Spring 2023 | Volume 44
3 Coworkers Earn MHA Degrees
New Mental Health Certificate meets local and national need
New Field House to benefit students, community
Cover:
When completed, the new 72,000-plus square foot Athletics Field House includes competition and practice areas, training facilities, a weight room and locker room, as well as office and meeting space.
The day we broke ground on our new Athletic Field House was one of those perfect days – blue skies, brilliant sunshine and a special feeling of energy that comes when you mark a milestone on the way toward a brighter future.
Mission Statement
Bellevue University provides career-oriented, cost effective, open access education through select undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.
Vision
In a rapidly changing higher education environment, Bellevue University boldly adapts and innovates so our students and university can be wildly successful.
Values Integrity
Value of education
Student Success
Innovate
Care for Others
When it’s complete, the multimillion dollar Field House investment will change our virtual campus as much as it alters our physical one. That’s because building a new home for our Bruin athletic teams and supporters opens up opportunities for us to enhance the support and services that we provide to more than 18,000 students around the globe. One example? The Freeman Lozier Library, already one of the best college libraries in the country, will be able to expand the resources in its collection and its services, and undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students all stand to benefit.
In this issue of The View, you’ll see other cases of the future being built, as well. Alumni like Susan Fields, Anna Rossetti and Kristy
Morales were already making a difference at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, and their impact and influence has only increased since the three of them pursued and earned their MHA degrees together. You can read more about their joint journey starting on page 4.
New programs also shape our collective future. Earlier this year, we launched a 100% online Mental Health Technician certificate program to bolster the entry-level workforce in one of the country’s highest-need career fields. The credits in the credential are stackable, so students can build their own futures and apply the credits toward a bachelor’s degree.
Armed with an applied Bellevue University education, I am confident that graduates of this program and all of our 60,000plus alumni will meet whatever challenges the future holds.
old. When he turned nine months old, I realized that in order for me to live the life I wanted, and the life both he and I deserved, alcohol could not be a part of it.”
That day was October 6, 2016. Porter has not had a drink since.
Since earning her associate degree, she’s served as a licensed drug and alcohol counselor, working with individuals in group therapy and facilitating intensive outpatient programming.
“Helping people to recover and live lives they are proud of, lives they do not have to escape from, is truly remarkable,” Porter said.
experiences that will help me continue to grow professionally, personally and in my education.”
Porter spoke at Bellevue University’s winter commencement.
“I never imagined I’d be chosen for such an honor,” she said. “For me, being the commencement speaker is about change. It’s proof that someone with a background such as mine can accomplish more than ever imagined. It’s an opportunity to share hope with every single person who is graduating and let them know that change is possible.”
Holly Porter entered her first drug addiction treatment program at the age of 17.
“My father struggled with addiction (he is almost 20 years sober now), but he became an alcohol and drug counselor when I was 12, so when my parents found out about my alcohol and drug addiction, it was pretty easy for him to help me get to treatment,” she said.
That first treatment program was followed by three more.
“I wanted so badly to be sober, I just couldn't find myself maintaining long periods of sobriety,” she said. “Each treatment helped me to find a piece of myself, and by the age of 20, I had slowly begun making positive changes.”
When Porter was 23, she found out she was pregnant with her son. Once he was born, she knew she needed to continue a life of sobriety.
She enrolled at Metropolitan Community College for an associate degree in chemical dependency counseling, which she earned in 2018 while working at an outpatient substance use facility as an administrative assistant.
“Somewhere in all of that, I still had a belief that I could drink like a ‘normal’ person,” Porter said. “I relapsed on alcohol when my son was six months
She graduated from Bellevue University with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science in January.
“I chose Bellevue University because the cohort program seemed like the best fit for me and my schedule,” Porter explained. “I needed something that allowed me to still be a full-time employee, a full-time mom, and now a business owner (I just launched my new private practice at the first of the year). Bellevue caught my eye because they are flexible, they have resources, and I wasn't the only non-traditional student.”
Moving forward, Porter has her sights set on pursuing a master’s degree in clinical counseling followed by a doctorate in psychology.
And while life has thrown many challenges Porter’s way, she’s proud of how far she’s come. Now, her peskiest obstacle is elementary arithmetic.
“Today, as a 30-year-old woman, I can honestly say that one of my biggest struggles is doing first grade math before bedtime,” she said. “For some, that may seem silly, but for a person who wasn’t sure she would ever have children or live a life of sobriety, being able to help her son with his math is a beautiful blessing.”
Even though she did her studies fully online, Porter had great experiences communicating with both her peers and professors.
“I never once felt disconnected,” she said. “While I did not complete this program in class, I still feel I gained
“I never once felt disconnected. While I did not complete this program in class, I still feel I gained experiences that will help me continue to grow professionally, personally and in my education.”Armed with her degree, Porter plans to continue her work in the behavioral health field.
Susan Fields, Kristy Morales and Anna Rosetti chose Bellevue University for their Master of Healthcare Administration program because the program allowed them to collaborate and grow together professionally while maintaining full-time employment at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Unknowingly, three healthcare professionals at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, were each considering pursuing a graduate degree in healthcare leadership at the same time.
Once the three women – rehabilitation director and speechlanguage pathologist Susan Fields; rehabilitation manager and physical therapist Anna Rossetti; and rehabilitation manager and occupational therapist Kristy Morales –realized they shared the same goal, they began to collectively research different academic programs.
They started by creating a spreadsheet listing universities across the nation and included program information, cost, online availability, residency requirements and whether or not the three of them could remain in the same cohort throughout the program.
The three women explained they ultimately decided on Bellevue University’s Master of Healthcare Administration program as it would enable them to collaborate and grow together professionally while maintaining full-time employment. The program also offered them the opportunity to integrate their current work into their studies and vice versa.
Fields, Rossetti and Morales, who all began their studies online through Bellevue University in February 2021, arrived in the field of healthcare through three different paths.
Fields, a speech-language pathologist, initially chose her path because her sister had a speech impediment, and seeing her progress inspired her to work toward a career in healthcare.
“After working as a speech pathologist for several years, I became intrigued with how a rehab department ran, and that interested me in seeking a role in rehab leadership where I have been for over 20 years,” Fields shared. “There were so many details about the world of rehabilitation, and I was fascinated by how to make things run smoothly with the right people at the right time to do the right work. I have been in a hospital setting ever since.
For Morales, an occupational therapist, the decision to enter the field was guided by her desire to work with children in a healthcare setting.
“I was particularly interested in congenital anomalies and upper extremity function, and that’s what I did for my first 15-plus years in healthcare,” she said. “I had a desire to understand the big picture of rehab, and I became interested in pursuing a leadership role within our rehabilitation department.”
What initially interested physical therapist Rossetti in healthcare was her grandfather, who was diabetic and received lots of physical therapy after bilateral lower extremity amputations and his need to use prosthetics.
“I would gladly attend his physical therapy sessions at Baylor University in Dallas, Texas, and enjoyed the dedication and desire the physical therapists had to help my grandfather succeed,” she said. “I started my career after PT school in an adult acute care hospital working in critical care and worked my way up to rehab leadership positions from a lead PT to rehab manager of a small rural hospital.”
The three women shared that furthering their education together at Bellevue University was great because they motivated and supported each other. With their varied backgrounds and experiences, they’re able to bring different opinions and ideas to their discussions.
For example, when they interviewed staff within Driscoll Children’s Hospital for an assignment, they made an effort to never interview the same person, so, departmentally, they garnered information from a diverse group of leaders.
And there was also a bit of healthy competition throughout the program, the women added, which they enjoyed and helped them to stay on course. There is no way any one of them would quit, they said.
Ultimately, the achievement of completing Bellevue University’s Master of Healthcare Administration program offers Fields, Rossetti and Morales an opportunity to pursue individual and group advancement within Driscoll Children’s Hospital and externally.
The three women hope to improve the quality of care that impacts the patients they serve regardless of their titles. They all entered the field of healthcare because of a personal desire to help others, and their ability to do so is enhanced with the knowledge they received during the completion of their master’s programs.
“I had a desire to understand the big picture of rehab, and I became interested in pursuing a leadership role within our rehabilitation department.”
- Kristy Morales, Rehabilitation Manager and Occupational Therapist
Bellevue University has announced plans to construct a new 72,000-plus square foot, multimillion dollar Athletics Field House just west of the University’s main campus, on Harvell Circle off of Herman Drive.
A formal groundbreaking ceremony for the Field House was held Friday, Oct. 28. University and community leaders, including Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike, members of the University’s executive team, board of directors, and staff from HDR, the project architectural firm, turned over dirt during the ceremony on the north end of campus. Athletes held their own groundbreaking on February 14.
The two-level building will include multiple competition and practice courts for both basketball and volleyball; athletic training facilities, including a weight room and locker rooms; a press room area; and office, meeting and storage space.
Facility designs are almost complete. The project will be completed 18-24 months after the start of construction.
“This new facility and our student athletes will be a winning combination,” Dr. Hawkins said. “This state-of-the-art facility is a major step in our strategic facilities plan. It opens up opportunities for us to enhance and expand student services and resources for our students who learn on campus and those who learn online.”
Athletic Director Ed Lehotak said all of the University’s student-athletes and coaches are excited to see the project come to life.
The Bruins currently compete in 11 traditional men’s and women’s sports and one non-traditional co-ed sport, Esports.
“We expect this to have a very positive impact on the experience for our student athletes, as well as our staff, faculty, fans and officials.”
- Ed Lehotak, Athletic Director
Top photo on page 6: The facility’s official groundbreaking was held in October.
Second photo on page 6: Golf, basketball, track, cross country, soccer, softball, baseball, volleyball, and esports athletes held their own Field House groundbreaking on a rainy February day.
Third photo on page 6: The competition space will feature a multiconfigurational layout and have seating for more than 1,000 fans.
Bottom photo on page 6: The Field House will feature a spacious lobby with windows so fans can watch the Bruins practicing or competing.
Top photo on page 7: A tree-lined plaza in front of the Field House will visually integrate the new facility into other parts of Bellevue University’s main campus.
Bottom photo on page 7: Campus visitors and Bruin supporters will have easy access to the Field House, which will be conveniently located off of Harvell Drive in Bellevue.
Bellevue University’s Dr. Katey Shirley was named President Elect-Elect with the Nebraska Counseling Association.
The Nebraska Counseling Association is a counseling community with approximately 550 members, with six districts to connect counselors across the state.
Dr. Shirley, an Associate Professor with the College of Arts and Sciences who specializes in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, joined the NCA in September of 2020 after moving from New Jersey to Nebraska. It was a way for her to re-establish herself as a clinician after moving to a new state.
As President of NCA in 2024-2025, her role will be to oversee all of the committees and six districts within the state and connect NCA to the Midwest Region and the American Counseling Association.
“I'm excited at the opportunity to continue working with the leadership team in a more significant manner,” Dr. Shirley said.
Dr. Shirley earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University and has worked in the counseling field since 2004. Her areas of focus include researching and reducing suicidality.
Earlier this year, Bellevue University launched a new Mental Health Technician Certificate program designed to meet the local and national need for more entry-level workers in the mental healthcare fields.
The 24-week certificate program is offered 100% online and is eligible for financial aid. Students who complete the program earn 16 semester hours of college-level credit and are prepared to work in various settings alongside other healthcare professionals, and with clients and families impacted by substance abuse, mental and emotional disorders, domestic violence, abuse and trauma.
According to University President Dr. Mary Hawkins the new program addresses a major workforce need, as well as a societal one. “Hospitals, human service agencies and other organizations are looking to hire entrylevel professionals who can implement care plans and know how to interact effectively with diverse teams,” she said. “Mental health is really critical to how individuals contribute, in both their personal and professional lives, to the world in which we all live.”
According to LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report, hiring for behavioral health technicians has grown 32% on average, year over year, since 2015. Locally, the Mental Health Innovation Foundation, a non-profit organization, is coordinating with area colleges
and universities, including Bellevue University, to address a significant workforce shortage in mental healthcare workers.
In addition to the new certificate program, Bellevue University currently offers a range of learning pathways, including specialty gambling and substance abuse certificate programs for licensed counselors and practitioners; undergraduate degree programs in Behavioral Science and Child Protection and Juvenile Justice; a master’s degree program in Child, Youth, and Family Studies and a master’s degree CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
For more information about Bellevue University’s new Mental Health Technician Certificate, please visit https://www.bellevue. edu/degrees/certificate-program/mentalhealth-technician/
“Mental health is really critical to how individuals contribute, in both their personal and professional lives, to the world in which we all live.”
Last spring, Bellevue University’s designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) was reconfirmed through the academic year 2027.
The CAE-CD designation indicates that an institution is helping to reduce threats to national infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense, as well as providing the nation with a pipeline of qualified cybersecurity professionals.
According to Bellevue University Cybersecurity Program Director Doug Rausch, “The United States is short of cybersecurity professionals and we need skilled workers. The CAE designation program helps raise awareness about the critical nature of the field and address the shortage of qualified professionals in the workforce.”
CAE-CD designation is awarded to accredited academic institutions offering cybersecurity degrees. The designation program is managed through the National Security Agency’s (NSA) National Cryptologic School. Bellevue University has held the CAE-CD designation since
2014 and is currently one of four institutions in Nebraska to hold the designation. Metropolitan Community College, Northeast Community College and the University of Nebraska at Omaha also have received the CAE-CDstet designation.
“The CAE designation program helps raise awareness about the critical nature of the field and address the shortage of qualified professionals in the workforce.”
As an accounting student at Bellevue University, Ellie Bliemeister had an impressive internship experience at Mutual of Omaha, where she worked in the corporate accounting department.
Even after graduating in November 2021, Bliemeister continued to expand her resume with an internship at KPMG – an experience that enabled her to learn more about business tax practice.
“The (KPMG) internship included challenging and rewarding work amidst a busy tax season,” she said. Bliemeister didn’t stop there. Last May, she took on the role as an audit intern at BKD – one of the largest accounting and advisory firms in the United States.
The Bellevue University alumna said the choice to chase multiple internships gave her the opportunity to finetune what she wanted her career to look like.
“There are so many different paths to take with accounting, and I used the transitional period to intern and find out where I wanted to begin my career,” Bliemeister said. Currently, Bliemeister is attending the University of Nebraska Lincoln and pursuing her master’s degree, with plans to take the CPA exam and a role at tax and accounting firm Labenz & Associates.
What she knows for sure, though, is that she’d eventually like to teach accounting courses in addition to working for either a public accounting firm or a private company.
“I want to teach and show students the different opportunities and paths that you can take with accounting,” Bliemeister explained. “I was inspired by my professors to pursue my goals, and I hope to be a mentor for someone else someday.”
She added that because Bellevue University is a relatively small university, she had the opportunity to get to know her professors and learn about their experiences in the field of accounting.
“I think hearing the different routes each of them took with their degree was integral in my experience,” she said.
Another key part of her time at Bellevue University was her role on the university’s softball team.
“I met some of my best friends and had the chance to compete and travel the country while playing my favorite sport,” Bliemeister said. “I was coached by some amazing people who I know will be a part of my life for years to come.”
Bliemeister was also involved with the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and a member of the Institute of Management Accountants. In addition, she served as a peer tutor, helping other students in their math, business and accounting courses.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to play softball and get an education [at Bellevue],” she said. “I enjoyed the relationships I developed with my teammates, coaches, professors and administrators the most.”
Ultimately, the threads of Bliemeister’s experience at Bellevue University will weave their way throughout her entire life.
“Bellevue [University] has provided me with a foundation of skills, knowledge and networks that will provide me with confidence in my future career,” she said.
Bellevue University’s Career Services assists current students, alumni and employers with a variety of aspects related to putting talent to work.
Career Services offers:
• Job and internship opportunities on Handshake (see below)
• Micro-internships for students and alumni
• Mock Interviews
• Networking guidance
• Resume review
• Career fairs
The University’s Career Services teams uses Handshake — a modern career development platform — to help students and alumni connect to career opportunities and enhance their job search. Using Handshake, individuals can:
• Find relevant career and internship opportunities
• Have one-on-one conversations with employers
• Post their resumes and profiles, and be found by employers
To use Handshake, go to bellevue.joinhandshake.com
Questions? Contact careerservices@bellevue.edu or call toll-free 1-800-756-7920, ext. 557-7423.
“I was inspired by my professors to pursue my goals."
- Ellie BliemeisterIn addition to her courses, Ellie Bliemeister played softball for the Bruins, was involved with the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and served as peer tutor, helping other students with their math, business and accounting courses.
Brittany Borchert knows a thing or two about life changes. She was born in England but moved to a tiny North Dakota town when she was 3 years old.
After graduating from high school there, Borchert married her now ex-husband, who was in the Air Force. Because of his job, they moved around a lot. Amidst the multiple moves, Borchert earned an associate degree in business and then graduated from cosmetology school. She was working as the assistant manager of a hair salon, but after another move, she ended up staying at home with her daughter.
Fast forward to 2016, when Borchert remarried and moved to the Omaha area to live with her husband and blend their families. It was around this time, Borchert realized her passion for the field of human resources.
“I just thought being the person to help employees would be the way I would want to go if I ever decided to go back to school,” she explained. “After looking into it, I realized that to break into the HR world (which isn’t easy to do) I would have to take a massive pay cut and work my way up (which I couldn’t afford to do) or go back to school and finish my bachelor’s degree.”
Borchert shared a story of how one day, her two older kids told her that they better finish college before having kids of their own because you can’t finish college once you have kids. They thought this because of something they overheard someone else talking about. Borchert told them that they could achieve anything even if they became parents before finishing college, but she knew she couldn’t just tell them – she had to show them.
“Them telling me that lit a fire under me, and I enrolled at Bellevue University by the end of the week,” Borchert
said. “I had to show them that even though your life hasn’t turned out exactly how you planned, it doesn’t mean that your dreams are impossible to achieve.”
Borchert chose Bellevue University because she wanted to attend a local university with a good reputation that also enabled her to complete her degree fully online. She graduated this past spring with a Bachelor of Science in Management of Human Resources
One of Borchert’s biggest takeaways from her undergraduate experience at Bellevue University was that she’s not the only one.
“What I mean by that is that I wasn’t in the minority by being a working mom in her 30s going back to school to finish my degree,” she explained. “Most of us in my program were people who were ‘older’ and finishing their degrees. Most of us worked full time and had children or had a large gap of time since the last time we were in school.”
Today, she’s found her niche, working full-time as an employee experience specialist for Vensure, one of the nation’s fastest-growing HR outsourcing organizations and relishing her role as a mom. She’s also continuing her studies at the University, working on a Master of Science in Human Resource Management degree.
She also appreciated how supportive all the staff were at Bellevue University.
“Everybody goes out of their way to make you feel like you’re the only person they’re helping, and I think that’s wonderful – especially when it’s really easy to feel like nobody cares about you.”
Bellevue University graduate student Armand Stan is not the kind of person you can describe just one way. He’s skilled in auto repair and information technology, fluent in Romanian and fascinated by current events. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology, law and society with a minor in intelligence studies.
Now, as he hones in on his career, he’s found the perfect fit earning a Master of Science in Intelligence and Security Studies. He’s also currently completing the competitive Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Internship, which only accepts up to 20 students nationwide.
When Stan set out to pursue a master’s degree, he was intrigued by the possibility of a graduate program focusing on both intelligence and security.
“The combination of both degrees opened my eyes to the possibilities of continuing my studies in intelligence while also leaning towards cybersecurity,” he said.
The Virginia native found that, after extensive research, Bellevue University checked off all the boxes.
“Bellevue University was one of the few that had an intelligence master's program that was also remote and allowed me to work at my own pace,” he said. “I was also welcomed with open arms from the first point of contact.
“From the moment I spoke to my advisors and staff, I realized they were honestly looking to help me and accommodate me. You don't see this from many colleges, at least from my experience.”
That positive impression has continued throughout Stan’s program.
“I have amazing classmates who are already in the intelligence field, and I learn so much from their perspectives and
experience,” he said. “My professors are amazing, as they always provide feedback and assist me in bettering my skills to apply in real job environments.”
In particular, Stan said, his professor Dr. Adriana Seagle shared multiple job opportunities each semester to help students. This is how he learned about his internship.
“I immediately took notice of this opportunity and reached out to Dr. Seagle, who helped me right away, despite knowing me for only one full term,” he said. “Again, many other colleges and professors do not always drop everything to help a student start a career so I was very blessed.”
The eight-week paid internship opportunity is offered through a partnership between The National Security Agency, the Maryland Innovation & Security Institute and the GBC MISI Academy. Already, Stan is seeing his graduate studies and his internship work hand in hand.
“Last semester, I had an assignment to work on how policy was lacking in the health care sector, which resulted in many cyberattacks,” he said. “Currently, in my internship, we are setting up our own cloud computing company, which needs the policy to be compliant to DoD standards. Immediately, I was able to connect my research from my policy course and apply it toward my internship.”
Stan said he is well prepared to move into an intelligence or cybersecurity career, and would recommend Bellevue University to anyone who wants to go into government or a related field.
“It is a very in-depth program that covers every aspect of intelligence, ranging from cybersecurity to understanding each aspect of intelligence and how other nations use it,” he said. Part of the program’s strength, he added, are the opportunities professors continually share that empower students to build experience.
The stories José Luíz Barbosa can tell are nearly endless.
The 62-year-old Brazilian is a four-time Olympian and one-time World Indoor champion who now coaches track and cross country at Bellevue University.
“It’s very nice to share my knowledge and also I have learned a lot from (head) coach (Craig) Christians as well here. So, it’s a two way street,” Barbosa said.
Christians said he was surprised when Barbosa responded to a “help wanted” ad, and wasn’t sure if it was genuine at first.
“So I kind of had to check it out a little bit,” the Bruins head coach said. “But just talking to him the first time I could feel the passion over the phone for what he’s doing and he has demonstrated that every step of the way.”
The dynamic between the two coaches — calm Christians and energetic Barbosa — has created a complement for the Bellevue University track and cross country program.
“I’ve never seen a guy get so excited at practice, as Jose has and so I can just feel that enthusiasm and passion,” Christians said. “And you couple that with his knowledge and his world class experience.”
Christians added that Barbosa’s expertise helps in a “variety of skills” for the Bruins, including weight training, massage and therapy.
Barbosa has a degree in physical education and a certification in strength training and conditioning for world-class athletes from Centro Universitário das Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas in São Paulo, Brazil.
But while they aren’t the same in their coaching styles emotionally, philosophically they “couldn’t be more on the same page.”
“We’re about a month apart in age, I’m older,” Christians said. “We just have a shared experience in running despite the fact that he competed at a world class level and I competed just locally, and nationally a little bit.”
The two 62-year-old coaches also realized they had much in common because of their age, gravitating to the same music and watching the same athletes, though Barbosa often competed against those athletes that Christians looked up to.
“I watched all these Olympians compete,” Christians said. “He competed in the two Olympics in the ‘80s and the two Olympics in the ‘90s. I knew them all. He was right there with them. And his stories he can tell about these famous athletes, I’m a little awestruck by that.”
At Barbosa’s first Olympics in Los Angeles 1984, he developed connections he still has to this day, including nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis and two-time gold medalist Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics and until this year a member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords.
Barbosa said he texts both regularly. But the memory Barbosa mentioned from those Olympics, in which he finished 15th in the 800-meter semifinals (fellow Brazilian and friend Joaquim Cruz went on to win gold) was in the Olympic Village cafeteria.
Barbosa remembers taking a picture with fellow Olympians and having the ‘84 United States men’s basketball team members, including a couple of college guys just out of Georgetown and North Carolina. Those guys were, of course, Patrick Ewing and Michael Jordan.
Between those Olympics and the ‘88 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea, Barbosa won the gold in the 800 at the 1987 World Indoor Championships in Indianapolis. Another gold, however, stands out for being the moment that changed Barbosa’s career.
In 1983, two years after winning gold in the South American Championships in La Paz, Bolivia, Barbosa won gold at the Brazil National Championships with a time of 1:44.3 that was then the fastest time in the world.
After winning gold in the World Indoor Championships, Barbosa won bronze at the 1987 World Championship in Rome, and silver at the next World Championships in Tokyo
in 1991. Between those, Barbosa won silver in the 1989 Indoor Championships in Budapest.
Barbosa achieved his highest Olympic finish, fourth place, in the 800 in Barcelona in 1992.
First-place finishes also came at the 1986 Grand Prix Circuit of Athletes in Italy and both the 1995 Pan-American Games and Ibero-American Games.
All of those achievements somehow led to Bellevue University. Barbosa said he was thankful to God and the United States for giving him the opportunity to reach those achievements. He was also thankful to Christians for allowing him the opportunity to work in college “one more time.”
Barbosa began his coaching career after his retirement in 2000 by being the personal conditioning coach for NBA player Leandro Barbosa (no relation) from 2008-10.
Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California, was the first stop for Barbosa as a track and cross country coach from 201014. The next two years were spent at San Diego Mesa Junior College as head coach of distance track and cross country before UC-Davis from 2017-20.
In December 2021, Barbosa took the job at Bellevue University, bringing knowledge from his career that “should be passed on.”
For Christians, Barbosa has “raised the bar” in just one year for the Bruins.
Christians said that while complacent wouldn’t be the word to describe his expectations for Bruin athletes, he expected them to just do “the best they can.”
“(Barbosa) can hold all of us, the athletes and me as the coach, to a higher standard, and that doesn’t do anything except propel our program forward,” Christians said.
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shares perspectives on world affairs
Gen. James N. Mattis (USMC, Ret.) credited Bellevue University’s required undergraduate Kirkpatrick Signature Series courses for bringing him to Omaha to keynote the University’s 13th annual Signature Event speaker program on October 3. The former U.S. Secretary of Defense offered insightful views on the military, international relations and more.
“Tactics and weapons change in the military all the time, but the mission remains very singular, that is, to defend the Constitution… The concern that I have today is that the polarization of American society can seep into the military ranks.” Mattis cited a brief telegram President Abraham Lincoln sent to Union Commander Ulysses S. Grant in February 1865, when the Civil War was still raging. “‘Let nothing which is transpiring delay, interrupt or distract from your military plans and operations.’”
Warfare continues to evolve, according to Mattis. “I think we recognize there’s a new domain for the military, and that’s Cyber (Cybersecurity). Today the military’s mission is to defend the country against external threats, including space and cyberspace and technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and propaganda, as well as (threats from) land, sea and air.”
Practical diplomacy sometimes can get results formal talks cannot, Mattis said, citing nuclear disarmament agreements between the U.S. and Russia during the Cold War in the 1980s that resulted in a 75% reduction in nuclear weapons using a philosophy called ‘Trust, but verify.’
“I don’t think we have any of those practical philosophical discussions going on between Washington and Beijing now. We need to have those.” He said Allied efforts will be paramount in protecting Taiwan’s sovereignty from a Chinese takeover.
