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IN EVERY ISSUE

4 From the Chancellor 5 Letters to the Editor 6 From the Editor

18 24

7 Alumni Association 10 Philanthropy Matters 14

The Colleges

Class Notes

Future Alums

Sights & Sounds

For Fun

FEATURES

20 Welcome Home,

Coach Crutchfield!

Ag Under Attack

30 When Disaster Strikes Farm Country

Water Worries

Rural Crimestoppers

SUMMER VOL. 13, NO. 1

UNO MAGAZINE is a publication of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the UNO Alumni Association and the University of Nebraska Foundation. unoalumni.org/unomag

2022

FROM THE CHANCELLOR Mavericks, It is hard to believe it has almost been one year since beginning my journey as Chancellor. I said when I arrived that I would hit the ground running and, with the support of alumni like you, because of your Maverick Spirit, we are setting the pace of what the future of higher education in Nebraska looks like. This March, we hosted an investiture ceremony where I asked our campus and community to honor the journey and inspire the future. As you will read in this edition of the UNO Magazine, there is plenty to celebrate and much to be inspired by. We say that UNO is an urban university – the only public four-year university located in Nebraska’s economic and cultural epicenter. However, our reach – and impact – stretches across the state and beyond. UNO’s mission of access, excellence and preparing the next generation of Nebraska’s workforce is baked into everything we do and our alumni, our faculty, our staff and our current students are telling that story. We have researchers ensuring our roads and bridges can be properly maintained. We have staff who are working to make sure rural communities have access to reliable public transportation options. We have programs that allow our students to visit places like Nebraska City, where they can immerse themselves in creative writing and experience the legacy of the state’s greatest authors. We have alumni who are innovating the future of agriculture in our state. These are the stories of what it means to be a Maverick. These are the stories that show the power of what access to higher education can accomplish individually as well as collectively. UNO has been Omaha’s university for more than a century, but if there is one thing you take away from these stories it is to know that UNO’s reach is not restricted to Omaha’s city limits. No matter if you are from Chadron, Valentine, Wayne, Falls City, or any of the other hundreds of cities, towns, villages or unincorporated communities across Nebraska, and no matter if you graduated in 1958, 1998 or 2018, UNO is your university. I hope that as you read these stories and reflect on UNO’s role in Nebraska’s rural communities, it inspires you to reach out and make a connection with someone on our campus to start your journey to earn another degree, schedule a campus visit for a family member or attend one of our many public events. UNO is not just Nebraska’s leading public urban university, we are a leader in the future of the state’s workforce pipeline, a home for innovative discoveries and a mission of community-driven change. I hope you’ll join us on the next stage of our important journey. Once a Maverick, always a Maverick. Sincerely, From top: Chancellor Li celebrates with Durango at the Nebraska State Capitol for I Love NU Day; at Maverick Pancake Palooza presented by the Staff Advisory Council; and at May 2022 Commencement with Susan Brennan, the UNO Alumni Association’s 185th Citation Award winner.

Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA UNO Chancellor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Jennifer Arnold Charley Steed ART DIRECTION/DESIGN Heidi Mihelich cre8ivenergy COVER ILLUSTRATION Traci Daberko CONTRIBUTORS Sam Anderson, Brandon Bartling, Eva Burklund, Tavion Davis, Susan Houston Klaus, Greg Kozol, Lori Rice, Davina Schrier, Kent Walton, Kevin Warneke, Vaughan Wehr Fischer Direct editorial inquiries to: Managing Editor UNO Magazine 2285 S. 67th St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68106 800-432-3216 unoalumni@unoalumni.org Send all changes of address to attention of Records or visit unoalumni.org/recordupdate.

UNO MAGAZINE is published three times a year. The spring issue is sent to all graduates and to UNO donors of the past five years. The summer and winter issues are sent to all graduates in Nebraska and to UNO donors of the past five years. If you are a graduate who lives outside Nebraska but want to receive all three issues of UNO Magazine, email or write to the managing editor at the addresses listed at left.

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Views expressed within this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the UNO Alumni Association or the University of Nebraska Foundation. The University of Nebraska at Omaha shall not discriminate based upon age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender-identity, sex, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status, religion, or political affiliation.

Where today makes the difference for tomorrow bestcare.org

UNO MAGAZINE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT ITS READERS ARE THINKING AFTER READING THE CURRENT ISSUE. Write us about the magazine or university. Letters must include writer’s first and last names, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for taste, accuracy, clarity and length.

SPRING 2021

MANAGING EDITOR Anthony Flott

Submit a letter online at unoalumni.org/unomag-led or write to the address at left.

FROM THE EDITOR

A lie I told in 1993 to get the job as editor of the UNO Alum magazine.

The blessing, though, is not about numbers. Rather, it’s about the people I’ve had the privilege of meeting and telling their stories to our alumni and beyond. Among the alumni whose stories I recall most fondly:

During an interview for the job, I was asked if I had experience with QuarkXPress, the desktop publishing software used then to create the magazine. I had never even heard of QuarkXPress, much less used it. As I remember it, though, my head began bobbing slowly up and down, accompanied by a reply along the lines of, “Yes I do … Yes I do.” I got the job and went to work producing my first issue — using QuarkXPress.

The stress built day after day. By the end of my second week as editor I was in mental anguish. I sat down at the computer to see what I might be able to cobble together. But my eyes went haywire. Stars and “floaty things” appeared in my sight. The text on my computer was blurred, and a jackhammer started cracking my head apart. Light was unbearable. I got in my car and somehow made it home, stopping a couple of times along the way to refund my previous meal. I shut off all the lights, draped the windows, crawled into bed under the covers and prayed to God for my end to come swiftly. It was not the end, though — just my first migraine. I was back to work the following Monday and fessed up to my boss, Jim Leslie, that I needed help learning QuarkXPress. He was not … happy. But he was stuck with me, and so paid for me to enroll in a local course to learn the software. A few months thereafter, I produced my first issue of the magazine. Twenty-nine years and more than 100 issues later, I’m working on my final magazine alongside new Managing Editor Davina Schrier.

We created a little UNO town as an homage to Richard Scarry’s “What Do People Do All Day?” Each vignette represented a story inside. NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #301 OMAHA, NE

6001 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68182-0510

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.

Paul Needham, a 1972 graduate who was among the 52 Americans taken hostage in Iran in 1979. Penny Sackett, a 1978 graduate who became a world-class astronomer, then the Chief Scientist for Australia. Johnnie Wilson, whose UNO bootstrap degree helped him go from a buck private to the third four-star general in U.S. Army history. Marlin Briscoe, the university’s most notable athlete ever. He became pro football’s first Black starting quarterback, lost nearly everything because of drugs, then found redemption. I’ve also been blessed to work with many great people who helped put the magazine together. Most cherished is the awardwinning Heidi Mihelich, this magazine’s designer since its launch as UNO MAGAZINE in 2010. Heidi puts beauty on paper, even if I’ve given her mostly rubble with which to work. She is innovative, hardworking and, I’m happy to say, a friend. Associate editors Jennifer Arnold and Charley Steed also have been fantastic colleagues, contributing invaluable ideas and great writing while catching many of my mistakes. Numerous writers, photographers, artists, designers, proofreaders and others also have been critical to this magazine’s success.

ALSO MY FAVORITE COVER … Hard to believe this is a sketch, not a photo. It went so well with our “food” theme. NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #301 OMAHA, NE

6001 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68182-0510

FOOD FIGHT THE RISING COST OF GROCERIES IS PINCHING POCKETBOOKS

FOODIES UNO IS NO CULINARY INSTITUTE, BUT IT PRODUCES PLENTY OF “FOODIES”

TONGUE TWISTING A LOOK INTO THE SCIENCE OF TASTE

VOL. 3, NO. 3

I was utterly and hopelessly lost. I started calling the previous editor for how-to help. Numerous times. One too many times, it turns out. Jane told me to quit calling.

MY FAVORITE COVER

summer 2012

was about 55,000 copies each issue. Today, an all-alumni mailing tops 105,000 copies.

vol. 3, no. 2

The first — and worst — migraine I ever got was because of a lie.

FALL 2012

FOOD

MY FIRST COVER Oh, my gosh, this is horrible. It’s as if I had no QuarkXPress skills at all.

I give my sincere thanks to you all. It’s time for me to shift all my focus to the executive director role of the alumni association. This is Davina’s magazine now, and she can count on me to stay out of her way. After all, would I lie? Enjoy the read,

Sure, I got the job under false pretenses. But what a blessing this magazine has been to my life. When I started, we sent it to all alumni everywhere, including overseas. That

Anthony Flott (former) Managing Editor

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

COMMENCEMENT WELCOME TO MAVERICK NATION

More than 2,000 students graduated from UNO since the last UNO Magazine was published, swelling the ranks of Maverick Nation to nearly 118,000 living alumni. The UNO Alumni Association was proud to welcome new grads prior to, during and after the December and May commencement ceremonies.

GRADS GIVING BACK At the request of UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, graduating students are asked to donate $5 or more to the UNO Grads Give program. Students can designate their contribution to the Maverick Food Pantry, student hardship or student scholarship fund. All students who contributed received a UNO Alumni Zipper Pull for their commencement robe. Since the program’s launch, more than 350 graduating students have provided gifts to help fellow students.

GREAT GRADS PLANNING GREAT THINGS December grads were asked, “What great thing do you want to do?” Here are a few of their responses.

CONTINUE DOING MUSICALS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE MY TALENTS AND LOVE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE. FELICIA ROSE ARIZA, BA, MUSIC OFFICIALLY CREATE MY OWN NONPROFIT SERVING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. ERLINE CHELA CHARLES, BS, BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY HELP CREATE AND SUSTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MY COMMUNITY. ELIZABETH POTTER, MPA, NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT I WANT TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION TO BE A PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN MY OWN CLINIC ONE DAY AND WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS RECOVERING FROM EATING DISORDERS. I PLAN ON JOINING THE AIR FORCE OR ARMY RESERVES AS WELL. NICOLETTE WARE, MSW I AM GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR EQUITABLE TREATMENT ACCESS FOR EATING DISORDERS BY BECOMING AN AMBASSADOR FOR PROJECT HEAL.

Erline Chela Charles

Felicia Rose Ariza

STEPHANIE MARIE ALBERS, PHD, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL BOARD MEETING

Anne West-Leclou (1987, 2018) joined a Blue Bucket Project “trash mob”, which helps keep communities litter-free by meeting at a designated location and picking up as much waste as possible in one hour.

A MONTH OF SERVICE Outgoing Board members Gabe Romero, Andy Damkroger and Steve Roberts with Anthony Flott, executive director, UNO Alumni Engagement

The UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors confirmed an executive committee and elected members to three-year terms during its 110th annual meeting conducted on May 17 at Baxter Arena. David Brisson, a 2002 (BSBA) and 2007 (MBA) UNO graduate, continues as the 98th chairman of the association. At its February meeting, the board voted to amend its bylaws to extend the terms of executive committee members to two years. Brisson, director of fixed income sales with Wells Fargo Securities, joined the association’s board in 2016. A Quebec City, Canada, native, he played hockey for UNO from 1999 to 2003. Brisson heads the following executive committee for 2022–23. Years of UNO graduation are in parentheses, followed by places of employment. CHAIR OF THE BOARD:

EX-OFFICIO VOTING MEMBERS:

DAVID BRISSON (2002), Wells Fargo Securities

JOANNE LI, UNO Chancellor

1ST VICE CHAIR:

VIV EWING (1983, 1986), Children’s Square U.S.A. 2ND VICE CHAIR:

NEGIL MCPHERSON, JR (1985/2015), Green Plains SECRETARY:

TAMI WILLIAMS (2003, 2009), UNO TREASURER:

CARLEY RANERI (2008), Metropolitan Community College

TBD, University of Nebraska Foundation Vice President of UNO Advancement Members voted to second three-year terms were ANN O’CONNOR (1982, 1994), retired; ANDREW WONG (2004), First National Bank of Omaha. Members voted to initial three-year terms: JAIME DAMKROGER (2008) OrthoNebraska; RICHARD HARRISON (1987, 2002) Home Instead franchise owner (Chicago); MELANIE KRINGS (2008, 2012), UNO.

PAST CHAIRMAN:

Outgoing Board members ANDY DAMKROGER, MAUREEN GRAZIANO, STEVE ROBERTS and GABE ROMERO were recognized for their service. Their terms expire on June 30, 2022.

BRIAN ALLISON (2005), Rady Children’s Hospital - San Diego

View the complete 2021-22 Board of Directors roster at unoalumni.org/board.

LEGAL COUNSEL:

TODD RICHARDSON (1982), Richardson Madden, PC

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

ANTHONY FLOTT (1990, 1999), UNO Alumni Association

In April, alumni across the country took part in the annual UNO Alumni Month of Service by completing a service project wherever they live or traveled to. Participants received a UNO Alumni flag or pennant to pose with during their projects. Thanks to all who participated.

Mark Nicholson (1975) of San Diego delivered flight instructions to two Air Force JROTC cadets working to become Civic Air Patrol mission pilots. He leads volunteers in locating missing aircraft and conducting photo reconnaissance with aircraft and ground team coordinated efforts.

SAVE THE DATE HOMECOMING

OC T O BER

7- 8

UNO Homecoming 2022 is set for October 7–8 including the UNO Homecoming Family Festival at Maverick Park, UNO’s baseball and softball complex. This day of fun includes delicious Maverick Meals, giveaways, discounted hockey tickets, yard games and more. More details to be announced soon!

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Energy Tech Executive Susan Brennan Receives UNOAA’s Highest Honor Susan Brennan, president and CEO of Romeo Power, received the UNO Alumni Association’s 185th Citation for Alumni Achievement award during the university’s spring commencement ceremony on May 13. The Citation, inaugurated in 1949, is the association’s highest honor and the university’s oldest award. It encompasses career achievement, community service, business and professional engagement and fidelity to UNO. Brennan, who holds an MBA from UNO, has worked more than 30 years in the automotive and manufacturing industries and dedicates her time and expertise to organizations helping young people pursue STEM careers. Anthony Flott, executive director, UNO Alumni Engagement; Susan Brennan; and UNO Chancellor Joanne Li.

UNOAA CONTINUES SUPPORT OF ROTC CADET GRAD The UNO Alumni Association continued its longstanding support of a graduating ROTC cadet during the Air Force ROTC Det 470 Awards Convocation on April 22. Tom Hart, who graduated in May with a BS in criminology and criminal justice, was presented a Moleskin notebook, pouch and highlighter pencil set. The items are used extensively by Air Force officers. Anthony Flott, executive director, UNO Alumni Engagement and Tom Hart, a 2022 ROTC cadet graduate

SUPPORT THE UNO FUND Consider a gift to the UNO Fund and support what matters to YOU: scholarships, faculty development, your college, the alumni association, or other area of interest. Donors of $25 or more to a UNO Fund area receive a UNO Alumni Card for perks on and around campus. Learn more and make a donation at nufoundation.org/UNOFund.

Learn about Brennan and the Citation award at unoalumni.org/citation-award.

CAREER RESOURCES

The UNO Academic and Career Development Center (ACDC) offers many services to alumni including its Success Series Workshops and career coaching appointments. For more information about resume reviews, practice interviews, job search assistance and more, visit unomaha.edu/acdc.

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS

PIONEERING THE STUDY OF

MOTION

Lead researcher and doctoral candidate Tyler Hamer observes as UNO pitcher Easton Smith throws in the pitching lab.

DONOR SUPPORT HELPS ADVANCE SPORTS AND SPORTS MEDICINE AT UNO by Susan Houston Klaus

The digital images generated in the University of Nebraska at Omaha Department of Biomechanics might prompt a double take. Human skeletons appear to be pitching a baseball or softball, spiking a volleyball or swinging a golf club. But these bundles of bones are living, breathing athletes — from UNO, the local community, the region and the country. They’ve come to the UNO Pitching Lab in the Biomechanics Research Building for movement assessments designed to improve their performance and prevent injuries from taking them out of the game. It’s the first time the department has combined biomechanics, athletic training and data gathering to benefit the athletic community. And like other unique programs

happening in the Biomechanics Research Building, it’s giving students experiences they wouldn’t find anywhere else. Jeff Kaipust, UNO’s assistant director for biomechanics shared the Biomechanics Research Building garners envy around the world for both its people and its equipment. Opened in 2013 and expanded in 2019, the building represents the generosity of Nebraskans, particularly the Ruth and Bill Scott family, who provided the lead donations for the building’s construction and expansion, and the support of the UNO administration and the University of Nebraska System. “None of the wonderful things we do in UNO Biomechanics would have been possible without private support, especially

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS from the Ruth and Bill Scott family,” said Nick Stergiou, Ph.D., assistant dean and director of the Division of Biomechanics and Research Development. “This support is fundamental for construction of our facilities,” Stergiou said. “It is also essential for retaining and attracting talented young scientists who work in the pitching lab.”

“From the brain to the individual muscles to the different properties of the ligaments, tendons and bones, we’re just trying to solve interesting problems on the way we move,” he said. The idea for the pitching lab started with an athlete.

He wondered if it was possible to pursue a doctorate with his dissertation focused on baseball pitching. Hamer talked it over with his faculty adviser, Brian Knarr, Ph.D., an associate professor in the UNO Department of Biomechanics. For a decade, Knarr has been doing his own research on understanding how people move, how injuries can be prevented and how to

NONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE DO IN UNO BIOMECHANICS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT PRIVATE SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY FROM THE RUTH AND BILL SCOT T FAMILY. Together, those elements have created a place that puts a high value on collaboration — a place where, Kaipust said, “one lab doesn’t belong to one researcher; every space in our facility is shared.” The lab is populated by people from around the world with all kinds of expertise, including in mathematics, engineering and kinesiology.

Tyler Hamer is a former NCAA Division I pitcher who played at the University of Illinois before transferring to UNO for his last two seasons. As he was completing his master’s degree in biomechanics at UNO in 2019, he mulled over his next move. “As a player growing up, a pitcher in high school and also in college, baseball’s been a lot of who I was and who I still am now,” he said.

WHO’S PUTTING THE FORCE IN NEBRASKA’S WORKFORCE?

optimize rehabilitation from an injury. He’s also a lifelong baseball fan. With Knarr’s support, Hamer outlined an idea for a lab focused on the unique needs of athletes. He tested the system out on himself, again stepping on the mound to deliver pitch after pitch — this time, in the name of scientific research. Soon, the lab had the interest of others on campus.

Census predictions show the U.S. population is growing, becoming more diverse and aging. In 2020, for the first time, more of Nebraska’s population was 75 and older than those 5 and younger. UNO’s Josie Schafer shared this fact and more in a new program, “Nebraska Focused: Building our Future,” which looks at the changing demands of Nebraska’s economy, particularly the workforce needs, and how the University of Nebraska is helping solve critical issues across the state. Watch today at nebraskapublicmedia.org/nebraskafocused.

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS mechanics work, and that leads to better tendencies, better performances and more wins, hopefully, for the Mavericks for the long term,” Porter said. The collaboration among biomechanics, athletic training and the athletes they serve has been valuable for biomechanics as a program and for its students, said Knarr.

school, she finished her years at Lincoln Lutheran with the second-most kills in Nebraska history. So, a particular finding from her assessment was more than a little surprising. “One thing we learned about me is I have really bad shoulder mobility,” she said. “So, we’re wondering how I’m able to hit the ball, and how I’m able to hit it hard. Through the biomechanics testing, we learned it’s not through my shoulder that I’m hitting the ball, but it’s because of my hips, how they rotate and the speed at which they rotate.”

“It’s something that is incredibly attractive for students coming into the program,” Knarr said. “We’ve seen increases in recruiting and increases from the student body to come to our program to work with our athletes, to work with our faculty doing the science.”

“Now I know that by working out my hips, it will improve my arm swing and how well I’m hitting the ball,” she said. “It’ll definitely become something I’m way more focused on now than I was before.”

Students also get a tremendous opportunity to work with athletes at an elite level, he said.

For Hamer, research in the lab has provided a bigger view of where his career may lead.

“Not many places in the country and across the world really have the UNO women’s volleyball players participate in a biomechanics opportunity to work with evaluation in the Gait Analysis Laboratory. high-level athletes,” Knarr said. “Often, they’re either on professional That included Adam Rosen, Ph.D., and Sam teams or they’re siloed off in their academic Wilkins, Ph.D., at the UNO School of Health or athletic programs. But some of the best and Kinesiology. Both have been Division I opportunities to learn and to understand baseball athletic trainers; now they train the sport are to work with athletes that are the trainers who work with UNO athletes great at that sport.” and bring a clinical aspect to the lab. Hamer and the team also got buy- — and Baseball assessments were just the an old pitching mound they reengineered beginning. to use in the — from UNO baseball coach In the past couple of years, the lab has Evan Porter. expanded to include testing for UNO The pitching lab officially hosted its first athletes in softball, volleyball, golf, subjects in October 2019, bringing in swimming and diving, and men’s soccer, as UNO Baseball pitchers. They’ve returned well as players of middle-school age and regularly to check their progress. Porter up from the greater community. The lab said players have tweaked their movements has developed a reputation not only as an and improved their velocity on the mound. assessment destination, but also a learning But there’s also the immeasurable part of resource for local students. Athletes with the assessment he’s glad they have access their eyes on the Major League Baseball to. Catching movements that may lead draft have also made the trip from around to injuries is crucial to preventing them the country to get advice on how to improve and staying in the game. Having that their performance and throwing velocity. information gives them added confidence as Marriah Buss recently visited the lab with athletes, Porter said. her UNO Volleyball teammates for an “It provides them with more knowledge assessment. An outside hitter, she’s been about how their bodies work, how their a standout on the court for years. In high

Buss said she was “just really shocked” by the information.

Buss is looking forward to putting the newfound knowledge to work so she’s even more powerful when the season begins again in late August.

In October 2021, he joined biomechanists from UNO Pitching Lab collaborator Wake Forest University in the Dominican Republic at the MLB International Combine in Santo Domingo. There, he operated the biomechanics pitching lab, collecting data for MLB teams to review for the draft season. His paper, co-authored with Rosen, was published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine in March 2021. Those experiences wouldn’t have been possible without those who originally put UNO Biomechanics on the map, Hamer said. “It’s really just the hard work that happened before I ever arrived here that’s allowed me and others working in the lab to make it what it is today,” he said. Hamer said, ever since he started playing baseball, he’s wanted to make it to the majors. Today, his work in the lab has helped him achieve that dream—just not in the way he imagined. What’s next for him? “It’s just kind of seeing where life takes me and just going each day as best as I can,” he said. “I’ve always been a believer in hard work, and if you work as hard as you want to, you can make anything happen.”

PHILANTHROPY MATTERS

Connie Claussen created electricity on the field. Now she’s ensuring the next generation can lead the charge. An electrician’s tape usually secures an electrical connection. For Connie Claussen, that electric connection came in the form of UNO Women’s Softball. When she first began coaching, her team didn’t have real uniforms, so they used electrical tape on the back of their T-shirts for jersey numbers. Six years later, Connie’s team went from taped numbers to number one in the nation by winning the national title. For the next 23 years, Connie continued to provide a spark to UNO athletics until her retirement as assistant athletic director. Today, she’s an active fundraiser for the university, but she doesn’t just leave the donating to others. She will continue to leave funds to support UNO women’s athletics through a planned gift. You can impact the lives of future UNO students, too, by including the University of Nebraska in your estate plan. Whatever philanthropic impact you want to have, we can find a match for your passion and interest. Simply visit us online at nufoundation.org/giftplanning, or call a gift planning officer at the University of Nebraska Foundation at 800-432-3216.

THE COLLEGES

Photo by Jason Krebs

TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS

The Neligh Mill Bridge and Neligh’s transit – Dial-a-Ride.

THE REFRAIN FROM THE CLASSIC JOHN DENVER SONG IS MORE THAN JUST AN ODE TO NOSTALGIA. IN RECENT YEARS, IT HAS ECHOED THE IMPORTANCE RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE PLACING ON INFRASTRUCTURE. IMPACTING EVERYTHING FROM GROCERY RUNS TO DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS TO SOCCER GAMES, CONSISTENT TRANSPORTATION IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE DAILY NECESSITIES WITHIN WALKING OR BIKING DISTANCE. Robin Gandhi, Ph. D., professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Informatics

THE COLLEGES

Researchers from both UNO and UNL are finding ways to help alert state officials before Nebraska bridges fail. Pictured are (from left) Brian Ricks, Ph.D., Robin Gandhi, Ph.D., Deepak Khazanchi, Ph.D., Daniel Linzell, Ph.D., and Chungwook Sim, Ph.D.

Since 2017, the Nebraska Department of Transportation has worked with the University of Nebraska System on many projects to improve mobility in rural areas. This includes efforts led by a partnership between UNO Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) and the University of Nebraska at Kearney to grow and sustain transportation options in rural Nebraska communities so that informed discussions about improving transit systems can occur. Funding for the project was recently renewed in 2022 for another two-and-a-half years. “We’re providing research, data and efficient systems to build the capacities of rural transit agencies to continue their work of community development. We are also getting people together and having a conversation about how to expand mobility options throughout the state,” Josie Gatti Schafer, Ph. D., director of CPAR said. “It’s really about digging into what challenges in those communities are and working with the people there to respond effectively and efficiently.” With a need for public transit services across the state, the NU System is also assisting these rural agencies through an online tracking system to assist providers with access to federal funding, as well as maintaining and promoting a website, nebraskatransit.com, so more people in these communities know about the services available. “You don’t know what challenges and hurdles they would have to overcome to do basic things that a lot of people with a car would take for granted,” Schafer said.

As the demand for transportation to access basic needs increases, the research and resources of the NU System will continue to help serve communities.

government data can also aid systems created to monitor the behavior and health of bridges, so that awareness of weakening or failing bridges can happen sooner.

“Knowledge is power and the data and data systems we provide can help rural communities sustain and transform,” Schafer said. “There’s this want to be responsive and accountable, and they need these research services to do so.”

“Having a real-time perspective and analysis of bridge health is important. But you know, just attaching sensors to a bridge and monitoring one bridge, yes that’s possible,” Gandhi said. “But do we have the data infrastructure or framework by which we can monitor and analyze the structural health of all rural bridges or bridges in an entire state, in an entire country? That certainly becomes a much larger scalability privacy, and security issue.”

However, UNO’s role in transportation improvements across Nebraska isn’t just tied to public transit. Researchers are also improving the roads themselves. Allowing for effective transportation over everything from small overpasses to large rivers, bridges are vital to transportation across the state, as is their maintenance “When we construct bridges, bridges are inspected every two years,” Robin Gandhi, Ph. D., professor in the school of interdisciplinary informatics, said. “You get a snapshot of how the bridge is behaving and make sure that any problems are noted. As the bridge ages, it’s important to keep track of how quickly the bridge is deteriorating.” Gandhi and a team of experts from UNO and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have paid special attention to bridges in rural communities and were recently awarded a $5 million grant from the Department of Defense Army Corps of Engineers to conduct research that will extend the lifespan of bridges through new monitoring technology. On top of being used to make comparisons, patterns found throughout decades of

One problem the team hopes to overcome in real-time monitoring of this information is finding ways to avoid gaps in data availability due to bad service or connectivity. “We want to make sure that there’s a resilient data collection platform where the data collected from the bridges can be transferred to a variety of different devices, different networks, with different bandwidths so that if one of these nodes goes down, the data is still available in other nodes,” Gandhi said. As the team continues to collaborate on different projects surrounding this vital infrastructure, Gandhi says he hopes that their work can be used to help local, state and federal agencies save time and money. “We can prioritize bridges that are deteriorating faster and perhaps wait on other bridges that don’t need as much help.” — Eva Burklund

THE COLLEGES

HOME IS WHERE THE FUTURE IS

LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION. Deciding where to live can dramatically change everything from culture to quality of life to the opportunities you will have. As many young people from rural communities decide where to move for their careers and education, many may choose to stay in–or return to–their rural hometowns, according to a series of surveys of high school students in those communities, conducted by the Nebraska Community Foundation’s (NCF), partnering with UNO’s Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR). CPAR’s most recent survey in 2021 found 64 percent of respondents identifying their ideal communities as small, up from 47 percent in 2020. Additionally, respondents indicated safety as their number one priority with 90 percent saying they felt safe in their hometowns.

Josie Gatti Schafer, Ph. D., director of the Center for Public Affairs Research

“We’ve found, largely, that students are positive about their communities and their schools,” Josie Gatti Schafer, Ph. D., director of CPAR, said. “They love the support systems they have. They feel really integrated in these communities and have a very positive impression of what rural life can be.” However, trends have also shown that many of these same students, despite being involved in their communities, move on to a two-year or four-year university and once they graduate, may not return to their communities, or even stay in Nebraska. The most recent statistics from CPAR show that about 2,000 people with bachelor’s degrees leave the state each year. In 2020, the number rose closer to 4,000 for the year.

When many rural Nebraskans go to metropolitan areas, they often stay in the larger communities for the greater amount of job opportunities that often pay more. Once in metro areas, they may also be recruited out of state for additional opportunities. As more people leave the state for employment opportunities, understanding why young people want to stay in their hometowns is critical to recruiting and retaining people to stay in rural communities across Nebraska. “Young people love the way they can participate in so many aspects of life in those rural communities, but those job opportunities and pay will eventually pull some of them away,” Schafer said. “So, thinking about the ways that UNO can support learning in-place or growing job opportunities throughout the state is critical. If we can grow more of our own jobs through entrepreneurship, I am sure you will see more Nebraskans staying in the state for their lifetime.” As young people continue to make decisions about which places will offer them the opportunities and quality of life they want, efforts to create more of our own jobs and bring awareness to the opportunities in smaller communities, as well as Nebraska, will continue. “We really find that Nebraskans love Nebraska. If we create jobs in rural communities, people are happy to stay,” Schafer said. “We just have to make sure that all of those quality-of-life factors are there for them––the recreation, the cost of living, but particularly job opportunities.”

“There is national competition for the talented workforce in Nebraska,” Schafer said.

Excerpt from NCF and CPAR’s 2021 Nebraska Youth Survey results. View the full report at nebcommfound.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-Youth-Survey-FULL-REPORT.pdf

— Eva Burklund

THE COLLEGES

UNO Institute Helps Nebraska Diversion Programs Keep Youth Out of Trouble

Diversion programs can help youth avoid long-term consequences following a minor law violation and get back on the right track. However, efforts to keep young adults out of the juvenile justice system are only as successful as the completion rates of those diversion programs. That’s where the Juvenile Justice Institute (JJI) at UNO comes in. Housed within UNO’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, the JJI was established in 2002 as the research arm for Nebraska’s juvenile justice system. Programs that receive funds from the state to help keep kids out of the court system are required by state law to be regularly evaluated. Anne Hobbs, director of the JJI, believes its work is critical to the state—both in terms of finances and in keeping youth out of trouble. “Legislators recognized the cost-savings of partnering with the university to evaluate the more than 240 juvenile justice programs operating across Nebraska’s 93 countries,” Hobbs says. “Normally, program evaluations are costly, by partnering with the university, the state has access to multiple faculty members, graduate

students, and resources that would otherwise be too expensive to support.” For example, the JJI works closely with the Nebraska Crime Commission who maintains a database of juvenile justice programs that divert youth out of the legal system. If a juvenile is currently enrolled in a diversion program or commits a new offense in one county, the other counties can see that the youth is already enrolled. These data allow JJI to track rates of recidivism, return to a program, and relapse into criminal activity, between different areas. JJI has evaluated juvenile diversion programs, mentoring programs, attendance interventions, as well as alternatives to detention. JJI always works closely with the programs that they evaluate. For example, JJI has worked closely with Schuyler Community Schools in Colfax County, to study their unique responses to complicated problems. Hobbs said that mental health support and resources are in higher demand in schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UNO’s Community Engagement Partnership Initiative, or CEPI, puts the institute’s efforts on the map—literally. This student-developed

tool provides an interactive database to track and map community engagement projects from 2018 to today with university ties. Sara Woods, director of UNO’s Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, says the CEPI map not only highlights where UNO is engaged with communities across Nebraska, but also helps identify areas where the university has opportunities to expand its reach. “CEPI helps us capture our tight knit connections and collaborations between UNO and the community, showcasing mutually beneficial projects in a tangible and impactful way. What do we mean when we talk about collaborating and carrying out UNO’s metropolitan mission? This is what it looks like.” With projects dotting each of Nebraska’s 93 counties, the CEPI map illustrates how the JJI and other university partners touch each part of the state—from Alliance in the panhandle to Falls City in far southeast Nebraska. To view the map and see all of UNO’s partnerships statewide, visit cepi.unomaha.edu. — Brandon Bartling

THE COLLEGES

IMAGINE A FUTURE WHERE YOU CAN AVOID TAKING PRESCRIPTIONS JUST BY CHANGING YOUR DIET. IMAGINE A FUTURE WHERE DISEASES CAN BE DETECTED EARLY TO AVOID MASSIVE LOSS OF LIVESTOCK. IMAGINE A FUTURE WHERE COMPUTERS CAN HELP US MAKE ENOUGH FOOD TO FEED THE WORLD. Dr. Kiran Bastola’s food computer at UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SILICON PRAIRIE That is the world of bioinformatics, a marriage of health sciences and computer science, and its counterpart biomedical informatics, which uses cutting-edge technologies to understand data across the fields of biology, medicine and healthcare. “We use bioinformatics to understand our bodies, the food we eat, medicine we take and diseases we encounter,” explains Kate Cooper, Ph.D., assistant professor of interdisciplinary informatics. “It gives us the chance to understand everything from how to fight COVID-19 variants to understanding how we can help keep livestock and plants healthy through times of disease and drought.” For decades, UNO has been one of the leading bioinformatics and biomedical informatics institutions in the Midwest. Thanks to partnerships across the state with other universities in the University of Nebraska system, faculty and students at UNO have begun to help the state advance in areas such as telehealth, livestock breeding and crop resiliency.

Kiran Bastola, a UNO professor with a Ph.D. in plant biology, has his own food computer that can closely monitor and adjust different environmental factors to maximize the elements of a plant’s biology. Not only is it practically beneficial to farmers, but there is a “cool” factor that is inspiring a new generation of future scientists to explore agriculture.

bedside” and provide not just holistic health options, but individualized ones as well.

“Many students may not want to go into traditional farming, but they may be interested in farming that features an IT component, such as technology-assisted farming,” Bastola says.

She says CBIRI is designed to serve as a hub not just for researchers like her, but providers but providers and healthcare consumers.

Recent diseases such as COVID-19 have also shown the need for sharing access to high-tech, high-touch therapies. To meet this need, Ann Fruhling, Ph.D., professor of interdisciplinary informatics, and Babu Guda, Ph.D., professor of genetics, cell biology and anatomy, launched the state’s first Center for Biomedical Informatics Research and Innovation (CBIRI). Marrying pharmaceutical research, public health practices, medical imaging technology and more, CBIRI is designed to bring people together from “bench to

“I grew up on a farm and there are some unique challenges that people that make their livelihoods in those spaces face,” Fruhling says. “That is where the center can really play a role because we are in the forefront of research that informs providers on how to customize healthcare.”

“We have goals to build a network with the expertise of different providers in rural communities to help facilitate more information exchange. You can have all the scientific innovations in the world, but if they don’t impact the individual than we haven’t really done our work.” Much like the concepts of bioinformatics and biomedical informatics are only just beginning to show their promise, UNO stands at the forefront of what’s possible in the future. — Charley Steed

THE COLLEGES There, the students and faculty have the opportunity to build working relationships that become lifelong partnerships with peers. It’s something that Genevieve Williams, an alumna of the program’s 2018 cohort and current director of the Bellevue University Writing Center, has found helpful to her writing today. “We still get together regularly and occasionally get to workshop each other’s work. It is a really close community that we’ve built from all over.”

Write Here

For the past 17 years, Nebraska City’s Lied Lodge and Conference Center has been the backdrop for what has grown into one of the nation’s best low-residency master’s writing programs in the country. For 10 days in mid-July, and another 10 in late December, UNO students and faculty meet to sharpen their writing and build relationships that will drive a lifelong calling of storytelling.

Kevin Clouther, mentor and MFA in Writing Program Coordinator

Richard Duggin, a UNO professor emeritus in writing, worked with Jenna Lucas nearly two decades ago to design the program. He had reservations about the online and low-residency model until his BFA students showed him its potential. “My students would go off to programs like Vermont and Warren Wilson, and when they came back their writing had just exploded.

According to Kevin Clouther, program coordinator for the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program, that ability to draw talent is part of what makes the program really shine. “The low-residency model allows us to include screenwriters from California, poets from Florida and fiction writers from New Hampshire in a way that a full-residency commitment just could not. “Being able to come to Nebraska City like this allows students and faculty to immerse themselves in a writing community while maintaining their professional and familial obligations,” said Clouther. Beyond the residencies, MFA students receive one-on-one mentorship with a faculty mentor during the semester that follows the residency. This process is student-guided, with candidates proposing how they plan to utilize their independent work time and how often they would meet. This independence was particularly important to MFA candidate Ciara Hoff. “When you’re looking for schools, you read a lot on the internet about full residency versus low residency, and you get the sense from a lot of these articles that full residency is better. But that’s just not true. Full residency is expensive, and it’s not actually a good way to learn how to work independently for when I was out of school.”

BEING ABLE TO COME TO NEBRASK A CIT Y LIKE THIS ALLOWS STUDENTS AND FACULT Y TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN A WRITING COMMUNIT Y WHILE MAINTAINING THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND FAMILIAL OBLIGATIONS. “So, Jenna and I sat down together and looked at what worked, what didn’t, and we built up the idea from there,” said Duggin. What began in August 2005 with 12 students and 10 faculty has grown significantly. The Lied Lodge now houses nearly 50 students each residency along with approximately 20 faculty mentors and visiting writers from across the country.

Having come from the BFA program in creative writing, Hoff originally hadn’t considered UNO’s MFA program. “But UNO kept coming up on many lists as one of the best lowresidency programs across the country. Right here in Omaha.” — Sam Anderson

ATHLETICS

WELCOME HOME,

COACH CRUTCHFIELD

ATHLETICS

ONCE A MAVERICK, ALWAYS A MAVERICK! Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell announced Chris Crutchfield as the 22nd head coach of Omaha men’s basketball on March 21, 2022. Crutchfield brings more than 25 years of coaching experience to the program. He returns to the Maverick family after previously serving as an assistant coach in the 1995-96 season. Crutchfield also donned the crimson and black as a men’s basketball and football student-athlete in the early 90s. “Coach Crutchfield has built an impressive resume as one of the best recruiters in the nation in addition to a successful track record in holistically developing talented student-athletes. He has worked alongside some of the brightest minds in the game, and his vast experience at the highest level of college basketball and experience in the Summit League will serve our program well,” said Dowell.

Oral Roberts, TCU and New Mexico State. He earned his first head coaching role with Tyler Junior College, a position he held from 1999-2001. ORU finished in the top three of the Summit League standings in each of his four seasons. They averaged 20 wins per year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 after clinching the regular season and postseason titles. As an assistant, Crutchfield

IN MY MIND, I’VE BEEN AT THIS PODIUM ABOUT 1,000 TIMES. IN THE MIRROR T YING A TIE, DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, SIT TING IN TRAFFIC, I’VE REHEARSED THIS SPEECH BECAUSE I KNEW GOD WANTED ME TO COME BACK HERE...THIS IS SUPER.

Crutchfield spent the past year in Oregon as an assistant under Dana Altman. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Division II East Central in Ada, Oklahoma, where two of his sons played. While at Oklahoma, the Sooners earned six NCAA Tournament berths including a trip to the Final Four in 2016.

After Crutchfield’s coaching debut at Omaha in the 1995-96 season, he followed Omaha head coach Tim Carter to the University of Texas-San Antonio where he served as an assistant coach for the Roadrunners from 1996-97. He has also been an assistant at

helped coach five All-Summit first team, four second team, four honorable mentions, and five all-newcomer selections. The team also collected one Defensive Player of the Year, one Sixth Man of the Year, and two Newcomer of the Year awards with his guidance. An emotional Crutchfield called his return to the school in which he earned two degrees and began his coaching career “a dream come true.”

ATHLETICS “In my mind, I’ve been at this podium about 1,000 times. In the mirror tying a tie, driving down the street, sitting in traffic, I’ve rehearsed this speech because I knew God wanted me to come back here...this is super. I cannot believe this. Trust me, it’s been an emotional three or four days,” said Crutchfield. Crutchfield thanked family, friends and those who made his return possible, as well as several men who impacted his journey – from former UNO football coach Sandy Buda and basketball coach Bob Hanson to the late Hall-of-Famer Lou Henson to Lon Kruger, Eric Musselman and Altman, among others.

WEST JOINS ATHLETICS STAFF AS EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

“I wouldn’t be standing in front of you today without the help of those men,” he said. Buda recruited him to Omaha. Hanson helped him find his love for basketball again. Former UNO coach Kevin Lehman gave him his first coaching job and Tim Carter brought him to the Division I level at UTSA. Crutchfield singled out Kruger, whom he coached under for eight years at Oklahoma, for giving him the opportunity to make decisions in recruiting and game preparation that directly impacted that program. “He did that, and it gave me unbelievable confidence,” he said. “And for that, I’m indebted to him.” Crutchfield received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1992 followed by his master’s degree in health, physical education, and administration in 1996. Crutchfield’s wife Jodi is also an UNO graduate. They have three sons, Derrick, Jalen and Josh. UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, celebrated the hire as a win for both the campus and Omaha communities. “We are building something special here at Omaha,” Li said. “Coach Crutchfield is fully committed to the university’s mission of molding students into the kind of lifelong learners and fierce competitors that will drive our city and our state forward. I invite all Mavericks to join me in welcoming Chris and his family back to Omaha.” Crutchfield stated his belief that Omaha men’s basketball, which has been within one win of an NCAA tournament berth twice since its transition to the Division I level, has its best days ahead of it. He said the city, his alma mater and Baxter Arena would all play key roles in the future success of his program. “I can sell this place. I can sell UNO. I can sell Omaha,” he said. “Student-athletes around the country, get ready. I’m coming – because we’ve got something special here. I really believe that in my heart.” University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter commended Omaha for its selection. “It’s easy to see from Coach Crutchfield’s selection to lead the men’s basketball program that Mavericks are committed to greatness,” Carter said. “I applaud Adrian Dowell and Chancellor Li for creating an atmosphere where the university administration and athletic department’s goals are not only in full alignment but have the enthusiastic support of fans and its philanthropic network. Coach Crutchfield’s impressive resume and with the speed and efficiency of this coaching search speaks volumes about how serious Omaha is about producing champions in the classroom and on the court.”

Mike West, UNO associate athletic director

Omaha native and UNO alumnus Mike West joins the Omaha Athletics staff as an Executive Associate Athletic Director of External Affairs overseeing ticketing, the Baxter Arena box office, sports marketing, communications, creative services, video production and community relations units with the Mavericks. He was previously Deputy Athletic Director at the University of South Dakota.

West began his role with the Coyotes in 2019 overseeing the day-to-day operations of the athletic department including the areas of athletic marketing, sports information, ticketing, Coyote Sports Properties and development. He also took on sports administration duties. Prior to South Dakota, West spent six years in the private sector where he owned and operated MTT Management, a consulting firm that works with sports organizations and community events. He worked closely with the Omaha Lancers, Ralston Arena, and the Pinnacle Bank Championship. Since 2015, West has also served as the CEO of the Omaha Equestrian Foundation which brought the 2017 FEI World Cup Finals to Omaha. Before his transition to the private sector, West served as the Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing at Creighton for 11 years. Under his watch, basketball, baseball and men's soccer all achieved annual top-10 attendance rankings. He increased the department's sponsorship sales from $400,000 to $2 million and nearly tripled men's basketball season ticket holders and associated ticketing and gift revenues. Prior to Creighton, West was the tournament director of the Cox Classic Professional Golf Tournament in Omaha. He helped increase sponsorship sales from $275,000 to over $1 million in just five years. West, a 1993 graduate of UNO, earned his bachelor's degree in education. He went on to Wayne State where he completed his master's degree in sports management in 1996. "I am so excited to have the opportunity to return to Omaha," said West. "My ties to UNO are extensive as an alum and former assistant softball coach. Some of my earliest memories are watching games with my parents who worked for the university. I'm looking forward to getting back to a city where I've spent so much time and grateful to Adrian Dowell for the opportunity to work at my alma mater."

Photo by Craig Chandler, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Office of University Communication Photography

Soybeans are harvested near Friend, Nebraska.

AG By Greg Kozol

WHEN DR. GEORGE GRISPOS SHOWED UP IN NEBRASKA, HE PROBABLY WASN’T MISTAKEN FOR A FARMER.

UNDER ATTACK

GRISPOS, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF CYBERSECURITY IN UNO’S SCHOOL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY INFORMATICS, WAS BORN IN ZIMBABWE, MOVED TO CYPRUS AND EARNED HIS DOCTORATE IN SCOTLAND. UPON ARRIVAL IN OMAHA, HE TURNED HIS FOCUS TO A QUESTION OF DEEP IMPORTANCE TO NEBRASKA’S RURAL ECONOMY: AS AGRICULTURE BECOMES INCREASINGLY RELIANT ON TECHNOLOGY, HOW DO YOU PROTECT FARMS, RANCHES AND AGRI-BUSINESSES FROM CYBERATTACK?

26 “There’s more technology being integrated into farms and different agricultural settings,” Grispos said. “And that’s now bringing up new attack surfaces.” A modern farm tractor contains lines of code, and some models can be controlled with a tablet or a smartphone. Computers are integrated into the functioning of irrigation systems or the application of fertilizers and pesticides. As farms consolidate, this technology brings efficiency and the potential for better yields, but it also creates something else to worry about besides weather and commodity prices. “It’s one of the biggest industries we have and our state’s big source of income, jobs, etc.,” Grispos said. “How much of the corn that we make gets exported? So, let’s say most corn farms got affected by a large-scale incident, what’s the monetary damage? Quite big.” It’s not just the macroeconomic impact or the bottom line of farmers. The coronavirus pandemic illustrated how one kink in the food production chain can impact the prices consumers pay and lead to scarcity on grocery store shelves across the country. “The reality is, we can only store so much food,” Grispos said. “You take out X number of tons of grain, that’s going to be a ripple effect for days and days to come.”

With the help of University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers, Grispos built a testbed arm that mimics agricultural equipment out in the field.

In the future, what if it isn’t a pandemic that disrupts the food supply but ransomware that paralyzes a farm operation or, even worse, a cyberattack that overapplies chemicals to the point that it causes environmental damage or makes a farm unusable? The agricultural industry got a glimpse in 2021 when ransomware caused a brief shutdown at JBS, a company that controls about 20 percent of the slaughtering capacity for U.S. cattle and hogs. The company acknowledged paying the hackers $11 million.

“Farms are effectively critical infrastructure,” he said. “In a way someone attacks a farm, you could take out the season’s crops. You could also make that land unusable for decades.” Grispos isn’t just sitting in a classroom contemplating worst-case scenarios. With his background in investigating cybercrime, he’s helping researchers identify vulnerabilities and improve system designs. Sometimes it means thinking like a cybercriminal. With the help of University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers, he built a testbed arm that mimics agricultural equipment out in the field. Then, these

Photo by Frances Hayes, DWFI

Grispos said right now the evidence points to attacks that originate from foreign countries and target distribution points for bigger effect. That could change in coming years, he said, with attacks that focus more on individual farmers who haven’t given much thought to cybersecurity.

Naisi Dave, research associate at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska, installs technology to measure irrigation needs for a cornfield in Albion, Nebraska.

Grispos shows Rep. Don Bacon the testbed during a campus visit.

researchers attempt to access it remotely just like a hacker. If they can make the arm go right when the user wants it to go left, perhaps the cybercriminal might be able to accomplish something more devious, like dropping too many seeds or too much nitrogen. “We’re looking to see if we can exploit it,” Grispos said. “We’re looking at the next steps on how we design and engineer more secure agricultural systems in the future.” He’s also studying some of the things that farmers can do to better protect themselves, like segregating information systems and putting up firewalls so that the impact of a breach is limited. At a time when the right to repair farm equipment is a matter of heated debate, Grispos also believes it’s important to take equipment to reputable service shops and take commonsense steps like changing passwords and making regular software updates. In all, he’s advocating for what he’s called an “ecosystem” of security, with regulation, equipment design and better education all coming together to protect agriculture from attack. Some of it may be as simple as emphasizing the need for manufacturers and farmers to conduct regular updates on computerized equipment. “I think education is going to be a big part of it,” he said. “Giving farmers the information and tools they need to effectively manage the information that they have. I’m trying to find out what farmers are doing right now to protect themselves. Once we find that out, then we can say, ‘this is what you should be doing.” He explains part of the challenge is making producers aware that it can happen to them, even on a smaller

farm. Many farmers are vulnerable to a ransomware attack that could put sensitive financial information at risk, which at the least would cost time and money before getting computer systems operating again. Today’s system of interrelated computing devices and mechanical and digital machines means that practically every piece of equipment has a sensor or a chip that makes it a potential target of a cyberattack.

WE’RE LOOKING AT THE NEXT STEPS ON HOW WE DESIGN AND ENGINEER MORE SECURE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS IN THE FUTURE. “We’re pushing this technology that hasn’t been designed with security in mind,” Grispos said. “And then on top of that, we’ve got people who traditionally haven’t had a cybersecurity focus. So, it’s a recipe for disaster.” So far, disaster hasn’t struck, but there have been glimpses, both in agriculture and other industries. Russia’s war in Ukraine also raised concerns about nations using cyberattacks as a weapon. Life on the farm might not be what Grispos had in mind when he first arrived in Omaha, but he found out quickly that cybersecurity was a critical issue for Nebraska’s economy and for the supply of affordable, plentiful food. He’s glad to be making a difference in this field. “I saw this as a problem that is going to become an interesting issue,” he said. “I thought this was an interesting area for me to dive into. It’s worth investigating because it’s obviously a pressing issue.”

Lauren O’Malley, graduate research assistant at UNO’s National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE)

In 2020, Lauren O’Malley graduated from UNO with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with primary concentrations in finance, banking and financial markets; investment science; and portfolio management and marketing and a secondary concentration in management. She was poised to start a career in the corner office of a well-heeled investment firm. Instead, she became a Graduate Research Assistant at UNO’s National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE). “I never pictured I would work in a counterterrorism research center,” said O’Malley, who received her MBA from UNO in May. “Terrorism never came up in any of my finance classes.” The work makes sense, she said, because terrorist organizations operate much like businesses and sometimes use cryptocurrency to finance their operations. With her background, she had plenty to offer NCITE, which was launched in the middle of a pandemic as a premier research hub for the study of terrorism and targeted violence. In 2020, NCITE received a $36.5 million, 10-year grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Today, the UNO-based center involves the work of 50 academic researchers and 19 universities, including two in the United Kingdom. A goal of NCITE (pronounced insight) is not just to study the problem of terrorism and targeted violence; it seeks to find ways to counter these threats and anticipate new ones in a rapidly evolving security landscape that includes a risk of disinformation, cyberattack and social unrest to go along with terrorist violence. “The technology has completely changed,” said Erin Grace, strategic communications manager with the center. “The terrorists of 9/11 used box cutters. Terrorists today could use the internet to

shut down a combine somewhere if they want to mess with the food supply, or they could mess with an electric grid.” NCITE had 15 projects in progress in its second year of operation, with the DHS grant providing core funding. The center utilizes the expertise of multiple academic disciplines, including criminology, computer science and cybersecurity, business, political science and industrial organizational psychology. Researchers and students examine issues ranging from the analysis of how violent groups recruit with Twitter and microblogs to an ongoing study that seeks to improve community reporting of violent online threats. In one project, UNO professors are working with Sarpy County to research barriers to reporting tips to law enforcement. Researchers want to use chatbots to make it easier to report threats of violence to prevent an attack before it happens. O’Malley believes her work and that of other UNO students is making a difference with NCITE, which is a designated DHS Center of Excellence. She said the experience proved meaningful as she was able to work with state political leaders to explain high-stakes research. UNO student Byron Moore, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in IT innovation, and from the University Honors Program, designed logos that have become common in Washington amid NCITE’s rising profile in national security circles. Some students were even asked to examine cell phones captured from ISIS members. When reflecting on her graduate assistantship and the opportunity to work with NCITE, O’Malley said, “It was a really fun and busy couple of months.” by Greg Kozol

WHEN DISAS STRIKES FARM

by Kent Walton

UNO-TRAINED RURAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE READY TO RESPOND As an Emergency Management major at UNO, Amanda Fox’s classroom lessons introduced her to the processes of preparing for a devastating emergency and how to formulate a recovery plan that can be put into action when a disaster strikes. But on the job as an emergency management specialist in rural Wisconsin, she quickly learned the realities of the unique threats to life and property that exist in farm country and the scarcity of critical resources that are often needed in an emergency.

STER M COUNTRY

Of the many resource shortages today’s rural emergency planners and first responders must contend with, perhaps the most critical is the lack of the up-to-date communication tools that can transmit regular and timely updates before, during and after a natural disaster or manmade emergency. Residents of the cities and suburbs have become accustomed to receiving audible alerts and text messages on their mobile phones when dangerous weather or an emergency threatens. But that isn’t an option for many residents of farms and small towns where highspeed internet access and cell phone service is often spotty at best. “Trying to reach people and get messages out was very difficult,” Fox said. “We had the warning sirens. We had TV and news and we had the radio and all those other things. But we also had this plan where the police cars were going to mount megaphones. They each

had their own specific route, and they were going to drive the route and just shout at people.” Her emergency management team even recruited a pilot who could fly a plane equipped with loudspeakers that would broadcast emergency messages in three languages as it flew over an area, Fox said. During one large flood that left several residents trapped in their homes, she said her team had to improvise to rescue people from the rising waters. Without access to trained water-rescue team, she had to make a call to a heavy equipment operator who was able to pluck people from their homes in the bucket of his front-end loader. Floods are a universal emergency that both rural and urban emergency managers must be prepared for. However, Fox said she also had to have plans ready to implement for some incidents that

“I think some people get into it because they think they want to be boots on the ground,” she said. “They think it’s going to be response. They think they’re going to be out there in the middle of the fun and the guts, and the glory and all that other stuff, and it’s so not that. You’re more like a stagehand. My theory is that if I am in the field, it is a bad day.” A typical day for someone in that “stagehand” role is often filled with developing plans, conducting training and tabletop exercises, community outreach and writing grant proposals. While those activities may not make for exciting headlines, Fox said they are her favorite part of the job.

IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WE ARE ALWAYS PREPARING FOR A DISASTER THAT MAY OR MAY NOT OCCUR. MOST PEOPLE WILL DIRECTLY FEEL THE IMPACT OF A TORNADO, FLOOD OR HURRICANE WITHIN THEIR LIFETIME. “I love to plan, and I like arranging things,” she said. “So, it’s really fun for me to be presented with a problem and have all of these resources that don’t necessarily fit. How can I make this work? And that’s fun. Problem solving is really cool.” Fox, who started college as an accounting major, credits her education at UNO for helping hone her skills and her passion for planning. John Bartle, dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, said much of the coursework in the Emergency Management program is heavily focused on preparing graduates for planning, risk mitigation and resource management.

were truly unique to a region that included a nuclear power plant and many large dairy farms. Waste from the dairy cows was often loaded into special trucks that were used to spray it onto cropland as a natural fertilizer. If those trucks were involved in accidents, it would cause their noxious contents to spill out into drainage ditches that ran into Lake Michigan, the area’s primary source of drinking water. “We had poop-filled ditches all the time,” Fox said. “So, we had this highly trained hazardous materials response team that was trained for nuclear disasters, and they were in there slopping poop out of the ditches.” The term “emergency management” may conjure up images of first responders rushing headlong into danger. But Fox said the reality of being an emergency manager is much different.

Students enrolled in the program can customize their degree by choosing two specialized concentrations from a list of 15 possibilities. Some of those areas include aviation administration; information technology and communication; natural disasters; planning and preparing for urban hazards; and public health. UNO also offers a unique concentration that gives participants an opportunity to earn an undergraduate certificate in Tribal Management and Emergency Services. Courses are offered oncampus and online, making it more readily available to people across the country. “[Tribal lands] of course tend to be very intensely rural areas,” Bartle said. “As you know, a lot of the land that many native tribes were given at the end, or were pushed onto I guess is more accurate, was the worst land. It was off river bottoms and so forth. So, these areas are more prone to disasters, flooding in particular. So, each tribe is supposed to have an emergency manager.”

Photo by Steve Steinhardt

Amanda Fox and colleague during a bus crash extrication drill.

With more than 450 tribes represented in North America, this concentration presents an opportunity for the UNO program to expand its impact and reach across the country. Nebraska has 93 counties, most of which are primarily rural. Because these counties are required to have emergency management services, students at UNO have many opportunities to gain real-world experience. “What we’re trying to do is provide a pipeline of students and graduates who are ready to be professionals in any of those contexts,” Bartle said. When a flood, tornado, fire or chemical spill strikes a rural area it’s common to have local, state, federal and nonprofit agencies all working together to help victims recover. UNO’s program prepares its students to coordinate communications and efforts to ensure these groups can work efficiently to mitigate damage and to help people recover.

“If they’re not cooperating, it’s not good; things aren’t going to work,” Fox said. “But if the people who are working there are graduates, and they have the understanding about how to make effective and durable, cooperation among organizations, then it might be better.” Nicholas Walsh, a 2014 graduate of the UNO program, currently serves as the Emergency Preparedness Manager for Methodist Health System in Omaha. Prior to joining Methodist, he held positions with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and a small county health department, where he worked on emergency planning and preparedness efforts. Walsh, who also earned a master’s degree in public administration from UNO in 2020, credits the school for providing a strong foundation of skills needed to succeed in the field, including public speaking, collaboration and critical thinking. Additionally, he said the program engaged the regional network of emergency managers across various sectors to instruct courses, which

Emergency Management students discuss how to apply skills learned in the classroom to real natural disasters.

WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS PROVIDE A PIPELINE OF STUDENTS AND GRADUATES WHO ARE READY TO BE PROFESSIONALS IN ANY OF THOSE CONTEXTS. provided him and the other students exposure to real-world experience that helped prepare him for the unique challenges emergency managers face today. “In Emergency Management, we are always preparing for a disaster that may or may not occur,” Walsh said. “Most people will directly feel the impact of a tornado, flood or hurricane within their lifetime.” Walsh said research shows memories of disasters fade relatively fast as life moves on. Consequently, encouraging people to plan and prepare for such events can be difficult and, at times, discouraging. The result is often under-funded programs lacking the resources and capabilities to engage in large-scale preparedness and mitigation actions. It’s also common, due to these restraints, to see an emergency manager balancing other duties such as firefighting, law enforcement and even weed control, Walsh said. While some of the responsibilities of a rural emergency manager may seem mundane at times, when a disaster such as the Missouri

River flood of 2011 and the 2019 “bomb cyclone” that flooded a vast swath of the state occurs, the job can instantly become exciting and challenging. During both those natural disasters, Walsh said he was able to put his knowledge and experience to the test as he worked around the clock to help save lives and protect resources. While he has taken his skills in a new direction in recent years with his move from rural emergency management to health care, he said he continues to find the rewards of his career to be plentiful. “Working in the healthcare field, the greatest reward is when, after collaboratively developing plans and response activities, our frontline personnel are able to maintain an excellent level of care for our patients,” Walsh said. “It is also extremely rewarding to see the end of a long project such as a safe room for a school, knowing that you have done your part to try and mitigate the risk to future generations.”

by Kevin Warneke

ON ANY GIVEN DAY DURING ANY GIVEN SEASON, DAVID MANNING CAN BE FOUND STUDYING WATER SAMPLES DRAWN FROM GLACIER CREEK. THE ECOLOGIST IS INTERESTED IN HOW WATER FROM THE CREEK TRANSPORTS CARBON, NUTRIENTS AND SEDIMENT. MANNING COLLABORATES WITH COLLEAGUE ANDREW MILLER TO EXAMINE HOW WATER THAT RUNS OFF AGRICULTURAL LAND DIFFERS FROM WATER RUNOFF FROM RESTORED PRAIRIE. MILLER, A CHEMIST, STUDIES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WATER QUALITY SUCH AS HOW ACIDIC AND HOW CLEAR THE WATER IS.

Tracy Coleman conducts research on snakes at the at Glacier Creek Preserve.

Their research laboratory is a 525-acre plot of 50-year-old restored prairie called Glacier Creek Preserve found on the outskirts of Omaha. Of special interest to Manning, Miller and their UNO research colleagues is the stream that runs through the preserve. This stream, which feeds the Papillion Creek and moves into the Missouri River, often serves as the focal point of their research. “Glacier Creek is a workhorse,’ said Manning, assistant professor of biology. “It allows us to paint a picture of what’s going on in the stream and how it is affected by land use in the watershed.” Dan Manning

Andrew Miller

The beauty of their outdoor workshop is its location — just a short drive from UNO’s campus in central Omaha. Motorists traveling along State Street northwest of Omaha may miss the subtle sign announcing Glacier Creek Preserve, which features an entire sub-watershed. The preserve is open to the public and hikers who travel along the preserve’s mowed paths can, by invoking a dose of imagination, visualize what the land looked like centuries ago by mentally eliminating power lines and other elements of modern times. The preserve’s vicinity to UNO also means its students– undergraduate and graduate–can participate in research projects, independently or with their instructors. “We’re training future scientists here at Glacier Creek,” said Ashlee Dere, associate professor of geology. “The location is basically in our backyard. It’s a perfect place to do work.” The preserve gives Nebraska a glimpse of what this land was like long ago, said Tracy Coleman, the preserve’s outreach and administrative specialist. “It’s a place for Nebraskans, who might just know cornfields and houses, to look at the natural heritage of this area.”

Ashlee Dere

The research conducted by a growing number of UNO investigators, although administered in the shadow of a metropolitan community, carries implications for the entire state, including Nebraska’s agricultural community.

Among the researchers’ findings that should capture the attention of agricultural experts in the region are:

• Prairie grass reduces soil runoff better than agricultureuse land. It also prevents nutrients from escaping soil into the stream.

The researchers rely on state-of-the-art instrumentation, thanks to funding from Douglas County, which sits at the bottom of the stream, to collect data for their water-quality studies. The Exo2 Sonde sports six sensor ports and another that serves as an anti-fouling wiper–a windshield wiper of sorts. This water-quality measuring instrument has been conducting readings every 15 minutes since 2017. The Sonde collects physical and chemical data, such as conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, ORP (oxygen reduction potential), turbidity and fDOM (fluorescent dissolved organic matter).

• Restoring the prairie to its previous state does not take centuries. Benefits to reducing soil erosion and boosting nutrient loading can be evident within a few generations.

Coleman, a biologist, helps track the reptiles, birds, fowl and insects that make the preserve their home. So far, they’ve recorded 130 species of birds, 350 types of plants and 56 types of butterflies,

• Restored prairie retains moisture better than land used solely for agriculture. It also more efficiently captures nutrients in the soil.

WE’RE TRAINING FUTURE SCIENTISTS HERE AT GLACIER CREEK. THE LOCATION IS BASICALLY IN OUR BACKYARD. IT’S A PERFECT PLACE TO DO WORK. While Manning and Miller focus on the steam’s water and what it carries, Dere, a geologist, is more interested in what is found in the soil, how it holds water and the way nutrients cycle through it. She studies the soil’s temperature, moisture, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. She has noticed water working through restored prairie contains less sediment than water running off purely agricultural-use land. The lesson learned is that within 50 years restored prairie has positive implications for water quality. “Geologists think of change in slow terms,” Dere said. “Here, the change has been pretty rapid.” The stream at Glacier Creek has a special feature–a fork. One branch moves through the restored land, while the other travels through the land used solely for agriculture. Manning notes the restored prairie has a bed of perennials between the land used for agriculture and the stream. Installing a grassy buffer of deep-rooted plants is a way farmers can decrease land erosion from their fields, he said.

including the elusive regal fritillary, known for its deep orange color and dark hindwings. “It’s only found in high-quality prairie.” UNO researchers also work on a 23-acre plot of land that hugs the Elkhorn River near 240th and Q streets. For years, biology professor Alan Kolok (now at the University of Idaho) has monitored the river’s health. He studies how much contamination in the river came from rural runoff, pesticides, animal steroids and industrial waste. More recently, researchers used the station to take water samples following the 2019 floods. They found high levels of silt and sediment in the water, Manning said. With funding, Manning said, researchers would like to determine how events such as flooding affect how the Elkhorn River moves soil to the Platte River and beyond. “These extreme events continue to occur, and we’d like to study their impact — in small streams such as Glacier Creek to larger rivers, like the Elkhorn.”

RURAL CRIMEST

TOPPERS by Lori Rice

TOM BARKER HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED HIS FIELD TRAINING PHASE AS A NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN DODGE COUNTY WHEN HE RECEIVED ONE OF HIS FIRST HIGH PRIORITY CALLS – A DISTURBANCE IN A VERY ISOLATED FARMHOUSE. UPON ARRIVAL, HE SUMMONED THE SUSPECT IN THE HOUSE BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. BARKER THEN HEARD RUSTLING NOISES FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE AND SUDDENLY THE SUSPECT RAN INTO A FIELD WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FIREARM. HE CALLED FOR BACKUP, BUT THERE WAS NO ONE CLOSE BY TO HELP. “IT WAS AN INTENSE FEELING THINKING I POTENTIALLY COULD BE FACING A FIREFIGHT WITH A SUSPECT ON MY OWN,” RECALLS BARKER.

THAT EXPOSURE GAVE ME AN ADVANTAGE WHEN I CAME HERE AND I QUICKLY WORKED MY WAY UP FROM ROAD PATROL TO PROPERT Y CRIME AND INTO THE MAJOR CRIMES UNIT. After taking a moment to gather his strategy, Barker began approaching the suspect and within moments he was surrounded by five state troopers ready to help. Together, the situation was resolved, the suspect was placed into custody and the discovered stolen materials were returned to their rightful owner. Policing is hard enough but can pose even more challenges when you look at the many responsibilities officers face in smaller departments within rural settings driving across large geographical distances. “You run the risk of not having back up quickly in an emergency. You may have to handle things yourself, which can be dangerous,” says Barker, who graduated in 2011 with a degree in criminal justice. Although Barker received back up help in this instance, staffing shortages are one of the many challenges facing officers in rural towns. There are often fewer officers due to issues like budget constraints and the inability to compete with urban salaries. There also is often a lack of mental health counseling and resources. “We hear from agencies all the time who want to hire our students that it can be a challenge to hire people back to the rural communities they grew up in,” says Gaylene Armstrong, director of UNO’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. In smaller agencies, Armstrong points out, you often have to be a jack of all trades which allows you exposure to all kinds of things that can be exciting for a new career and lead to more opportunities. “The advantage was you knew everyone like you knew your own family,” says Barker. “There was never a question whether someone was going to have your back.” Barker is now a homicide investigator in Charlotte County Florida, where he quickly advanced through the ranks and credits his experience in Dodge County with giving him the tools to advance his career. “I had exposure investigating everything from property crimes to violent crimes,” says Barker of his time as a road patrol Photo courtesy of Platte Basin Timelapse

43 deputy in Dodge County. “That exposure gave me an advantage when I came here and I quickly worked my way up from road patrol to property crime and into the major crimes unit.” With a program that boasts approximately 900 undergraduate students and 150 graduate students, and spans two campuses – both in Omaha and Lincoln – UNO’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is increasingly being recognized as one of the top criminal justice programs in the country. Armstrong says one area of focus is encouraging rural and out-of-state internship placements to bolster job placement throughout Nebraska. “We’ve been encouraging all kinds of agencies to partner with us to have those internships so they can not only go back and see their family during the summer, but they can also gain experience and connect with individuals form their home communities as a professional and that opens the door for employment,” says Armstrong. There is a tremendous opportunity, she says, and also a need, from criminal justice agencies and organizations that work with at-risk populations in the community. Often times people think of criminal justice only as police officers or those who work in correctional facilities, says Armstrong. The reality, she says, is it’s really a service profession with a vast number of opportunities available to students ranging from law enforcement to social services to prevention efforts and policymaking. For Travis Shepler, who received his master’s in public administration from UNO in 2019, it was never a question of what direction his career would take. An avid fisherman and hunter, it was only natural that he pursue a career in conservation. He started his career in conservation law enforcement in the state of Missouri in the early 2000’s, patrolling rural areas and state parks throughout the state. Shepler is now the assistant division manager for the law enforcement division with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “When you look at the work that a conservation officer does, I like to think of it in two lenses,” says Shepler. “One of those lenses is just protecting natural resources. Managing those populations so that those wildlife and fish population are around for generations to come. The other lens is public safety.” Josh Widhelm, a conservation officer with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, earned his degree in criminal justice from UNL in 2016. Widhelm enjoys the diversity of the job. “Every day is different. I don’t think I’ve had the same day twice. There’s always something different happening,” he says. Though they use all sorts of equipment unique to patrolling rural areas – 4-wheel drive pickups, ATV’s, boats equipped with night scan sonar, kayaks, air boats, and electronic bikes to name a few – one of the best tools are the people in the communities. “One of the best pieces of equipment we have is the public,” says Widhelm, whose territory includes three counties and approximately 2,700 square miles to patrol. “People calling us and letting us know of violations. We can’t be in all the places at once. It takes me two and half hours to get from one side of my patrol to the other.” As a wildlife conservation officer, Widhelm focuses on working game law, checking on hunting and fishing licenses and investigating

Nebraska Game and Parks conservation officer Josh Widhelm with deer skulls he seized in Morril County.

violations, inspecting permits and monitoring boating regulations, along with assisting state patrol and local law enforcement agencies when needed. “When people violate our regulations, it can damage our long-term interest. That’s what we are ultimately trying to accomplish, to have those resources and to have the wildlife and hunting opportunities for my kids, and for my grandkids and great grandkids, so they can go out and enjoy the same things I got to enjoy. When people violate, it damages those opportunities,” says Widhelm. While the most common illegal activities that Widhelm finds are fishing and park regulation violations such as with hunting without permission and trespassing complaints, Widhelm has seen an increase in what is often viewed as more traditionally urban crimes, including narcotics. “A lot of my wildlife cases in the past two years also involved some sort of illegal controlled substance,” says Widhelm. “Whether it be possession or distribution amounts or even manufacturing, we are seeing a common correlation between wildlife crimes and illegal drugs/controlled substances.” Wildlife officers also face many of the same challenges that their counterparts in law enforcement do; often dealing with staffing and budget issues. “We have the fewest amounts of conservation officers in the surrounding states. Our average patrol area is over 1,700 miles,” explains Widhelm. “There’s definitely not enough of us.” Despite the challenges, the officers find great reward and satisfaction with the service they provide to the communities they live in. “If I can enforce those wildlife crimes while also doing these other things that might better my community and the communities around us, it makes me really happy,” says Widhelm.

CLASS NOTES

CLASS NOTES 69 39

HELEN MABREY (BS) sadly passed away on January 31, 2022, at the age of 102. Helen was a University of Omaha graduate in 1939. She had five children, eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Her love of learning was passed on to many generations and includes several University of Nebraska system graduates.

DONALD M. GIBSON (BFA) was a Jr. High Art Teacher for 11 years, and then started his own painting and decorating business in 1973. After owning it for 40 years, his son took over the business. During his career, he was also a professional cartoonist and sold cartoons to many various papers and magazines. Presently, he creates a monthly cartoon for the UNO Alumni Association’s social media pages, as well as a bi-monthly cartoon for the senior living home where he lives. Don is 93 and has no intention of slowing down.

CAPTAIN JAMES F. BARD, JR, USAF, RETIRED (BGS) says, “I’ve made it to age 85. One thing that aided me in longevity is peace of mind after finally graduating at 32. UNO was wholly responsible for me attaining my goal. Thank you, UNO.” jimbardjr@comcast.net

RICHARD D. BROWN (BS, MS) won the Nebraska American Legion’s District 8 Distinguished Service Award for his 30 years of participation in the Legion’s high school student oratorical-scholarship competition. His students participated in the competition at Millard South from 1992 up until his early retirement in 2009. Since 2009, he has coached speech and debate at Creighton Prep where his students have won four state championships. The contest focuses on the history, development and current issues of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. rdanfordbrown@aol.com

WILLIAM (BILL) STEINKAMP (BGS) had to replace both hips and got three vertebrae fused in 2021. He said, “I’m doing so much better and more able to get around.” He has three grandkids, a daughter-inlaw and son who watch over him continually. William’s wife had her legs amputated due to circulation. He says, “Her quality of life is of the utmost importance.” dpslnaa@msn.com

VIVETTE J. ASHEN-BRENNER (BS) graduated in ‘74 with a degree in Elementary Education and Performing Arts. After moving to Salina, Kansas in ‘75 she found herself at YWCA working as Director where she initiated preschool programs, exercise and dance classes. After leaving the YWCA 48 years ago, she opened a dance studio. She recently sold her building and moved into a community center housed in a former Masonic Temple – a more than 100-year-old landmark! She teaches kids 2-12 and still loves it. She’s also winding up a 17-year career as an elementary substitute teacher. Vivette says, “I was just born to teach, and I use many of the skills I learned in the education, theatre and dance departments at UNO.” Her and her husband Sid have been married for 38 years and have one daughter, Lisette, who works at a medical clinic in Lenexa. vivettesdance@hotmail.com

BILL HALLMAN (BS) retired as Chief Financial Officer of Consolidated Casting Corporation in 2019 after working there for 20 years. He led the company through a buyout by Signicast LLC in 2018. He now plays about 50 games a year in the senior softball league and hosts a weekly board game group at his house. His board game collection has about 150 games – much less than some of his friends. He also loves to spend time with his wife, his four dogs and his 17 grandchildren. He says, “my UNO accounting degree served me well and opened doors for me on the way to the top.” bill.hallman@sbcglobal.net ALLAN VORDA (MA) wrote “Talk Talk: Interviews with Writers,” a collection of interviews with 27 writers that includes Nobel, NBA, Pulitzer, Booker and Hugo winners. The book will publish July 29, 2022, by TCU Press. He would like to thank some of my graduate teachers at UNO, especially Dr. Michael Skau and Dr. John McKenna, for opening worlds in literature that he knew existed. avacoldrooms@gmail.com MARK NICHOLSON (BS) has been leading an organization of volunteers for the US Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol. Their mission is to locate missing aircraft and conduct photoreconnaissance with aircraft and ground team coordinated efforts. This involves search and rescue and disaster relief. nichmark@hotmail.com

CLASS NOTES

ANDREA KING (BM, MM) is retiring at the end of the ’21-’22 school year, concluding 30 years of being a band instructor. She feels lucky to be in her chosen career that she studied at UNO. Her future plans include travel with her daughter, one in Colorado Springs and one in Boston. a_king81@yahoo.com

AILEEN WARREN (BSW, MSW) was named ICAN’s President and CEO by its Board of Directors. Warren has been involved with the organization since 1996. She says, “I am extremely excited about the opportunity. I feel my history with ICAN as well as my professional experiences provide me a unique perspective to lead and grow this dynamic organization.” aileen@icanleaders.org

ROD MULLEN (BA, BS) was honored with the 2022 History Nebraska Excellence in Teaching Award from History Nebraska. History Nebraska annually recognizes people that provide significant contributions to the preservation and interpretation of Nebraska history.

CHARLES O. MCGAVREN (MBA) is in his fourth year of an undergraduate program majoring in Studio Art with an emphasis on two-dimensional art. He says, “It has been a great 30 years using all my skills acquired in the UNO College of Business Administration. Now, I’ve discovered a wealth of expertise, postretirement, offered to students by our College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media. UNO is a great place to start a new career!” cmcgavren@sprynet.com

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CLASS NOTES

LAURA LYNN SANZONE (MS) has been living in Walnut, IA for about 20 years and loves it. She has a home studio and is involved with her art daily. She says, “Life is good!” claypotz@walnutel.net

JAMES F. WEBERG (BS) is a Probation/Parole Officer II and has been working with the 4th Judicial DistrictDepartment of Correction Services in Iowa since 1999.

TOM TWEEDY (BS) made the switch to making cell-based meats at Upside Foods after 19 years in the brewing industry. Tom says, “If I can help you break into the professional brewing world, or if you’re into sustainable food streams, please reach out!” tatweedy@gmail.com

03 14

SANDRA KAY RENNER (BA) is excited to announce her oldest child will be a Maverick in the Fall of 2022! sandra.renner1@gmail.com

QUINN EATON (BS) received a 2021 Pro Bono Leader Award from the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. quinn.eaton@jacksonlewis.com

JORDAN RELFORD (BA) has a lifelong career in Taekwondo competition and school ownership. Along with teaching and coaching his Taekwondo students of all ages at Relford Martial Arts in LaVista, NE, Relford continues competition in the sport on international, national, regional and local levels. In the summer of 2021, Relford competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) senior national team trials, where he earned a first-place gold medal and a spot on the AAU national team. He has also worked with UNO Taekwondo teachers and students. ver25@netzero.com

ROBIN RICHARDS (BA) Since graduating in 2015, Richards has been working for the Nebraska Arts Council as their Business Manager and as the Accessibility Coordinator for Fine Arts Projects in Nebraska through the National Endowment for the Arts. Richards also serves on the Ralston Public Schools Board of Education as the Vice President. “I am extremely proud of my service on this board, having lived in Ralston the majority of my life, watching my kids go through the same school system as two other generations of my family have is priceless. This service to my community has lit a fire in my belly cont. page 48

CLASS NOTES

12 Vaughan Wehr Fischer BACHELOR OF ARTS 2012, MAJOR: HISTORY, MINOR: EDUCATION MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 2021, MAJOR: PUBLIC POLICY I graduated from UNO last year with a graduate degree in public administration. While still in school, I took my newly educated self out west! I am now living on a ranch in the middle of the Nebraska Sandhills, 30 miles south of the city of Valentine. After living my entire life in cities like Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Omaha, etc., this is a whole new world for me.

Before relocating, I could not imagine what life out in rural Nebraska would be like. I assumed lots of cowboy hats, plenty of cows and wideopen spaces. I was right about all of that, but it’s also so much more. My move to rural Nebraska was full of surprises. I do have to thank UNO for helping me immerse myself in my new life. UNO’s goal of “community engagement” opened the door for me to work with my new community. Many of my graduate classes required me to engage in different areas of public administration in my new hometown. It all cultivated to my capstone project, which I did with the aid of the City of Valentine Economic Development Board. The relationships I built during that project still help me today. I originally sought to earn my graduate degree to help me in my current job, which deals with governmental outreach. What I got was so much more. I was still able to use my degree to help my career, but it also connected me to my new surroundings. Here are some things I have learned. Life in rural Nebraska is different in small ways. For instance, getting around was a culture shock. Commuting is longer, the traffic is slower and there are stretches of unobstructed land for miles. You can often see a storm 50 miles away! Instead of watching for pedestrians, I must watch for cows crossing the road. In rural Nebraska, cattle always have the right of way. This makes me late for everything. When I lived in Omaha, I would always leave my house five minutes later than I needed to. To make up the time, I would speed, swerve, and take short cuts. Now, if I leave my house five minutes later than

I need to, I’m 15 minutes late. I have to factor in closed cattle gates, braking for deer at all hours of the day and driving slow behind tractors. While driving here was a culture shock, I wasn’t prepared for the innate sense of community in this rural area. Everyone in a 100-mile radius heard I was moving to Cherry County. The welcome I received (and continue to receive) is something out of a Hallmark movie. This sense of neighborly welcome and kindness is not unique to just me. If any biker, trucker, or car is passing through and breaks down, you will be sure to see a 66-county plate passerby right next to them giving them a helping hand. Even more unique is the rancher community in the Sandhills. Ranching isn’t a job – it is a lifestyle. This group of people works hard. Whether it’s haying from noon until 3:00 a.m., checking newborn calves throughout the night or setting to work before daylight, ranchers truly never have an end to their day and there are no days off. These ranchers come home every day sweaty, tired and with a sense of pride that only comes from hard work. Another surprise about my new life is the endless beauty. The view outside of my living room window is a Monet. The rolling sandhills on Highway 83 look like an ocean with rolling waves of grass. My absolute favorite thing to do is hop on a four-wheeler and move cattle from one pasture to the next. Who knew that a shushing sound makes a cow move forward?! In conclusion, nothing could have truly prepared me for what was to come in my move to rural Nebraska, but UNO helped me in the transition. As far as my new rural lifestyle – I wouldn’t change a thing.

CLASS NOTES to do more so I am running for Legislative District 12’s seat down in Lincoln. I am excited at this opportunity to serve my community on a larger scale,” says Richards. JAKE WHITE (BA) has taken the leap into entrepreneurship with a franchise called Footprints Floors, a contracting business that provides flooring installation, floor refinishing, tiling and shower remodel work. Jake served at Offutt AFB before starting his flooring business in Colorado and offering partnerships to others like himself. Recently, he was awarded for being the “bestreviewed owner” within the franchise system of 79 current franchisees. He has focused on over-communicating, quality of work and being a hands-on owner throughout projects. Jake says, “Hi graduation class of 2015! I wish you all nothing but success in your current careers!” jwhite@footprintsfloors.com RACHEL BROWNLEE (BS) expanded her skillset from an award-winning student, software engineer and entrepreneur to include becoming an internationally awarded western artist. In the past year, she has won several awards including the prestigious Weighorst Award Best of Show from the Mountain Oyster Club Art Sale in Tucson, AZ. Her work consists of highly realistic charcoal drawings of western life in Nebraska. Her website is rachelbrownlee.com. rachel.l.brownlee@gmail.com

ALLYSHIA BROWN (BS) is now working at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium as a bioinformatician in the conservation genetics lab. She came across the job on her infant son’s first visit to the zoo four years after her graduation. She was shocked to find a bioinformatics job in Omaha that would let her skills shine. She says, “Some things in life are worth waiting for and they’ll creep up on you in the most unexpected way!” allyshia.brown@gmail.com

WILLIAM HOWARD HOFFMANN (BA) moved back to his hometown in Longmont, CO and joined his brother in a company he started called Campworks (campworksco. com). They built their first camper out of wood from their dad’s garage, and now they have 10+ employees, a shop they call their own and 25+ customers. William says, “We love what we build and hope that we can share it with as many people as possible. Hope the rest of you are doing well and GO MAVS!” whh.hoffman@gmail.com

RENEE STEWART (BS) “Don’t ever be afraid to step outside your comfort zone some of the best outcomes in life come from taking chances make sure they are great ones!”

PAÚL MARCELO LOJA PRADO (MA) was awarded First Prize-winner in the Charleston International Music Competition’s 2021 Romantic Music Competition in Charleston, SC. Prado holds a Master of Music in Flute Performance from the University of

Nebraska at Omaha under the guidance of Dr. Christine Erlander Beard; a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Cuenca in Ecuador and a Bachelordiploma certificate from the National Conservatory of Music “Jose Maria Rodriguez” Cuenca, Ecuador. paulmarcelo18@hotmail.com LARRY BOLINGER (BS) is a candidate for Nebraska Attorney General Nebraska. His platform focuses on law reform and programs that reduce recidivism. He also volunteers with the Volunteer in Police Services (VIPS) and Activate Alliance, helping people stay active and addressing public safety issues. Through Activate Alliance, Bolinger helped form a bike share program in which more than 40 bikes have been donated, repaired and painted. lb@LarryBolinger.com ADRIAN KORDELLE CARPENTER (BA) is working as a production artist for Battle Sports, a freelance artist and as a comic artist and character designer. He says, “I would like to thank my professor, Russ Nordman, who suggested I apply with them! Thank you, professor! I’m pretty much living the dream!”

HIRING PART-TIME TEACHER ASSISTANTS

For more information call the UNO Child Care Center at 402.554.3398

CLASS NOTES COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY CLASS NOTES

MARY LYONS-CARMONA (BA, MA) is combining her job at Eastern Nebraska Office On Aging delivering Meals on Wheels in North Omaha with her love of Omaha Habitat for Humanity doing volunteer speaking gigs for them. mlyonscarmona@msn.com

DEBORAH NEARY (MA) has enjoyed serving as an elected official on the Nebraska State Board of Education since 2018. She is grateful for the opportunity to work closely with the UNO Department of Education in this role. deborahneary1@gmail.com

MICHAEL CORNICK (MA) served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a 2nd Lieutenant for the 807th Medical Command from 2010-11. For the past ten years he has worked for the Brigham Young University-Idaho as the Career and Academic Advising Coordinator for the College of Performing and Visual Arts and adjunct-faculty member teaching for the Departments of Humanities and Philosophy, Art and Theatre. He teaches humanities, art history, history of photography and film. cornick@att.net

JOHN EVERETT CASE (MA) lives in Lincoln, NE with his family and works at Q2 as an Implementation Engineer. He also teaches History at York College as an Adjunct Instructor. johneverettcase@gmail.com

SEND US A CL ASS NOTE

TELL US YOUR GOOD NEWS! We want to celebrate your accomplishments in our digital and print communications. unoalumni.org/unoclassnote

IN MEMORIAM Deceased alumni reported to the UNO Alumni Association or University of Nebraska Foundation between November 5, 2021 and May 12, 2022. We extend our condolences to the family and friends of these graduates.

1939 Helen M. Mabrey 1944 Marjorie J. Goldsmith 1947 Evelyn R. Kletke 1948 William T. McCague Norma L. McKeehan 1950 Marion S. Maddocks Loral W. Barlow 1951 Joseph A. Macchietto Joann Malec 1953 P. Richard Jenkins 1954 Helen E. Blitman 1955 June M. Murty Frank W. Pazlar Charles R. Schetzer Mary E. Hogarth Wayne J. Tannahill Robert A. Stratbucker 1956 Marc E. Anthony George H. Lang Steven A. Schwid 1957 Herbert D. Penner Gordon M. Doeschot 1958 C. James Madden Donald E. Rokusek 1960 Benny R. Powell Dale D. Garman Glenn E. Magnuson Ivo G. Suing 1961 Thomas J. Hultquist Craig C. Royston William S. Poppleton 1962 Gerald E. Hughes Carole J. Jeffrey 1963 Lyle H. McFarlin James D. Thompson Kenneth L. Ablett Sandra K. Caniglia 1964 Dean E. Meisinger William J. Hunt Mary Guin Knoll Richard N. Miller Charles H. Ott Donald D. Seaman 1965 George T. MacDonald Richard L. Coover Richard W. Greenlee

Dwight H. Lewis Raymond C. Vodicka Patricia I. Brinkman Marilyn L. Kennedy 1966 Alice M. Krieger Laurence H. Potts 1967 Manuel Gonzales Elton J. Grapes Robert L. Whitehouse Silas W. Bass Dorothy Higgins Thomas H. Webster H. Jerry Harris David C. Watkins Philip R. Scoggin 1968 Harlan W. Priesman Mary L. Kenworthy Michael A. Nelsen Wayne F. Palmer James Sinclair Robert J. Zotti Judith A. Nelson Marvin J. Bratka Joseph F. Fiala 1969 George K. Royce Virgil J. Jochimsen Carol A. Keefover Richard B. Ulmer John E. Ford Carol L. Hiddleston 1970 Richard G. Bennett Dorothy M. Higby Philip Humbert Michael R. Wilmot 1971 Charles D. Porter Frank P. Montague Phyllis F. Mcmullen Kenneth I. Kaufmann Charles F. Asmus Robert C. Hill Pamela M. McGuire Antonette Roberts John W. Salmons Erwin A. Sharp John R. Pribramsky Mary K. Sullivan Sharon K. Toney 1972 Jerry A. Brandon Deborah L. Hayek George J. Kalil M. Danenhauer Garth C. Dawson

1973 Richard A. Riederer Milford S. Johnson Leon G. Benschoter Charles McNulty 1974 Donald E. Schuler G. Kollman John S. Robish Allen Taylor Carl A. Ciciulla Gail T. Herbst Kenneth T. Roussel 1975 Francisco L. Alton Robert B. Longacre Timothy R. McElroy Stephanie K. Petersen David A. Powell 1976 Robert A. Blanchard Edward E. Chevalier Robert N. Darling Warren A. Hedrick Robert E. Holmberg Robert G. Pospisil Paula Russell Wallace Gant 1977 Royce D. Booe James E. Lafavor Jack J. White John J. Ferry 1978 Wanda F. Utecht Annette R. Conser Daniel S. Hill Suzanne E. Norton 1979 A. Dargantes Lloyd L. Fitch John W. Hayden Raymond J. Hegarty Keith E. Siemek 1980 Virginia L. Gerhardt Bruce C. Winter A. Welshinger 1981 Terry J. Maly 1982 Nancy A. Bauer Joyce L. Gardner 1983 Joseph E. Dervin Katherine A. Saniuk Robert C. Stuberg 1984 Daniel J. Hanson Patrick D. Mountjoy Debra L. Strevey Cathy J. Wilson 1985 Linda M. Dowd Ann L. Fricke

1986 Elena J. Dameron Linda M. Kaczmarek Stephen W. Reynolds Mary M. Huliska Phillip C. Schack 1987 Whitney C. Bonifant 1988 Don P. Kraft G. Thurmond 1990 Robert S. Allen Martin P. Greco Frank Kokotajlo Beth A. Orton Louis R. Wells 1991 Marcella J. Michaud 1992 Barbara L. Englund W. Sutherland Mary B. Higer 1993 Harriet M. Birkel Gloria M. Northam 1995 Kerry L. Beldin Debra J. Stranberg 1996 Chad M. Kidder 1997 Justin M. Hall 1998 John Naujokaitis 1999 Patricia K. Samson John G. Wilen 2000 Brett A. Cook 2001 Dillon M. Emerson David J. Larrick 2006 Amanda K. Schook Sara A. Zimmerman Matthew T. Kucks 2007 Mary B. Fisher 2011 LuAnn M. Soderling M. Whitney 2012 Cory D. Schall 2013 Kara A. Mueller 2014 Taylor S. Hansen

CLASS NOTES

Remembering UNO Chancellor Ronald Roskens Former Chancellor Ronald W. Roskens, Ph.D. passed away on Sunday, February 27, 2022, at the age of 89. Roskens, who served as UNO’s chancellor from 1972 to 1977 before serving as president of the University of Nebraska System until 1989, has had an incredible, lasting impact on the university – stretching half a century; his involvement continued all the way up until his passing. “The life of Ronald Roskens teaches us valuable lessons of what it means to be a part of a community,” UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., said. From significant campus growth following the university’s merger with the University

of Nebraska just years prior, to enhancing UNO’s metropolitan mission, to expanding the campus’ international footprint, Roskens provided stability as well as forward-looking vision for UNO during otherwise unstable times in the 1970s. “Ron spent much of his career in education, and after serving as chancellor of UNO he went on to become the longest-serving president of the NU System,” NU System President Ted Carter said. “His footprint includes the building at UNO that bears his name, where we help prepare future generations of Nebraska educators.”

In Memory of Bob Whitehouse Robert “Bob” Whitehouse, a UNO alumnus and Regent Emeritus of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, passed away on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at the age of 77. Earning his master’s degree in secondary school administration from UNO 1971, Whitehouse remained engaged with the campus during his 47-year career as a local educator and advocate for student access, educational affordability, and academic research programs. “It would be an understatement to say Regent Whitehouse put students first,” UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, said. Beginning as a teacher and coach at Omaha Central High School in 1967, Whitehouse later served in various administrative posts at Omaha South High School, including as assistant principal, before becoming principal of Bryan Middle School in 1983. He held that post until 1987 when he became principal of Bryan High School – a position he served in for 13 years before retiring in 2000. After his retirement, Whitehouse became an active member of the UNO faculty

as an adjunct professor in the College of Education (now College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) before being elected to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents in 2006 and remained a Regent, serving twice as chairman, until stepping down in 2018. “Bob was a public servant in every sense of the word,” NU System President Ted Carter said. “In each of his many roles – teacher, coach, principal, regent, volunteer – he approached every task with the singular goal of making a positive difference for students and our communities.” Whitehouse was recognized for his accomplishments across the city, state, and UNO campus. He earned the UNO Alumni Association’s Citation for Alumni Achievement in 2007 and was presented an Award of Distinction in 2019 by UNO’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. In addition, he was a supporter of UNO’s Certified Public Manager program, often attending graduations to congratulate newly accredited civil servants. He was also a dedicated fan of Omaha Athletics, a regular at Maverick hockey and basketball games.

FUTURE ALUMS

O BABY! WELCOME TO THE MAVERICK FAMILY

Since 1991, the UNO Alumni Association has given more than 2,000 free shirts and bibs to the children and grandchildren of UNO graduates. Get your future alum an O BABY! shirt when you submit a birth announcement within your child’s first year at unoalumni.org/futurealums. Lucy W. Deever, daughter of RONI MCCLELLEN (2016) and DANIEL DEEVER (2014) of Ames, IA

Juno Hằng Marie Nguyen, daughter of MARIE SCHELLENBERGER NGUYEN (2012, 2013, 2020) and Joachim Nguyen of Omaha

Delaney Frost, daughter of MARQUISHA SPENCER (2013, 2014) and DelAngelo Frost of Warner Robins, GA

Kevin Lee Nieto, III, son of JESSICA (MUHLE) NIETO (2017, 2011) and Kevin Nieto of Bellevue, NE

Miles Drew Gould, son of LESLIE KLUSAW (2015) and JOHN GOULD (2012) of Omaha

Breece Allen Page, son of MADISON MEAD (2018) and JACOB PAGE (2018) of Glenwood, IA

Hazel Marie Helgenberger, daughter of SHEENA KENNEDY (2008) and Brett Helgenberger of Elkhorn, NE

Delanie Harper Palmer, daughter of DEANNA (HAYES) PALMER (2012, 2022) and Drew Palmer of Tekamah, NE

Henry Willis Hellman, son of LAUREN HELLMAN (2009) and BLAINE HELLMAN (2014) of Bennington, NE ,

Wesley Reed Perry, son of Emily Perry and Griffin Perry of Omaha and grandson of Duane Severson and KAREN SEVERSON (1985) of Norfolk, NE

Nova Marie Henion, daughter of JACOB HENION (2010, 2017) and Shelby Marie Henion of Round Rock, TX Ireland Rose Wakin, daughter of ALLISON (MEIER) WAKIN (2006, 2009) and Andrew Wakin of Omaha

Milena Lee Anderson, daughter of TERRELL ANDERSON (2006) and Jamyla Mitchell of Missouri City, TX, and grand, daughter of ROGER W. SAYERS (1973) and Annette Sayers of Omaha Charlotte Olivia Bradley, daughter of Ahnika Bradley and Garrett Bradley of Kearney, Nebraska, and granddaughter of LINDA (JENSEN) SEABERG (1987, 1993) of Omaha Harper Lee Bukacek, daughter of TIFFANY BUKACEK (2022) and BENJAMIN BUKACEK (2011) of Papillion, NE Catherine Charlotte Cash, daughter of JORDAN TIMOTHY CASH (2011) and KIMBERLY BRENNAN (2012) of Woodway, TX and granddaughter of THOMAS NEGLEY (1980) and Kara Goos Negley of La Vista, NE.

Lucy Mae Hill, daughter of BAILEY HILL (2019) and CODY HIML (2018) of Logan, IA Mason James Husk, son of SAMANTHA (PLEAKE) HUSK (2010) and Josh Husk of Omaha Eshaan Arjun Iyer, son of KAVYA SATHYANARAYANA (2017) and Kavya Sathyanarayana of Omaha Greenley Joann Jackson, daughter of AMANDA JACKSON (2020) and Brentton Jackson of Council Bluffs, IA Michael Johnson lll, son of MICHAEL JOHNSON LL (2021) and Morgan Johnson of Omaha

Liliana Rose Peters, daughter of HANNAH (LOPEZ) PETERS (2017, 2019) and Kristian Peters of Bellevue, NE Owen Ross Preister, son of CORY PREISTER (2010) and JILL GIGLIODORO (2005) of Omaha Amara Jade Rico-Vlasnik, daughter of Jefferson Vlasnik and Jazmin Rico-Vlasnik of Gretna, NE and grand, daughter of ROBERT VLASNIK (1990) of Omaha and SANDRA (GRAHAM) VLASNIK (1989, 2013) of Gretna, NE Blaire Elizabeth Robertson, daughter of Scott Robertson and Jenna Robertson of Milton, Ontario and grand, daughter of TOM ROBERTSON (1990) and Cathy Robertson of Lincoln, NE

Hazel Joy Ludes, daughter of EVAN LUDES (2015) and Sarah Ludes of Rapid City, SD

Mia Gabriela Romero, daughter of JACKELIN PORTILLO (2020) and Erik Romero of Edwards, CA

Violet Elizabeth Maloley, daughter of EMILY (SEYBERT) MALOLEY (2005) and Thomas Maloley of Omaha

Reginald Victor Graham Ross, son of ABIGAIL GRAHAM (2021) and Matthew Ross of Lincoln, NE

Tobin Soule McCoy, son of PETER L. SMAGACZ (1987) and Diane Smagacz of Omaha

Lena Marie Swanson, daughter of REBECCA SWANSON (2020) and Don Swanson of Omaha

Eden Kim Choi, son of JUNGYEON CHOI (2022) and Juhee Kim of Omaha

Ziva Mendoza, daughter of DULCE CORDERO (2021) and Andrew Cordero of Omaha

Maya Marie Ulrich, daughter of SARAH CZERWINSKI (2019) and Benjamin Ulrich of Omaha

Landon James Coffey, son of Amanda Schulte-Smith and Justice Coffey of Omaha, and grandson of SCOTT J. SMITH (1994) of St. Louis, MO and JENNIFER WITCOFSKI SCHULTE (1997) of Omaha

Galilea Valentina Mercado, daughter of SAMANTHA LOPEZ (2021) of Missouri Valley, IA

Ireland Rose Wakin, daughter of ALLISON (MEIER) WAKIN (2006, 2009) and Andrew Wakin of Omaha

Micah Mick, daughter of MATT MICK (2012) and Amy Powell (2011) of Lincoln, NE

Bernadette Clare Cyboron, daughter of JUSTIN CYBORON (2016) and Shannan Cyboron of Council Bluffs, IA

Clive and Logan Wilson, sons of BETHANY RAGAN (2011) and Matthew Wilson of Omaha

Brooks Waylon Neill, son of ASHLEY KILDOW NEILL (2015) and Trent Neill of Omaha, NE

Kian Fitzpatrick, son of BRIAN FITZPATRICK (2005) and Kathleen Mae Fitzpatrick of Omaha and grandson of GERALD FITZPATRICK (1969) and FRANI (HEREK) FITZPATRICK (1969) of Omaha

Nyra Daiya, daughter of HARSH DAIYA (2016) and Hardika Muni of Bennington, NE

Harvey James Nelson, son of MEGAN SCHMITZ NELSON (2011, 2014) and MATT NELSON (2011) of Omaha

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

A LOOK AT HAPPENINGS ON AND OFF CAMPUS LOVE IS … MAVERICKS IN LINCOLN UNO students, faculty and staff joined their peers in the State Capitol Building March 24 for “I Love NU” Day — the University of Nebraska System’s annual day of advocacy. Mavericks spent the afternoon connecting with NU system counterparts, meeting with legislators, and telling the UNO story. “Making connections in the community and our state is central to everything that we do at UNO,” said Student Body President/Student Regent and Honors Program student Maeve Hemmer. “Every conversation and interaction at ‘I Love NU’ Day led to new relationships that will help us advance our university’s mission.”

INVESTED IN THE INVESTITURE On March 11, students, faculty and staff celebrated the investiture of Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, as UNO’s 16th chancellor. With a theme of “Honor the Journey, Inspire the Future,” Chancellor Li used the opportunity to not just celebrate UNO’s history, but make clear that the university’s first 114 years were only the beginning.

OMAHA’S DRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE, ADAPTABILITY, AND COLLABORATIVE SERVICE TO COMMUNITY, COMBINED WITH THE AMAZING HISTORY OF PHILANTHROPY AND PARTNERSHIP MADE MY CHOICE TO JOIN UNO EASY. HERE, I FEEL DEEPLY CONNECTED TO WHAT UNO STANDS FOR. HERE, I AM HOME. CHANCELLOR LI

Among the many dignitaries on hand was Viv Ewing, first vice chair of the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors.

HAVING SEEN CHANCELLOR LI AT WORK, I AM CONFIDENT THAT SHE WILL INSPIRE US TO FORM AND FULFILL A NEW VISION FOR THE UNIVERSITY. WITH HER AT THE HELM, ALREADY OUR STEP HAS QUICKENED. AND SHE HAS CHALLENGED US WITH VERY AMBITIOUS GOALS THAT WE WANT TO MEET. VIV EWING

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

TRUE COLORS UNO’s Indian Student Association made a colorful return to campus April 9 when it once again hosted Holi, the Festival of Colors in the Pep Bowl. The ancient Indian festival of colors celebrates spring, new life and diversity, with colors representing tolerance, camaraderie and equality.

SERVING UP BIOMECHANIC EVALS UNO women’s volleyball players participated in a new biomechanics evaluation in the Gait Lab on January.

CELEBRATING ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE UNO’s Office of Multicultural Affairs kicked off Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in April with a performance by Kokyo Taiko, a Japanese drum group. The performers displayed Wadaiko, a thunderous, Japanese style of drumming.

BOPPIN’ AT BAXTER The annual Maverick Productions spring concert was back and better than ever with MavPro Palooza April 7 at Baxter Arena. Headliners included Tai Verdes, Waka Flocka Flame and Flo Milli.

ELECTRONIC CONSTITUENT Congressman Don Bacon visited the College of Information Science and Technology on April 21 with an up-close look at Pepper the Robot.

SPRING SPRUNG It came later than usual, but when it did, Spring brought brilliant colors back to campus in late April.

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

CAMPUS LIFE

DON GIBSON

KNOWLEDGE

All but one of these states has a panhandle. Which one is the odd one out? Alaska Colorado

Florida Idaho

Oklahoma Texas

WORDPLAY

Below are three words that have more than one anagram each. See how many you can find. EARRING

TACOS

USER

LOGIC

Nine identical sheets of paper are used to create the design below. If “D” were placed first, “F” placed 7th and “I” placed 9th, what order would “B” be placed in?

I H

ANSWERS

KNOWLEDGE Colorado does not have a panhandle.

WORDPLAY EARRING – rearing, angrier, grainer, rangier TACOS – coast, ascot, coats, costa USER – sure, suer, ruse, rues

“DOES YOUR NEW PROFESSOR GIVE YOU MUCH HOMEWORK?”

LOGIC “B” is sixth. Here is the complete order: DECHABFGI

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