Nebraska Quarterly - March 2019

Now in its 55th year, the Alumni Masters Program showcases the best that each college has to offer. From seeing the world via submarine to managing the largest collection of wheat on the planet to launching a globally recognized skincare line, this year’s master class illustrates the notable power of an education achieved at the University of

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al s o : TEMPLE GHOST The Temple Building has been a campus staple since 1908. pag e 3 1 LIED THE WAY Students connect with Broadway stars via Lied Center’s mentor program. pag e 3 8

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AU DACIOUS VISION Goals set for 2025 and beyond Building upon the momentum of UNL’s 150-year history, Chancellor Ronnie Green used his Jan. 15 State of the University address to chart a bold course for the institution’s next quarter-century. “This vision is a clarion call for us to be a transformative, world-leading, 21st-century mission-integrated, land grant university without walls,” Green told those gathered at the Lied Center. Guests were treated to a new UNL Dairy Store ice cream flavor, Nifty 150, served on stage at the event’s conclusion.

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Contents 2019

The 150th anniversary of our beloved university is upon us. It is a year filled with celebrating, reminiscing and strategizing for the future. In his State of the University address, Chancellor Ronnie Green implored, “Working together with faculty, staff and community members, our students will co-create experiences that spark curiosity and lead to demonstrative achievement.� The Lied Center does a particularly good job of making that happen for students with its mentor program. P38 Likewise, College of Business offers up job fairs P18 and College of Law pairs students with alumni attorneys.

P21 Some partnerships make movies P34 while most create lifelong relationships steeped in the commonality of a Big Red education.

craig chandler

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4 Contributors 6 UNL Advocacy 8 Community 10 Campus News 29 Voices 53 Bulletin 54 Alum Profiles

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CSI: Lincoln

Class Quotes

Love Story

An old house on East Campus is the ideal locale for the forensic science program to create crime scenes for students to investigate.

Alumni from all decades recall memorable moments from the classroom including a science experiment gone awry.

It was a long, slow courtship for western Nebraska natives Todd von Kampen and Joan Rezac but it had staying power.

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star quarterback, Scott Frost, football team. Witnesses to the

NEBRASKA

CONTRIBUTORS

QUARTERLY

Spring 2019

Q U A R T E R LY

JULIE URIBE

VOLUME 115 NO. 1

Julie Uribe (’84) is an Emmy Award-winning producer with more than 25 years of experience in the television industry. Most recently Julie served as senior VP of non-scripted development for FremantleMedia North America. Prior to joining Fremantle, Uribe served as a writer-producer on various programs for National Geographic, Animal Planet and Discovery Channel. Currently, she is an adjunct professor at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film.

Shelley Zaborowski, ’96, ’00 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kirstin Swanson Wilder, ’89 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SENIOR DIRECTOR, PUBLICATIONS

Charley Morris ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Kevin Wright, ’78 DIRECTOR, DESIGN

BOB HALL

Bob Hall (’67, ’71, ’17) is a comics artist and writer as well as a playwright and theater director. He is the co-creator of the West Coast Avengers for Marvel Comics and has worked on such series as Armed and Dangerous and Shadowman, which he both drew and wrote for Valiant Comics. He holds three degrees from UNL and is also the founder of Lincoln’s Flatwater Shakespeare Festival.

SCOTT BRUHN

Scott Bruhn (’96) is the director of photography for Nebraska Athletics. He joined Nebraska’s full-time staff in 2005 as the athletic department photographer after spending five years working in the communications office as a staff photographer. His photos have appeared regularly in Huskers Illustrated, along with frequent appearances in Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and USA Today.

Jenny Chapin ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR, BUSINESS/ALUMNI RELATIONS

EmDash MAGAZINE DESIGN

John Ritter COVER ILLUSTRATION

NEBRASKA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STAFF

Stephen Boggs, ’12

Tyler Kruger

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, VENUES

VENUES COORDINATOR

Katie Brock, ’16 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ALUMNI AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Justy Bullington ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, VENUES

HANNAH TRULL

Born in Las Vegas but raised in Omaha, Hannah Trull always dreamed of one day being a Husker. She is a senior in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications and a communications intern for the Nebraska Alumni Association. Upon graduation in May, she hopes to travel, find a journalism-related career and eventually attend law school.

Conrad Casillas ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, VENUES

Charles Dorse CUSTODIAN

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materials and reader comments are welcome.

SE ND MAI L T O:

Nebraska Quarterly Wick Alumni Center / 1520 R Street Lincoln, NE 68508-1651 2/9/18 12:10 PM Phone: 402-472-2841 Toll-free: 888-353-1874 E-mail: nebmag@huskeralum.org Website: huskeralum.org Views expressed in Nebraska Quarterly

do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Nebraska Alumni Association. The alumni association does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.

EDITORIAL QUERIES:

Kirstin Wilder (kwilder@huskeralum.org)

ADVERTISING QUERIES:

DIRECTOR, VENUES

Jessica Marshall, ’11 DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP

Tracy Moore EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Heather Rempe, ’03 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

Derek Engelbart

Larry Routh

ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS

ALUMNI CAREER SPECIALIST

Julie Gehring ’91

Nebraska Quarterly (USPS 10970) is published quarterly by the Nebraska Alumni Association, the known office of publication is 1520 R St., Lincoln NE 68508-1651. Alumni association dues are $65 annually of which $10 is for a subscription to Nebraska Quarterly. Periodicals postage is paid at Lincoln Nebraska 68501 and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. Requests for permission to reprint

Michael Mahnken, ’13 ASSOCIATE

Viann Schroeder ALUMNI CAMPUS TOURS

MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAMS ASSISTANT

Deb Schwab

Jordan Gonzales ’17

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, VENUES

DIRECTOR, ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

Hanna Hoffman, ’16 ALUMNI RELATIONS AND PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Wendy Kempcke ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

Andy Washburn, ’00, ’07 ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

Hilary Winter, ’11, ’18 DIRECTOR, DIGITAL STRATEGY/PR

Jenny Chapin (jchapin@huskeralum.org)

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AD

Marc and Kathryn LeBaron Nebraska Alumni Marc and Kathryn LeBaron believe that art makes a meaningful impact on people, community, and society.

For their continued engagement and transformational support of Sheldon Museum of Art, the LeBarons will receive the Sheldon Award at the museum’s gala on May 11.

For more information, visit go.unl.edu/sheldon-gala-2019.

TEA TIME WITH SHELLEY

Shelley Zaborowski has an affinity for chai tea as enjoyed at The Coffee House, although she is happy to indulge at any venue. She does, however, prefer using her Nebraska Alumni Association mug.

Q:

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impact the university?

A: I have the best job in the world. I get to work every day with alumni and friends who are passionate about the University of Nebraska and help them find meaningful ways to channel that passion into actionable benefits to advance the university’s mission, elevate its reputation and enhance the student experience.

Alumni frequently ask me, “How can I help? What can I do to make a difference?” Obviously, financial giving is an easy answer.

Whether you can give a lot or a little, every gift matters. In fact, one of the metrics by which the academic rankings (such as U.S. News & World Report) are calculated is percentage of alumni who make an annual gift to support the university. Regardless of the amount, alumni can move the needle in the rankings by making an annual gift

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to the alumni association, or to one of thousands of funds offered through the NU Foundation.

In addition to monetary gifts, don’t underestimate the importance of gifts of time and talent.

Mentoring, serving on an advisory board or helping recruit future students are several ways alumni can volunteer their time. Presently, our greatest volunteer need is advocacy. As our elected officials face difficult decisions, it is critical that alumni use their voices to share how important the university is to them and the future of our state. I encourage you to sign up for NU Advocates, designed to provide you with information to understand the issues and resources to take action in making a difference.

Voices of our alumni and students, along with business and community leaders, played a significant

role in preserving the majority of the university’s budget allocation when faced with cuts during the last legislative session. As you probably know, the university is a key economic engine in Nebraska, and intends to work in partnership with the state to help grow our workforce and broaden our impact while keeping tuition affordable for students and families. NU Advocates will position you to play this vital role in keeping our university strong and vibrant.

Most of you reading this magazine are already NAA members, and many are already generous with your time, talent and treasure.

In celebration of the university’s 150th anniversary this year, I hope everyone will take time to explore the many simple yet powerful ways you can help advance the university and pay it forward to the next generation of Husker alumni.

—Shelley Zaborowski (’96, ’00), Executive Director, Nebraska Alumni Association

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craig chandler

To become a University of Nebraska Advocate, visit Nebraska.edu/ advocates

What can alumni do to positively

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COMMUNITY

Snail Mail Postcards of Pride

Polish up your writing skills and support university recruitment efforts by telling your story to prospective students during their college-selection process. As a Postcards of Pride volunteer, you will write a quick note to high school seniors sharing your campus experience and professional success which could be the difference maker in a student’s decision to attend UNL. We are always looking for volunteers. Sign up at huskeralum.org/postcards

Find Archie!

We’re Outta Here

Gradfest Prior to each commencement — there are actually three each year — seniors are invited to the Wick Alumni Center to collect their caps and gowns and partake in some fun. Seniors above pose for photos which are then displayed on the jumbotron at Pinnacle Bank Arena prior to the ceremonies. Students are also encouraged to put a pushpin on a map showing where they are headed after graduation. The university awarded 1,551 degrees during commencement exercises Dec. 14 and 15. The graduates are from 48 countries, 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and more than 175 Nebraska communities.

Morrill Hall’s famed Archie is hiding somewhere in the magazine, like only a 20,000-year-old mammoth can. Find him on a subsequent page, email us with his location at alumni@huskeralum.org and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a fabulous Husker prize. Congratulations to Jack Hale (’56, ’60) of Winder, Georgia, who found Archie strolling the streets of Red Cloud, on page 31 of the winter edition.

A Florida Frost South Florida Huskers

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mackenzie zaruba; courtesy photo

Coach Scott Frost was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame in December during the OklahomaAlabama game. Some members of the South Florida Huskers had the good fortune to meet the Huskers’ head football coach at the Miami luncheon held Dec. 28. Pictured from left are Husker alumni, Kathy Schuh (’81), Frost (’97), Mike Zaidman (’93, ’95) and Courtney Urbanek (’97).

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AD Unforgettable people. Beloved places. Enduring memories. From its beginning in 1869, the University of Nebraska has expanded the frontiers of opportunity for nearly three hundred thousand graduates. This lavishly illustrated volume celebrates Nebraska’s 150th anniversary with a look back at the alumni, faculty, and staff who have made an enduring impact on the world. The book also highlights the iconic buildings and landmarks on campus and the activities and experiences of students, from the East Campus Dairy Store and the Daily Nebraskan to the Big Red sensation of Husker athletics.

There really is no place like our dear old Nebraska U.

Dear Old Nebraska U: Celebrating 150 Years University of Nebraska-Lincoln with Kim Hachiya Craig Chandler, Director of Photography Foreword by Ted Kooser $34.95 HARDCOVER

nebraskapress.unl.edu • unpblog.com Visit nebraskapress.unl.edu and use code 6DEA to receive a 40% discount.

14 16 23 26 SECURITY

VETERANS

DEVOUR

DRONES

Arts and Sciences majors get a leg up.

Stadium marks WWI anniversary.

Updated graduation gowns debut.

Students capture campus from above.

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CSI: Lincoln EERIE PROPERTY FURTHERS FORENSIC SCIENCE INSTRUCTION

Crime scene investigation classmates examine tire treads at the site of an old house on the north side of East Campus.

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craig chandler

T

here’s an old house on East Campus and it might remind passers-by of a Hitchcockian movie set — dilapidated, hidden behind knotty trees, with a peculiar car parked in the yard.

There are murders staged here, just not of the Hollywood variety. Instead, the creepy scenes arranged here train the next generation of crime scene investigators.

The car on the lawn, for example, is riddled with bullet holes and its windows have been busted out. Husker seniors in the forensic science program recently performed 3-D scans to map out the trajectory of the bullets. They also processed the car for trace evidence — anything from soil and pollen to fingerprints and blood.

It’s one of many stations on the property that lets students mirror the work of a crime scene investigator in the field.

Larry Barksdale, assistant professor of practice, has been in charge of re-creating crime scenes on the property. He is a 41-year veteran of the Lincoln Police Department who started teaching crime scene investigation when the forensic science program was launched in 2008. He consults often with animal science and entomology scholars at Nebraska to make sure students are getting the best re-creations.

Before the university purchased the house in 2016, Barksdale was

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SPRING BIG BRAG Husker studentathletes have earned a 90 percent NCAA Graduation Success Rate for the first time in school history, continuing Nebraska’s long tradition of being a national leader in the classroom. This is the sixth consecutive year that Nebraska has earned its highest allstudent-athlete rate.

Crime scene investigation students examine evidence for their forensic science class.

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“Being out here and working on the crime scenes is a culmination of everything these seniors have been learning in class,” Barksdale said.

Forensic science program director Michael Adamowicz said the property has been a boon for students and was an important addition to one of only a few dedicated forensic science programs in the Midwest.

“It creates an immersive teaching environment,” he said. “There’s a sense of realness because, except for the event, it is real.”

The house’s location on the north end of East Campus, surrounded by agricultural research fields, is also advantageous.

“There are no neighbors that we’re disturbing with experiments or noise or traffic,” he said. “We really have the flexibility to utilize the property any way that we see can benefit our students.”

The property is also used for student and faculty research, and Adamowicz said more plans for the house are in progress. Currently, the interior cannot

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craig chandler

limited in the types of situations he could reconstruct for students.

“Having this place makes it so much more realistic,” he said. “Trying to find spaces around East Campus that weren’t going to bother someone was really hard to do, so most stuff, like excavations and decomposition, we could only talk about.”

Now, seniors in the program get hands-on experience with many of the real-life scenarios they may face as investigators, including monitoring decomposition; the proper protocols for digging up bones — plastic ones — from shallow graves; measuring tire treads; and photographing evidence. Barksdale said he’ll soon set up a station where blood spatter analysis can be done.

Students who major in forensic science choose one of three tracks — crime scene investigation, forensic biology or forensic chemistry — and take a wide variety of classes in biology, chemistry, entomology, human remains, criminal justice and more before their senior investigation class brings them to the crime scene house.

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from top: jonny ruzzo; craig chandler; courtesy of studio insite

be used since it was left vacant and fell into disrepair before the university was able to purchase it.

Over the next year, the house will be renovated. Once finished, interior rooms will be staged in endless ways for students to hone their skills in evidence collection and processing. Instructors will be able to watch their work through video feeds without being in the way.

Adamowicz said the program would also like to partner with organizations such as the UNL Police Department, Lincoln Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol who could conduct trainings there, but also work with students. Partnerships already exist with companies and organizations so that students learn the most cutting-edge technology, such as DNA mapping software, and the 3D scanner students used, which was donated through a partnership with FARO. Students said they like being on site performing experiments and collecting evidence.

“We were never able to process a whole crime scene until we got out here,” Diane Sherwin, a senior from Council Bluffs, Iowa, said.

Having the opportunity to use what they’ve learned in the classroom in a real-world setting has taught them some valuable lessons.

“Digging things out of dirt, you’re lucky if you get a good fingerprint,” Amy Douglas, a senior from Kansas City, said. “It’s not as easy or quick as it seems on TV.” —Deann Gayman

“The goal of the college is to foster an inclusive environment that empowers our students to be difference makers on campus, across the state and around the globe.”

—DR. TIFFANY HENG-MOSS upon being named dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

FIRST LOOK Last November, the university revealed its plans to construct a new reflection area outside of Nebraska’s Pershing Military and Naval Science Building on the northwest corner of 14th and Vine streets. The tribute will line Vine VETERANS TRIBUTE | 11.11.2018 |TRIBUTE PERSPECTIVE : LOOKING EAST Street with transparent panels depicting military heroes in action, engrave quotes on the stairs and add trees, seating and landscaping to the area. Fundraising initiatives for the renovated space are underway, with a goal of $4.5 million. Chancellor Ronnie Green said he hoped the project would be completed by 2020.

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SPRING Tyler White teaches while illuminated by a large satellite image of an Iranian oil refinery.

BIG BRAG In the past five fiscal years, the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources has received 45 separate awards of more than $1 million to support new and continuing projects.

ARTS AND SCIENCES

Securing Jobs NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAM OFFERS HUSKERS A CAREER EDGE

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offer of employment.

“We’re developing a bit of a reputation for sending students who are smart but also have a really good work ethic. I’m not saying that because I think our students are great; I’m saying that because I’ve had people in the intelligence community tell me that.”

Nebraska garnered international attention, too, when White earned the International Association for Intelligence Education’s Instructor of the Year award in July.

The program got its start in 2009, when the university was selected as an Intelligence Community

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craig chandler

Husker graduates of the National Security Studies program are finding limitless opportunity in the echelons of national intelligence and homeland security.

In fact, the success of Nebraska students is unparalleled in the Big Ten Conference and beyond, according to Tyler White, interim director of the program and assistant professor of practice in political science.

“Hiring officials with the agencies have told us that they typically receive more than 100,000 applications a year for a few hundred open positions,” White said.

“In the last two application cycles, more than 50 percent of our graduates have received a conditional

jonny ruzzo

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Center for Academic Excellence by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. This allowed Nebraska to set up the Intelligence Community Scholars program that year and add the interdisciplinary national security studies minor in 2011.

Now, National Security Studies also includes opportunities to participate in intelligence research teams, National Security Club and the Deterrence and Assurance Academic Alliance with U.S. Strategic Command. Most of the learning experience happens outside a traditional classroom.

“Every component helps them develop a resume that makes them hirable,” White said.

Abby Garden, a global studies major, said the insight and skills learned through the program have made pursuing a career in national security less daunting.

“Breaking into such a field is incredibly difficult, and without proper mentorship and guidance, it’s easy to become lost in the shuffle,” the senior from Kearney said. “IC Scholars provides a community for students at Nebraska to get the tools that will make them more competitive and better public servants.”

White and founding director Marc Warburton have strengthened the mentorship component by establishing relationships with career intelligence officials and inviting them to work with the students as often as possible.

“Sometimes, part of our job is convincing students that they can do this,” White said. “The intelligence community is a really mysterious thing — somewhat by design — and students don’t know that they can have a career there. It’s important to talk to the practitioners — the ones in the field day to day.”

Jenna Vigal described her participation in the various activities and classes as “career mentoring in all aspects.”

The junior from Omaha applied for IC Scholars after learning about it through her political science and global studies majors, enrolling when she began considering a career with the Department of State. “(IC Scholars) really gives you exposure and knowledge,” she said. “There are so many ways and opportunities to participate. You keep exploring and you find your specialty.”

Vigal, who also minors in National Security Studies, harnessed that knowledge and opportunity to earn an internship at the U.S. Embassy in Riga, Latvia. She’ll complete the internship during the spring semester.

More and more students like Vigal are learning about National Security Studies, White said.

“It’s grown well beyond our expectations,” he said.

“When the minor was introduced in 2011, there were 12 students. Now, there are 145.”

—Deann Gayman

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“Nebraska, you have a piece of my heart.”

—Volleyball co-captain MIKAELA FOECKE, upon completion of her final season. The defending national championship Huskers finished second in the NCAA tournament after losing a heartbreaker to Stanford in five sets.

ARCHITECTURE

Master of Masters ADVANCED DEGREE RANKS HIGH FOR ONLINE PROGRAMS The Master of Science in Architecture with Interior Design Specialization Program has been ranked twice among the top online master programs.

OnlineMasters.com ranked the program fifth on their honor list entitled The Best Online Master’s In Interior Design Programs. The program also earned a special distinction for best faculty.

“We evaluated 174 colleges and universities and only eight programs remained after our evaluation process,” said Barbara Montgomery, OnlineMasters.com program recognition manager.

The faculty’s credentials, training and accolades were all factors considered in the website’s methodology when selecting the best faculty designation.

According to the OnlineMasters.com, Nebraska’s “faculty are nationally recognized in diverse areas of teaching, research and creative activity. Because of this diversity there is great flexibility and opportunity for students to work with faculty to align their interests and customize a meaningful graduate research and learning experience.”

Additionally, the MSID Program was ranked ninth in Value College’s “Top 25 Online Interior Design Programs 2019.”

“The Master of Interior Design Program at the University of Nebraska impresses with its breadth and depth, and its focus on people over fashion,” said Rhonda Corey, media manager for Value College. “From sustainability to senior wellness, UNL puts the human at the center of the space for a model interior design program.”

BIG BRAG The number of humanities majors at UNL stands out in the United States, where the number of students studying subjects like history, English and literature has dipped in recent years.

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BIG BRAG

craig chandler

The nation’s most comprehensive assessment has ranked UNL among the best universities for veteran and military student success. In the Military Times’ “Best for Vets: Colleges 2019 Rankings.”

Nebraska is No. 25.

This is the third year in a row Nebraska has been in the top 30, including a No. 24 ranking in 2017 and No. 29 in 2018.

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HONOR I NG T HE FALLEN Veterans Day Observance Veterans were the focus of celebration during Nebraska’s Nov. 10 football game against Illinois. Members of the Nebraska ROTC program color guard wore authentic World War I uniforms as part of the Veterans Day observance. On Nov. 11 a new memorial commemorating the World War I service of Nebraskans and University of Nebraska students was dedicated during a ceremony at Memorial Stadium. Two WWI plaques were dedicated on each side of the stadium’s original entrance, now known as Gate 20.

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SPRING Stan Drvol, a freshman actuarial science and math major from Bennington, takes advantage of the job fair.

BIG BRAG Nebraska volleyball head coach John Cook was named national coach of the year by VolleyballMag. com, and three Huskers were chosen to the website’s AllAmerica teams.

BUSINESS

Crucial Connections STUDENTS INTERFACE WITH EMPLOYERS ON A DAILY BASIS

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efforts. Through innovative programming, such as career expeditions to cities across the U.S. or mock interviews with actual employers through the Internship & Job Search Strategies course, the career center staff help students build meaningful, professional relationships.

“At the College of Business, we have found that the more students meet and talk with employers, learn to ask questions about the culture and expectations of the workplace and practice their networking skills, the more confidence they have when applying for an internship or job, ” said Dr. Rachel Larson, director of

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garrett stolz

Every day Conrad Shiu, a junior accounting, finance and marketing major from Omaha, walks into Howard L. Hawks Hall knowing new and exciting career opportunities lie just around the corner — literally. He is one of many Nebraska Business students capitalizing on the vast amount of opportunities available to connect with employers, so they are better prepared to lead the future of business.

The college’s Business Career Center, which was ranked third for career services in the world by Financial Times last spring, spearheads the many student and employer connection

the center. “Additionally, building relationships with business professionals help students feel more comfortable in the organization and with the onboarding process when they start working there, leading to less turnover.”

One of the signature programs, called Employer in Residence, features a different business daily.

Representatives talk about internship and career opportunities to students like Shiu, who take advantage of the chance to connect with employers.

“Throughout a student’s academic time at Nebraska, students are constantly presented with chances to make great connections with employers. Now, with the college’s new building, students do not even have to deviate from their path to class and can simply stop and introduce themselves to the employer in residence that day,” said Shiu. “I have found building connections is one of the most vital actions a student can take. Connections are not only the key to landing a job after graduation, but more importantly, connections sometimes turn into mentors that help guide a student on the right path for a successful career in the future.”

With hundreds of companies in attendance, career fairs present the perfect chance for students to connect with a variety of employers simultaneously. An event that can seem intimidating to any student, Stan Drvol, an actuarial science and math major from Bennington, faced each fair he attended with a positive attitude and smile on his face, ready to get a jump-start on his future.

“As a freshman, I define what I want to do with my

next four years at Nebraska. I enjoy meeting employers and already have been to four career fairs. My portfolio is filled with business cards and I’ve talked to more than 40 companies, all while making valuable connections,” said Drvol.

Graduate students also get to capitalize on the boundless career opportuniThe top seven ties available at the college. The center businesses that also added a new graduate career coach employ Nebraska this fall. students or hire them as interns that In addition to these efforts, faculty also recently served as invite business partners to speak in various Employers undergraduate and graduate classes. They in Residence. offer insight and share their knowledge.

1. TD Ameritrade “While many of my classes host guest 2. Sandhills speakers, we get the opportunity to frePublishing quently learn content first-hand from 3. Nelnet employers in my Professional and Life 4. Spreetail Skills class. They share their expertise 5. Ameritas 6. Hudl with us on topics ranging from compensa7. Werner tion negotiation, planning for retirement to Enterprises making meetings matter. I look forward to leveraging the network I have built through the various opportunities I was given by the College of Business,” said Raghav Kidambi, a senior management major from Chennai, India.

With so many different ways to connect with employers during their education, Nebraska Business students are able to strengthen their networking skills and better prepare for their future in business.

—Sheri Irwin-Gish

jonny ruzzo

OVERHEARD

—MARCO BARKER on being named the inaugural vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion.

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“When I read about the 150 Commission’s work and the university’s analysis of its diversity efforts, it was evident how much Nebraska saw diversity and inclusion as a growing priority. I am grateful for the opportunity to create and lead this inaugural office.”

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SPRING JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS

Media Production Preparation There used to be television, and viewers could choose from programs offered by three national broadcasting networks.

Then there was cable. Hundreds of choices delivered to viewers’ living rooms.

Now? Lap-sized devices, hand-held devices, things you wear, stick in your ears, swipe and tap and talk to, connect people with neighbors next door and around the world.

To keep up with the variety of media platforms and

tools that have emerged — and continue to emerge — in the digital world, the College of Journalism and Mass Communications is creating a new media production option for broadcasting majors who want to explore a media landscape that has moved beyond traditional television studio production.

“The idea behind the change is to offer more choices to students that reflect the rapidly expanding world of media production,” said Interim Dean Amy Struthers.

Under the media production option approved by the college and awaiting university approval, stu-

BIG BRAG Biochemist Paul Black has been named a 2018 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society.

Fellows are selected by their peers for scientifically or socially distinguished achievements that advance science or its applications.

brian stauffer

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from top: courtesy nicole iraola and paloma contreras; jonny ruzzo

dents will take the core courses everyone in the college takes, plus fundamental courses in audio production, video production and writing and content development.

Then they can pursue focus areas that will include mobile media, video, photography, television, performance, audio, interactive media and design.

Students who choose to focus on mobile media, for example, would take an advertising and public relations course in digital content strategy and participate in a Mobile Media Lab, exploring cutting-edge practices related to developing and delivering content on mobile devices.

Students interested in focusing on audio production can hone advanced audio techniques and perfect their skills with a deep dive into podcasting, which has become a wildly popular listening format.

Media production students interested in interactive media tools will be able to take courses in interactive design and explore the complexities of user experience and user interface design, preparing them for professional-level website design.

While some of the courses media production students will take are new courses, such as the Mobile Media Lab, others are existing elective courses the college has already offered.

“When the curriculum committee started delving into the process of developing the new media production option, we realized some courses not traditionally considered broadcast classes totally support the re-imagined option,” said Mary Kay Quinlan, associate dean and curriculum committee chair, adding: “So, part of what we’re doing here is recognizing that the world of media has become so diverse and so interconnected that it is virtually impossible to say that the contemporary tools and techniques apply in only one discipline.”

Media production students who choose the design focus area, for example, will take an existing advertising and public relations course in design and layout and an existing broadcasting course in digital motion graphics.

Curriculum committee members who built out the planned new option envisioned that the structure will allow for the addition of new areas of focus as new tools and new platforms emerge.

Members of the college’s Student Advisory Board who were consulted on the proposed media production option were excited about the change, noting that the current broadcast production emphasis on television doesn’t match today’s students’ broader media interests. Several seniors on the Student Advisory Board lamented that they would be graduating before the new choices were in place.

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LAW

Day Rates

BIG BRAG

Nicole Iraola and Paloma contreras (shown above), two of the students in the Immigration Clinic, participated in the Attorney of the Day Program at the Omaha Immigration Court. Pro bono attorneys were matched with unaccompanied minors who were appearing in Immigration Court removal proceedings and who did not have a lawyer. Attorneys consulted with the minors, interviewed them to determine if they were eligible for any relief from removal, suggested resources where they might obtain counsel and then accompanied them to court hearings. The project is a collaborative effort with the Omaha Immigration Court, the Immigrant Legal Center and volunteer attorneys.

To prepare for their appearances in the program, students received training from Nebraska Law alumni including Mindy Rush Chipman (’07), Roxana Cortes Reyes (’16) and Joshua Snowden (’17).

Researcher Leen-Kiat Soh is using a fouryear, $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to lead an interdisciplinary team of Nebraska researchers in developing and deploying a program aimed at helping the state’s educators effectively teach computer science to a diverse group of K-8 students.

OVERHEARD

“From the moment I came to Nebraska, I had one big idea: to make Nebraska the best state in the nation to be a baby. At the five-year mark, we are well on our way to meeting our goals.”

—SAMUEL J. MEISELS, founding director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska.

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BIG BRAG Two women have been elected to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, which previously consisted of eight men. District 8 residents elected former University of Nebraska Omaha professor Barbara Weitz and District 4 residents elected former student regent Elizabeth O’Connor.

ENGINEERING

Prolonging Life $3.7 MILLION GRANT SECURED TO SAVE THOSE WITH LUNG INJURIES IN BATTLE

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bubbles, when delivered into the abdomen of a person with a traumatic injury, provide oxygen to keep the brain and other organs alive while the lungs heal.

“For the most severe lung injuries, there are few options for a war fighter in forward positions,” Terry said. “In these situations, every minute is critical, so our hope is that this device will extend the time for transport to a location that can offer the appropriate care.

“Our previous work with the National Strategic Research Institute has focused on perfusing the abdominal cavity with microbubbles. In the future, we will explore other delivery methods that would further reduce demand on injured lungs and increase en route transport time.”

Terry is developing a device he invented that would deliver oxygen microbubbles into the abdomen and also aims to develop a system that would deliver microbubbles through a chest tube.

—Karl Vogel

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u.s. navy/lt. j.g. haraz n. ghanbari

Benjamin Terry, associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering, is part of a multi-university team working to help save the lives of American armed forces personnel suffering traumatic lung injuries in battle.

By using oxygenated microbubbles — roughly 100 times narrower than a human hair — to create a “third lung,” Terry’s team hopes to extend the life expectancy of these patients en route to surgery who currently are untreatable with ventilators or other traditional means.

The two-year, $3.7 million grant awarded by the Department of Defense Office of the Air Force Surgeon General was given to the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska.

This project also includes researchers from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Colorado Boulder.

Terry, who is known internationally for his work to develop this technology, said the oxygenated micro-

DEVOUR IN HUSKER COUNTRY

READ

University of NebraskaLincoln As the university turns 150, take an in-depth look at how its buildings and people have changed over the years with this history by UNL professor Kay LoganPeters (’78).

EAT

FlyDogz At this family-owned restaurant at 30th and O streets, you can choose one of 13 different gourmet hot dogs and pile it high with unlimited toppings, from mac and cheese, to chili, to potato salad … the sky’s the limit.

clockwise from top: istock/ostal; courtesy flydogz; courtesy saro cider

WEAR

Gowns To celebrate 150 years, the university’s graduation gowns are getting a new look. For undergraduates, the traditional all-black will be replaced with a red trimmed sleeve and red stole with white embroidered Ns.

PLAY

Husker Cornhole It’s spring, so grab your friends and family and play this game in the great outdoors while showing your Husker spirit.

DRINK

Saro Cider Step aside, beer — this new brewery on 17th and N streets crafts strictly cider.

They have 10 flavors on tap that are all gluten free and infused with everything from traditional apple to jalapenos, for the bold.

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SPRING Right: Grazia and Rosario Caniglia were prominent members of Omaha’s ItalianAmerican community in the early 20th century. Their great granddaughter brought the photo to the fall 2018 History Harvest.

Below: the cup was brought to the 2011 North Omaha History Harvest by retired Omaha Public School principal, Warren Taylor. It was owned by an enslaved African in Mississippi during the pre-Civil War era.

EDUCATION AND HUMAN SCIENCES

History Harvest SCHOLARS AIM TO TRANSFORM HISTORY AND CIVICS EDUCATION IN K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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States but has not yet been incorporated at the K-12 level. The team is in its first year of a three-year grant from the Humanities Without Walls Consortium to develop the curriculum, a digital toolbox and a teacher institute to introduce the History Harvest concept in Lincoln Public Schools.

Jones is working on the project with Aaron Johnson, assistant professor in teaching, learning and education; and graduate students Sarita Garcia and Reed Underwood.

Underwood, who is pursuing his doctorate in education, said the History Harvest would be a great fit in K-12 classrooms.

“It gives students a chance to produce historical documents and an opportunity to be producers of historical record, not just consumers,” Underwood said.

And it’s part of a field students understand and are already immersed in.

“Students have iPads and laptops in the class-

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from top: patrick d. jones; courtesy 2011 history harvest

Patrick Jones, associate professor of history and ethnic studies, is leading the charge to re-create History Harvest as an applicable learning vehicle in K-12 classrooms.

The History Harvest began in 2010 at Nebraska, under the direction of Jones and William G. Thomas, professor of history. It is a college course held each year that culminates in a community “harvest” where the public is invited to bring and share their historical artifacts to be documented, cataloged and digitally archived by undergraduate students.

The History Harvest course has spread to other colleges and universities around the United

room,” Garcia, a graduate student in history, said. “It makes sense to teach them how to use digital skills to catalog and record history.”

Fifteen LPS teachers — five from elementary schools, five from middle schools and five from high schools — will be recruited to attend the summer institute this year with a commitment to introduce the pilot project in their respective schools during the 2019-20 academic year.

The team has already met with LPS teachers and is excited to host the summer institute to introduce the curriculum.

“The idea really resonates with teachers, based on the feedback we’ve been getting,” Johnson said.

“History Harvest is a really interesting approach to doing a community-based history project, where students are also learning new technical skills.”

Both Johnson and Jones said the project can also instill a sense of community in students, which is much needed in the current divisive climate.

“We do see this as an opportunity for students to become more knowledgeable and appreciate more of the richness of the communities that they live in,” Johnson said. “There are stories to tell, and many of those stories are fascinating.”

Jones said the timing for this project is ideal from a policy-making standpoint as well.

“Right now, Nebraska as a state is revisiting these requirements in public education,” Jones said. “We’re in a moment of transformation for historical learning,

1945

patrick d. jones

Nisei Students “Nebraska enrolled more than 100 Nisei students (second-generation Japanese Americans) during World War II, at a time when 120,000 people of Japanese descent were removed from the West Coast and incarcerated in internment camps following the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and the subsequent U.S. declaration of war on Japan. Nearly 4,000 Japanese-American students already enrolled in West Coast colleges were expelled when the United States forcibly removed people of Japanese descent from those states. The National Japanese American Student Relocation Council worked to find academic homes for these displaced students. Nebraska accepted more than 100 students between 1942 and 1945.” (Excerpted from Dear Old Nebraska U: Celebrating 150 Years)

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Graduate student Mike Dick, center, listens to two generations of women from the Distefano family tell stories about their relatives, who came to Omaha from Italy during the early 20th century.

social studies and civics education and the History Harvest gives a unique, pedagogical approach.

“Our hope is that after we’ve introduced it to LPS, we can show Nebraska educators that it works and can be included in statewide curriculum.”

As part of the Humanities Without Walls Consortium, which is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Nebraska team will also work with similar teams at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Michigan State University during workshops where they will discuss the results of the local projects and prepare for joint presentations of their ideas. The group intends, as well, to share its applications and model curricula through journal publications and open educational resources.

—Deann Gayman

BIG BRAG The Extreme Light Laboratory is one of the founding members of a new research network intended to unite the nation’s most powerful laser facilities. The network, LaserNetUS, will give U.S. scientists increased access to high-intensity, ultrafast laser facilities across the country.

It includes the most powerful lasers in the United States, including lasers with powers approaching or exceeding a petawatt — a million billion watts.

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SPRING BIG BRAG The university won a $12 million award from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to prepare newly hired child welfare professionals for their role in strengthening Nebraska families and protecting children from neglect and abuse.

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DRONE LAB

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane Students in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications are learning how to use drones to get a different view on familiar places. Students learn how to get their FAA drone license through the college’s new pop-up classes. Two students, Elsie Stormberg and Sierra Karst, went with Professor of Practice Matt Waite (’97) to photograph campus from above during the fall. Top left: The homecoming parade from behind the Neihardt Hall cupola on Sept.

28 (Karst). Bottom left: Fall in full view from above Architecture Hall on Oct. 22 (Stormberg). Above: The snow that blanketed campus Nov. 17 will be remembered for the Nebraska vs. Michigan State football game, but students drew designs and messages in the snow outside Selleck Quadrangle (Waite). At left: Sometimes the neatest campus colors come out at night. The different lights being used to test theories in the greenhouses on the north side of East Campus shine bright near sunset on Jan. 5 (Waite).

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A CELEBRATION 150 YEARS IN THE MAKING On February 15, 1869, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln was chartered. This monumental day established Nebraska as the state’s land-grant institution and opened new doors for students wanting to better their lives and the world. Please join us in celebrating the past, present and future of your university.

THE NEBRASKA LECTURES:

Explore the rich history of Nebraska with the Chancellor’s Distinguished Speakers Series. Find more information about the lectures, including locations and livestream links, at go.unl.edu/nelectures.

March 2019 Lecture:

MASTERS WEEK

Noteworthy Nebraska alumni will return to campus to pass on their knowledge and real-world experience in special lectures for current students on March 6-8. These lectures have been taking place since 1964, and all past Alumni Master honorees have been invited back for this historic year.

HUSKER CIVIC CHALLENGE

The Center for Civic Engagement is calling on all Husker students, alumni, faculty, and friends to show the world how Nebraska gives back. In 2019, they’re asking for 1.5 million hours of public service, community engagement, and philanthropy to be completed in honor of N150. Add your hours or find a volunteer event here ›› unl.givepulse.com.

“Grace & Edith Abbott: Nebraska’s Social Justice Sisters” John Sorensen Grace Abbott Scholar and friend of the university

April 2019 Lecture: “The Heart of Foreigners: How Americans Understand Others” Tim Borstelmann E.N. and Katherine Thompson Professor of Modern World History

ORDER BOOK

Campus will always be close to your heart, but now it can seem even closer with a copy of “Dear Old Nebraska U.” This book features photos from across the university’s 150 years, highlighting the colleges, athletics, students and buildings that help shape the one-of-a-kind Nebraska experience. ›› go.unl.edu/150book

LEARN MORE ›› n150.unl.edu

May 2019 Lecture: “Willa Cather on Campus” Kari Ronning Research Associate Professor of English

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Please see go.unl.edu/nondiscrimination. ©2019, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.

All Rights Reserved.

For decades the Temple has been home to a whole lot of drama and thousands of theater majors. Bob Hall — who holds an impressive three degrees from UNL — tells the iconic building’s story and unearths some of its lore in this four-part graphic novella: The Ghost of Temple Past.

bob hall

SHARING THE VIEWPOINTS OF OUR ALUMNI, FACULTY AND STUDENTS

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Stephanie Teten

Nathaniel Korth

Erica Pribil

Johnson, NE

Fayetteville, AR

Erica Marshall

Toluwalope Makinde

Johnson, NE

Kaelyse Clapper

Tessa Porter

Peru, NE

Emilie O’Connor

Stephanie Teten

Luverne, MN

Omaha, NE

Ariel Wong

Lincoln, NE

Omaha, NE

Justin Bakke La Vista, NE

Minden, NE

Nicole Be

Blue Hill, N

Soon Lau

Albion, NE Lincoln, NE Ed Cornish has been helping students for more Shane Korte Kristen Drvol Geraldine Spinner Columbus, NE Travis Burger Omaha, NE Lincoln, NE than 80 Columbus, years, even though he Emilie diedO’Connor in 1938.

NE

Bailey Harris

Lance Sorensen

Lincoln, NE

Kearney, NE

Ashley Bernstein

Nicole Berns

Elkhorn, NE

Crystal Pribyl Geneva, NE

Blue Hill, NE

Laura Hargarten Clinton, WI

atherine Drehs Lincoln, NE

Olivia Kunzman Albion, NE

Tessa Porter Albion, NE

Susan Hammons

avid Schroeder

Weeping Water, NE

West Point, NE

Charles Caruso Pilger, NE

Heather Sasse Nebraska City, NE

Lori Rezac

Amber Talbott Hoskins, NE

Sally Steele Morrill, NE

Gothenburg, NE

Kathleen Sackett Gretna, NE

Emily Williams

Omaha, NE

Omaha, NE

Jennifer Pickering Aurora, NE

Brooke Grossenbacher

Jamie Egger

Overland Park, KS

Pei Ang

Woodbury, M

Travis Burger

Lincoln, NE

Columbus, NE

Tessa Porter

Kristen Cochran

Lincoln, NE

Omaha, NE

Bailey Harris Lincoln, NE

Steven Kaiser

Grant Wallace Craig, NE

Davey, NE

Amanda Walls Loveland, CO

Miranda Schurr Eustis, NE

Effie Epke Lincoln, NE

Travis Lucas Raymond, NE

Elizabeth Pfeifer Madison, NE

Natalie Souder Wilber, NE

Amber Cleveland Carson City, NV

Ed Cornish was one of the first donors to establish a scholarship fund for students at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. The very next year, he passed away. But students have benefited from Mr. Cornish’s generosity every year since — including the students listed here.

The legacy of Ed Cornish lives on. Yours can, too. To find out how, visit us online at nufoundation.org/giftplanning or call a gift planning officer at the University of Nebraska Foundation at 800-432-3216.

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NE

Part 1 of 4

B Y BOB HALL ’67, ’ 71, ’ 17

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The Ghost of Temple Past

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Part 1 of 4

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Mentoring

The Healing of Harman was filmed in Lincoln.

Coming Home Surprises proliferate for L.A. TV executive B Y JULIE URIBE (’8 4) Adjunct Faculty, Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film Former senior vice president FremantleMedia

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courtesy photo

I

felt like a fish out of water when I returned to Lincoln after 30 years in Los Angeles. However, my mission was clear: my husband and I would move back to be with my aging parents. Dad had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and my mother needed my help. Done. The decision felt right. In fact, it would be a privilege to spend this chapter together, but what would I do for work? I had been a television executive for the past 13 years and a producer before that. Luckily, the Johnny Carson

School of Theatre and Film had a guest teaching position open in the spring of 2017 and three decades later, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln changed my life — again.

I graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theater in 1984, and since that time, I’ve seen the confused looks and heard the giggles when I would tell colleagues that I was from Lincoln, Nebraska.

It’s no secret that the heartland doesn’t get a lot of respect as a creative force on either coast.

I have to admit, I arrived back home with a few judgments myself. That all changed when I was assigned to executive produce a short film funded by the Carson school with the support of the Johnny Carson Foundation.

There wasn’t a film department when I was a theater major in the ’80s until Dean Chuck O’Connor created one in the ’90s. Now it is possible for students to work on a professional film set alongside Hollywood pros. As producer, I needed to attract incredible mentors for the students, and this would require a story with an important message. Plus, there was another mandate — the script needed to be about Lincoln or Nebraska.

During my research phase I learned that Lincoln is a large resettlement community for refugees.

Today, Lincoln Public Schools teaches over 3,000

VOICES children in English Language Learner classes and Angeles who would act alongside theater students interprets over 120 languages. In a Washington Post Karen Richards and Kasey Halvorson. We cast local story a few years ago I read, “It may surprise you refugees including Sara Khalil — a single mother to learn that Lincoln, Nebraska, is a haven for refuand a Lincoln police officer — in a prominent role. gees and between October 2015 and September 2016 Alumnus David Landis also appears in the film. actually led the nation in resettling the most refuDuring the research and production phase, gees per capita.” alums who are now leaders in LPS, Bryan Health, This discovery quickly led me to The New city hall and the university, were ready to support Americans Task Force — a group comprised of anyway they could. Dr. Helen Abdali Soosan Fagan, public and private organizations and community assistant professor in the College of Agricultural members dedicated to supporting New Americans Sciences and Natural Resources, helped us secure in Lincoln. Through the NATF, I met and interBryan West as our key location and was another viewed refugees as well as UNL alums that are consulting producer to advise on cultural accuracy. part of the many systems When I needed a motor home, that help them get settled an alum who now has kids and succeed. One of the refat UNL offered his new one “As producer, I needed ugees I met, Harman Doski, because he “would do anyto attract incredible was Kurdish and had arrived thing for the university.” That in Lincoln with his young was the same response from mentors for the students wife and infant son around the owner of Gana Trucking, and this would require a the same time I moved back. whose rock and sand quarry After hearing about his expebecame our location for Iraq. story with an important riences of survival and the We shot the film in May message. Plus, there was years he worked with the 2018 and had a seven-day run U.S. Army as an interpreter, in Los Angeles in September. another mandate — the I asked Harman if he would Two local screenings followed script needed to be about come on board as a consultat UNL’s Ross theater in Lincoln or Nebraska.” ing producer. He’s an amazNovember and December. The ing man who makes you want Johnny Carson Foundation to be a better person. embraced the film and its Inspired by tales from Harman and others, I had my message and is continuing to fund The Healing of story. My goal quickly became, not only to train the Harman as it makes the journey around the festival students about the technical aspects of filmmaking, circuit this year. The hope is that the film will not but to produce a film that could inspire a local, state only move hearts and minds but will showcase the and global audience and elevate the unique story of student’s work to the widest audience possible.

Lincoln as a refugee resettlement community.

The creative opportunities available to students I co-wrote the script with my cousin in which we are astounding, particularly with the opening of tell the story of a Kurdish refugee who works in the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Lincoln as an interpreter and meets a mysterious Arts this fall. The center will be an internationally man who asks for help with life and death consedistinct program where students will learn how quences. The Healing of Harman is an emotional, to create content for film and television, game heart rending story about the power of forgiveness design, interactive media, internet media, and to heal that which is seemingly beyond healing. augmented and virtual reality. The coasts won’t Three of my students, Elijah Watson, Ben Hartzell be giggling much longer. and Jack Hoppe, would be alums by the time we shot It was a special night last October when my parand finished the film. I brought in Academy Awardents sat in the front row at the Ross theater for the nominated director Seth Pinsker and other experts local premiere. They had supported my dream of such as sound guru Chris Welch whose credits living and working in Hollywood after I graduated include Frozen and Pearl Harbor. We also had facmore than 30 years earlier. Once again, my mom ulty member and alum Sandy Veneziano (’73, ’75, ’77; and dad were responsible for bringing me to one of Dead Poets Society and an Academy Award nominamost rewarding experiences of my life. tion for art direction for Terms of Endearment) who Returning home to be with my parents was a lured her friend, Hope Parrish (The Curious Case of no-brainer. Rediscovering why Lincoln and the Benjamin Button) as prop master.

University of Nebraska yield so much pride and The casting director from Showtime’s Homeland loyalty from its citizens and alums was a big, helped us land the two male leads based in Los wonderful surprise.

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Agriculture

Hating on Big Food Are there antibiotics in my meat? Should I be afraid of genetically modified organisms? How is food production impacting our environment?

B Y CHARLIE ARNOT ( ’ 86) CEO of The Center for Food Integrity Author of Size Matters: Why We Love to Hate Big Food

D

ecades ago, we gave little thought to our food. But today, despite food being safer, more affordable and more available than at any time in human history, we’re increasingly skeptical and critical of today’s food system. It’s not surprising.

Food production doesn’t look like it used to. Over the past 40 years, food and agriculture companies and farms have consolidated, integrated and industrialized — they’ve become “big.” And in the minds of many, big is bad.

Annual trust research at The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) consistently shows a “big is bad” bias — a belief that mass production creates more opportunity for error, that industrialized food production is inherently impersonal and that big companies will put profit ahead of public interest every time.

In fact, in the latest survey respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement with the following statement: “Small food companies are likely to put their interests ahead of mine.” Only 26 percent strongly agree. If it’s a large food company, the percentage more than doubles: 53 percent strongly agree. The numbers were similar when we asked about small vs. large farms.

It’s a phenomenon driving change in the food system. We all want — and deserve — to know who’s producing our food — a farmer or food com-

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pany that we believe is committed to doing the right things for people, animals and the planet, not just the bottom line.

Layer on the rise of tribal and contentious social media and an avalanche of conflicting information, and it’s no wonder we question whether we should trust our food.

INNOVATION ANGST

New technologies, while they can help farmers grow the food we need using fewer resources, are causing angst, too. The sentiment was expressed during a recent CFI consumer panel where all participants indicated they avoid foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The moderator asked if their opinion about GMOs would change if, for example, they knew the technology could be used to introduce a naturally occurring gene from an arid plant to create corn that could grow using less water — not only resulting in the use of fewer natural resources but allowing corn to grow in dryer climates where populations couldn’t grow their own food before.

One panelist replied: “I find it hard to believe that scientists would spend time and money to use the technology to help something grow faster and easier, more than for profit.”

Seeds created with new technologies are developed to use less water and fewer pesticides, provide enhanced nutrition and grow in changing climates.

But that same technology causes some of us to question the motives of “big food.”

We love innovation when it comes to our smartphones, but not necessarily when it comes to our food — food that we’re putting in our bodies and feeding our children. There’s nothing quite as personal.

Innovation and technology will allow us to meet one of humanity’s most basic needs — safe, accessible, nutritious food — while protecting our planet.

But if the food industry doesn’t step up to earn trust, the public will continue to push back and perhaps delay or stop progress in its tracks.

WE DESERVE TRANSPARENCY

We’re living in an era of unprecedented disruption in the food system as technology and consumer demand drive rapid change. The food system is quickly evolving to working diligently to provide us with what we want and do it in a sustainable way.

It’s a delicate balance.

Consider the push for slower-growing chickens.

To accommodate a segment of consumers, several retailers have agreed to replace fast-growing chickens (“broilers” bred for rapid growth and increased breast

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meat yield) with slower-growing chickens by 2024.

However, if only one-third of broiler chicken producers switched to a slower growing breed, nearly 1.5 billion more birds would be needed annually to produce the same amount of meat currently produced — requiring a tremendous increase in water, land and fuel consumption.

As appealing as it might seem to return to the “good old days” of agriculture, rolling back productivity improvements would have a devastating impact on the environment at a time when we need to produce more healthy, affordable food for people around the world using fewer natural resources.

We need to produce more food in the next 30 years than has been produced in the last 8,000 years.

As consumers, we deserve authentic transparency that will allow us to better understand our food, and the challenges and opportunities, so we can make informed choices about potential trade-offs.

How can the food industry step up?

The traditional food industry approaches of attacking the attackers or leading with science don’t work in a world where there is greater interest and skepticism about food and everyone with a smartphone expects instant access to unlimited information. Facts and data alone don’t build trust.

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There’s a better way.

CFI’s peer-reviewed and published trust model shows that communicating shared values is three to five times more important to earning trust than communicating with science and facts.

In fact, simply sharing science and facts galvanizes the opposition and makes it harder to find common ground.

As consumers, we simply want to know the food industry shares our values for safe, healthy food, caring for animals and protecting the environment, for example.

We want the ability to engage, too — to be heard, acknowledged and get straight answers to our questions. We also want the good, the bad and the ugly; what’s going well, not so well and where can improvements be made? The industry must be forthcoming and more transparent to build trust.

While strides are being made, I see many opportunities for those in farming and food to bridge the gap and earn trust with a public that wants assurances that we’re all in this together. Long-term, transparent and values-based engagement is the key to building trust that will unlock the potential for agriculture and food production in Nebraska and beyond.

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Students Aguel Lual, left, and Nick Prior get an opportunity to talk with Audra McDonald before her Lied Center performance in 2018.

For 30 Years the LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS has brought students and working professionals together to learn and collaborate for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it just keeps getting better.

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BY HANNAH TRULL S P R I N G 2 0 1 9 39

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hat do Kristin Chenoweth, American Ballet Theater, t h e C h i n e s e Wa r r i o r s of Peking and Audra McDonald have in common? They’ve all given their time and talent to students through the Lied Center for Performing Arts’ artist-student engagement programs. These personal interactions — financed with support from the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts endowment — have been the root of success for many alumni, who’ve ended up on Broadway and London’s West End. “Connecting University of Nebraska students with the greatest artists in the world provides students with once-in-lifetime experiences that inspire, educate and provide valuable industry connections,” says Bill Stephan, executive director of the Lied Center.

Given that the performing arts center is located in the middle of campus, it only makes sense that if an artist wishes to perform there, they must engage with the students in one way or another.

Sasha Dobson, education outreach coordinator for the Lied Center, negotiates with agents to arrange student interactions which take the form of master classes, question and answer sessions or workshops. She schedules around 80 artist-student engagement opportunities every year.

Last spring, six-time Tony-winner and Private Practice star Audra McDonald held a Q&A before her performance. The Broadway chanteuse (wearing street clothes and before going into hair-andmakeup prep) dished out real advice to a group of 15 mesmerized students.

When she entered, everyone was quiet, formal and reserved. But as the half-hour session progressed, laughter filled the room as students came to realize how easily they could relate to her early years. The students relished her down-to-earth, realist approach to the industry.

“I learned to send my ego packing,” McDonald said. “It has no place in the theater.”

She also encouraged students to “find their voice” with a story about how, as a young AfricanAmerican girl, she was often rejected from roles with lighter vocals that were usually reserved for white singers. But she knew she had the right voice for the roles and didn’t change herself for anyone.

“I kept putting myself out there as who I was and not who others wanted me to be. And after a while, people had to listen,” she explained.

One attendee, Aguel Lual (’18), was able to speak with McDonald individually as she walked to the

Paul Shaffer, who was David Letterman’s musical director for 33 years, performed at the Lied in January and spoke with a class of music students.

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The American Ballet Theater taught classes to dance majors when the troupe performed with Misty Copeland in 2018.

“The best piece of advice Audra gave me was to not try to sound like anyone else — to find out what your voice does, and just work on developing yourself. I’ll probably never forget that.” dressing room after the Q&A. “Talking one-on-one with Audra was incredible,” she said. “The best piece of advice she gave me was to not try to sound like anyone else — to find out what your voice does, and just work on developing yourself. I’ll probably never forget that.”

Influential artists were no doubt instrumental to the post-graduation success of some alumni.

Broadway star Sam Hartley (’13) jumped at the opportunity to engage in master classes in college thanks to encouragement from his vocal professor Alisa Belflower, who was a strong believer in the art of “practice making possible,” he said.

Hartley participated in vocal master classes where a group of three to six students individually perform for the artist, who then gives them immediate feedback. The one that stands out to him five years later was with two-time Grammy-winning opera singer

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Sylvia McNair. As an alternate, Hartley was thrilled when he was able to perform for her with just minutes remaining in the class.

“The note I’ll always remember had nothing to do with my song choice, my technique or what I wore; the most effective part of my performance was that she felt like she got a sense of who I was as a person,” Hartley said. “Hearing opinions like this from working artists was so rewarding.”

After graduation, he moved to New York and has since toured the country with the traveling Broadway casts, playing lead roles like Buddy the elf from Elf and the beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Though he admits it has been hard to be away from his home and family for the last five years, Hartley said he’s had the experience of a lifetime. And he wouldn’t be where he is today without the one-on-one instruction he received as a student. “(Master classes) absolutely have contributed to my success,” he said. “My muscle memory to thrive under high pressure started with opportunities like these. It enforced my choice to pursue this wild career.”

Jaimie Pruden (’13), a music major who accompanied Hartley on his journey to the Big Apple, recently landed a role in Stephen Sondheim’s Company at the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West

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Kristin Chenoweth not only taught a master class in 2017, she also invited students to perform on stage during her show.

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“Master classes can be challenging for some of the same reasons they are deeply valuable — they often reflect how subjective this industry is. Some people may find you brilliant and flexible and engaging, and others may find you totally lackluster.” on their raw passion and joy for performing.

“Lots of artists tell them not to worry so much about being a good student and getting it right and perfect.

It’s OK to be messy. It’s OK to not hit every turn,” Dobson said. “When they get out there, they’re not doing it for a grade anymore. They can let go of what they’ve learned and just enjoy doing what they love.”

Beck Damron, a sophomore theater performance major, has participated in multiple master classes, working with cast members from Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots, The Color Purple and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer national tours. These Broadway dance master classes are run differently than the vocal ones in which Hartley and Pruden participated — here, the cast teaches students actual choreography from their show.

Damron loves getting to know his favorite per-

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End theater district. “I’m choosing to be delighted and inspired and open and brave instead of being overwhelmed by fear that I’ll blow it,” she said. “We really do get to choose.”

Like Hartley, she credits Belflower with giving her the push she needed to participate in the classes. She said she’s always struggled with her nerves, and this helped her overcome that fear.

“Master classes can be challenging for some of the same reasons they are deeply valuable — they often reflect how subjective this industry is. Some people may find you brilliant and flexible and engaging, and others may find you totally lackluster,” Pruden said. “And, especially when you’re in a master class taught by someone you really admire, it’s difficult not to give them all the power to determine your worth as an artist.”

Nonetheless, she participated in multiple master classes throughout college and, like Hartley, said they contributed to her post-graduation success.

She said it’s impossible to perform properly when your body is in fight-or-flight mode, and most artists don’t have a chance to experience that level of pressure until after graduation, so this gave her a head start in finding ways to manage anxiety.

Outside of preparing students for high-pressure performances, the Lied Center’s Dobson said the most important perspective the performers have given students is to focus less on the technique itself and more

formers as real people and believes the connections he forms will help him in the professional world. But even as a seasoned participant, he says it can be intimidating to meet a successful artist. Damron combats his fear with a positive attitude. “Knowing that they’re there to help you succeed and be your best helps me get the confidence to work with them,” he said.

Looking back, Hartley also remembers feeling anxious before his performances. “So many of these artists have performed around the world. That’s very intimidating for an undergraduate who hasn’t performed outside of Nebraska,” he said.

Because of the intimidation factor, comfort level, even more than skill, is the main aspect taken into consideration when professors select which students will participate in the classes. Dobson said they try to mix it up and choose different students every time, but if someone is especially passionate about attending master classes, like Damron, they’ll do their best to accommodate that, too.

Whether it’s a vocal, dance or ballet master class, a Q&A session, or a workshop, it’s clear that students are benefiting from learning how to network and stay cool under pressure.

“It’s an opportunity for students to showcase their work and receive feedback from the perspective of someone who is right in the heat of it and working in the industry, which is incredibly valuable,” Dobson said.

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But the artists may get just as much out of it as the students do. Dobson said she thinks plenty of performers would participate in student engagement even if it wasn’t contract-binding. “It’s nice to know they’re an inspiration to someone,” she said. “It nourishes their souls to know their work is appreciated.”

Kristin Chenoweth, for example, performed at the Lied Center in fall 2017 and was thrilled to teach a master class — she even invited students on stage with her during the show. And McDonald emphasized to students that, “I’m very fulfilled with my career as an artist, but I also always feel I have to give back, in a way, too,” she said.

As the season continues, stars from Broadway’s Something Rotten to Tap Dogs will fill the Lied stage.

According to executive director Stephan, “The vision for the future is that every University of Nebraska student will experience the professional performing arts at the Lied Center as part of their college education. Every year we increase student participation and move closer to achieving the vision.”

With the Lied entering its third decade, Stephan says he intends the next 30 years to continue drawing big names to the capital city and provide future Huskers with more unique opportunities to learn from the best in the business. “The future will be filled with the greatest artists in the world inspiring and teaching University of Nebraska students,” he said.

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“I feel like all the success I’ve had is about following your heart — it will never guide you down the wrong path. I don’t take any of this for granted because I never planned to be this deep in it.”

—ANTHONY BLUE ’11

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THE

NEBRASKA

By Mekita Rivas (’12)

Each year, a selected group of exceptional alumni return to campus to share their experiences and knowledge with the UNL community. Known as the Alumni Masters, these individuals are proven trailblazers in their respective fields. Now in its 55th year, the program showcases the best that each college has to offer. From seeing the world via submarine to managing the largest collection of wheat on the planet to launching a globally recognized skincare line, this year’s class boasts a wide Anthony Blue (center) at the Cadillac House during Fashion Week, 2017

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range of professional accomplishments that illustrate the power of a Nebraska education.

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CLASS OF 2011

Anthony Blue

Fine and Performing Arts

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CLASS OF 1956

Keith Kretschmer

Business

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eith Kretschmer is the kind of guy who seems to have done it all.

His first job out of college? Army ranger.

“I was flown to Korea and served as a platoon leader on the demilitarized zone,” Kretschmer said. “I liked the 24-hour-a-day nature of the job — we had listening posts at night and observation posts during daylight. We also had the additional mission of improving our defensive positions.”

After Korea, he returned to Lincoln where he launched a string of successful businesses, including insurance and computer companies. “After a few years, we sold the company for enough to make all the creditors happy and for my partner to retire,” he shared.

But success wasn’t going to slow Kretschmer down. After selling the company, he worked for the acquirer and was relocated to California. He was tasked with programming the systems for the new IBM 360s.

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previous spread, courtesy anthony blue; this page, courtesy keith kretschmer (2)

ast May, Anthony Blue nearly missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

“I was taking a nap, woke up to check my email, and got this message asking if I could do this shoot and be there in 40 minutes,” recalled Blue, a freelance photographer and multimedia artist based in New York City. “I felt bad because I was napping and not even prepared. I had to stop at a camera place and rent some more batteries because my camera wasn’t charged.”

The event to which Blue was racing was the Met Gala, a fundraising extravaganza benefitting the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

The lavish affair takes place every year on the first Monday in May, and it’s often referred to as the “Oscars of fashion.”

His task? Photograph Solange Knowles, a singer-songwriter who just so happens to be Beyoncé’s younger sister, as she prepped for the gala.

“Getting the call and then being able to follow through and execute it was very crazy because you just never know what could happen,” he said. “I could have been doing something else, or I could have slept 30 minutes longer and missed that opportunity. The whole day was so surreal.”

Blue, a Dallas native, bonded with Knowles over their shared Texas roots.

“She’s also from Texas and does amazing work,” he said. “When I met her, it just blew my mind. She said, ‘So you’re Anthony?’ And I thought, ‘Wait, you know me already?’ It was a beautiful blessing.”

And it’s one that he never imagined experiencing back when he was an art student in Nebraska. Blue had arrived at the university on a football scholarship and was determined to play professionally.

“I was such an athlete,” he said. “My only plan was the NFL — that’s as far as my vision went.”

When football didn’t pan out — “I got hurt and didn’t recover that well,” explained Blue — he shifted focus to the artist who was, in his words, “growing within.”

“I remember going to critiques and having the worst stuff up on the wall,” Blue revealed. “I would learn so much from the art students who said, ‘If you tried this, maybe you can get this effect.’

Listening to how people viewed my work helped me grow so much.”

Still, if you had told him that he’d some day fill the role of personal photographer to one of the biggest names in music, he probably wouldn’t have believed you.

Tom Payne

Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

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“We were using the IBM 1400 series,” he said.

“One of our programmers had invented the meta-compiler at UCLA and asked if I would like to attend business school. At UCLA, I was recruited to Wall Street, and that’s the rest of the story.”

He began working with derivatives, and — unsurprisingly — he was quite good at it.

“I was involved with the old over-the-counter market in options and helped with the start of exchange trading,” he explained. “My book, Your Option, was the first to cover exchange trading of both put and call options and their uses.”

And if Kretschmer’s resume hasn’t impressed yet, he also worked at one of the most famous addresses in the country: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

“I served on the White House staff from 1970 through 1976 doing advance planning and execution for presidential events,” he revealed. “That included international and domestic, like the election night special where I had 300 staff.”

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ast Campus was practically a second home for Tom Payne.

“My dad was on the veterinary science faculty,” Payne said. “He would take me to his lab and office, and I looked up to these professors in many different departments, like animal science, agronomy and horticulture. It was kind of a family atmosphere — I even went to nursery school on East Campus.”

The native Lincolnite figured he would become a professor like his father, but life had other plans.

When a close friend mentioned his interest in working for the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (known by its Spanish acronym CIMMYT for Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo), Payne hadn’t even considered a career outside academia.

“He graduated before I did, and there were no positions at CIMMYT at that time,” Payne recalled.

“Six months later when I graduated, there were available positions, and I’ve been here ever since.”

In an added twist of irony, his friend went on to go the professor route.

“He’s now at Virginia Tech, and I’ve stayed in international agriculture with CIMMYT,” Payne said. “In some ways, we plan and prepare for our lives. But in other ways, so many things are random and serendipitous.”

Payne has been at the center for more than three decades, working his way up to his current role as head of the organization’s Germplasm Bank, a living catalog of genetic diversity comprised of more than 28,000 seed collections of maize and more than 140,000 seed collections of wheat.

Throughout his career, Payne has lived in multiple countries, including Yugoslavia, Turkey, Syria, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Turkey and Mexico, the latter of which he currently calls home.

The center distributes seeds to anyone who wants them, free of charge. Payne and his team ensure that the seeds are alive and available. Most of their requests come from scientists and researchers.

“Gene banks around the world are the foundation on which agricultural productivity and agricultural research is based,” Payne explained. “Genetic diversity is required in crop plants to enable a resilience to climate change and a resilience to changing agricultural practices. It also provides opportunities for increasing grain yield and combating diseases and pests, which is a fulfilling part of my job.”

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CLASS OF 1981 AND 1988

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Keith Kretschmer with President Gerald Ford in October 1974 when Ford landed in Lincoln for a 25-minute speech Kretschmer was the advance man who readied for Ford’s visit.

Kretschmer also spent time wit George and Barbara Bush during Bush’s presidency.

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CLASS OF 1994 AND 1996

Sherri Privitera Architecture

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h e r r i ( A r n o l d ) P r i v i t e ra d o e s n ’ t believe in work-life balance.

“The word balance is hard for women in particular,” she explained. “I like to call it worklife integration because there isn’t ever balance.

Sometimes you need to spend more time in your home or personal life, and sometimes you need to spend more time on your work deadlines.”

As a senior principal at the Kansas City-based architecture firm Populous, Privitera has plenty of experience juggling competing priorities, though she admits not always so harmoniously.

“You feel like you’re shorting someone, and that can be overwhelming,” she said. “At times I wondered, ‘What am I doing? Where do I need to be?’

Once I changed the word balance, it helped me with my expectations.”

Certain family milestones, for instance, are non-negotiable. “I will say no to the interview for potential

clients on my daughter’s birthday,” she said. “And I’ve done that, and fortunately I work for a place that agrees with me. Once a client said, ‘I would have been upset if you had come to the interview knowing that it was your daughter’s birthday.’ ” Privitera’s work primarily involves developing collegiate sports facilities at schools such as the University of Missouri, University of Texas and Purdue. She previously served as the manager on four projects at Baylor, most notably the $266 million McLane Stadium, which Privitera said “catapulted” her career.

“It was going to be the largest project that I had managed,” she recalled. “I was a new mom at the time, and having to travel away from my child was a hard transition.”

In her quest for work-life integration, she searched for ways to merge motherhood with her job responsibilities.

“Sometimes I would take her to the construction site at night,” Privitera shared. “Opening day was actually her fourth birthday, and my dad came and saw it — a construction site that was all mine — before he passed away. There was a lot going on that made it an incredible project for me.”

As for what’s currently on her plate, Privitera is focused on refining and expanding her leadership skills. She was recently promoted to Populous’ Americas regional board, and she’s eager to pave the way for women in the traditionally male-dominated worlds of architecture and sports.

Sherri Privitera with her daughter, Katania, at the Baylor University job site in 2014.

courtesy sherri privitera

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Janna Ronert

Arts and Sciences

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hile working as an aesthetician and simultaneously battling the skin condition rosacea, Janna (Levendofsky) Ronert decided to create the solution that she felt was missing in the skincare market.

“I was frustrated that I couldn’t find a clean skincare line made without parabens or chemicals,” Ronert explained. “So I did what any like-minded business woman would do and took matters into my own hands. I began concocting professional-level formulations with safe, proven active ingredients and effective botanicals, and that’s how Image Skincare was born.”

That was back in 2003. Today, Ronert is CEO of the company she founded, which has expanded to include 13 product collections that are currently available in 52 countries.

CLASS OF 1998 AND 2001

Jisella Veath Dolan Law

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s an undergraduate studying psychology, Jisella Veath Dolan was torn between two potential career paths: pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology or going to law school.

“My father was an attorney, my mom was a college professor, so I grew up in a home where helping others was really important,” Dolan said. “After talking to my parents and thinking about it — it was three years vs. six — I decided I could do a lot with a law degree.”

Considering the scope of her current role as chief advocacy officer at Home Instead Senior Care, it’s safe to say that she was correct in that assessment.

Dolan oversees the standards, legal, government affairs, and thought leadership departments at the Omaha-based company, which has almost 1,200 agencies or franchises in 12 countries.

“We have a very large global footprint,” she said.

“I’m responsible for setting strategic direction for the entire global brand with the other chief officers.”

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“I’ve faced quite a few challenges over the years, but one of the biggest ones was learning how to scale up from a small business run out of a one-room apartment to an international brand and a global leader in the skincare space,” she said.

“Following the motto of ‘slow and steady wins the race’ has really helped us overcome challenges that felt defeating at times. I am also relentless about producing quality products and hiring quality people who believe in the brand.”

Ronert credits her upbringing on a farm in Hebron as the source of her fierce work ethic.

She embraces those humble roots and uses them to keep her grounded and focused on her growing business.

“The one thing I tell anyone going into the workforce, especially women and aspiring entrepreneurs, is to be super passionate about your brand,” she said.

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CLASS OF 1987

“Following the motto of ‘slow and steady wins the race’ has really helped us overcome challenges that felt defeating at times.”

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Dolan joined Home Instead in 2007 as its first general counsel. Over the course of her 12-year career at the organization, she’s built up its legal department, attended the World Economic Forum, and advised Fortune 100 companies on managing an aging society.

She regularly represents Home Instead at meetings of the Global Coalition on Aging, whose members are “committed to leading the global conversation about aging,” according to the group’s website. Dolan attended her first coalition meeting a few years ago in New York City, right around the holidays.

“Of course it’s really festive,” she recalled. “And I’m sitting here with all these top executives from all these amazing brands, and they’re looking to Home Instead because we’ve been in the aging space for 25 years. They want to talk about how we support an aging population and an aging workforce.”

She described it as a “standout moment” in her career. “I couldn’t believe Phillips and Intel were asking Home Instead questions about the future and where we should go, and that I was the one talking to them,” she said.

Dolan’s work takes her across the world — she’s gone on several trips to China and visited Dubai last fall. “I sit at tables and work with world leaders on trying to solve this important issue,” she said. “I talk about aging, how we can change the global healthcare system, and how we need to make healthcare more accessible for people. I didn’t ever think I’d get to do that.”

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Trio of Accolades CLASS OF 1978

Douglas J. McAneny Engineering

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hen Doug McAneny received an academic scholarship from the military and joined the university’s Navy ROTC unit, he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into,” McAneny revealed. “But it turned out to be a wonderful career for me.”

The retired rear admiral would go on to serve in the United States Navy for 35 years, commanding submarines that took him to Japan, India, China, Australia, Indonesia and Korea.

“You have a crew of 140 people who are all highly trained individuals — working on submarines is a highly technical field,” McAneny said. “It’d be like hanging around with all the smart people in your high school, getting into a big RV, shutting the windows, and going for a ride that takes months at a time in pretty close quarters.”

While submarine life certainly wouldn’t be for everybody, it was an ideal fit for McAneny.

“I was a young man seeking adventure,” he said.

“I saw the world and spent a lot of time with some very capable people.”

After retiring from the military in 2013, he transitioned to civilian life and accepted the role of federal business group director at the architectural and engineering firm HDR. He leads the firm’s work with federal clients, many of which are located all over the world.

“My job requires a lot of travel, which I embrace because it’s consistent with my experience in the military,” McAneny said. “It’s a significant responsibility, but I have a terrific team who supports me. Together we solve some of the problems we face with both building our company and accepting work for federal clients.”

Although he admits that he “had a lot to learn” when he first joined HDR, McAneny said he wouldn’t have been selected for the position without having the engineering judgment and knowledge that he acquired at UNL. Even so, he often advises young professionals against relying on their technical expertise to advance their careers.

“Your technical know-how will only take you so far,” McAneny said. “If you aspire to be as successful as you can possibly be, you have to build relationships, build a network, and demonstrate that you’re capable. Very few people who are unwilling to accept risk are successful as professionals.”

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In addition to the nine alumni masters being honored at the university on March 8, three other awards will be bestowed upon prominent alumni.

Capt. Richard Holdcroft (’76) will be feted with the Distinguished Service Award which was established in 1940 to honor alumni with a record of distinguished service to the Nebraska Alumni Association and the university. Holdcroft earned his engineering degree while part of the UNL Naval ROTC Program. He served 28 years on various ships in both the Pacific and Atlantic fleets.

The Selzer family will be honored with the Alumni Family Tree Award. The family’s four generations of Husker alumni began in 1918 with graduate Milton Selzer who earned a degree in agriculture and was a football

letterman. Throughout the decades the Selzer family has served the community of Scottsbluff and the university through philanthropy and service. In 2016, the family established an endowed scholarship for high school graduates from Scotts Bluff County.

The Public Service Award will be bestowed on Sen. Matt Williams (’71, ’74). Williams was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018.

He is a fourth-generation banker and has been with the family-owned bank since 1973.

He is now chairman and president of Gothenburg State Bank, a community bank in central Nebraska.

CLASS OF 1970

Lynn Roper

Journalism and Mass Communications

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ow, exactly, did a journalism major prepare Lynn (Gottschalk) Roper for a career in financial advising?

“A journalism degree is ideal for this job,” explained Roper, senior consultant and senior vice president at Merrill Lynch Lincoln. “In the role of advising, you have to have the ability to ask a lot of questions, to read a lot of material, and to interpret it to the client. You really need to understand people.”

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In other words, the essential skills necessary for a journalist to be successful — interviewing, researching and translating — are all transferable to the world of financial advising.

Although she has climbed to the top rung of the leadership ladder, Roper has overcome many obsta-

cles as a woman in a male-dominated industry.

“You’ve got to understand the world in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s,” she said. “The credibility of whether you were competent to handle the job was always questioned by peers. You constantly had to show your credibility — you’re pretty much blazing the path all the time.”

Now, more than four decades after Roper joined Merrill Lynch Lincoln when the office opened its doors in 1977, she remains most passionate about the human connections she makes every day. Working with families over multiple generations is especially rewarding for Roper, who has built an extensive client list throughout the course of her career.

“I love the relationships,” she said. “It isn’t just about investments — it’s about their whole family’s life. My greatest story is when we can enable clients to do with their lives what they want to do.”

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“The credibility of whether you were competent to handle the job was always questioned by peers. You constantly had to show your credibility — you’re pretty much blazing the path all the time.”

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CLASS OF 1980, 1991, 1994

Sheri Everts Education and Human Sciences

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heri Everts always knew that UNL was in her future. “The decision was made for me,” she said. “I’m one of eight children and a first-generation college student. My parents needed us to live at home while we attended college.”

Although she wasn’t too deeply involved in extracurricular activities, there was, of course, one quintessential Nebraska pastime she prioritized.

“I loved Nebraska football,” Everts said. “There was a particularly cold, wet football game that I remember sitting through against Oklahoma. That was a favorite.”

After college, she began her teaching career in Kansas, where she taught middle school and high school English. “I loved the students and their enthusiasm for life and reading,” she shared.

She ultimately returned to UNL, where she earned a master’s degree in literacy education and English and, later, a doctorate in administration, curriculum and instruction. Everts went on to have a storied career in higher education, rising through the ranks at the University of Nebraska Omaha and Illinois State University.

In 2014, she became the chancellor of Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. “I consider being named the chancellor of Appalachian State University — the premier, public undergraduate institution in the state of

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North Carolina — as my greatest professional accomplishment,” Everts said. “In this role, I have the opportunity to serve our students, faculty, staff and the citizens of North Carolina while highlighting the power of education to changes lives.”

Her advice to aspiring leaders?

“Listen more and talk less.”

Chancellor Sheri Everts prepares to read a story with students at the Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork.

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T

NEBRASKAAUTHORS Featured books by Nebraska alumni, faculty and staff

Ron Jensen

The Spirit of Nebraska

Debra Kleve White

The Power of Will in é International Conflict

Does Goerge Norris’s Vision still live? The question is being asked increasingly. Based on interviews with each of the living speakers of the Unicameral, together with the insights of a veteran lobbyist, this volume responds engagingly. Available as a Kindle book at www.amazon.com.

Foreword by Tom Osborne. A history of the development of school spirit at UNL, and how football and cheer worked together to create the fanfare of game day. This book is available on Amazon or for an autographed copy go to Debra’s website at spiritofnebraska.com

“The Power of Will in International Conflict is a masterpiece that leads readers through a prodigious journey of learning about the nature of conflict and competition and their epicenter, ‘will.’ Not since Clausewitz has a learned theorist explained a conundrum with so much profundity.”’ –Colonel Paul Tiberi

The Nebraska Unicameral Legislature at Eighty

Wayne Hall

?

More Hills to Climb

Your Book Here

At age 85, Meierhenry looks back on farming in the 1940s, polio and UNL in the 1950s, and succeeding in farming and real estate the following years. Because of the impairments caused by polio, there were many hired help, some of whom have their own chapters.

Approximately 275 characters will go here to describe your book. You can provide the copy block or we can work with you to write something scintillating and drive interest toward your project. This is a terrific way to expose your prose to a highly-educated audience.

Melvin “Mike” Meierhenry

Your Name Here

To advertise your book in our next edition of Nebraska Quarterly, email kwright@huskeralum.org or call 402-472-4227.

55 56 59 60 64 RON MCDOLE The Dancing Bear writes about his football career.

FAMILY TIES She gave up her son to adoption in 1980 and reunited years later.

ALL IN This 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline DeLuxe is one sweet ride.

CLASS QUOTES Alumni share their favorite classroom memories.

LOVE STORY The Daily Nebraskan brought these two ’80s grads together.

BULLETIN

Events MARCH 8 LINCOLN Chancellor’s Alumni Advisory Council Members will hear from several presenters about Nebraska’s longterm future and the university’s strategic plan for the next 25 years.

APRIL 4-5 LINCOLN Nebraska Women’s Leadership Network The group gathers for its spring conference providing students and alumni with opportunities for professional development, mentoring and personal growth.

APRIL 11-13 LINCOLN Civil Engineering The Civil Engineering classes of 1968, 1969 and 1970 are invited to celebrate a multiyear reunion during the weekend of the annual Red-White Spring Game.

APRIL 13

staff sgt. clayton lenhardt

LINCOLN Spring Game Huskers can catch a first glimpse of the 2019 football team at the Spring Game at Memorial Stadium.

JUNE 6-16

HONOR ROLL N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

Seventy years after Don Gillen (’51) served as a second lieutenant in the United States Army, he was awarded the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C., in October 2017. The honor was awarded to all living members of the 12th Philippine Scout Division that served from January 1941 to December 1946. “I decided to accept in the name of all the Filipinos who had died. It meant more than I can say,” Gillen said.

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EUROPE This 11-day tour combines river, rail, lake and mountain travel through Germany, France and Switzerland.

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2nd Lt. Don Gillen of the United States Army circa 1946

Alumni Profile

War Lessons Soldier honored decades later

BY HANNAH TRULL

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N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

don gillen

inety-one-year-old Don Gillen (’51) was raised a lot like many people his age who grew up in Nebraska in the 1930s.

Tolerance and racism weren’t familiar terms to the 99 percent Caucasian Lincoln High School students of the mid-1940s.

At that time, Gillen never would have predicted the extreme diversity he’d be exposed to during World War II, resulting in both a change in his mindset and a Congressional Gold Medal nearly seven decades later.

Gillen first witnessed this diversity right after high school when he entered basic training in Arkansas and experienced a bit of a culture shock.

He said he was astounded that African-Americans had to sit in the back of public transportation and eat and go to the bathroom in different areas than

whites, as he’d never seen this in Nebraska.

President Harry Truman called for the bombing of Hiroshima shortly after Gillen arrived in Arkansas, so he was spared from being sent to the Japanese mainland and never fought in combat. Instead, Gillen spent a year in the Philippines guarding a U.S.territory military base in Manila and fighting the communist insurgency group called Hukbalahaps.

There, he befriended Filipinos and became fascinated with their bravery and dedication to a country in which they weren’t even citizens.

“My experiences in military service tempered my outlook on separation of the races, and eventually I met and became friends with all races,” he said. “As I grew older, I found that there is a peace of mind that settles over one when the idea of all races being equal becomes universal.”

After retiring from active duty in 1947, Gillen attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was more mature and worldly than traditional college freshmen due to his time in the service, and married his wife a couple years into college. Looking back, he wishes he could tell his student-self two things: “Number one, go to class. Number two, study.”

Despite his admittedly subpar study habits, he landed multiple editing jobs after graduation.

After working as a reporter for The Lincoln Star during college, he became the editor of The York Republican in 1952. In the late 1960s, he became editor of York’s News-Times, and publisher of the paper a few years later. Gillen retired in 1988 and moved to Belleville, Ill., with his wife to be closer to their son and granddaughter.

Then one unassuming summer day in 2017, he received the news that his military efforts from nearly 70 years ago qualified him for the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal. The honor was awarded to all living members of the 12th Philippine Scout Division that served from January 1941 to December 1946. Gillen joined the infantry in November 1946, putting him on the cusp of qualification. Because of this, and the fact that he never was in combat, he had mixed feelings about accepting the award in Washington, D.C., and thought he didn’t deserve it. His son, Dan Gillen, a University of Nebraska Medical Center graduate, disagreed.

“As an aging WWII veteran with some ongoing health issues, I felt that if dad was ever going to experience anything like going to D.C. to be honored, now was the time,” Dan, an Air Force veteran himself, said. “I was not about to see my dad miss out on this opportunity.”

He offered to be his father’s guardian on the trip,

BULLETIN and the two headed to D.C. in October. “I decided to accept it in the name of all the Filipinos who had died before me,” Don said. “It meant more than I can say.”

The experience was an emotional one for his son, as well.

“It was hard for me to keep my composure seeing my father receive such a distinguished honor, especially after hearing for so many years that he never did anything during the war,” Dan said. “I wanted dad to hear from others that he is truly a hero for his WWII service. He did what his nation

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO?

RON MCDOLE

A

craig chandler

fter graduating in 1962, Ron McDole embarked on the longest NFL career in Nebraska football history. He played for five teams over 18 years as a defensive end earning the nickname “dancing bear” for his large, yet graceful nature.

Today, McDole can be found in Shenandoah Valley, Va., with his wife Toni. He has four children and four grandchildren, most of whom played football in high school, college or both (including his two daughters). In October he published his first book — the autobiography The Dancing Bear — where he recounts his journey from his beginnings in Ohio to professional football.

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

asked of him without fear or second thoughts.”

Looking back, Gillen said he’s grateful for the experiences he had as a soldier, but he probably wouldn’t do it all over again if he had the chance.

Nonetheless, his time in the Army taught him some valuable life lessons.

“You always think you know everything, then you find out some people are smarter than you,” Don said. “Back then I was pretty stubborn, but war taught me to tolerate all types of people, even if they didn’t think the same way I did. And I think that’s a lesson everyone can learn.”

Although he majored in industrial arts education and occasionally was a substitute teacher, he retired in 2005 from a successful career of building furniture and flipping houses. He owned two companies, Tammany Construction and Ron McDole Library Furniture, where he built furniture for James Madison University and the Library of Congress.

His passion for carpentry and renovation stemmed from his house-flipping internship freshman year of college. It was necessary for him to hone this skill while playing professional football.

Unlike the venerated, highly paid football stars of today, most players in those days had to hold a side job or two to pay the bills. In fact, McDole’s starting NFL salary was just $9,250.

“Back then you did not play football for the money,” he said. “You played because you loved it; you played for your team; you played for the fans.”

And that’s partially why he chose to play college football at Nebraska. “I was so impressed with the fans’ spirit and participation in the game,” he said.

“The town came to a stop when it was game day. It was an experience.”

Having the promise of an excellent industrial arts curriculum also motivated the Toledo native to settle on Nebraska when full-ride athletic scholarship was offered. In his last two seasons, he spent 1,074 (out of a possible 1,200) minutes on the field, which is more than any other player during that era.

“The dancing bear” (a nickname coined by his friend while he was dancing in a bar and which stuck with TV announcers) has left quite the legacy at both the college and professional levels. But more important than the titles he’s won and records he’s set is the energy, grit and true passion for the game that McDole has carried with him through life and passed down to his football-loving family. —Hannah Trull

Ron McDole, who earned two league championships with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Washington Redskins has written his memoirs. He signed books at the Wick Alumni Center during Football Friday last fall.

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BULLETIN Alumni Profile

Family Ties Birth mother and son reunite on life’s big stage

BY CHUCK GREEN (’93)

A

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FIRST ACT

Th e i r s to r y b e ga n Ju ly 16 , 19 8 0, t h e d ay Mangiameli, then 22, gave birth to her son. At the time, her engagement to the baby’s father had unraveled, and she was in no position, financially or emotionally, to care for a newborn. Eleven days later, she gave Brendan Patrick up for adoption through Catholic Social Services, now Catholic Charities.

A few years later, in 1985, Mangiameli was in a better place. She married and had two sons, and began building a career as a teacher and actress.

But her first son was never far from her thoughts. As the years rolled by, she continually wondered where he was, whether he was safe and happy, and whether her decision was the right one — for both of them.

“I thought about him all the time,” Mangiameli said. “Every day.”

As it turns out, her son thought about his birth mother quite a bit, too. His adoptive parents, Dennis and Norma, had been very open with him from the start.

Kathman had grown up with a healthy curiosity about his adoption and the identity of his birth parents. Sometimes he would even daydream about them. But only after he started a family of his own did he feel a strong pull to investigate.

His search began in summer 2009, just before his 29th birthday. Kathman’s wife, who they had just learned was pregnant, was visiting her family in her hometown of Memphis, Tenn., so he had some free time.

Kathman visited the Office of Vital Records, gave his name and some other information, and within minutes had a copy of his birth certificate.

His success was made possible a few years earlier. Mangiameli’s sister, Eileen, an attorney, had always been connected to the story of her longlost nephew. When she learned about a release

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

moira mangiameli

It was July 1980 and Moira Reilly holds the son she gave birth to and named Brendan Patrick before placing him for adoption.

s a boy growing up in Bellevue, Nebraska, Ryan Kathman had always been drawn to the performance arts. His interest in music and theater was a mainstay — a bit odd for someone whose parents were math and science people.

He took up band in elementary school; no one else in his family sang or played musical instruments. Later, he became involved in high school theater, then studied language arts in college with the goal of becoming a teacher.

For Kathman, his interests were a case of nature winning out over nurture. He was adopted.

“I had just always known; I think my mom first talked to me about it when I was two,” Kathman said. “It was only after I started going to school that I became aware that this was not typical. I didn’t see it as anything particularly unique until people were surprised and interested to find out I was adopted.”

Years earlier, as a young girl, Moira Reilly developed a love for music and theater. Her uncle had been a professional actor, and her father — a published author and journalist — took her to plays when she was young. Years later, she earned a music scholarship to Omaha’s College of St. Mary’s, but gave it up after only one semester. With her heart set on acting,

she transferred to the University of Nebraska Omaha’s theater program.

“I got the theater bug pretty early,” she said.

Kathman, who earned a master’s degree of fine arts in acting in stage and screen from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, now works as an assistant professor of acting/directing at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Reilly, now Moira Mangiameli, is an Omaha actress who holds the same master’s degree from UNL. She is Kathman’s birth mother.

Both Moira Mangiameli, far left, and Ryan Kathman have performed for Nebraska Repertory Theatre.

In November, Mangiameli starred in Mother Courage.

In 2012, Kathman was brought in to do a one-night-only performance as part of the Destinations series.

justin mohling; ryan kathman

“I could have done any number of things, but I didn’t call Catholic Charities right away. I did what most people do — I went home and got on Google.”

form that enabled adopted children to find their birth parents, she drove her sister to Lincoln for lunch — and a trip to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Vital Records, where Mangiameli could sign the forms to allow her son to find her if he tried.

With his birth certificate in hand, Kathman learned his birth mother’s name: Moira Reilly.

“I could have done any number of things, but I didn’t call Catholic Charities right away,” Kathman said. “I did what most people do — I went home and got on Google.”

After some searching, he found a site that quoted a Moira Reilly-Mangiameli. Then he called Catholic Charities to bring the big picture into focus.

THE PLOT THICKENS

Mangiameli will never forget the phone call that changed everything. It was July 10, 2009 — six

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

days before her first son’s 29th birthday.

“It was on a Friday morning, and the person calling said she was Grace from Catholic Charities,” Mangiameli recalled. “At first, I figured it was someone asking for money.”

But as she learned her son had located her, and wanted to meet her, tears of joy welled up in her eyes. Mangiameli listened as Grace told her about her son, now named Ryan, and his involvement in local theater. In fact, she learned her son was an actor who was rehearsing for a nearby show.

It was only after she hung up the phone that Mangiameli realized she had not asked her son’s last name. After some detective work of her own, she figured out her son was performing at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre, which at the time was the only nearby venue doing summer shows.

She checked out the organization’s webpage and quickly found the only “Ryan” on the site.

“It was like looking at a picture of my brother,” she said.

Mangiameli phoned Paul Steger, an old friend who was then chairman of the UNL Theatre Department, and asked if he knew Ryan. He did.

She also learned the show for which her son was

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SPRING 2019

57

“It didn’t take long for us to figure out that we had even seen each other in performances over the years.” rehearsing was being directed by Judy Hart, one of Mangiameli’s best friends.

Their first meeting came a few days later at Catholic Charities’ Omaha office. Ryan and his wife met up with Mangiameli, then continued their conversation over coffee at a nearby restaurant.

“It didn’t take long for us to figure out that we had even seen each other in performances over the years,” Kathman said.

The most ironic plot twist: Just weeks before they reunited, during a group reading at the Great Plains Theatre Conference, they had sat next to each other, unaware of their connection.

THE FUTURE

Like any relationship, there have been ups and downs.

But Mangiameli and Kathman have cemented their bond and will continue to be in each other’s lives.

“The first year of getting to know each other was a real emotional rollercoaster for me,” Mangiameli said. “I struggled more than Ryan did, but he was patient. Everyone in our families is so happy we found each other.”

Mangiameli’s two adult sons have enjoyed getting to know their older brother. Likewise, Kathman’s wife and young children, and adoptive parents, have enjoyed the situation.

“The first time I met Norma, Ryan’s adoptive mom, she brought out old scrapbooks of Ryan’s life,” Mangiameli said. “She took me though his whole life. That was one of the best days of my life.”

Mother and son continue to encourage each other’s work, checking out their shows and sharing honest reviews. Last November, Mangiameli starred in the Nebraska Repertory Theatre’s production of Mother Courage, an adaption of a classic play that follows Mother Courage and her three children as they do their best to survive the American Civil War. “On one level, I continue to feel a little guilty about waiting as long as I did,” Kathman said. “But we’ve been very lucky because it’s been a very positive experience for everyone, and that’s not always the case.”

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ALL IN

CRUISIN’ GAME DAY If you hear a horn blaring the Husker fight song on the streets of Lincoln during a football Saturday, chances are it’s Doug Christie in his 1951 Husker Chevrolet Fleetline DeLuxe. Doug has been sharing his ’51 Chevy with Husker Nation ever since he pulled it from his grandparents’ farm nearly 50 years ago.

WHAT’S THE CHEVY’S BACK STORY? DOUG: My grandfather bought the car new for my grandma, but after she passed away he parked it under a tree for about 10

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

BULLETIN Doug Christie and his custom wheels get the red carpet treatment along the tunnel walk in Memorial Stadium.

This Frost tattoo was added to the Chevy last year to mark the return of Scott Frost to the Husker football program.

years. I asked my dad if I could have it, and once he agreed a few of my buddies and I started to rebuild it after we graduated in ’72. We started driving it around in 1974.

scott bruhn

DID YOU ALWAYS ENVISION A HUSKER MOBILE? DOUG: It wasn’t until it came time to paint it that I decided red and white would be good for the streets of Lincoln. About five years ago I decided to take it a step further and get it wrapped in Husker tattoos from Revolution Wraps. I add something new every year. Last year I, of course, had to add a Scott Frost tattoo that says “Restore the Tradition.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE CAR? DOUG: I have an airhorn hooked up underneath the hood that plays the fight song. I also have speakers behind the grill so I can play the Husker fight song and other band music outside of the car. One of

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

my favorite things to play for the old-timers is the Johnny Rodgers punt return against Oklahoma in the game of the century.

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ON A GAME DAY? DOUG: My wife Sandy and I drive around as many Husker lots as they’ll let us into. I spend a lot of time driving around the Pinnacle Bank Arena and Salt Dog parking lots.

WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO THE UNIVERSITY? DOUG: I’ve been a Husker fan all my life and grew up about three blocks from the stadium.

Back in the ’60s we’d get on our bikes and ride to the stadium for games. Sometimes we snuck in. Sometimes we paid. They used to not care as much about kids sneaking in back in the day. We’d get our popcorn and drink and just enjoy the game.

—Michael Mahnken

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BULLETIN

Class Quotes

QUESTION

WHAT IS YOUR MOST VIVID CLASSROOM MEMORY?

1949

“1945: I, a freshman in a biology lecture, worry if I’m smart enough to be at NU. Professor asks, ‘Name a small cell organism.’ I raise my hand.

‘Protozoan,’ I say. ‘Correct,’ he replies.

I smile! I’m going to ace this course.”

Jodie Truhlsen Johns of Omaha

keeps busy in her 90th year with knitting, sewing, quilting and writes, “I still go to football games and drive.”

1965

“How the university took me from being intimidated by graduate assistant lab instructors and large classes my first semester to a

few years later enjoying noon pickup basketball games in the Nebraska coliseum with Gerald Swihart, one of my favorite professors.”

Keith Enders of Brentwood, Tenn. made two return trips to Nebraska in 2018: the first to the southwest part of the state for NUMB Ride for Hunger and the

second at Ponca State Park for a family reunion.

1969

“A statistics course without a textbook.”

Steve Olsen retired in San Diego after working for the California Employment Development Department for more than 36 years.

1970

“Hanging out a window in the Avery laboratory after an organic chemistry labmate’s experiment went bad.

There were NO sissy vents or

face showers in those days.”

David Kroon, Spring, Texas, is an adjunct professor of business at Lonestar College in Houston.

1972

“My most memorable moment was when Dr. Mark Hammer wrote on my finals paper that I had difficulty with the English language. Even though I had an A in the class, I have since tried to improve on it.”

Jee Choy lives in Lincoln, Calif.

1974

“Blood squirting profusely from a broadcast classmate’s index finger. He was demonstrating salad preparation for the final project and cutting an unripe avocado. I was on camera two wanting to stop the show and the professor barked, ‘The show must go on.’ I ended up switching majors to newspaper reporting.”

Jane Schuchardt writes a column on colloquialisms called “Say What?” for her local weekly newspaper, The Elgin Review.

1975

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SPRING 2019

George W. Howard, vice president of Five Points Bank of Hastings, is in his 48th year of working for a financial institution.

1978

“In grad school, I learned the true meaning of ‘university.’

It means a group of faculty and students united around a common parking problem.”

William A.

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

drue wagner (3)

“In the fall of 1973 my pledge dad/fraternity brother Tom Pate and I were taking a 300-level finance class with about 70 other students.

We were about two weeks into the semester with the professor who was teaching his first class at UNL. He was lecturing about

some finance method using calculations and writing on the blackboard.

Tom pointed out to him that the finance text he was using showed a method that was different than what he was teaching. Without saying a word, the professor walked back to the podium and closed his textbook as loudly as possible and walked out of the room. Most of the class stayed put for about 15 minutes and then decided the guy wasn’t coming back and went home.”

Hamilton was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in November. Hamilton is a resident of Granby, Colo.

“In the spring of 1978 Professor Jim Patten, whom I admired greatly, was the guest speaker

us soon-to-be educators to ‘take a look at the world and view if from a different perspective. This is not only how your students will view you, but also what they’ll expect of you.’ I can still picture him perched on that desk

Dave McGill’s agronomy/ genetics class.

Thought they would be horrible, ended up being so fun I remember them to this day!”

Bryan Olson is a range technician for the U.S. Forest Service in northwest Montana near Glacier National Park.

hot tea. It was extraordinary.”

Christine Scudder Kemper is the board chair for the Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy, the first all-girls charter school in the area, scheduled to open this fall.

1994

making coffee for someone we really loved, we would start with very cold water.”

“Getting my class meeting time mixed up and walking into my English class, thinking it was about to start, when in reality there were only 15 minutes left.

Boy was my face red!”

Shannon Uhlman and her husband Tom celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in January.

They operate a family farm near Clatonia.

in my journalism education methods class.

Before speaking a word, Patten climbs atop the desk in the front of the room.

He didn’t say anything for the first minute, leaving the class a bit dumbfounded.

Then he began by exhorting

spouting those words of wisdom.

Words that I tried to adhere to during my long successful career in education.”

Lee Talley, Tinley Park, Ill., is a retired educator, filmmaker and freelance writer.

1985

“Oral quizzes in

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1987

“One of my most vivid classroom memories occurred outside the classroom. Dr. Barbara DiBernard occasionally hosted our literature class in her home, complete with baked goods, music and

1998

“Dr. Carr taught us in chemistry class that if we were

Julie Martin-Paschold is an agronomist and environmental consultant for Environmental Sciences. in Norfolk.

2006 “During my MBA in executive leadership class, in conjunction with Gallup, working onsite at Toyota, being taught by their executives on their ‘lean thinking’

principles and how to apply to a services business.”

Matt Norquist has joined the international consulting firm Korn Ferry and is based in the New York office.

pilot in the U.S. Air Force, flying the RC-135 V/W Rivet Joint. The native of Liberty recently graduated from Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Ala.

2012

2018

Ross Barr is a

Andrew Van Velson has joined the Van Velson Law Office in North Platte.

“I remember sitting in my Air Force ROTC Aerospace class thinking it would be awesome to fly multi-million-dollar aircraft for the world’s most powerful Air Force, and now I’m realizing that dream.”

“Any class taught by Bob Works; whether it be a moose head, a rooster on his head or a fake dead daughter, he made contracts law interesting!”

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES

What was the best advice you received upon graduation?

Do you want to be featured in the summer issue? Email your answer to this question to kwright@huskeralum.org.

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BULLETIN Obituaries

1940 William E. McKee, Williamsburg, Va., Nov. 5

1941

Delmar A. Lienemann, Lincoln, Sept.

17; Marion Gibson Yoachim, Fairbury, Nov. 4

1942

M. Alex Mills, Osceola, July 16

1943

Clyde L. Kleager, Gering, Nov. 23

1944

Roger W. Boom, La Jolla, Calif., Aug. 8

1945 Katherine Schroeder Wilson, Cozad, Sept. 17

1947

Ena Gunzenhauser Davis, Table Rock, Nov. 19; Marjorie Ferrell Haberman, Oshkosh, Sept. 16; Owen A. Knutzen, Sun Lakes, Ariz., Nov. 16; Dorothy Brevoort Smith, Eldridge, Mo., May 5; Beverly Engdahl Waite, Scottsbluff, Nov. 14

1948

Ernestine Craig Elwonger, Lincoln, Oct. 7;

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Richard B. Hobson, Lincoln, Oct. 30; Auretta Welborn Parker, Medford, Ore., May 3; Gus Poulos, Las Vegas, Aug. 16

1949

Charles R. Anderson, Dallas, May 10; William E. Behrends, Elgin, Okla., July 29; Don A. Boyd, Glen Mills, Penn., Nov. 29; Barbara Cypreansen Haslam, Fremont, Oct. 7; John A. Haslam, Fremont, Oct. 16; Marilyn Kuhlman Wilson, Grand Island, Dec. 3

1950

Martin W. Bauer, Lincoln, Sept.

23; Luciejean Palmer Brendel, Sahuarita, Ariz., Oct. 10; Doyle W. Busskohl, Norfolk, Nov. 7; Everett A. Evnen, Lincoln, Oct. 5; Joseph K. Fischer, Lincoln, Nov. 12; Gladys Brown Jeurink, Lincoln, Oct. 13; Thomas J. Milliken, Fremont, Oct. 20; Joan C. Reynolds, Omaha, Sept. 29; Gerald D. Young, Littleton, Colo., July 27

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1951

Virginia Kreuch Ahlmeyer, Indian Wells, Calif., Nov. 20; Robert L. Baker, Sun Valley, Idaho, Oct. 8; Dwayne E. Gardner, Delaware, Ohio, Oct. 18; Douglas I. Johansen, Lone Tree, Colo., Nov. 12; Hamilton S. Kingsley, Holdrege, Nov. 28; John G. Korslund, Lincoln, Nov. 8; Victor C. Olson, Lincoln, Oct. 15; Owen H. Owens, Stuart, Fla., Nov. 4; Eugene H. Smith, Littleton, Colo., Sept. 19

1952

William T. Collopy, Cary, N.C., Sept.

10; Fred H. Freeman, Alexandria, La., Sept.

30; Navajean Washington Guiden, Grove City, Ohio, Oct. 10; Ruth Lemke Jaenike, Charleston, Ill., Sept. 16; James L. Kirschbaum, Grand Island, Aug. 15; Richard T. McDonald, Camp Verde, Ariz., Sept.

2; James M.

Rosenquist, Omaha, Nov. 2

1953

Doris Vance Dahlke, York, Sept. 17; Jerry D. Eastin, Ceresco, Dec. 8; Walter C. Nielsen, Central City, Nov. 30; Edward T. Saad, Cheshire, Conn., Nov. 19; Alan T. Seagren, Lincoln, Nov. 27

1954

Karen Luther Brasee, Grand Island, Oct. 12; Richard D. Jiskra, Wilber, Nov. 21; Jerrold L. Strasheim, Omaha, Nov. 30; John W. Warrick, Meadow Grove, Oct. 1

1955

Richard G. Costello, San Diego, Dec. 1; James J. Herfkens, Papillion, Nov. 20; Jerry L. Snyder, Lincoln , Dec. 5

1956

Suzanne Good Arndt, Minneapolis, Sept. 14; Maurice A. Coffman, Omaha, Sept.

14; Harold D. Coleman, Oklahoma City, Oct. 12; Norman

B. Coufal, Tomball, Texas, Sept. 19; Rex R. Fischer, Sun City, Ariz., Nov. 26; Larry Frankel, Storrs Mansfield, Conn., Oct. 10; Phyllis Cast Harm, West Des Moines, Oct. 27; Kenneth J. Lowin, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Nov. 10; Winston A. Simon, Gothenburg, Oct. 3; Lowell A. Vestal, Lincoln, Sept.

19; Gail Katskee Wishnow, Berkeley, Calif., Oct. 3

1957

Nancy Oberdorfer Burgin, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Sept. 16; Marion R. Riley, Modesto, Calif., Aug. 25

1958

Donald N. Dworak, Columbus, Sept. 17; Sally Berg McKenzie, Springfield, Nov. 12

1959

Charles K. Ellis, Lincoln, Oct. 31; Charles F. Grothe, Geneva, Oct. 20; Jerome B. Grundmayer, Burnsville, Minn., Oct. 13; Bette I. Landon, Loup City, Nov. 12; Raul Munoz, South Pasadena, Fla., Sept. 24; James R. Sargent, Omaha, Nov. 27; Gene D. Watson, Mesa, Ariz., Sept.

22; Donald E. Whitney, Evergreen, Colo., Aug. 3; Richard L. Youngberg, Austin, Sept. 30

1960

Dennis L. Blecha, Circleville, Ohio, Nov. 10; Gerald L. Kaes, Monroe, Ga., Nov. 27; Gordon R. Metcalf, Lady Lake, Fla., July 7; Francis J. Novacek, Fort Worth, Oct. 5; Ronald F. Smith, Lincoln, Nov. 12; Barbara F. Snavely, Edmonds, Wash., Nov. 19; Carol Vavrina Toms, Weeping Water, Sept.

29; Harold O. Williamson, Indio, Calif., Sept. 5

1961

Gladys Rafert Cunningham, Fort Worth, Oct. 11; Everett L. Liming, Lincoln, Sept. 29

1943-2018

Doug Zatechka Doug Zatechka, 75, former director of housing and one-time assistant vice chancellor of student affairs, died Dec. 14. During his 47-year career in higher education, the Iowa native was the recipient of many accolades, including the Louise PoundGeorge Howard Distinguished Career Service Award from UNL, being the first non-faculty individual to be so honored. Nebraska’s housing office was named the Douglas S. Zatechka University Housing Office in honor of his exemplary service.

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

1962 Gaythor D. Fisher, Agoura Hills, Calif., Aug. 4; Judith Althouse Higgins, Portland, Ore., Oct. 12

1963

Stanley R. Schrag, Lincoln, Sept. 15; Kenton J. Tunks, Georgetown, Texas, Aug. 19; Donald E. Whittemore, Seward, Nov. 26

1964

Harold M. Bergt, Fairmont, Minn., Oct. 29; Thomas D. Calder, Sedalia, Mo., Aug. 30; Larry E. Krause, Greenwood, Ind., Sept. 13; Shirley Komoruski Lindeen, Toledo, Ohio, Oct. 12; Richard L. Marsh, Springfield, Mo., Sept. 22

nebraska athletics communications office

1965

Adeline Dinnis Barrett, Lincoln, Oct. 31; Harlan R. Hailey, Lincoln, Oct. 26; Charles P. Huff, Lincoln, Oct. 25; William G. Schnoor, Fremont, Sept.

20; Dolores Fisher Voet, Lincoln, Nov. 16

1966

James C. Baer, Show Low, Ariz., Oct. 1; Karen Hill Kotecha, Cape May Court House, N.J., Sept. 12; Thomas O. Rundquist, Omaha, Nov. 27; Jeffrey E. Skinner, Carmel, Ind., Aug. 26

1967

William R. Pampe, Austin, Nov. 20; John J. Pleskac, Omaha, Oct. 25; Terrance R. Wright, Cedarburg, Wis., Nov. 2

1968

Robert E. Frerichs, Lincoln, Oct. 25; Mary V. Meckel, Lincoln, Sept. 29; John R. Mimick, Omaha, Oct. 26; Eilene Lee Stange, Omaha, Oct. 5

1969

Valdene Heese Darling Allen, Fairfield Bay, Ark., Sept. 26; Terry L. Eischen, McLoud, Okla., Sept. 6; Dorothy Sparr Holdren, Lincoln, Oct. 11; John H. Peterson, Newport Beach, Calif., Oct. 17

1970

Richard F. Crees, Lincoln, Sept. 15;

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

Ronald L. Hinz, Simi Valley, Calif., Sept. 18; Timothy E. Janssen, Lincoln, Oct. 23; Steven E. Morris, Ramah, Colo., Sept. 17; Linda Tway Olig, Lincoln, Sept. 28; Kathie Kehlbeck Pape, Lincoln, Nov. 23; Charles B. Penington, Lincoln, Nov. 21; James A. Spurgeon, Scottsbluff, Nov. 13

1971

Marie Craft Barber, Lincoln, Nov. 13; Lawrence G. Orvis, Norfolk, Nov. 14; Reuben H. Schleifer, Hebron, Aug. 4

1972

Gregory L. Phifer, Henry, Sept. 10; Janet Gruber Schutte, Lincoln, Sept.

24; Dean G. Winchell, Beaumont, Texas, Oct. 17

1973

Marjorie Harrison Sederberg, Beatrice, Nov. 16

1974

Thomas R. Griffin, Springfield, Mo., Oct. 6; James M. Gruidel, Summerfield,

1988

Richard J. Joy, Kalamazoo, Mich., Oct. 6

1927-2018

1989

George Sullivan George Sullivan, 91, head athletic trainer for 20 years and part of the program’s medical staff for more than 50, died Dec. 25. A Rockville native, Sullivan served in the U.S. Army in France and Germany during World War II and played football for the Huskers. The 1951 graduate was considered a pioneer in athletic training practices and was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1976. In honor of his contributions and many years of service, the Memorial Stadium training room and a scholarship for Big Red gridders bear his name.

Fla., Oct. 18; Kenneth C. Price, Syracuse, Sept. 6

1975

Kathleen Dworak Dickman, Maxwell, Nov. 4; Bruce E. Govier, Omaha, Sept.

13; Deborah Spangler Koelling, Powell, Wyo., Nov. 4; Thomas D. Pullen, Central City, Sept. 13

1976

James D. LaFollette, Lincoln, Oct. 25; Roger N. Moody, Lincoln, Oct. 16; Gregory S. Nielsen, Lincoln, Nov. 18; Terry L. Wostrel, Littleton, Colo., Aug. 4

1977

Cynthia S. Tooker, Omaha, Oct. 28; Gary E. Varvel, Lincoln, Oct. 8

1978

1984

1979

Margo Couturier Youker, Lincoln, Oct. 8

1980

Paul W. Wolford, Overland Park, Kan., Nov. 15; Richard A. Zitek, Yankton, S.D., Oct. 21

1983 Allen J. Hegemann, Littleton, Colo.,

1990

Michael E. Davis, Lincoln, Sept. 30; Donald E. Jappert, St. Cloud, Minn., Nov. 22

1991 Oct. 18; Debra Mortensen Horn, Sidney, Sept.

24; Thomas J. Macdissi,Fort Calhoun, Nov. 10

James E. Titsworth, Lincoln, Oct. 1

Brent D. Anderson, Lincoln, Oct. 26; Trevor L. Lienemann, Martell, Nov. 24

Nanette Hope Graf, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 8

1993 Douglas J. Hoffman, La Vista, Oct. 1

Brenda D. Brinton, Davis, Calif., Oct. 22; Lynn Rosenlof Hoelting, Cockeysville, Md., Sept. 23

1994

1985

Angela Valverde Meza, Omaha, Nov. 24

David A. Fiske, Steeles Tavern, Va., Nov. 16; Marvin J. Flickinger, Wichita, Kan., Sept. 26; Peggy S. Richardson, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 26

Heather A. Johnson, Omaha, Sept. 25

2002 2005 Russell J. Fude, Blair, Oct. 21

2015

Matthew R. Lutomski, Lincoln, Nov. 29 (All dates from 2018)

SPRING 2019

63

Love Story

Full Circle A long, slow, college courtship boasts staying power B Y TODD VON KAMP EN ( ’ 86)

“W 64

SPRING 2019

N E B R A S K A Q U A R T E R LY

mario zucca

ho are you, and what did you do this summer?”

It was a hot August day in 1985 in the Daily Nebraskan newsroom in the basement of the Student Union where we were gathered for t h e s e m e s t e r ’s ge t acquainted meeting.

I gave my name and said I’d be a DN senior reporter. Then, as a proud western Nebraskan from Ogallala, I tossed off a “laugh line” for my eastern colleagues: “… and I spent my summer at the ‘end of the world’: Scottsbluff, Nebraska.”

I got the laughs. Then the DN’s new night news editor took her turn.

“I’m Joan Rezac,” she said, looking my way. “I’m from Scottsbluff — and it’s not ‘the end of the world.’ ” Brief pause. Uh-oh.

“It’s five miles past!”

That was our first and last encounter for a year. I worked days at the DN; Joan, two years behind me in the College of Journalism, worked nights. That summer, while I interned at the Scottsbluff StarHerald, she had worked the Woolworth’s lunch

counter. But I never ate there. So we never met.

In fall 1986, I was writing DN editorials and a column during my last semester before graduation. I needed a few extra bucks to pay my bills. Joan, now running the copy desk, graciously hired me for a couple of shifts a week.

When I threw a small dinner party in October, Joan was the first to arrive — and the last to leave.

At Thanksgiving, she rode with me to Ogallala so her parents could take her back to Scottsbluff. But on the return trip, we got only as far as Sutherland.

Interstate 80 was too icy.

We turned back to my parents’ house. And as we listened to records, Joan says, she suddenly thought: “Todd’s parents would make nice in-laws.” But it took one more winter storm for us to get the clue.

I graduated in December and got my first full-time job at the North Platte Telegraph. On the last Saturday of March 1987, at the end of UNL’s spring break, I was getting ready for work when the phone rang. It was Joan, calling from the old Valentino’s in North Platte with three Scottsbluff friends driving back to school.

A blizzard had shut down I-80 at North Platte, she said. Could I put them up?

I did — not knowing that Joan was thinking our friendship might become something more.

Throughout high school and college, no woman had ever shown dating interest in me (though I regularly crashed and burned trying the reverse). Joan threw every hint at me she could. When I said I was coming to Lincoln that Friday she responded, “Well, I hope you’ll have some time for me.” When I did, she was dressed up and wore makeup. She never wore makeup.

I didn’t get it — until somewhere around Lexington on my Saturday drive home. It took me until Sunday night to pick up the phone and ask Joan: “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Like what?”

“Like — are we moving beyond a friendship?”

“I’m glad you called,” she said. “The thought had crossed my mind!”

Her 23rd birthday present to me was our first date. By September, we were engaged; on Memorial Day weekend of 1988, we were married. We’ve loved, lived, raised four kids and worked at newspapers up and down I-80 and-or the Platte River these past 30 years: Des Moines, Scottsbluff, North Platte again, then 19 years with one or both of us at the Omaha World-Herald.

Then the World-Herald asked in 2016 if Joan would like to be managing editor of the Telegraph.

We’re back where life post college started for me and, really, for us. We’ve never felt that western Nebraska is “the end of the world” or anywhere past it. I’ve made three round-trip “brain drains” from western Nebraska and back again. This is home.

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