately, Student Government funded the repairs and Trek Bicycle Shop gives us a discount on labor. The owner is a UNO alumnus [Kent McNeill].” Expansion for UNO’s Bike Share includes a “bike library” of sorts with better bikes available for longer checkouts. Additional information on the program can be found at www.unomaha.edu/bikeshare. Participants who have mechanical problems should call (402) 554.2670. – Becky Bohan Brown

the colleges

Stressing Stress Management A dynamic married couple has gone to great lengths during their tenure at UNO to try and tackle that nagging six-letter word — stress. The duo, Josie Metal-Corbin and David Corbin, are professors in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation who teach stress management classes at UNO. “The class introduces the student to a variety of interventions that may help with stressors that are social, intellectual, psychological, physical, environmental or emotional,” says Metal-Corbin. “Students have the opportunity to learn and practice techniques in breathing, meditation, tai chi, yoga, autogenics, progressive muscular relaxation and self-hypnosis.”

The professors also offer podcasts to help deal with stress (www.unomaha.edu/healthed/stressmgmt.htm). “We made the podcasts for anyone who needs to manage their stress,” Corbin says. “We promote these to our stress management students and to all students during final exam week. “A large part of stress management is learning to live in the present, to be mindful. For most of us, it takes practice to be able to do this. That’s what stress management classes allow you to do.” Other advice from the Corbins: • If you think you are under stress, you are. • If you think that you are not making any progress in managing your stress, remember to “Fake it ‘til you make it.” • Most stress management skills are acquired tastes. Like brushing your teeth, you progress from not wanting to do it to not being able to do without it. • Do not sit in a traffic jam and curse the traffic as if you are not part of it. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. – Becky Bohan Brown

the colleges

Everyone into the Pool It’s 6:45 in the morning. As nightshift construction workers in UNO’s Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Building are replaced by their daylight counterparts, half a dozen energetic swimmers continue a robust daily regimen that’s already 45 minutes old. Each swimmer has his or her own lane and each is practicing different strokes and routines suggested by the coach watching from pool’s edge. No, they’re not members of UNO’s swim team. Rather, they’re participants in the 27-year-old UNO Master’s Swim Program. Participants come in all ages and body types — but they’re all in the pool for the same reason. “They enjoy it,” says Pat Philippi, aquatics director in HPER’s campus recreation program. She took the program’s reins in June 2007. Philippi says the program’s benefits go beyond exercise. “The Master’s program provides social interaction and they enjoy working with the youth coaches who provide them with motivation,” she says. “The swimmers also motivate us as coaches so that we say ‘I want to be that active when I’m your age.’” The program currently has up to 40 swimmers participating at various times Monday through Saturday. Attendance is not required, and neither is affiliation with UNO. One regular pool participant who does have a UNO affiliation is Dr. B.J. Reed (bottom right), dean of UNO’s College of Public Affairs and Community Service. An early riser, Reed usually goes to his office for a little work before entering the pool at 6 a.m. He finishes by 7 and is back in the office 30 minutes later, ready to start his first meetings. “I started swimming in the program in 1983 or ‘84. I got away for a few years and then about five years ago decided to get back in,” Reed says. “The program offers a workout that’s different each day. You can work on drills or different strokes, and it’s different so that it keeps you interested. You get to practice different things and get to know people in the adjoining pool lanes.” Reed says he’s attracted most by the program’s aerobic benefits. “It is very intense aerobically for 45 to 50 minutes and it exercises all parts of your body,” he says. “It’s also low-stress and a good all-around workout. Once you’ve done this you realize how good it is for you.” Philippi (right, middle picture) wants to increase the program’s enrollment. At one point there were 200 program members, a high point under longtime director Todd Samland, now UNO’s head swimming coach. Two years of construction to the HPER building, though, took its toll on membership. “We have a beautiful facility here and are looking forward to increasing the number of participants,” Philippi says. The program costs $43.75 per month or $175 per semester. That also permits Masters participants to use all Campus Recreation facilities in the building, such as the sauna, weight room and indoor running track. For more information, visit www.unomaha.edu/wwwocr/aquatics/masters.php – Tim Fitzgerald

Illustration by Ward Schumaker

the colleges

Helping the ‘Hidden Heroes’ — Alzheimer’s caregivers

Research by two UNO professors is shedding light on a vital but sometimes-overlooked Alzheimer’s disease resource — caregivers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, a progressive and debilitating brain disorder that causes memory loss and disrupts thinking and life. “There may not be much you can do for patients in the way of curing Alzheimer’s,” says Karl Kosloski, UNO gerontology professor, “but it is possible to help ease the burden of caregiving and treat depression in caregivers.” Kosloski has lent his efforts to the Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE®) project, in collaboration with the Office of Applied Gerontology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Through TCARE®, caregiver experience is evaluated to allow for more useful interventions and outcomes. “There was a need to refer caregivers and patients for supportive services that are tailored to their specific needs, rather than simply refer them to what is available in the community,” Kosloski says. Julie Masters, chairperson

and associate professor of gerontology at UNO, says supporting caregivers is especially important when dealing with younger-onset Alzheimer’s patients — those 65 and younger (approximately 200,000 Americans). Possible signs a person is experiencing Alzheimer’s may include reckless or very different spending habits, confusion with directions and inability to complete tasks, especially at work. “It’s much more complicated than late-onset Alzheimer’s, as it affects those who are still working and may have young children at home,”

Masters says. “These caregivers — hidden heroes — make great sacrifices.” With the assistance of Jerry Deichert, senior research associate with the Center for Public Affairs Research, Masters recently completed a nearly two-year study. The Nebraska State Unit on Aging received funding from the U.S. Administration on Aging and contracted with Masters and Deichert in completing the evaluation for the project. During the program, participants received $2,000 for respite care, tracking devices and other methods benefiting patients. In the study, Masters said, it is interesting to note the majority of the younger-onset Alzheimer’s patients were women with male caregivers, often husbands who also cared for the children. “Most wanted to help out as much as possible but found it a struggle to balance the responsibilities,” she says. “It was like being a single parent for them.” Another issue for caregivers is where to turn for help. Many existing care and counseling options are designed for those with late-onset Alzheimer’s. “There is a definite need for adult daycare, but most cater to late-onset patients, who often have other interests,” Masters says. “Many peers also don’t understand the challenge, as the vast majority of Alzheimer’s patients are much older. There is a great need for more services.” Earlier this year, younger-onset Alzheimer’s was added to the Compassionate Care Initiative. That has fostered faster payment of Social Security benefits. Masters suggests contacting a medical professional for referrals if Alzheimer’s symptoms are suspected in a person. Local Alzheimer’s chapters also are available for support and counseling. For more information, visit www.alz.org/midlands or www.alz.org/greatplains. To learn more about TCARE®, visit www4.uwm.edu/tcare.

People with spinal cord injuries going through rehabilitation at Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center always have benefited from cuttingedge technology. Physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists and support staff there have a national reputation for excellence. So when they wanted to improve outpatient communication, they turned to another source of excellence — UNO.

the colleges

Grad students develop portal for Alegent patients A team of 10 management information systems graduate students in a capstone project class worked collaboratively for 17 weeks and created a web-based solution that allows patients who have been sent home to connect with their health care team at the Rehabilitation Center and with other patients. Such communication is vital because of the life-changing nature of a spinal injury and the need for patients to work through life-long issues and challenges. The portal operates like a Web board, a wiki site and a social network page. Video messaging also is possible. All of it happens in a secure environment, something especially important to health care organizations. The students visited Immanuel at the start of the spring semester of 2009 and interviewed staff and patients about their wants and needs. Patient-users provided feedback along the way. More than 1,700 hours of work went into creation of the final product. “It was such an opportunity,” says Angela Lampe, coordinator of quality outcomes and compliance for Alegent Health Rehabilitation Services. “We’d do it again in a heartbeat.” The patient-to-patient connection possibilities of the system also could continue to build friendships and communities. That would allow people who have had spinal injuries to share with newer outpatients practical experience about problem-solving home or work issues. Jeff Zdan (pictured), a member of the student team, says the goal was to create a powerful tool for the medical staff and patients that also was simple and

easy to use. Zdan stresses that what they proposed — dependent on affordable, high speed internet connections — wouldn’t have been realistic even five years ago, especially for patients coming from rural areas. Zdan, 34, since has graduated with his master’s degree and currently is pursuing his doctorate in information technology at UNO. Ann Fruhling, one of the professors who supervised the team, says ownership of the project came quickly. “And the reason why is because it wasn’t a traditional project,” Fruhling says. “It was a real-world project that was going to help people in our community. “And it wasn’t the usual business-oriented project. It was a project leveraging technology to do something that was going to make a positive difference in somebody’s life.” In addition to Fruhling, Gert-Jan de Vreede, another information systems and quantitative analysis professor, helped with team supervision. “What is also unique about this project and similar student team projects in our program is that they design and develop an IT solution that works — the host organization can actually start using it at the end of the class semester,” de Vreede says. Alegent Health’s information technology staff currently is evaluating the system the students put together. Lampe said that the work put into the project would influence whatever Immanuel Rehabilitation will use to communicate with its patients. - Tim Kaldahl, University Relations

Grace Abbott

Social Work Degree Offered Outside Omaha Rural Nebraska and South Sioux City residents can pursue a Master of Social Work degree from UNO without traveling to Nebraska’s largest city for their coursework or final exams. The program, organized by UNO’s recently named Grace Abbott School of Social Work, responds to a growing interest from adult learners outside of the metro area. University of Nebraska at Kearney Social Work faculty members also have supported the Master of Social Work off-campus program for students in central and western Nebraska. Through the program, UNK provides office space for UNO faculty, classroom space and library access for students, and other campus student support services. UNO recently also has partnered with the South Sioux City Education Center to provide students the ability to earn an MSW face-to-face and online. As part of their coursework, South Sioux City students are tasked with a community outreach project. To earn their degrees, students must complete two practicum courses at agencies near their hometowns. Earlier this year the UNO School of Social Work changed its name to the Grace Abbott School of Social Work. Abbott was a Grand Island, Neb., native and social work pioneer who graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1906. Abbott is best known for encouraging Congress to enact the first federal child labor laws and was an active promoter of programs to improve the health of women and children. She was named president of the National Conference of Social Workers in 1924 and served as managing editor of the Social Service Review. Abbott was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1975. – Wendy Townley

athletics

Chocolate Milk Gives Mavericks a Competitive Edge

Got milk?

UNO’s student-athletes do — the chocolate stuff — and it’s become an important building block to performance enhancement. Beginning in 2009, UNO athletes started downing chocolate milk as a supplement to their workouts in the weight room. Strength and Conditioning Director David Noonan, himself a former student-athlete at Nebraska, says chocolate milk is a natural blend of what athletes need after a tough session in the weight room. “For recovery, you want a ratio of protein to carbohydrates of 4-to-1, and chocolate milk has exactly that,” Noonan says. “They’ve done a lot of research on that versus the supplements you get at stores, and milk is as good if not better at helping the body recover after a workout.” Noonan also says the sugar in chocolate milk helps spikes insulin levels, making cells more permeable to nutrients in the milk.

Milk-lovin’ Mavs Becca Swanson (soccer) and Jordan Willert (hockey).

The UNO football team had been providing supplements in its training but soon it

became cost prohibitive for a team of more than 100 athletes. That’s when Associate Head Coach Brad McCaslin, in a conversation with Director of Athletics Trev Alberts, suggested approaching Roberts Dairy about providing the chocolaty nutrient. Already the supplier of milk on campus, Roberts, says McCaslin, was a perfect fit. “They have been great to the athletes, and it was a great way to expand on what we were already doing with them,” McCaslin says. Coaches and athletes say they can see the benefits. “We’ve been very fortunate to have the chocolate milk after our workouts which give us a great carb-to-protein ratio,” says Nick Von Bokern, a defenseman on the UNO hockey team. “[Noonan] has always stressed to get it into you before you stop sweating, which is kind of the new thing in the lifting world to make sure you get your supplements, your protein and your carbs right after your workout. I’ve seen a huge benefit from it.” – Dave Ahlers, director of athletic media relations

First Director’s Cup a Hit with Golfers The first annual UNO Director’s Cup golf tournament had its genesis during a cold and snowy December, but when it was time to tee off, more than 100 golfers enjoyed a sultry day at Omaha Country Club. A host of prominent community leaders enjoyed an afternoon of golf on Aug. 2 courtesy of UNO Athletics, the University of Nebraska Foundation and its corporate partners. The event was held to bring supporters of UNO and the athletic department together to learn more about the university and Omaha’s Team. Following golf, attendees heard from University of Nebraska System President J.B. Milliken, UNO Chancellor John Christensen and UNO Director of Athletics Trev Alberts about the mission and goals of the campus and the athletic department. The golfers received flag prizes for each hole, and golfers Dick Bell and Chris Murphy had their names engraved on the inaugural Director’s Cup trophy as tournament champions. The trophy will be on display at UNO throughout the year and will accumulate more names as the tournament continues. The evening finished with words from event chairman Jim Young, president and CEO of Union Pacific and a 1978 UNO graduate. OrthoWest and the Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital were the lead sponsors of the event. Additional corporate partners included TD Ameritrade, Silver Stone Group, RSM McGladrey, Meyers Carlisle Leapley Construction, the Nebraska Spine Center and DLR Group.

From left, James Blackledge of Mutual of Omaha Bank, UNO Athletic Director Trev Alberts, NU President James B. Milliken, Union Pacific CEO and President James Young, UNO Chancellor John Christensen and Jeff Schmid of Mutual of Omaha Bank.

AThletics

Mavericks on the Cutting Edge of Training Techniques See pages 50-51 for a total-

body training regimen created by UNO Strength and Conditioning Director David Noonan.

your shot — all of those core muscles in your trunk work.” Stretching prior to a workout has been a basic tenet of exercise for decades, but Noonan says that long-held belief also has been reinterpreted in the 21st century. “Now we do what we call dynamic warmups, like lunges, light push-ups, high knees and toe touches on one leg,” he says. “This has probably come about in the last 10 or 12 years where actually stretching the muscle beforehand, like static stretches where you hold the muscle for 30 seconds, actually makes you more susceptible to injury.

For every minute a UNO studentathlete spends in competition, there are countless additional hours that each one spends training for that competition. And far from being an in-season endeavor, today’s training is a 12-month enterprise. It’s part of a greater understanding of what is needed to be successful when the whistle blows. UNO’s weight room in the Sapp Fieldhouse is a hive of activity. Under the guidance of Strength and Conditioning Director David Noonan, most Maverick athletes work out all summer on campus and then settle into a two- or three-day regimen around practice times during the season. The weight room is dominated by free weights, contrary to many health clubs that feature an abundance of exercise machines. Noonan says that’s one recent trend in how athletes train. “The biggest change has been moving away from using machines, so more barbell, dumbbells, medicine balls, things like that where they’re more in positions they’re going to be when they play the game,” Noonan says. “They’re not sitting down in a machine that stabilizes their body [in competition], so we don’t want to train them like that because that’s not the way they’re going to be on the field or ice.” Noonan says exercise machines first became popular in the ’50s and ’60s because

companies found a way to sell a new product and expand their businesses. He said that led to some unintended consequences. “We see in athletics a lot of orthopaedic problems happen because of the use of machines because they’re disproportionately training different areas of the muscle or the joint,” he says. “If you’re in a machine that does your legs, it might really concentrate on the front part of your leg and then you’re more susceptible to pulling your hamstring or things like that.”

Core Beliefs No muscles are overlooked in the Mavericks’ training regimen, but few areas get more focus than an athlete’s core — those muscles in the mid- and lower-torso. “With core training, we focus more on the movements that the core makes,” Noonan says. “Your core flexes, it extends, it moves laterally, it rotates, so we concentrate on all the movements of the core, not just simple crunches.” There isn’t a sport at UNO where core strength isn’t important, and athletes are seeing the benefit of the work they’re doing. “I don’t think people realized as much back in the day how important [core strength] was,” said Rich Purslow, a senior forward on the UNO hockey team. “But it’s great for your strength on the ice to be able to protect the puck and avoid guys, and it helps with

“It calms your body down, but you actually want to warm your body up and warm the muscle up, which makes you less susceptible to injury,” Noon says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete or just a recreational person. We do the dynamic warm-ups before and the static stretches after.” Variety in workouts also is a key to success. Athletes say it’s important to stay engaged with the workout. “As soon you get comfortable with one workout, they just throw something completely new and different at you,” says Nick Von Bokern, a senior defenseman on the UNO hockey team. “It gives you a lot of variation in what your strength is. You’re not just strong in your bench press and your squat. You’re strong going side to side and in your obliques and every different movement, which is great.” In a time when the difference between wins and losses is so slim, UNO’s athletes are trying to find the proper balance of strength, size and speed. Many say they’re seeing the results of that work on the field. “I came in at 225 pounds as a freshman and I’m 275 pounds now,” says Justin Sindelar, a senior defensive tackle on the UNO football team. “I’ve put on a lot of weight, and I’m 100 times stronger than when I got here. It’s improved my speed, strength and quickness. “I’m as heavy as I’ve ever been, but I’m as quick as I’ve ever been. The strength program has really made me become the best athlete that I can.” – Dave Ahlers, director of athletic media relations

athletics

Streamlined Giving The UNO Athletic department in July launched a new initiative to make supporting Omaha’s Team simpler and more efficient. The One Fund, created in conjunction with the University of Nebraska Foundation, is a centralized fund that supports all Maverick teams. Aflac, OrthoWest and Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital are corporate partners of The One Fund. “We have worked very diligently to create a mechanism that makes donating to UNO athletics seamless for all of our supporters,” said Trev Alberts, UNO’s director of athletics. “Instead of donating to each team’s booster club, fans of those teams can designate their donations to those teams through The One Fund. This will allow UNO athletics to be more efficient and cost-effective in managing donations by making just one appeal a year. “It also will allow our coaches to do less fundraising and more of what they do best — coach. Our booster clubs also can now focus on the social functions of backing UNO’s teams. We’re grateful to our corporate partners for helping us make The One Fund a reality.” John Smith, associate and vice president of THG Benefits at Aflac, is a 1988 and 2002 UNO graduate. He said he is always searching for

Visionary Gift Thanks to the vision of UNO graduate David Sokol, fans who visit Al Caniglia Field will have something new to look at. Something big. D.J. Sokolvision, a scoreboard and 21-foot by 42-foot video board, debuted Sept. 4 during the Mavs’ Victory Bell game against instate rival University of Nebraska at Kearney. The video board was installed in August at the south end of Caniglia Field. Sokol, a 1978 UNO graduate, donated the funds for D.J. Sokolvision, named in honor of his late son and includes a video board and scoreboard in Sapp Fieldhouse. D.J. Sokolvision will enable UNO Athletics to generate revenue through advertising and sponsorships.

ways to give back to UNO for what he’s gained from the university. “Donating countless hours over the last 20 years to the engineering and business colleges fulfilled a commitment to academia,” Smith said, “but our company has struggled to find an effective way to support UNO Athletics. “All of the programs do such a great job with the student-athletes; it was impossible to limit a commitment to only a few sports. The introduction of The One Fund is a perfect solution for our Aflac line of business.” Maverick supporters may elect to receive rewards for their donations. Depending on level of giving, fans will receive UNO athletic apparel, autographed items, recognition in game programs and during games and complimentary hockey tickets. Supporters also will receive loyalty points to acknowledge generous giving. Points are cumulative to recognize years of support. Boosters with the most loyalty points receive preferred tickets and seating at events. Additional information on The One Fund and ticket sales to UNO athletics events are available at www.OmahasTeam.com.

GET TO KNOW

he answered

we asked B.J. Reed

WHAT DO YOU EXERCISE THE MOST — MIND, BODY OR SOUL — AND HOW DO YOU EXERCISE IT? My mind probably gets the most exercise with puns, believe it or not. While I am terrible with crosswords, I am pretty good with puns and esoteric connections, which keep the mind in gear.

MY FIRST JOB: I was an orderly on the rehabilitation floor of a hospital for a summer when I was a teenager. I remember how difficult it was emotionally to help people who simply could not help themselves and have kept that in mind all my professional life.

Dean, College of Public Affairs and Community Service

BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED Put mind in motion before putting mouth in gear. MY FAVORITE WEEKEND HANGOUT: Dundee Dell — also favorite weekday and evening hangout. THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS IS: Laugh a lot.

we asked

WHAT DO YOU EXERCISE THE MOST — MIND, BODY OR SOUL — AND HOW DO YOU EXERCISE IT?

I put the most effort into exercising my body. I find that when I work out physically, whether it is running, biking, weightlifting or playing sports, my mind and soul take care of themselves.

answered Michael Crabb Student Body President/Regent

I like to keep my mind in shape. As a small business owner, continuous learning is a marathon, not a sprint. I try to read two to three business books each month to keep my skills sharp for clients. You can’t see it by looking at me, but there’s a tiny powerlifting champion constantly working out in my brain!

Exercising the body comes as a lifestyle from coaching and teaching for over 30 years … [and] it is important to practice what I preach. The main reason I exercise my body is obviously for health reasons, my family history of heart disease, and simply because it makes me feel better mentally.

answered Bridget (Weide) Brooks (’96) Co-owner, Image Building Communications

I exercise my mind by reading. I exercise my body by competing in sprint triathlons, which requires cross training and aerobic exercising. My closest exercise for the spiritual self is meditation while in the Finnish sauna three times each week.

answered Don Klosterman (’83) Women’s Soccer Coach

It occurred to me that I can’t compartmentalize and separate my mind, body or soul. When I do something I believe relates more to my mind, my body and soul definitely have a response to the action. Therefore, separation is not healthy as I work toward the most beneficial state, which should include a holistic and synergetic response to any action.

answered Theresa BarronMcKeagney (’86) Director, School of Social Work

answered Robert Blair (’73, ’75) Associate Professor of Public Administration and Urban Studies B.J. Reed photo by Tim Fitzgerald All other photos and copy by Megan Schmitz

Photo by Bryce Bridges

Dr. Timi Barone knows how to find out whether students in her introductory anthropology courses at UNO are getting enough sleep. She asks them to put their heads down on their desks, turns off the lights, then waits 10 minutes. Those who fall asleep in the allotted time are sleep-deprived, she says. “It’s a concern of mine that our students don’t sleep enough,” Barone says. It’s also a focus of her research as a UNO associate professor of anthropology.

THE BIG SNOO E By Kevin Warneke

Down the hall in the psychology department, Dr. Jonathan Bruce Santo also has a fascination with sleep. That began as a subject when Santo spent two weeks in a sleep lab furnished with a bed, couch and television — and zero outside interaction. He could dictate emails, but responses had all references to time removed. He walked away with more than a $900 payday. “The second I got out, I applied to be a research assistant,” he says. As a graduate student in Canada, Santo’s worked focused on how sleep changed across a woman’s menstrual cycle, comparing control subjects to those who suffered premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Now he collaborates with peers in Colombia and Canada to see how sleep impacts school performance and social interaction with other children. Barone and Santo aren’t the only ones obsessed with sleep — we all are. And it’s no wonder why. “We spend a third of our lives sleeping,” Santo notes. “I think we need a better understanding of what sleep offers us. We know if we’re not sleeping well, it bothers us.” That’s clear by the size of the sleeping pills market and the explosion of sleep centers around the country. An August report released by Global Industry Analysts (GIA) estimated that the sleeping pills industry will reach $9 billion by 2015 and that 10 percent to 20 percent of people globally use sleeping pills or tranquilizers.

Problems sleeping can have repercussions beyond just feeling a bit sluggish in the morning. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2010 “Sleep in America” poll, more than threefourths of survey respondents associate poor sleep with health problems. Reports have tied problems sleeping to cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Mystery Barone and Santo hope to help, but it’s more difficult than might be imagined given that sleep remains something of a mystery. “We don’t know entirely what sleep is for,” Barone concedes, “but we have theories.” Among them, sleep gives the body time to repair while expending less energy. Also, most growth in children occurs while they sleep. “It makes sense,” Barone says. “The body is using less energy so it has more energy to put into growth.” Also, the brain needs sleep or it shuts down. Despite the attention sleep receives, questions remain, Santo says. For instance, why do cats sleep between 16 to 18 hours each day? Why do dolphins sleep with only one-half of their brains asleep at a time? The list goes on, he says. For humans, the magic number for needed hours of sleep isn’t precise. Accepted norms are about 8 hours. A person who gets more sleep, Santo says, may perform better on the job, “but not

NOW YOU LAY YOU DOWN TO SLEEP When people learn of Dr. Jonathan Bruce Santo’s sleep studies, he often hears the same plea: “I’m an insomniac. You’ve got to help me.”

that much better.” Too much sleep can make a person sluggish, he adds, and oversleeping is one symptom of depression.

So here’s some advice from Santo and Dr. Timi Barone:

Students and Sleep

Be Regular Santo, who is in bed at 11 p.m. and up at 7 a.m., says sleep doesn’t have to be elusive. “The secret to good sleep is regularity,” he says. Those with irregular sleep patterns, Santo says, disrupt their 24-hour sleepwake cycles. Those who establish a pattern sometimes find they don’t even need alarm clocks. “They just wake up.” Try to go to sleep and wake at the same time every day. Douse the Lights Santo says those trips to the bathroom during the night should be done without turning on the lights. The release of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep, increases in dark conditions. Turn on the lights, and melatonin levels decrease, making sleep elusive. Can’t Sleep? Get out of Bed If sleep doesn’t come in bed, Santo says, get out of bed. Read in soft light. “Associate being in bed with being asleep.” Turn off the Tube Barone recommends keeping the television out of the bedroom. She doesn’t understand why — or how — people sleep with the television turned on anyway. “That’s just conventional wisdom.” Ditching computers and work materials also could help as you keep your bedroom a sleep sanctuary. Keep Cool Barone points to the role temperature plays in falling asleep. People often have difficulties sleeping when they are too warm, she says. Cooling off, she suggested, can be as simple as sticking your feet out of the covers. On Exercise Santo and Barone differ to some degree on strenuous exercise before bedtime. Santo says the body can’t shut down for sleep right after vigorous activity. And he’s not talking about sex. “We’re talking strenuous exercise,” he says. “It’s the 45-minute jog.” Barone, though, cautions about being too cautious with exercise, pointing out that parents with a young child understand the value of a hard day of play when it comes to bedtime. Exercise during the day, she says, can make sleep come easier at night. Other Advice from the National Sleep Foundation:

Sleep among students is one area of frequent study. Barone, for instance, is finishing work on a pilot study on the sleep habits of UNO students, particularly exploring what happens to students who routinely receive less sleep. In her study, students wear actigraphs — oversized watches — to measure their sleep patterns.

Dr. Timi Barone

She hopes the study will reveal why students sleep less, particularly as it relates to the hours they spend on work and school. University administrators struggle with the heavy workload students carry, Barone says. She acknowledges that the push for students to graduate in four years has merit. But at what cost? “If you’re working 20 hours a week, it’s going to be hard to take 15 hours of classes,” she says. “Do we need to let go of this model of four years? I don’t think it’s the reality of college students any more.” A more appropriate model, Barone says, may mean more work hours and less time at school. That could help students get more sleep — and graduate with less debt.

Dr. Johnathan Santo

One tangent of Barone’s study is comparing student responses regarding use of over-the-counter drugs, alcohol or prescription drugs to sleep with student responses from a Texas university. UNO students use these types of sleep aids less often than the Texas counterparts, she says. Another interest is the tendency that adults are biologically predisposed to want to nap during the middle of the afternoon. She has a class this semester that begins at 3 p.m. and plans to use the opportunity to determine how best to present new materials during a time when her students would rather be catching some quick Zs. Should she introduce new material later in the class session and focus on review or classroom exercises at the beginning? Barone also is reviewing data from the Human Relations Area Files Collection on sleep habits among people across 60 cultures. She wants to know where people sleep — in beds, on hammocks, on the roofs of their homes? — and with whom they sleep. Do they sleep in public? Do they sleep in private? She’s looking for similarities. “If it’s a ‘human’ thing, it should show up across these 60 cultures,” Barone says.

• Select a relaxing bedtime ritual, like a warm bath or listening to calming music.

She and Santo aren’t the only ones with questions. Many who have had trouble getting enough shuteye want to know why and what they can do about it.

• Reduce or eliminate your intake of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.

Some people, Barone says, have other questions when talk turns to her research — many want to know about their dreams. “That’s an entirely different story,” she says.

• Save your worries for the daytime. If concerns come to mind, write them in a “worry book” so you can address those issues the next day. See more about sleep at www.sleepfoundation.org

For many, though, a good night’s sleep remains only a dream.

cooking up a a lth y Dr. Richard Collins knew the routine.

By Greg Kozol

“

A patient arrives at the hospital with chest pain. Collins does an angioplasty, using a small balloon to widen the artery and improve blood flow to the heart.

A cardiologist, Collins estimates he performed 5,000 procedures to identify and treat heart conditions. Often, he could walk out of the operating room and tell the patient’s family the good news. “It was wonderful,” says the 66-year-old Collins, who received a bachelor’s degree from Omaha University in 1965. “You take a catheter and put it in. You tell the family they won’t have a heart attack. “Doctors have been taught to be firefighters. There’s glory in firefighting.” But even after saving a life, something bothered Collins. “Every night, we’d have another one,” he says. Angioplasty and other procedures have helped reduce heart attack mortality, yet heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. This year, 1.2 million Americans will have a new or recurrent coronary attack. It took an individual patient to help Collins find a better way to treat heart disease. In 1993, Collins encountered a man who had undergone three bypass operations and was trending toward a fourth. The patient told Collins, then the director of cardiology at Omaha’s Immanuel Medical Center, about a heart disease reversal program in Sausalito, Calif. It emphasized a vegetarian diet, stress management and yoga. Collins told the patient to head there. “You’ve got to do something; you’re out of tickets,” he told the patient. The patient embraced the diet, and Collins took a look for himself. He was impressed, recalling his brush with an 80-year-old man who had enough vitality to nearly knock him over. There was one problem — the vegetarian diet. The program worked, but Collins feared a menu of tofu and salad wouldn’t find many takers in Nebraska. “People were complaining about the diet,” he says. “A vegetarian diet in Omaha, Neb. Are you kidding me?” So Collins started tinkering in the kitchen. He figured if he could pass organic chemistry at OU, he could make meat loaf that wouldn’t clog your arteries. The cooking cardiologist emerged.

In 1993, I hung up my balloons and became a preventative cardiologist,” he says. “I considered myself to be a forest ranger and not a firefighter.” He started out changing recipes and eventually came up with his own creations. He gave cooking demonstrations across the country, finding an audience for oil-free potato chips, veggie burgers, black-bean torte and a cholesterol-free breakfast sandwich dubbed the Egg McCollins. “My philosophy is don’t give up what you like,” he says. “It’s all self-taught.” He stayed in Omaha until 2003, when he became director of heart disease prevention and wellness at South Denver Heart Center. He wrote two cookbooks. “The Cooking Cardiologist” contains vegetarian recipes and “Cooking with Heart” has more meat recipes. He cooked on local TV shows and appeared on “Live with Regis and Kelly.” More than 400 recipes later, Collins has no regrets about trading an operating gown for a chef’s apron. He even entertained thoughts of chef school but figured his penchant for altering recipes wouldn’t sit well. “Salt is not an ingredient,” says Collins, who in 1999 received the UNO Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Citation for Alumnus Achievement. “Look at some of the cooking shows; they start with half a pound of butter. We’re eating ourselves into oblivion.” Collins doesn’t see himself as a celebrity chef. He’s cooking up something better — a new lease on life. Consider his first vegetarian patient. The three-time bypass recipient lived another 15 years after learning a new way of cooking. “We never thought he would live beyond 1993,” Collins says. “He had a full life. That is the biggest reward.”

Visit www.unoalumni.org/collins for three of Dr. Collins’ heart-healthy recipes.

Fighting AforformerherUNO studentLifebattles anorexia — and helps others facing the same fight

By Don Kohler At first glance, Kaylin Ohler’s decision to pack her bags and move to the West Coast may seem like the fulfillment of a dream not uncommon to adventure-seeking young adults. The former UNO student this summer moved to beautiful Newport Beach, Calif., where she intends to enroll at a state university and then spend the majority of her free time at a facility whose Web site reads like something out of a travel magazine: “… an exclusive Victorian style facility located blocks from the Pacific Ocean and Lido Island in Orange County ….” But this is no vacation resort. The Victorian is a renowned treatment facility for patients battling eating disorders and is staffed by the best clinical experts in the field. For Ohler, the move to California is just another stop on her often-painful journey to find treatment and support for a lifelong battle with anorexia. “I believe the difference with this treatment facility compared to others is that I am an adult now, and it is my decision to go,” the Norfolk, Neb., native says. “They treat you like an adult in this program and you have to choose to get better. That has been an issue for me: being told what to do. I have learned that no one can quit something like this disease unless they are doing it for themselves.”

Millions Affected Ohler is not alone in her struggle. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States suffer from an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Eating disorders among young people is a major concern, as evidenced by statistics from the NEDA (nationaleatingdisorders.org): • More than one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors, such as skipping meals and fasting; • Girls who diet frequently are 12 times as likely to binge as girls who don’t diet; • 42 percent of first- through third-grade girls want to be thinner; and, • 81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat. Illustration by Tom Kerr

The profile fit Ohler as a child. “I had negative thoughts about my body all the way back to kindergarten,” she says. “I was a very sensitive child and didn’t think I quite fit in, which made the eating disorder even more enticing to me. It was also a way to numb feelings and deal with other personal issues going on in my life. “I was forced to grow up very fast. I was always aware of things — things young children shouldn’t already be thinking, like being fat in kindergarten. I was finally diagnosed with an eating disorder in the fourth grade. I had fidgeted

around a lot with dieting and over-exercising. I never thought I was different and I liked the fact I could control my body.” Ohler was in sixth grade when her family checked her into the now-closed Richard Young Hospital in Omaha. “It was a hospitaltype setting where they planned your meals and monitored your eating,” she recalls. “I knew I had a problem, but this treatment was not effective. I would put on weight, but then go right back to my old behavior once I left.” With help once more from her family, Ohler made it through the last two years of high school and two years at Northeast Community College without treatment for her disorder. But she fell back into a dangerous pattern of self-starvation and weight loss while attending UNO. “When I moved away I went right back to doing what I wanted,” she says. “I had a lot of stress, and my family was not there to watch me.”

Acknowledge the Problem Peg Miller-Evans, a UNO graduate who now is a psychologist and manager of the Eating Disorders Program at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, says Ohler’s struggle is familiar to the those patients seeking help at her clinic in Omaha. “The issue is that eating disorders are not recognized as a problem, because we don’t expect children to have psychological problems,” Miller-Evans says. “Eating disorders are multi-factorial, and typically there is a combination of all the wrong things that make it happen, from a physical, cultural and psychological standpoint.” One way to combat the problem, Miller-Evans said, is to confront the issues publicly and make young people aware of the dangers of eating disorders. Last spring, UNO held a conference on eating disorders at which Ohler told her story to more than 200 students. Millers-Evans, a member of the panel, said a disturbing statistic for those facing eating disorders is that patients have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder.

Kaylin Ohler has some simple yet direct advice for people who may think they have an eating disorder Ohler, who has been waging a lifelong battle with anorexia, was keynote speaker at a February conference at UNO that focused on eating disorders.

“I think it is good when people acknowledge that there is this thing called an eating disorder,” Miller-Evans says. “What Kaylin is doing is admirable and necessary, because this disorder is taking people’s lives. It is beneficial when people who are recovering can feel like they can tell their story and offer encouragement and hope to others.” Ohler, who also coordinated a successful eating disorders awareness walk in Omaha, says she was happy to share her message with students at UNO. “I think the conference was very impactful,” she says. “I know that there are students at UNO that battle this, so it was important to have this discussion. I know that I reached some people that day.”

Back to the Fight For now, Ohler is off to fight her own battle. She was admitted to the Victorian treatment center after receiving a Kirsten Haglund Foundation Scholarship. Hagland, who was the 2008 Miss America pageant winner, started her foundation to raise awareness about eating disorders while providing resources and scholarships for those seeking treatment. Ohler says she is considering a move back to Omaha to complete her undergraduate degree in social work. Her full-ride scholarship from the Susan Buffett Foundation has been extended to the Fall 2011 semester. Chances are, however, that she will remain closer to her support system. “The community is the most amazing to me,” she says, describing a recent visit to Newport Beach. “Everyone is so supportive of this disorder, and there is not a lot of that in Nebraska. The entire community is completely recovery-based. The Victorian is committed to pinpointing behavior that leads to this disorder. This thing has impacted more people in my life that I can even name. I just had to get things going toward recovery.”

Get help ASAP

a combination of spiritual, emotional, physical and psychological healing.”

“Eating disorders are not just about food,” she says. “I was reading in a book that each person has a survival basket. One is for food and water and one is for emotional needs. People with eating disorders often neglect their feelings and emotions and the truth about what is going on, and they stuff their insecurities, cover up their problems and slap a smile on their face so that they appear to be happy and have their stuff together.

Marti Rosen-Atherton, director of counseling at UNO, moderated the panel and was surprised at the large number of students in attendance that day. “The conference was very, very successful in raising the awareness of eating disorders for college students,” she says. “The conference was just one of many pieces of our plan to increase awareness and prevention of this disorder on campus.”

“When on the inside what they want is love, confidence, a hug, support, a stable relationship, to release a resentment, etc. Eating disorders cannot simply be fixed and cured by going to treatment. It has to be

One such awareness event was the “Change Your Jeans, Not Your Genes” nationwide campaign, which encourages students to “be happy in their own skin,” Rosen-Atherton says.

The UNO Counseling Center, in conjunction with Student Health Services, also provides presentations about maintaining a healthy body image and eating disorders for many classes on campus. “The message we try to get out is that it is not just the dangers of eating disorders but the importance of self-esteem and having a healthy instead of unhealthy body image,” Rosen-Atherton says. Ohler also said local outreach groups can be helpful. “There are OA (overeaters anonymous) meetings in Omaha, and I suggest that people begin to check them out. I have found one here that is the most supportive, loving, and is full of women and men who do not judge. They understand, and they get me. It can be a saving grace for many.” – Don Kohler

UNO faculty and students take on the challenge of fighting childhood obesity By Rich Kaipust

Cartoons, candy and cans of pop aren’t exactly a weight-loss elixir. But that trifecta of bad habits is just what Dr. Jennifer Huberty saw during one of the after-school site visits that’s become part of her crusade against childhood obesity. It was a perfect storm, of sorts, that symbolized the roots of a problem that has more than tripled in the last 30 years. “A big, huge television was on with ‘SpongeBob,’ they were eating Butterfingers and they were drinking orange soda,” Huberty recalls, almost incredulously. “And it was everybody — it wasn’t just one kid. “When I saw that I was like, ‘Holy-moly. This site needs us. I hope they say yes.’” They did say yes to Huberty’s help, one of the many ways the UNO community is battling a problem reaching epidemic proportions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 1976-1980 and 2007-2008, obesity increased from 6.5 percent to 19.6 percent among 6- to 11-year olds and from 5 percent to 18.1 percent among adolescents 12 to 19. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile.

photo by Bryce Bridges

Dr. Jennifer Huberty, center, relies on a dedicated staff in helping her fight childhood obesity, including Alison Jergenson, Sara Wolfe, Diane Sylofski, Danae Wolcott, Katie Novicki and Leah Brinkman.

That doesn’t bode well for an obese child’s present or future. The CDC notes that obese children are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. And obese children have a 70-percent chance of being obese as adults — 80 percent if one or both parents are obese, too. A healthy child also can mean a healthy report card, says Huberty, who points to a tie between physical activity and academic achievement. Sustainable change Huberty, associate professor of physical activity in health promotion, has been trying to reverse the upward climb in the number of obese children since joining the UNO faculty seven years ago. Currently, she is working with grants from Alegent, the CDC and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ), a health-related philanthropic organization. Ten full-time graduate assistants and three interns assist her. Her goal is to make a dent in how frequently kids are sitting inactive, eating junk food and drinking sugar-sweetened juices/sodas. “The hardest way, but I think the easiest way, is to have sustainable change,” she says. “But the thing that hurts is you go into these places and there’s no policy for it. And if there is, it’s not being supported by staff and not being implemented.” The grant from Alegent is helping fund an indoor recess program for several schools in the Omaha and Millard districts. Winters in Nebraska often keep students indoors — and inactive. While sitting down to read a book can be a good thing, it also may contribute to a day where a student is robbed of his only chance for physical activity. “We want to educate teachers and staff as far as what to do with them in those situations,” Huberty says. She said intervention focuses on recreational equipment, such as balls, hula hoops, etc. provided by the RWJ-funded Ready for Recess. The school conducts its normal routine while Huberty’s staff tries to determine the most beneficial activity for children. If a school has only a 15-minute block, for example, the goal should be to make the most of those 15 minutes. continued

Huberty’s passion filters to her graduate assistants, says Danae Wolcott. That’s because it’s part of Huberty’s lifestyle, Wolcott says, and Huberty makes it a part of her staff’s, incorporating workout periods into their days.

Go!, designed to educate kids and parents about suggested daily servings of fruits, vegetables, water and dairy products, while limiting hours of screen time and increasing physical activity.

“The biggest thing for me is you never want to follow someone or listen to someone if they’re not passionate about what they’re teaching,” Wolcott says. “She makes time in her daily schedule to get up and be active, and she encourages her GAs to be active.”

Same Aim

Other UNO efforts

Some of the solutions are obvious — better eating habits and choices; more activity and less time in front of a screen.

Others at UNO also are trying to do their part to address childhood obesity. Huberty says the push starts with Dr. Dan Blanke, who chairs the health promotion department and continues to her graduate students. “He would definitely say that what these graduate students are doing in the community is making a difference, and also contributing to their education,” Huberty says. “They’re educated in class, then living it.” Wolcott is involved with the Healthy Families program funded by Alegent, an intervention program for families with an overweight child or children (see sidebar). The intent is to make kids understand the dangers of being or becoming obese and to connect with the feelings associated with being overweight. Part of the mission also is to make parents realize what is at stake when kids routinely take in more calories than they burn.

In essence, the intent of each UNO effort is to attack the same things — inactivity and poor eating habits — and to provide education about both so that immediate and long-range health problems can be avoided.

Wolcott says a lot of that can start with parents, who set good examples by eating healthy or providing nutritious choices, and by being physically active themselves. “Parents have a bigger impact on their children than they may realize,” she says. “Research has shown that parents who are physically active with their children or encourage their child to be physically active have children who are more physically active.” That means turning off the TV, putting away the junk food and getting off the couch. And, perhaps, even making a call to UNO for help.

“Parents don’t always understand the consequences that go with their 4-year-old being in the 98th percentile, and it’s not anything he or she did,” Wolcott says. Other programs currently in the works are the aforementioned Ready for Recess, Indoor Recess (which provides activity cards, CDs and DVDs) and Movin’ After School, each funded by grants that range from $150,000 to $400,000. Ready for Recess is similar to Indoor Recess in that the program aims to maximize how time is spent. Those in the program, says Huberty, study the impact and effectiveness of recess equipment, staff training and a combination of both — all while interacting hands-on with students. Movin’ After School is an effort to increase physical activity while decreasing the consumption of unhealthy food and drinks. It is a collaborative effort between UNO, the Omaha mayor’s office and the Douglas County Department of Health. Students enrolled in Implementing Physical Activity in Culturally Diverse Populations, meanwhile, completed several obesity-related initiatives. Among those was 54321

Danae Wolcott says she was fortunate. She always enjoyed physical activity, and her family had the money to put her in organized sports. Through her studies and work at UNO, however, she realizes many children today aren’t so fortunate. Working as a full-paid assistant under UNO professor Jennifer Huberty and with a grant from Alegent, Wolcott directs Healthy Families, an intervention program for families with an overweight child or children. Physicians refer participants, who must have a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile for their age, height and weight. “We try to target low-income and minority families,” Wolcott says. “We’re trying to make a small difference.”

As a faculty member in UNO’s psychology department, Jessiline Anderson is all about the mind. One of her class projects last spring, though, was about the body, too.

if their child is obese — or heading down that road? Dr. Jennifer Huberty says the answer is the “really simple” energy balance equation — “What you take in you have to expend,” she says. “In the case of children that would mean limiting TV/ computer time, playing after school (in a program or at home) and including activity in your weekends with family and/or friends. Activity should be like brushing your teeth — you gotta do it every day.” Regarding snacks, Huberty says to ditch the sugarsweetened drinks. “What’s wrong with water,” she asks. “Drink more water, less juice, fruit punch, soda and flavored milks. Eat more veggies and fruit. Chips and cookies, specifically those marketed toward kids (animals, cartoon characters) are not foods that can help kids sustain energy to be active all the time.” Her bottom line for parents:

EAT REAL FOOD AND SPEND REAL TIME BEING ACTIVE.

Wolcott grew up in Elmwood, Neb., and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She was working in Lincoln when she heard about Huberty’s work at UNO. She signed on as a graduate assistant. “I just have a passion for helping people to realize that physical activity is fun,” she says. With Healthy Families, Wolcott helps with recruiting, organization, planning and curriculum before directing the classes, which last 12 weeks. She splits sessions into 45 minutes of physical activity and 45 minutes on nutrition education. Wolcott said games or activities are designed to need minimal equipment, sometimes as simple as tag or skipping rope. From the nutritional side, education centers on the MyPyramid plan, taking appropriate portions and the importance of family mealtime.

As a service-learning project, Anderson had part of her PSYC 3430 class work on a 10-week fitness/ nutrition/diet program for members of Allen Chapel AME church in South Omaha. PSYC 3430 is a personality and adjustment class, which Anderson describes as a mental wellness course that looks at everything from coping to behavior to relationships. “We start with self all the way through life-span issues that might impact people,” she says. “It’s all related, because if we feel well, our mind is better, our psyche is better.” Eight students came every Tuesday night and some Thursdays throughout the semester. The students started by recording body mass indexes, weights and other measurements. Anderson says they then developed a manual covering everything from nutrition to exercise, and had participants keep a “food diary.” On the weekly visits, the students worked with each individual member on what he or she was eating, and a portion of each session also was dedicated to exercise, both cardio and muscle. The lesson for the students, Anderson says, was the mind-body connection — bodies that aren’t well can impact feelings. Anderson, a member of the church, says the original 10 people in the program lost a combined 58 pounds over 10 weeks. The group since has grown to about 25 members, and a member of the church now is sustaining the program. “It was aimed at anybody in the church, but the first part of it was also aimed at young people,” Anderson says. She adds that students might try something similar at a larger church. “They put an awful lot of work into it,” she says, “and it turned out really well.” Anderson says the success of the program was partly because it met people “where they were at.” With a wide range of participants, the students tailored workouts and diet suggestions, and got to know the people with whom they were working. “They just wanted to become healthier,” she says. “It wasn’t like they were trying to change into models or anything.”

The program tracks changes in self-efficacy, quality of life, physical fitness and dietary intake. As part of it, families receive $25 and $50 food packages with healthy recipes to try; a $50 physical activity package with equipment to help be more active; and a $75 family outing prize, with tickets for such things as parks or pools. Wolcott said success stories include families that completed as little as two classes making changes to their health behaviors. The child of one family diligently studied her school lunch menu to pick healthy options. Another family is taking regular walks together. With expansion, Healthy Families now has classes at the Charles Drew Health Center/Adams Park Community Center in North Omaha, the LaFern Williams South YMCA/Salvation Army Kroc Center in South Omaha, and the OneWorld Community Health Center. Wolcott can be reached at dmwolcott@unomaha.edu or at 554-4843.

Aa lth y e hAddition 8

By John Fey

You can’t blame Joe Kaminski if he considers the HPER building his home away from home. After all, he has spent his entire 30-year career at UNO there as director of Campus Recreation. And, like any homeowner, Kaminski long has pined for a home makeover. Those wishes came true this fall with the completion of the most extensive renovation in the history of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation facility. The $36.8-million two-year expansion project increased HPER’s square footage from 150,000 to 240,000 and turned the drab into the dramatic.

It’s the facility the students asked for. Dan Blank, recalling that HPER staff surveyed students to determine their needs.

Kaminski couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out — and he’s not the only one. “The students are just thrilled,” Kaminski says, “especially the ones who have been here and had to work out in a stinky little box. They are very appreciative of it and excited about the changes.” Despite a snag or two, the finished product has left Dan Blanke, director of HPER, most pleased. “It’ll just knock their socks off,” Blanke said shortly before the fall semester began. True, there were some trying times along the way. Heavy summer rains led to a huge leak in the Sapp Fieldhouse roof. Some of that water seeped into parts of the HPER building, and the lingering moisture delayed work. It also took a bevy of workers rushing to and fro to get the parking lot opened and entrance landscaped just before the fall semester began. Some work still was being completed in September, such as laying the surface of the jogging track, but work was expected to be complete by the time HPER hosted its official re-dedication ceremony Oct. 6.

They asked for it, they got it Two UNO exercise science majors say their needs have, indeed, been met. “Overall, I think it is a wonderful addition,” says Cliff Cisar, who graduated from Omaha Burke. “With state-of-the-art equipment and nice, open and appealing space, it makes workouts more efficient and less time-consuming compared to the old HPER. “It is going to make HPER a lot more appealing for students on campus to check out and eventually work out.”

Cisar discovered he’s spending more time in the building than he did in the past.

“Our students are coming to us expecting quality fitness facilities.”

“Throughout the course of a semester,” he says, “I most likely spent on average 10 to 12 hours working out in the new facility, compared to about six to eight hours that I had been working out in the older one.”

Blanke says UNO got the most out of the dollars spent from both the taxpayers and the students.

Fellow student Jess Bethel was equally impressed with the changes. “It’s way more spacious,” says Bethel, a Plattsmouth (Neb.) High School graduate. “There is a lot more exercise equipment to choose from. I think it’s awesome.” Bethel believes incoming freshmen and transfer students will fall in love with the new and improved building “I’m sure they’ll be excited how big it is compared to high school,” he says.

Worth the weights Some may consider such a project a luxury — especially given the difficult economy. But the project was underway before markets and jobs turned sour. And, says Kaminski, expansion and renovation were necessary for UNO to continue to grow. “Studies show that universities that have built or renovated HPER or recreation facilities result in triple the growth of users,” he says. When just the south addition opened this summer, the number of users doubled in that space. Kaminski was expecting that trend to continue through the fall semester. UNO can use the improved facility as a recruiting tool when talking to high school students, Kaminski says. “Research is saying campus recreation facilities are the No. 4 reason people are choosing institutions,” he says. “More and more, even at the elementary school level, the notion of lifelong wellness is being taught, and that’s a good thing.

HPER Timeline

“It’s our job to be good stewards of their money,” he says. “I think we’ve been able to do that.”

More than a place to workout Some HPER classrooms were not renovated, but they will be as part of a separately funded update that will take place in the near future. One of the amenities of the upgrade is a relaxation area just inside the lobby entrance that features a juice bar/café. It’s a roomy space ideal for snacking, conversation or watching TV before or after a workout. “It’s a place to sit and study before class,” says Blanke, who arrived at UNO in 1976. “If the students are on a tight schedule and need a snack or lunch, we’ll provide that as well.” Kaminski warns that if you’re just going to visit the juice bar and not take advantage of the calorie-burning opportunities, you’re missing the crux of the improvements. “If you come here and sit and eat pastries,” he says, “it’s not going to do any good.” Clearly, the majority of those entering the HPER building are there to take advantage of the new improvements. Kaminski says it’s going to add to the overall health of the students and staff. It did for him. “When I moved into this office,” he says, “the first week I lost seven pounds just walking around the building. “I think it certainly will contribute to people’s ability to maintain a healthy weight. We have some space that we’ve built for nutrition and nutrition counseling. We feel that will be a wellreceived component.” continued

1946

1977

A $21.5-million, two-phased project is proposed. The first phase becomes the current Sapp Fieldhouse; the second phase — what becomes the HPER building — is put on indefinite hold. Quonset huts are built instead, eventually becoming best known as a home to women’s athletics and staying on campus until construction began on the existing parking garage in 1984.

Gov. Exon backs a 142,000 square-foot facility costing $6.9 million, $13 million less than the original plan and onefourth the square footage of the original plans 30 years prior.

1975 Funding for a HPER building is approved but vetoed by thenGovernor James Exon in 1975 and again the following year.

1980 UNO’s Health, Physical Education & Recreation (HPER) building opens. Minor renovations ensue over the years.

2007 The Nebraska Legislature approves a $38.6 million HPER addition and renovation.

2010 HPER grows from 150,000 square feet to 240,000 and work is completed.

Student health services also moved into the building, much to the delight of Marcia Adler, director of student health services. An X-ray machine, four nurse-working stations, several exam rooms, a procedure room and a physician office are just some of the new additions. There is also a “quiet room” designed to put patients at ease during doctor consultations. “It’s like a real medical clinic, thank goodness for the patients,” Kaminski says.

For faculty, staff and alumni, too While students are certainly to be the main users of the HPER building, it’s likely that more faculty and staff members will be working out, too. UNO alumni members also are eligible to purchase memberships, but the general public won’t — at least for now. “I’d like to operate for a year and see what the numbers are,” Kaminski says, “and maybe we’ll make some decisions that we have some off hours for limited memberships.” The public is more than welcome to use the services of the Outdoor Venture Center Rental Shop for any camping needs. There is easy access on the building’s south side for pickup and delivery. The project’s one minor downside is the loss of 60 parking spaces to make way for more green space in front of the building, but Kaminski doesn’t think that should be an issue. “When you’re concerned about, ‘How close can I park to come work out?’ people start to stop and think a little bit and go, ‘Oh, yeah. OK.’” he says. Kaminski chuckles when he recalls the early days of the 1980 HPER building and fielding these two most frequent questions: “How close can I park to work out,” and, “Why can’t I smoke in here?” He might be taking on a new question this fall: How do I avoid getting lost in this place?

Changes The most stunning change is the west addition, which stretches along University drive across the street from the Elmwood Park golf course. “The west addition is the largest piece,” Kaminski says, “but the building was extended in all directions. Nearly all of the old portion of the facility was renovated as well.” Some of HPER’s noteworthy improvements: • Additional space for weightlifting and fitness activities. • Three large multipurpose rooms. • A room for spinning classes. • Wood flooring for the one existing and two new gymnasiums. • A larger multi-activity court. • Adding a lane and lengthening the jogging/walking track. • 22-person spa. The spectacular view from the weight room and exercise area in HPER’S southeast corner overlooks Elmwood’s fourth green and fifth tee box. Also new in the southeast corner of the building is an indoor cycling room with state-of-the-art audio and video capabilities. The large multipurpose rooms can be used for various forms of exercise.

Senior dreams of launching medical career with honors thesis research by Scott Stewart Presenting a research paper before friendly classmates is one thing. Quite another, though, to do the same before 150 medical doctors, researchers and professors. Yet that’s just what UNO senior Neil Huben did in April when he presented the results of his undergraduate honors thesis at the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society’s annual conference in Miami. Huben, 21, was the only undergraduate to do so. It’s just the latest of his impressive accomplishments. An Omaha Burke High School graduate, Huben has worked on six abstracts, including five as a first author. He also was invited to develop a recent abstract of his, which he presented at the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society conference in Indianapolis, into a manuscript for the prestigious Journal of Vascular Surgery. Students typically would have to go to a university like Harvard or Yale to be invited to that kind of journal, Huben says. Ironic considering those were the kind of schools Huben once had considered transferring to before he discovered the Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility (NBCF) in UNO’s School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. “UNO has the most advanced biomechanics laboratory in the world,” Huben says. “There’s nowhere else in America where I could have gone to work with vascular surgeons or a world-renowned leading expert.” The expert — Dr. Nick Stergiou — and his research teams bring in millions of dollars of research funding to the university, Huben says. Stergiou once participated in a grant that scored a nearly unheard of perfect 10 out of 10 on an application to the National Institutes of Health. “Those people do exist,” Huben says. “They’re right here at UNO.” As part of a team at the Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility, Huben researches the impact of peripheral artery disease (PAD) on gait — the ability to walk. “This is a disease that — for the most part — is preventable,” Huben says. “It’s usually the result of a lifestyle. If they don’t change it, following intervention, it will come back.”

Huben’s research focuses on three areas: establishing a baseline of walking ability, determining how the disease impacts walking, and evaluating the effectiveness of various interventions on walking abnormalities and resulting pain. Addressing the initial pain is not too big of a challenge for vascular surgeons, Huben says. Unfortunately, the benefits for walking abnormalities will last no more than three to six months with current intervention strategies. “Can we find an intervention that can reverse this? The current answer is no,” Huben says. “If we cannot successfully intervene, should we be screening for this disease at an earlier date and, upon screening, should we intervene more aggressively?” Huben has been working on the research team since the beginning of his sophomore year. He hopes the research carries him into a career as a cardiovascular medical doctor specializing in surgery and research at a university medical center. He seems well on his way to achieving that dream. Huben has won an impressive collection of awards, including two recent major honors — a 2009 Golden Key Research Grant and a 2010 NASA Nebraska Space Grant Consortium Student Fellowship. The Golden Key grant provided Huben with funding to travel to Miami to present the results of his abstract on the relationship between gait abnormalities and the location of atherosclerosis in PAD patients. The NASA fellowship provided him with funding to research the effect of rocker bottom shoes on healthy individuals and the variability of human movement in an altered inertial dynamics task. “I think that every single (award) was important for him,” Stergiou says. “Neil is a young man and (the awards) provide him a tremendous amount of confidence to pursue his dreams in science.” Stergiou has a fair number of phenomenal students, he says, but Huben is among a select group of them to achieve such success. “He is one of those exceptional individuals who wants to be both a medical doctor and a scientist,” Stergiou says. “He wants to be a medical doctor to treat people on an individual basis but he also wants to be a scientist to discover cures for many. What an admirable goal.”

Walking a fine line By Jeffrey Kaipust, NBCF Technician

Researchers at UNO’s Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility break new ground on treatment for Parkinson’s patients and others

Why do you move the way you move — or even stand the way you stand? And what might mathematical chaos theory have to do with either one? Researchers at UNO’s Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility (NBCF) are seeking the answers to those questions — and others — through work that is earning esteem around the world.

Researchers from around the world have come to study here,” Stergiou says. “At a recent professional society meeting, one respected senior scientist told us that NBCF is the up-and-coming laboratory in the United States and that in a couple years we will be a world-renown facility for studying human movement. Directed by Dr. Nick Stergiou (pictured left), NBCF is a unique facility dedicated to discovering how the human body controls its own movement patterns, such as when we walk or stand still. That could have profound implications for individuals with Parkinson’s disease or other health challenges, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis, peripheral artery disease or stroke. All are among NBCF’s current clinical focus. The hoped-for payoff? Improved quality of life through better treatments and rehabilitation protocols, as well as decreased related healthcare costs.

Team effort Stergiou’s team includes more than 20 junior scientists — faculty, post-doctoral fellows, doctoral candidates, graduate and undergraduate students. They compose a lab rich in visionary minds who challenge each other to answer important clinical questions directly impacting the care and treatment of patients. Researchers blend the disciplines of medicine and science and collaborate with other researchers

in fields such as surgery, neurology, engineering, computer science, etc. Armed with such crossdisciplinary expertise, NBCF investigators are able to push their work in new directions. Among multiple sclerosis patients, for instance, NBCF researchers have investigated the effectiveness of supervised exercise training on improving walking and balance. Additionally, in conjunction with vascular surgeons, the effectiveness of surgical, pharmaceutical and exercise interventions have been explored in individuals with peripheral artery disease. More recently, the effect of auditory stimulation on walking has led to a new area of research that could benefit individuals with Parkinson’s.

stepping, making it more challenging to adjust to obstacles. Such loss of control is particularly prevalent in patients with Parkinson’s disease. “Freezing” or shuffling of the feet is a primary symptom of Parkinson’s and often leads to falls. But auditory stimulation through use of a metronome — which provides a fixed, regular aural pulse — can reduce such “freezing” and improve walking patterns. Based on this finding, NBCF researchers have proposed a “chaotic” stimulus that is defined through algorithms and has principles from mathematical chaos theory. This is a new theory that has shown that natural phenomena that look very complex (for example, the form of snowflakes or the formation of hurricanes) actually have a strange but quite beautiful structure. The stimulus was tested in healthy young and elderly subjects while walking. This groundbreaking work has led to promising findings. The team of investigators at NBCF now is moving onto the next phase of this project, testing this stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

NBCF researchers suggest that a healthy human movement pattern has variability — it changes naturally over time. This already has been proven in heart rate patterns and breathing.

Stergiou has been invited to give lectures and workshops on the topic in places such as Portugal, Brazil, Greece, and Australia. NBCF also has hosted U.S. scientists and researchers from across Australia, Norway, Germany, and other countries who want to learn more about the lab’s research.

These natural changes while walking are needed to step over or around an object or to avoid an obstacle. With disease progression and the aging process, however, individuals lose the ability to control this

“Through this research, these patients can maintain their independence and reap the benefits of this new trend in healthcare, called m-health or mobile health,” Stergiou says.

Infants with delayed sitting tend to have other developmental milestones — such as walking and talking — pushed later, causing the potential for a snowball effect. Sitting also is key to social development, allowing an infant to control where she looks and to have free hands to interact with her environment.

because one happens earlier than the other. The team’s research is funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the National Institutes of Health and the Nebraska Research Initiative. Total grant support is close to $3 million, Stergiou says. The Nebraska Research Initiative grant includes funding to develop scientific instruments to assist researchers in monitoring infant sitting development. More on NBCF’s research can be found in its annual newsletter, available at www.unomaha.edu/biomech – Scott Stewart

Standing up for babies Dr. Nick Stergiou likes babies. “Infants can be cute,” he says. Yet, he adds, they’re not among the most cooperative subjects he works with at the Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility (NBCF). “A baby cannot be reasoned with,” Stergiou says. Despite that challenge, Stergiou and his research team are doing all they can to help developmentally delayed babies learn how to sit. It sounds like a simple task considering that most babies learn to sit on their own by 7 months of age. For some infants, however, that milestone can be delayed for up to three years. At the NBCF, located in UNO’s Health, Physical Education and Recreation building, Stergiou’s research team has been studying how infants develop sitting control and how they can help those who are developmentally challenged.

“Sitting is the first significant motor milestone,” Stergiou says. “The work we’re doing with infant sitting control is actually unique. “We actually have been extremely successful at developing an early intervention to help these babies. We’re putting something out there that can help them. “We are the only group on the planet that works on this specific (topic).” Stergiou says part of the work involves a device NBCF developed that helps distinguish front-toback sitting from side-to-side sitting. That helps researchers pinpoint development problems earlier,

Swea

eatingover it Out

Yoga By Tom McMahon

Anne Hindery likes to make people sweat. She gets them into a room, cranks the heat to desert-like temperatures, then puts their bodies through 26 pretzel-shaped contortions as she whips them into shape. It’s no Army boot camp, but the yoga instructor and 1988 MPA graduate says her Bikram-style classes are not for sissies, either. Ten years ago, on her doctor’s recommendation, Hindery (pictured) turned to yoga to combat fibromyalgia. She loved it and the positive impact it had on her pain. Today, she teaches courses at One Tree Yoga in Omaha. Photo by Bryce Bridges

Bikram, one of many yoga styles, incorporates breathing techniques and body movements during a 90-minute workout in a 110-degree room. Fifteen minutes into the routine, beads of sweat roll down participants’ arms as Hindery talks them through the breathing and movements. “This works the entire body,” says the self-confessed type-A personality. “Sweating detoxifies the body. It is really good for the joints.” Hindery is a relative newcomer to an ancient practice. The earliest written record of yoga is the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, written more than 2,000 years ago. UNO professor of religious studies Michele Desmarais says it is likely that yoga practices were operational centuries before that. Desmarais says breathing and postures are only part of traditional yoga practice. Traditional yoga practice, she says, also includes clearing the mind, ethical behaviors, concentration and meditation. The highest element — samahdi — involves a high sense of benevolence and peacefulness. In Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, the word yoga means spiritual discipline. In Hindu literature, the term yoga first appears in “Katna Upanished,” where it refers to control of the senses and cessation of mental activity leading to a supreme state.

Yoga and other faiths Elements of yoga beyond postures and breathing are cause for concern to some authorities of other faiths, particularly Christianity and Islam. Some individual Christian churches have banned yoga classes, though others accept a modified version devoid of Hindu religious thought. Reverend Joseph Taphorn, moderator of the curia and vicar for clergy for the Archdiocese of Omaha, cautions Catholics about yoga practice. “Yoga itself is not compatible with Catholicism,” Taphorn says. “It is a practice of Hindu spirituality that believes in polytheism (many gods). This is contrary to Christian belief in one God.” While Taphorn says the breathing and postures themselves are not a problem, he has reservations about substituting Catholic or other Christian meditations for Hindu practices. “Once the spiritual gets into it, it’s hard to separate it from its roots.” In “Crossing the Threshold of Hope,” Pope John Paul II called Buddhism an atheistic system and said it was appropriate “to caution those Christians who enthusiastically welcome certain ideas originating in the religious traditions of the Far East, for example, techniques and methods of meditation and ascetical practice.” He’s not alone. Malaysian and Indonesian Islamic bodies have passed non-binding rulings against Muslim yoga practice, citing elements of Hindu spiritual teaching as blasphemy. The rulings did permit the postures and breathing.

Asanas are the postures most people associate with yoga. However, yoga means discipline and is one of the six schools of Hindu thought. There is much more to it. about ethics and how we relate to the world.” She says some instructors teach traditional yoga; others merge different practices, including Christian teachings. Desmarais suggests people investigate before signing up for a yoga class.

Big Business Hindery says she was raised Catholic and still considers herself one. She believes yoga practice can be used to complement any religion. Among the principles she says it professes are non-violence, truthfulness and moderation. “These are found in almost any religion and are good ways to attempt to live one’s life,” she says. “We end each class with the pose of the corpse.” Hindery finds it a good time to meditate and repeat one of her mantras — “I am strong, healthy and happy” is one of her favorites. When Hindery’s father died, she would recite the rosary — one of his favorite prayers. Hindery credits yoga with her survival. In one year, she divorced, lost her house and both of her parents died. “The breathing helps me relieve stress. It makes me much more focused, much more grounded.”

Desmarais says all Hindus do not practice yoga, and even among Indian scholars there is debate as to whether other religions can incorporate yoga. She believes yoga has elements all religions could embrace.

She says it also helped her remain more present in the moment and aided her healing following breast cancer surgery. Physically, it helped restore her range of motion; emotionally, it equipped her to deal with loss associated with the treatment. The camaraderie among practitioners provides a good support network, too.

“What intrigues me about it is its holistic approach,” Desmarais says. “It’s more than just mind-body. It’s

Studies indicate that about 15 million people in the United States have practiced some aspect of yoga.

Michele Desmarais teaches the historical and philosophical aspects of the ancient Indian practice as part of a Hinduism course. Her book, Changing Minds: Mind, Consciousness and Identity in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra and Cognitive Neuroscience, was named one of the 250 most important books in the field by the International Society of Science and Religion.

It is a $5.7 billion industry in the United States, with practitioners buying tapes, books, and clothing in addition to attending classes. A number of Web sites offer high-end and discounted clothing for yoga practice and “a healthier lifestyle.” Desmarais, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, says yoga is big business there, too. “You could spend thousands of dollars on yoga outfits, and some do,” she says. “It is really bizarre.” Desmarais says calling postures “yoga” is a misnomer. “If it is the postures, call it that. Yoga is many things in addition to that.” Though she teaches yoga history and philosophy, Desmarais is not a yoga practitioner. Her spiritual practices, she says, emanate from her Native American background. “Yoga is my work. I do other things to keep healthy,” Desmarais says. She does incorporate stretching into her gym routine and will utilize some of yoga’s psychological practices. Desmarais demonstrates a hands-folded, prayerlike position and says practitioners may sit in that position for an hour, focusing on one thing — sans TV, computer, phone, etc. “It can improve concentration, attention and also reduce stress.” Studies, she adds, have shown that blood pressure also can be reduced. Other studies show benefits to balance, joint flexibility, endurance and muscle strength. “Yoga changed me from a type double-A to an A personality,” Hindery says, laughing. “If you can do this, you feel like you can do anything.”

Health through

Hypn sis By Scott Stewart

States, 63, is a former Bootstrapper student whose interest in hypnosis was sparked after having his test anxiety eliminated by a visiting psychiatrist at Clarkson Hospital. “I became interested right there at the University of Nebraska at Omaha,” says States, a former army infantry captain and Vietnam veteran who earned his bachelor of general studies degree in 1976. UNO also is where he met his wife of 36 years, Gerri.

If your only experience with hypnosis is watching some cheesy performance during homecoming week or at a comedy club, you might think it’s similar to stage magic — entertaining, intriguing but ultimately only an illusion. You’d be wrong about hypnosis, though, says UNO alum Greg States.

His interest in hypnosis continued at Goddard College in Plainefield, Vt. There, in 1978, States petitioned to be awarded the college’s first-ever degree in hypnotherapy. He got it, lending legitimacy to a career already established. “When I got the master’s degree, I already had been working in the field of hypnosis,” States says. States went on to found his own hypnosis center in West Des Moines, Iowa, where he helps people quit smoking, lose weight, gain focus, relieve stress and reduce anxiety. His typical program consists of three sessions where the subject learns to apply a three-minute self-hypnosis to maintain suggestions from the professional sessions. “My experience is [that] essentially all hypnosis is self-hypnosis,” States says. “However, when you have a hypnotist professional working with you to guide you into hypnosis for the first time, he or she can easily direct you into a much faster, more effective hypnotic state.” UNO students can follow in States’ footsteps and learn about hypnosis on campus by signing up for David Corbin’s Health Education 2850 stress management course. Through it, Corbin teaches self-hypnosis and other stress-reduction techniques, such as meditation. He says different students respond better to different approaches. Hypnosis, he says, “is really an altered state of consciousness that helps you filter out external factors. “Some people like bicycling, some people like running — they all get you fit,” Corbin

says. “But there’s different factors that attract one.” Corbin and States agree anyone can be hypnotized. Some people have a strong bias against hypnosis from misconceptions of it in popular media, making them not as likely to fully benefit from the experience. “Hypnosis in and of itself is a natural state of mind experienced by every normal human being. You go in and out of it spontaneously everyday,” States says. “Hypnosis helps you accomplish what you truly want to accomplish. You can’t make a person do what they don’t want to do.” Most people who see States, however, want to change. He says 95 percent of subjects who did a three-session program stopped smoking and 88 percent lost weight and changed their eating habits, based on client feedback collected from the first 25 years of his practice. “Everyday in my work, I’m seeing success stories,” States says. “People are just delighted with seeing change — in most cases immediately — in the way that they think. “It is discovery. People love the discovery of this resource called the subconscious.” Tapping the subconscious is what makes hypnosis effective, Corbin says, because it helps you filter out external factors that can create stress and block success. “Hypnosis is a tool just like meditation is a tool,” Corbin says. “It’s not a solution, it’s how you use the tool and how often you use it for the appropriate reasons that determine how effective it is.” For that reason, States has simple advice for any UNO students who want to learn more about hypnosis: “Take the self-hypnosis class if it’s available,” States says. “It can open a whole new venue of experiences.”

Last year’s flu pandemic — the first such global outbreak in more than 40 years — was perhaps the first time a flu strain came to be widely known by both its nickname and its scientific name.

Figuring out the Flu By Terry Zank

The Influenza A-Team As the principal investigator, Lu is responsible for guiding the overall direction and administration of the project. He and his team are conducting the genotype analysis of influenza viral sequences, and developing and maintaining the web-based genotyping system. Team members include Dr. Ruben Donis, chief of the molecular virology and vaccines branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who is providing advice on research design, method development and tool implementation. Donis and his

Swine Flu and H1N1 The former came about since the virus jumped from host swine to humans. As for its seemingly benign scientific call letters, the H and N stand for the proteins hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. The numbers represent subtypes of each protein. There are 16 H subtypes and nine N subtypes, making H1N1 a code of sorts. Cracking such influenza codes is the work of UNO researcher Dr. Guoqing Lu. An associate professor in UNO’s biology department, Lu is in the midst of a twoyear research project on influenza A virus. Funded through the National Institutes of Health as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, his work is expected to help health professionals and researchers worldwide more accurately predict the genetic origin of newly emerging viral strains and to track their evolutionary changes. This will enhance global surveillance of influenza, enabling medical experts to decide which flu strains will be included in annual flu vaccines. Of the three types of influenza — A, B and C — types A and B circulate among humans, resulting in annual flu outbreaks. Of those two, influenza A (which includes H1N1) is the most likely to cause epidemics (large numbers of people impacted simultaneously) and pandemics (epidemics gone global). And, where type B is limited to humans, type A can be found in many hosts, including birds, swine and humans. Type A also has different subtypes; type B does not.

CDC team also will participate in testing and validating the genotype database and the genotyping system, and help with disseminating research end-products. Dr. Zhengxin Chen, computer science professor at UNO, is responsible for developing the database and helping develop the genotyping system. Dr. Shunpu Zhang, statistics professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is serving as co-principal investigator. He is responsible for developing the statistical methods for making accurate predictions about influenza viral genotypes.

It’s why governments around the world put so many resources into influenza A research and vaccine/drug development. And it’s what keeps Lu on the hunt.

Guoqing and Genotyping Lu came to UNO in 2005 after directing the Bioinformatics Core Research Facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He did his postdoctoral training in bioinformatics in the Center for Bioinformatics at the University of McGill in Montreal. He has a Ph.D. in biology from Laval University of Quebec and master’s degrees in biology and computer science. His research toolkits entail such things as phylonmarkers, an in silico data mining tool for predicting gene regions likely to reflect true evolutionary history, and the GenomeBLAST, a Web tool for comparative genomics analysis especially helpful for organisms with small genome size — i.e., viruses; and FluGenome, a Web server for genotyping influenza A. He needs all his smarts and the help he can get considering the wiliness of his foe. “The influenza A virus has a genome consisting of eight single-strand RNA segments,” Lu says. “In other words, the flu virus has eight players teamed up to fight its hosts, including us.” Lu is about halfway through a two-year research project focused on developing a computational system for genotyping influenza A viruses. Genotyping viral strains means locating them on an evolutionary map, which is compiled based on each strain’s genome, the genetic material that makes up an organism. “Genotyping a flu virus means identifying its genomic origin, based on the molecular sequence information of the eight segments,” Lu says. “We use sequence-comparison algorithms and statistical methods to determine whether a virus belongs to an already-found genotype or to a new genotype.” The National Library of Medicine, National Institutions of Health has provided a $750,000 grant to fund Lu’s research program, which has three main goals: • Develop new statistical methods and standalone computer software for analyzing influenza A viral genotypes;

• Identify lineages and genotypes of all known influenza A viruses and infer their evolutionary relationships; and, • Develop a web-based genotyping system for early detection of newly emerging influenza A viruses. “The genotype database and genotyping system will be made available to the public and to influenza professionals worldwide for effective influenza surveillance,” Lu says. “These professionals will be able to use the database to get detailed reports on lineages and genotypes. “Surveillance is used to decide which viral strains to include in annual flu vaccines. Surveillance and vaccination are the two major weapons we use to fight against the flu. Our work will substantially improve global influenza surveillance.” No matter what name the flu goes by.

H1N1: A Look Back and a Glimpse Forward Just how bad was the 2009 H1N1 outbreak in the United States? The answer isn’t so easy to gauge. Estimating the number of individual flu cases in the United States is challenging because many people with flu don’t seek medical care and only a small number of those who do seek care are tested. More people who are hospitalized or die of flu-related causes are tested and reported, but under-reporting of hospitalizations and deaths occurs, too. For this reason, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors influenza activity levels and trends and virus characteristics through a nationwide surveillance system and uses statistical modeling to estimate the burden of flu illness (including hospitalizations and deaths) in the United States. Between April 2009 and April 2010, the CDC estimates there were: • Between 43 million and 89 million cases of H1N1; • About 195,000 to 403,000 H1N1-related hospitalizations; and, • 8,870 to 18,300 2009 H1N1-related deaths. For the upcoming flu season, the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccination as soon as it is available this fall. The 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against three different flu viruses — the H1N1 virus, the H3N1 virus, and an influenza B virus.

taking sides

In July, a dozen people testified before the Nebraska Board of Pharmacy, urging it to reclassify marijuana so that it can be prescribed as a medicine. Currently, 14 states allow medicinal marijuana. The Nebraska pharmacy board took no action but might address it this fall. UNO Magazine had one of the individuals lobbying the pharmacy board, HEMP Nebraska Director Bill Hawkins, take a side favoring the legalization of medical marijuana. Taking a side against medicinal pot legalization is Dr. Ally Dering-Anderson, RP, clinical assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy.

A case for legalization of medical marijuana Bill Hawkins, director of HEMP Nebraska states where medical cannabis has been introduced. In addition, countries that have more lenient policies towards cannabis (Portugal, Netherlands) have a much lower adolescent use rate. 4. The long-held view that cannabis is a gateway drug is unfounded. As suggested by the Institute of Medicine in 1999, “There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.” Nearly every study on the “gateway” theory has concluded the same thing.

1. Cannabis was one of the world’s first cultivated plants and has been used as medicine for thousands of years. In all that time, including up to today, there has not been one documented overdose caused by this so-called dangerous drug. 2. The body contains an Endocannabinoid system that deals with various psychological processes, including appetite and painsensation. The cannabinoids in marijuana interact with this system to help chemotherapy patients keep meals down after treatments, or allow people with Multiple Sclerosis to control their violent spasms. 3. Many are worried about the message medical cannabis sends to our kids. The available body of evidence shows that cannabis use among youth has declined in

5. Marinol is not “medical cannabis.” Marinol, a 100 percent synthetic THC compound prescribed for pain treatment contains only one of the many therapeutic compounds in cannabis. Other cannabinoids, like CBD, have been shown to relieve convulsions, inflammation, anxiety, and nausea, and to inhibit cancer cell growth. 6. Cannabis doesn’t just provide therapeutic pain management. Studies in the United States, Spain, and Israel all have shown that the compounds of cannabis can be potentially useful in the reduction of cancerous tumors and also as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Indeed, the federal government holds patent #6630507 for using cannabinoids as a treatment for Alzheimer’s. 7. It’s not just for treating diseases! Cannabis seeds (which contain no THC) are some of the most nutritionally dense food stuffs on the planet. The seeds contain 33% protein and the essential fatty acids (EFA’s) omega-3 and omega-6 in ideal ratios. EFA’s are the “good fats” that doctors recommend

as part of a healthy diet, the same ones in fish. 8. When pharmacologists evaluate drugs one of the rankings they use is called the Therapeutic Index. The number indicates the dose of the medicine that would be lethal vs. the dosage that is used in a treatment. I.E. The higher the ratio, the less likely it is to kill you. Cannabis is 20,000:1. Alcohol, which has no medicinal value yet is still legal is around 10:1 9. Prohibition costs more than it returns. We should have learned during the ’20s, but it appears we have forgotten our own history. Prohibition is inherently un-American as it purports that the state has a right to regulate what enters your body. After 70 years of prohibition, millions of otherwise law-abiding citizens turned into criminals, and billions of dollars wasted, we still have some of the highest cannabis usage rates in the world. It’s time to allow our doctors to prescribe, our patients to medicate and our farmers to grow!

Hawkins, a native Nebraskan, is a local organic-produce farmer and longtime environmental activist involved in a variety of local sustainable agricultural issues. HEMP Nebraska educates Nebraskans about hemp prohibition.

taking sides

A case against legalization of medical marijuana Dr. Ally Dering-Anderson, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy superiority to drugs currently available in pharmacies. Few controlled studies show efficacy for any diagnosis. While there are many pharmaceuticals from plants (e.g.,warfarin, digoxin), these drugs are purified and standardized before dispensing to patients. They aren’t smoked or baked into brownies or steeped into teas. The supply of raw plant matter does not allow for any standardized dosing. Use of this drug is inappropriate during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The drug also is inappropriate for patients with any of the following diseases: lung disease, a history of mental disorders, or a history of addictive disease. As a pharmacist, I am opposed to the legalization of “medical marijuana.” Among the reasons why: Marijuana has non-oral formulations currently classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as dangerous with no known medical use. It is a drug that is frequently smoked, increasing the risk of lung disease and cancer for the user. Potential exists for greater smoking harm than from standard cigarettes. Second-hand smoke from this use will place people who are not patients at risk. People who are simply breathing near the patient will be exposed to the drug and its inhaled dangers. No controlled studies have been published in peer-reviewed literature showing

Advocates, there are steps you must complete if you ever hope to gain support for legalizing your plant: 1. Do the studies. Compare this drug headto-head with existing therapies and prove equality or superiority. 2. Find a dosage form that doesn’t put the patient or those around the patient at risk of lung disease and cancer. This dosage form should provide a standard and consistent dose of the drug. 3. Treat your drug as a drug. Drugs aren’t approved by legislatures. The FDA approves drugs, and there is a process for gaining drug approval and the credibility that comes with approval. Use it.

5. Acknowledge that there will be a segment of the population that uses this drug for illicit purposes and embrace the existing system for the prevention of drug diversion. 6. Understand that anecdote isn’t science. 7. Make sense. Arguments that the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria used hemp ropes give you no credibility. These comments may help the position of hemp fiber advocates, but not the medical therapy proponent. Statements that marijuana has no side effects are absurd and harm your case. 8. Don’t call me stupid. You don’t draw people to your cause when you stand on the capitol steps and say of opponents, “I think, anymore, it’s just the populace being ignorant.” {Brian Gray, Lincoln Journal Star, July 6, 2010}

Dr. Dering-Anderson is a faculty member at the UNMC College of Pharmacy. All opinions expressed in her article are hers alone and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of UNMC.

4. Recognize that pharmacists are the drug experts and use their dispensing expertise to prevent problems with this drug.

Which side do you take? What’s your position on the use of marijuana for medical purposes? Send us a Letter to the Editor at www.unoalumni.org/unomag-led

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

SIGHTS Scenes on and off campus May

Preserve patrol

Photos: Joe Shearer, The Gateway

Photos courtesy UNO Alumni Association

In 1959, Arthur and Antoinette Allwine donated their 160-acre farm at 144th & State Streets to the University of Omaha. Now known as Allwine Prairie Preserve, the facility grew by 83 acres May 26 with official dedication ceremonies that featured a speech by Preserve Director Tom Bragg, UNO’s The Moving Company and a rehabilitated hawk that was released to fly above the preserve. See more at www.unomaha.edu/prairie.

July

Ragtime to riches Strauss Performing Arts Center hosted the sixth annual Ragtime to Riches music festival in July, raising funds for the Haiti Earthquake Relief fund. Participants included Adam Swanson, an undefeated Old-Time piano world champion, and Nebraskan Burns Davis.

August

Well, welcome! Alumni Association staff served more than 1,600 Walking Tacos (a bag of corn chips topped with beef, cheese and lettuce) during Welcome Week 2010 at the start of the fall semester. Volunteers included grads Harold Sage, Syntha Essex, Maynard Tatelman and Georgia Clark.

Turning Tassels More than 500 students turned their tassels and became alumni during the university summer commencement ceremony Aug. 13 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. UNO now has issued more than 95,000 degrees since its start in 1908.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

September

Fireworks There were fireworks on the field, in the stands and after the game when UNO and the University of Nebraska at Kearney clashed Sept. 3. The Lopers won 32-29, claiming the Victory Bell for a second consecutive season.

Pictures by Tim Fitzgerald, University Relations, unless otherwise credited

Heard on and off campus Dude …

SOUNDS Read the fine print

I reached down and picked up the brown and dirty object and looked to David and said, ‘Dude, did I just find a coin?’ West Virginia University student Alexis Whitley. She found a nearly 2,000-year-old gold Roman coin during excavations at the UNO–led Bethsaida Excavations site in Israel. Reported in July 13 UNO Gateway.

How friendly The Military Friendly Schools list is the gold standard in letting veterans know which schools will offer them the greatest opportunity, flexibility and overall experience. Derek Blumke, president of Student Veterans of America after UNO was named to G.I. Jobs magazine’s list of top Military Friendly Schools for 2011.

When looking at food labels, start with the serving size. People look at other things, but completely ignore the serving size. If you eat the whole container, you have to double or triple those numbers. Also, it’s always better to get your nutrients from the food source — an apple is better for you than apple juice, even fortified apple juice. Hy-Vee Dietitian Karisa Jansen speaking at June 20 Heart Healthy Eating seminar hosted by Human Resources. Reported by Tim Rochford, UNO Student Employment/Benefits

From Russia, with love Here at UNO, halfway around the world from the place I had previously called home, I learned the importance of being aware of events taking place around the world. My international studies program at UNO was an ideal place to broaden my vision of world events, and the daily news took on new significance to me, as I found opportunities to deepen my personal opinions and values. Russia native Anna Forman, who delivered the student address at UNO’s summer commencement. Reported in Aug. 24 Gateway.

just for you

A Smarter Workout By Strength and Conditioning Director David Noonan

Working out has become something of a leisure activity these days. Workout clubs can rival some of the best hotels and resorts in the world, offering spas, cafés and, in some cases, even a bar to enjoy a frosty one after your 30-minute workout on expensive, plush, comfortable machines. Forget about all that. While the troubles our sedentary lifestyles cause have been well documented, the woes brought on by improper workouts at “Resort Gym” aren’t quite so well known. If you take away nothing else from this article, remember this: we should exercise our bodies using the movements they were made to perform for everyday activities — lunging, twisting, sprinting, squatting, etc. That’s how training used to be done. Up until the past 40 years or so, gyms only offered bars, dumbbells, medicine balls and, in some cases, benches. There were no machines! But then the health and fitness industry figured out it could do well for itself by selling expensive equipment and promoting new ways to workout. It is one of the most detrimental things to happen to the “fitness and wellness” world. Using machines decreases the need for the body’s “core” — muscles in the mid- and lower-torso — to stabilize itself. That, in turn, decreases the use and strengthening of muscles that stabilize the spine. No wonder, then, that we’ve seen a spike in back problems, often coming from lifting objects or doing other simple daily activities. This is true even among otherwise well-trained athletes. Training on machines not only decreases core stability, balance and flexibility, but it also causes imbalances around the joints. Leg extensions, for instance, fail to work the posterior portion of the leg enough in conjunction with the rest of the lower body.

And a leg press might work your thighs, but it does nothing for your hamstrings, lower back or pelvis. We no longer train the way we live. When training we should stand as much as possible and use unstable implements, such as dumbbells, bars and medicine balls. Avoid sitting whenever you can. Such training becomes particularly important the older we get. Think of how many people lose their independence later in life because they lost their balance, fell and broke a hip or were otherwise injured. This can be avoided to some degree not by training harder, but by training smarter.

See A Smarter Workout in action with online videos demonstrating each exercise. Find it at www.unoalumni.org/smarterworkout

To help, I’ve devised a 30-minute total-body workout that emphasizes core strength and implements movements requiring little or no equipment. Try it for a month. What else do you have to lose — other than weight and an expensive gym membership?

A Smarter Workout is based on exercises working six different areas of the body. Choose one exercise for each body area based on your age, skill and fitness level. Work each area in succession and try to complete the entire workout at least twice in 30 minutes. Complete the routine three times a week on nonconsecutive days.

LEGS Body weight squat, 10 to 20 reps, depending on weight Position feet slightly wider then hip-width with toes turned slightly out. Hold your hands out in front of you at shoulder height. Slowly, and under control, bend your knees and lower yourself down as far as you can without lifting your heels off the floor. After a brief pause at the bottom, push your weight back up until you are back at the starting position

Forward Lunge, 5 to 15 reps each leg Face forward with your torso straight. Step one foot forward about 18 to 24 inches. Immediately bend the knees and descend toward the front leg, allowing the back knee to come close to the ground, but not touch it. The back knee should be about 1 inch off the ground with the weight on your front heel while keeping your torso straight.

Forward lunge with arms overhead, 5 to 15 reps each leg Same as forward lunge, but have arms reaching straight up alongside your ears. Also can be used holding weights at your side.

UPPER BODY PULL 5 to 15 reps each exercise

1-Arm Dumbbell Row Place one knee on a bench for support with the other leg on the floor slightly bent. Keep your back parallel to the ground. Pick up a dumbbell from the ground while keeping your back flat and parallel to the floor. With the dumbbell in one hand and arm fully-extended, lift the weight up to your side and try to bring your elbow as high as possible while keeping your back square to the ground. Slowly lower it and repeat.

just for you Dumbbell Row on knees, on toes, or with feet on box or step Start in a pushup position with each hand on a dumbbell. You will either be on your knees, toes or have your feet on an elevated box or step — depending on your ability. With your hands directly beneath your shoulders, adjust your feet wider for more stability. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle of your torso. Pull your bellybutton to your spine to keep a tight core throughout the exercise. Raise one dumbbell while stabilizing your body with the other arm. Keep the dumbbell close to your chest and don’t turn your torso or hips. Return the dumbbell to the ground under control.

UPPER BODY PUSH 5 to 15 reps each exercise

Push-Ups — on knees, on toes or with feet on a box Begin in a pushup position on knees, on toes or with feet on a box. With abs in, back straight and head facing down, lower chest to the ground until your sternum touches the ground. Extend arms to straight and locked position. Repeat.

CARDIOVASCULAR 20 to 50 reps each exercise

Burpees Begin in a standing position. Drop to a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet back, while simultaneously lowering yourself into a pushup. Immediately return your feet to the squat position, while simultaneously pushing up with your arms. Leap up as high as possible from the squat position with your arms overhead. Repeat.

Also consider: Jumping Jacks Step-ups on box or steps Jump rope

CORE STABILIZATION Elbow Bridge — On Ground, on Swiss Ball or with feet on bench and elbows on Swiss Ball Hold for 20 seconds to 1 minute Lie face toward the floor with your weight on your elbows. Place your feet on the ground, on a Swiss ball, or on a bench. Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag toward the ground. Hold this position while focusing on tightening your abs until you can no longer maintain a flat bridge.

ABDOMINALS Full Sit-ups Crunches on Swiss ball 10 to 30 repetitions Lying with your lower back on a Swiss ball with or without weight in your hands, lean back on the ball to create an arc and then crunch your shoulders up to the ceiling. Lower your shoulders back down and repeat. Exercises demonstrated by 2010 UNO alum and former wrestler Jacob Marrs, an exercise science graduate student. Photos by Tim Fitzgerald

bookmarks

Photo by Tim Fitzgerald

Turning the page to fitness

empowers women through self-examination and self-worth development.

Participants aren’t the only ones who are enthusiastic about the program.

Inspiring books are read and discussed in a group setting. Trained experts in health promotion teach women of all ages how to become more active and make themselves a priority. Members can participate in sessions online, or download and listen to past sessions.

Learn more about the Fit Minded Book Club at www.befitminded.com. Contact Huberty at drhuberty@befitminded.com or call 201-7001.

“Fit Minded is what we like to call ‘personal training for your brain,’” Huberty says. “Fit Minded educates, supports and empowers women to be successful at living a healthy lifestyle with a focus on physical activity.

“We are very excited about the potential for Fit Minded to help women become more healthy, and for our students to learn how to implement behavior change models in this environment,” says Dan Blanke, chair of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at UNO. “Dr. Huberty has used a research model to refine the program and continues to collect data, which she uses to provide evidence of the program’s efficacy.

A UNO physical activity in health promotion professor has discovered a way women can lead healthier lives without spending hours in the gym or compulsively counting every calorie. In fact, good health just might start with a good book. The Fit Minded book club — known previously as Women Bound to Be Active — is open to women of all ages who want to get (and stay) healthy, offering face-to-face meetings in Omaha and an online component (www.befitminded.com). The eight-month program, launched in 2005 by Jennifer Huberty in UNO’s School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation,

“This is about making a choice to take care of yourself. Fit Minded is facilitated through a book club led by health promotion professionals. Although we don’t focus on weight loss, women have emailed me years later to tell me that they have lost weight — but more importantly, they say they feel better about themselves.” More than 200 women in the Omaha area participated in the Fit Minded program. Jen McEvoy of Omaha joined Fit Minded more than two years ago. The married mother of one wanted to get healthy and live a happier, more fulfilling life. She began by wearing a pedometer and walking upwards of 10,000 steps per day. To date, she’s dropped 30 pounds. “I lost the weight, but more importantly I am healthier and am helping my daughter grow up with a healthy lifestyle,” McEvoy says. “We walk to school every day.”

“She has incorporated opportunities for students to learn and practice throughout the experience, which has made it a viable part of our academic experience.” Huberty’s research interests include physical activity adherence and lifestyle behavior change in women and children. She recently was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to determine which recess environment most encourages kids to choose physical activity. She also teaches graduate courses in physical activity measurement, weight management, worksite wellness and women’s health. She is co-author of the book Designing Effective Physical Activity Interventions. –Wendy Townley, University Relations

Submit to Bookmarks Know of a recently published book you’d like to see featured in Bookmarks? Tell us about it at www.unoalumni.org/bookmarkssubmit

CLASS NOTES

NOTES

CLASS 59

Send your classnotes to www.unoalumni.org/classnotes

DON R. MCMAHILL JR. (BSED) has managed,

coached and competed in foot races for 57 years. In the 70- to 74-age bracket he won the North Carolina Senior Games 5K title and placed 11th in the National Senior Games in California last year. McMahill’s 40-year professional career with the YMCA in six states reflects his work experience. While attending Omaha University, McMahill was voted “most likely to succeed” by the Physical Education Department upon graduating. Don.McMahill@Gmail.com

RODNEY M. MURRAY (BA) resides in North Apollo,

Pa., and is a retired Presbyterian minister. He is doing part-time interim ministerial work in western Pennsylvania. Rod-gerri@hotmail.com

PAT HALLORAN (BA)

accepted his third Tony Award as a producer of MEMPHIS, the musical. Halloran not only produces, but also contributed to raising $14 million to help fund the show in New York. He also was honored at the 60th Outer Critics Circle Award with “MEMPHIS” being named Outstanding New Broadway Musical. Halloran attributes his successes to UNO: “As a mass communications major at then-University of Omaha, my education laid the foundation for what I do today. My time there was invaluable for no other degree could have equipped me with the promotional and marketing skills necessary to tackle the entertainment industry of Broadway shows, television, radio and concerts.” Halloran and his team continue their marketing efforts to launch MEMPHIS’s international tour beginning in Memphis, Tenn., in October 2011.

WAYNE HOLLOWAY (BGS) was elected American

Volkssport Association vice president in 2009 through his progressive volunteering when stationed in Germany in the late 1970s as a Volksmarcher. Holloway completed Air Force Officer Training School upon graduation and later retired as a major in 1987. Following a short stint as a manager with Martin Marietta Data Systems, he worked for the California Highway Patrol as a telecommunications system manager, retiring in December 2000.

LLOYD ROITSTEIN (BS)

has been executive director of the Boy Scouts of America, Mid-America Council since 1992. He writes that, “Based on a five-year look at performance indicators, the Mid-America Council based in Omaha is No. 1 out of 297 councils in the Boy Scouts of America.” bsascouter@cox.net

BREWSTER E. BORG (BGS) completed his

master’s degree in business administration at the University of Phoenix in May with a 4.0 GPA. Borg is a resident of Lake Jackson, Texas.

GEORGE FOLEY (BGS)

lives in Dothan, Ala., and is coming out of retirement. Technical Sergeant Foley retired from the United States Air Force in December 1981. He worked as a pay supervisor and also in sales management and accounting. Despite two strokes, Foley says, “I’ve completed an MBA online and want to be a student advisor.” Foley and his wife JoAnne have been married since November 1986. jfoley@graceba.net

THELMA BELL (BS) is a recipient of the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award of 2010. Bell is a special

education teacher at Blackburn High School. She has worked with Omaha Public Schools for seven years. WILLIAM COSGROVE (BA, MS 1978) is one of 15 teachers in the OPS

District to receive an Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award. Cosgrove is a special education teacher at Morton Magnet Middle School and has worked with OPS for 29 years.

DAVID WOODS (BGS) was

awarded the International District Energy Association’s (IDEA) Norman R. Taylor Award during the organization’s 101st annual conference and trade show in Indianapolis. This “person of the year” award is the highest distinction IDEA can award an individual, recognizing personal career achievements and contributions to the association, as well as the district energy and combined heat and power industries. Woods is vice president and general manager of Energy Systems Co. of Omaha and is actively involved in the community: serving on the board of managers of Omaha’s Downtown Family YMCA, as a member of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and as a 4th-degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council of Bellevue, Neb. Woods is a past president of the Omaha Building Owners and Managers Association, former president of the Big Elk Cosmopolitan Club of Bellevue, and a past board member of the Kiwanis Club of Omaha.

TIM CAVANAUGH (BS, MS 1988)

is a retired Omaha Police Department captain and now serves as chief deputy of the Douglas County treasurer. Cavanaugh also is a member of: the Metropolitan Utilities District Board of Directors, Durham Museum Society, Omaha Sports Hall of Fame Board and is a Downtown Rotarian. stlcavanaugh@hotmail.com

SALLY ROSANNE CARMICHAEL (BS, MS 1986) is a 2010 recipient of

the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award. Carmichael is a special education teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School and has devoted 28 years to Omaha Public Schools.

TOM SUTKO (BSBA)

writes that after a 28-year career with Valmont Industries he has acquired, “the area’s leading home inspection and termite services business, AmeriSpec & TNT.” VALERIE BOSSELMAN (BA)

wrote an essay regarding the care her daughter Megan received while fighting a rare form of cancer. Bosselman’s essay focused on the nurse, Dorothy Wahrman, who cared for Megan while she was battling adrenal cortical carcinoma cancer. The essay led to nurse Wahrman winning this year’s Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing. Valerie’s essay was published and distributed to 325,000 subscribers of the CURE Magazine.

KELENE LANGENFELD (BS, MS 1979) received the

2010 Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award in the Omaha Public Schools District. Langenfeld is a kindergarten teacher at Masters Elementary School and has served 27 years with OPS.

She is at left, pictured with Wahrman. Read Valerie’s blog at www.valeriebosselman.com.

CLASS NOTES KATHLEEN PRUSHA (BS) is a recipient of the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award of 2010. Prusha is a kindergarten teacher at Chandler View Elementary School, serving OPS for 28 years. STEPHEN KLEINSMITH (MS, Educ. Spec. 1988) was

named Missouri’s Superintendent of the Year for 2010 by the Missouri Association of School Administrators. The award recognizes the importance of education and the vital work of school superintendents. Kleinsmith has served as the superintendent of Nixa Public Schools for 10 years. Prior to coming to Nixa, Kleinsmith was assistant superintendent and executive director of administrative affairs in the Millard School District of Omaha. Kleinsmith has been the recipient of numerous awards, educational and community honors and fellowships. He has also been published in educational journals.

DICK KROESE (MPA)

commends UNO for helping with his career. Kroese writes: “My degree served me a great deal throughout my working days with Union Pacific. Without it, I would not have done as well as I did.”

MIKE BURRIS (BGS)

reminisces about the memories of his college days at UNO starting in 1965 with many early mornings. He writes, “My family determined we were too poor to drive so I took two city buses to class. Because of early class I started really early, and when I got to campus, many rooms and buildings weren’t open. The Milo Bail Student Center was open, and many days I watched football star Marlin Briscoe playing pool.” Along with Burris’s early mornings, he was often asked to get involved on campus. He writes: “On Fridays, present-day Nebraska governor’s wife Sally Ganem would ask me to join the international students club or to vote in student elections.”

SUSAN (LAUGHLIN) BERSON (BA) authored her

third book, “The Lawyer’s Retirement Planning Guide,” (ABA 2009). sberson@banktaxlaw

TERRI (THOMPSON) WADE (BS) married Omaha

native Don Wade on July 1. The couple resides in Nacogdoches, Texas. tlthompson@sfasu.edu

JULIANNE CROTTYGUILE (MA) lives in Omaha

and is celebrating 20 years as director of a private piano and voice music studio, as well as 21 years of marriage. She has written articles, including pieces about older adults taking music lessons, has produced a documentary of her dog Puff’s life of 16 years, and written many original Christian songs. Guile is seeking a music book publisher. noteworthymusic@cox.net

JULIE (CONDON) SIBERT (BS) writes, “I am putting my

communication degree to good use as a freelance writer, editor and speaker. I edit and write a column for the Heartland Gatekeeper Christian newspaper and am an assistant to national sales motivational speaker Mark Hunter, ‘The Sales Hunter.’ One of my favorite devotions is speaking and writing about sexual intimacy in marriage.” Reconnect with Sibert at www.IntimacyInMarriage.com, on Twitter and on Facebook. Sibert lives in Omaha with her husband Randall, and sons Mitchell and Bradley. julie@intimacyinmarriage.com

CATHY ANDRUS (MS) is a recipient of the 2010 Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award. Andrus is a counselor at Central High School and has worked with Omaha Public Schools for 12 years.

MARCELLA MAHONEY (MS) was awarded the 2010

Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award. Mahoney is an English teacher at Central High School who has been with Omaha Public Schools for 17 years.

LIAM CUNNINGHAM (MSUS) lives in Livermore,

Colo., and opened a real estate appraisal firm, LNM Equity Associates.

BART VARGAS (BFA) had paintings featured in “New American Paintings,” No. 89, Midwest Edition. Vargas will graduate from the University of Minnesota next year with his master of fine arts degree.

MARK MELLEN (BSBA) lives in

Omaha and became a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) on July 1, 2010. mmellen@deloitte.com

SHERIE GARNER (BGS) began

liamcunningham07@att.net.

CHAD MCANDREWS (BS) is a

recent award winner of the 2010 Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award. McAndrews is a fifth grade teacher at Central Park Elementary and has worked with OPS for eight years. JON HOLMES (MPA) was appointed David City administrator and began his duties June 7. Holmes writes, “I am very excited and very honored to come to work with this team in this community … I am really excited to be here and looking forward to getting back to this part of the country.” Holmes previously was the management analyst for Laramie, Wyo.

SARA POINT (BS) is one of 15 teachers to receive the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award of 2010. Point is a science teacher at South High School and has served five years with OPS.

exhibiting wild life art images in 2002, and taught a non-credit community education class for teens and adults in 2009. Her class was designed to share art techniques with students of all levels of experience. Garner will be teaching the Painting with Pencils course at Joslyn Art Museum this October in conjunction with the Kent Bellows Exhibition. gr8ideas@fiber.net

NICOLE (HERNANDEZ) MEYER (BGS) and PHILLIP MEYER , current

master of computer science student at UNO, celebrated the birth of their first child, Andrew David, on July 24, 2010.

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CLASS NOTES

Remembering a friend of Education Former COE Dean John Langan Dies at 68 John Langan, former dean of the UNO College of Education, died July 27 after battling cancer since 2009. Langan, 68, had a 44-year connection to the college that began as an undergraduate student, continued in the graduate program, and included roles as a graduate assistant, professor and department chair before his five years as dean. “John was a great friend to the state’s education community, to our metropolitan area teachers, to every student he ever met and to me,” said UNO Chancellor John Christensen. “He was like a brother to me. He was a great man, and I will miss him.” Langan was in the final graduating class of the Municipal University of Omaha on June 1, 1968. After earning an MS in education at UNO in 1969 he began his career as a faculty member in the college. He later earned his doctorate in education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AARON L. CROFT (BSBA) writes: “I

recently moved to North Scottsdale, Ariz., to work for CareerBuilding.com as a social media, marketing and human capital solutions consultant helping organizations with online strategies and curtailing their cost per hire.” Croft has lived in Arizona since February and is looking to expand his professional network. SHEENA KENNEDY (BA) recently was

hired as the assistant director of advising at Iowa Western Community College. sheenamariek@gmail.com

LACI (DROPINSKI) PEMBERTON (BSBA) lives

in Omaha with her husband, Ryan, and greyhound Griff. They were married in May and had a Maui honeymoon. Laci is an assistant property manager with the Lund Company. Lpemberton@lundco.com

LESLIE M. SVOBODA (BS) graduated

from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Svoboda is an Air Force Airman who earned distinction as an honor graduate. STEPHANIE R. DOTZLER (BS)

was involved in Campus Crusade for Christ and was on the Dean’s List during her freshman year in spring 2005.

Langan became the first coordinator of the Office of Student Services for the college when the office began in 1984. He was coordinator of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) visitations to the college for many years, beginning in 1971, and he served as chair of the Department of Teacher Education from 1992 to 2003. Langan also served as president of the UNO Faculty Senate and was a member of numerous campus and college committees. He also was extensively involved in community activities, including working with youth athletic teams, and served 14 years as a member of the Omaha Public Schools Board of Education. He was president of the board for seven years. “John Langan made everyone feel welcome and important,” said Nancy Edick, current dean of the UNO College of Education. “His legacy in our college and in our school districts is huge. In the classroom and in the community, his service has touched the lives of thousands and thousands of people. He lived a great life.” He is survived by his wife, Carole, and sons Tim and Michael. The Langan family has asked that memorials be directed to the University of Nebraska Foundation’s John T. Langan Professorship fund (http://nufoundation.org/johnlangan). The College of Education has created a memory web page where members of the campus community and public can write tributes about Langan. The page http://coe.unomaha.edu/ langan_memory.php, includes a slideshow of Langan photos.

CLASS NOTES Sophia Hope Wymer ,

Jacob Leo Gudenrath,

daughter of Jon and Tiffani (Hamer, ’05) Wymer of York, Neb.

son of Sheial (Staiert, ’02) and Jim (’02) Gudenrath of Omaha

Devin Rai Shrestha ,

son of Kapil and Dipta Rai (’01) of Omaha.

Three Generations of UNO Graduates DALE WOLF (BA 1938) is a retired office manager of Roberts Dairy Co.; FRED WOLF (Assoc. 1976) son of Dale, is a retired captain of the Omaha Fire Department. KRISTINE MELVIN (MS 2003) granddaughter to Dale, is a teacher at Bennington Elementary.

future ALUM Submit a birth announcement (within 1 year of birth) and we’ll send you a certificate and an Ador-A-Bull T-shirt. Include baby’s name, date of birth, parents’or grandparents’ names and graduation year(s). Mail to UNO Magazine, 67th & Dodge Streets, Omaha, NE 68182-0010 or online at www.unoalumni/futurealums

in memoriam 1951 Rene Hlavac 1956 Amos W. Hoerger 1965 Ramon Williams 1969 Ronald L. Kriley 1969 John J. Stratford 1972 Col. (Ret.) Charles Edward Estes Jr. 1974 Mary Sue Crosland 1975 William Kempton 1977 Amy M. Franklin 1982 Kurt R. Anderson 2004 Megan Bosselman

CLASS NOTES

Jackson Richard Rea ,

Glaucia (De Oliveira, ’03; ’07) and John (’96; ’03) Steckelberg of Omaha.

son of Andrew and Trina (Larson, ’03) Rea of Omaha.

Elliot Donald Packard, son of Sarah and

William Michael Kopocis, son of Jeff and Kim

Sam (’00) Packard of Omaha.

(Kaup, ’00) Kopocis of Omaha.

Taylor Curtis Wittanen, son of Jeff

Eli Christian Ladehoff, son of Jon

and Gina (Dowis, ’08) Wittanen of Omaha.

and Kristi (Hamer, ’98) Ladehoff of Sutton, Neb. Daisy Irene Steenson,

Eddie Myles Burns, son of Eddie and Autumn (Howard, ’08) Burns of Papillion, Neb.

daughter of Julie and Brandon (’01) Steenson of Kansas City, Mo.

Karsyn Ann Bridger ,

Alexander Michael Toepfer , son of Joshua and

Leah Zangger , daughter of Kate (’02) and Josh (’02) Zangger of Ord, Neb.

Jennifer (Mayfield, ’00) Toepfer of Bakersfield, Calif.

daughter of Heather and Kevin (’01) Bridger of Columbus, Neb.

What have you been doing since graduating from UNO? Your fellow alumni would like to know! We welcome personal and professional updates and photographs for Class Notes. Send your news to Class Notes Editor, UNO Magazine, 67th & Dodge Streets, Omaha, NE 68182-0010; fax to (402) 554-3787; submit online at www.unoalumni.org/classnote

Last name while a student:

May we post your email address in the next UNO Magazine?

Class Year:

Yes No

Name:

2008 Mark Noziska Second Lieutenant Mark Noziska, 24, died of injuries received from an IED explosion Aug. 30 while serving as part of a dismounted patrol conducting clearance operations in the Malajat, Afghanistan area. Noziska, from Papillion, was a member of Company D,1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, Fort Carson, Colo. He graduated from UNO with a BS in Criminal Justice. He is a former enlisted member of the 754th Recon/Decon Co. of Nebraska Army National Guard in Omaha. He arrived in Afghanistan on Aug. 2.

Sophia Grace Steckelberg, daughter of

Address: City/State/Zip: E-mail: News:

Degree: Phone:

RETROSPECT

An historical look at the people and events shaping the university’s life When war came to the United States with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, physical fitness soon followed to university campuses. At Omaha University, that meant compulsory PE for all students. “I think that without question we have the most vigorous type of physical education ever in use at this university, and it can compare favorably with any other school in the country,” said Stu Baller, director of OU’s physical fitness program. Exercises were based on those used daily in the army: potato races, five different types of rope-skipping, 15- and 20 mile hikes, commando tactics training, boxing and wrestling (at least one was required) and a hazard course (part of which is shown at right). “Boys who have left for the service have praised our system highly,” Baller said. “Almost all of them mention the value of pushups, leg pullups, bar chinning and all types of track.”

snapshot

See more than 2,200 university archive photos on UNO Criss Library’s photostream, www.flickr.com/photos/unocrisslibrary

Research UNO history for yourself Visit the Gateway Collection, an online database of all Gateway student newspapers from 1922 to the present. Connect at http://library.unomaha.edu/research

TWO WHO RECEIVED JUST WANT TO GIVE BACK. As a UNO junior majoring in English, Colleen Connor’s college money was just about to run out and she was investigating student loans. Then she received the Helen Basler Anderson scholarship and was able to continue her education without loans. Jim Audas’ family helped him with tuition so, like Colleen, he was able to graduate without any college debt.

After they were married, both Colleen and Jim knew they wanted to support students at UNO someday. And now they have.

It’s never too early to support your UNO.

They contacted the University of Nebraska Foundation to ﬁnd out how they could give back and today, the Colleen (Connor) and Jim Audas Scholarship is available to any UNO student in any course of study.

To contribute, go to unoalumni.org/give. Or contact Mary Kenny, mkenny@nufoundation.org, 402-502-4924.

FOR FUN

StickElers

Four of the five figures below can be drawn with one continuous movement of a pen or pencil, without crossing any lines, retracing or lifting of the pen or pencil to perform any trickery or other movement. One of the drawings is impossible to create without crossing lines or retracing. Which is it?

Puzzles taken from “The Big Brain Puzzle Book,” created by Terry Stickels for the Alzheimer’s Association Logic: Sister-in-law

Visual

Alex’s father-in-law’s only son’s mother-in-law’s daughter could be Alex’s: Mom Grandmother Sister-in-law Cousin Daughter Niece

Mathematics: 120

For more information on Stickels, or to order any of his books, visit www.terrystickels.com

Logic

Answers

Test your brainpower with these puzzles (answers below) created by UNO graduate Terry Stickels (’76). An author, speaker and puzzle maker, Stickels’ FRAME GAMES is published by USA Weekend magazine and in 600 newspapers.

Visual: Figure C.

submissions look who’s reading uno magazine

Mathematics At a reception, 1/6 of the guests departed at a certain time. Later, 2/5 of the remaining guests departed. Even later, 3/4 of those guests departed. If 15 people were left, how many were originally at the party?

What person of note can you photograph reading UNO Magazine? A famous actor or singer? An athlete? The president or Pope? Send your photos to Managing Editor Anthony Flott at aflott@unoalumni.org. Include your name, contact information and year of graduation, plus text explaining your relationship with the person photographed. We’ll select the best of the bunch and publish them in the next issue of UNO Magazine.

The Thompson Center at UNO * BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY TODAY! * Why have hundreds of Omaha businesses and organizations selected the Thompson Center to host their holiday party, meeting, workshop, seminar, conference, retreat or other business-related event? See for yourself!

ut our Ask abo t discoun rs on e m custo e m ti l! ts for fir nt renta quipme e d n a room t for discouonfits! nonpr

25%

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The Thompson Center at UNO

• Elegant Décor & Design to impress clients • Convenient, Midtown Location minutes from anywhere • Versatile Room Spaces to suit any function • Affordable Rates with multiple booking discounts • State-of-the-Art A/V Capabilities and free high-speed Wi-Fi • Exceptional Catering options for all meals and events • Free & Available Parking on site

www.thethompsoncenter.org

554-3368

You know what a degree from the University of Nebraska can do. Now imagine the possibilities with an advanced degree. Earn yours online at NUonline.com.

Connect to your potential. UNO Programs Include: Political Science Creative Writing Library Science Urban Studies

Information Assurance Non-Profit Management Public Administration Information Technology And More

速

Inside 24 30 34

The Big Snooze Professor Timi Barone researches sleep.

Fighting an Epidemic How UNO is trying to help prevent childhood obesity.

Healthy at the HPER

The new facility improves the health of faculty, staff, students and alumni.

www.unoalumni .org / unomag vol . 1, no. 3

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