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UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA KEARNEYALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Voices of GratitudeHow the Campaign for Nebraskais helping UNK students

Upcoming Events

GOLDEN CELEBRATION: Doug Long, Tim Johnson, Connie Franzen, Ted Griess, Enid Hansen, Ralph Check, Larry Callen, Janette Bier, Don Petersen, Alan Smith, Henry Potts, Bryan Bachkora, Bob Hippe, Fred Blume, Karen Butolph, Jon Headrick, Kathleen Manuel, Karen Monson, David Sandoz and Mike Manuel gathered for the Class of 1964 50th Reunion in October.

February2/1 UNK Campus: MONA: The Art of MONA’s Founders: Zaruba, Peterson, Karraker through March 152/24 UNK Campus: College of Business & Technology networking reception2/24 UNK Campus: African Student Association Festival 2/24 UNK Campus: Kearney Symphony Orchestra Reception and Concert for Alumni2/25 UNK Campus: UNK Spring Career and Graduate School Fair2/26 UNK Campus: Symphonic Band Concert

March3/2 UNK Campus: Concerts on the Platte featuring Maria Harding3/2 UNK Campus: Ethics Day3/6 Traveling Lopers in California: Alumni Gatherings in Southern California through March 83/8 UNK Campus: Scott D. Morris International Food and Culture Festival3/9 UNK Campus: New Music Festival through March 103/16 UNK Campus: Concerts on the Platte featuring David Nabb3/17 UNK Campus: 26th Annual Criminal Justice Conference and Career Fair3/22 UNK Campus: Spring Break through March 293/29 Traveling Lopers in Indianapolis: Alumni Gathering 3/31 UNK Campus: Educator Employment Fair

April4/1 UNK Campus: Early Registration ends for Bike Bowl 4/9 Traveling Lopers in Minden: Alumni Gathering4/9 UNK Campus: Thornton String Quartet 10th Anniversary Concert4/11 UNK Campus: The Big Event4/18 UNK Campus: The Fun 5K4/22 UNK Campus: Kearney Area Percussion Ensemble Concert 4/25 UNK Campus: Jazz Rock Concert4/23 UNK Campus: Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Concert4/25 UNK Campus: Bike Bowl 2015 (student and alumni teams welcome)4/26 UNK Campus: Choir Concert4/27 UNK Campus: UgivethaNKs through April 304/28 UNK Campus: Kearney Symphony Orchestra Concert

May5/1 UNK Campus: String Project Concert5/3 UNK Campus: Counseling & School Psychology Honors Reception and Alumni Awards5/8 UNK Campus: Commencement

Visit unkalumni.org for more UNK Alumni Association events and detailsand Lopers.com for more information on all sporting events.

Mary Jane & Bryan Bachkora

Larry Callen and Connie (Swanson) Franzen

Rita and Ted GreissBlackberry Winter Band

Janette Bier, Karen Monson,Connie (Swanson) Franzen, Karen (Harrow) Butolph

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA KEARNEY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

“Over half of the campaign’s gifts were directed to scholarships, increasing private scholarship support by nearly 150 percent, with over 200 new funds and increases to many others.”

Thank You ... You Are the Difference!

The end of a campaign provides the occasion to look back at achievements of our campus, celebrate the personal philanthropic goals met by many donors and offer heartfelt thanks to many people for their generosity, hard work and vision.

Over 9,000 UNK graduates, former attendees, parents, community members, business leaders, corporations and foundations made approximately 35,000 gifts to hundreds of things that are most important to them at UNK during the Campaign for Nebraska. Those gifts total over $61 million. That’s right, over $61 million – all directly supporting students, faculty, facilities, programs and research at your alma mater. Over half of the campaign’s gifts were directed to scholarships, increasing private scholarship support by nearly 150 percent, with over 200 new funds and increases to many others.

While we’re thanking our many benefactors, it’s important to acknowledge the past leadership of UNK’s alumni and fundraising team. Their efforts sowed the seeds for what has been harvested today as our campus has matured these past 23 years as a member of the University of Nebraska system. The loyal commitment of Jim Rundstrom ’64, Roger Jones ’65, Jon Abegglen ’75, Pete Kotsiopulos ’70 and many other team members and volunteer leaders through the years brought the university together with endless alumni and friends around the world. I couldn’t be more appreciative of their incredible body of work.

One only needs to look at the quality of the students on campus, the enhanced academic, residential and recreational facilities, and read the latest rankings to see how bright the future is at UNK. You’ve played an important role. It may be that you guided a student to campus, or that you came to one of the many UNK alumni gatherings and brought a fellow Loper with you. It may be that you’ve given of your treasure. Or, like many, you’ve done all three … and more. It’s made a tremendous difference.

Go Lopers!

Lucas DartVice President of Alumni Relations & Development

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GOLD TORCH SOCIETY PICTURES:WOMEN MENTORING: Gold Torch’s 25 students and mentors meet annually the first weekend in November. During the meeting the group toured the new Wellness Center, the Frank House and had plenty of opportunities for interaction and engagement.

VICE PRESIDENT OF ALUMNI RELATIONS & DEVELOPMENTLucas Dart ‘97ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONMichelle (Thompson) Widger ‘90ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENTBrette (Covington) Ensz ‘06 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTToni (Winsor) Meyers ‘93EDITOR, ART DIRECTOR AND GRAPHIC DESIGNERMichelle Widger ‘90, UNK Alumni Association Assistant Director CommunicationEDITOR EMERITUSJim Rundstrom ‘64, UNK Alumni Association Director EmeritusMANAGING EDITORDorothy Endacott, NU Foundation Asst. Vice President Director CommunicationsASSISTANT EDITORKelly Bartling, UNK Assistant Vice ChancellorCommunications & Community RelationsPHOTOGRAPHYUNK Alumni AssociationCorbey Dorsey/UNK AthleticsUNK Communications

BOARD OF DIRECTORS - OFFICERSGary Reber ‘86, President, LincolnDennis Pool ‘70, President-Elect, OmahaBrett Kuhn, Ph.D. ‘86, Past President, Gretna Brenda (Snodgrass) Christensen ‘83, Ex-Officio Emeriti, MindenUNK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORSHerman Baptiste ‘90, Olathe,Kan.Lauren (Mollard) Brandt ‘09, KearneyMark Felker ‘86, AllianceAbby (Losey) Grenke ‘01, Aurora, Ill.Gregg Grubaugh ‘79, PapillionRobin (Rubenthaler) Hines ‘88, MSE ‘91, North PlattePat (Kelly) Hoehner ‘57 MSE ‘67 ES ‘82, KearneyLeah (Bruns) Holmberg ‘94, Jordan, Minn.Todd Van Horn ‘93, KearneyEileen (McDole) Jahn ‘96, Kearney Jack Kreman ‘04, Noblesville, Ind.Norman Lang ‘68, Mill Creek, Wash.Mary (Buchanan) Mach ‘85, FairburyBarry McFarland ‘00, MAE ’05, ES ’12, LexingtonCurt Ott ‘07, KearneyBill Peard ‘84, Waukee, IowaKatherine Pollock-Peterson ‘79, KearneyAngela Reynolds ’09, MBA ‘10, Wood RiverBethany Spilde ‘06, Olathe, Kan.Katie Swett ‘13, LincolnCarolyn Wagner-Snyder ‘64, Carbondale, Ill.Heidi Weber ‘07, HastingsVicki (Vetter) Zikmund ‘74, KearneyUNK Today is published twice a year by the Alumni Association and the University of Nebraska Foundation and is the official alumni publication of the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

POSTMASTER:Please send address changes to:

UNK TodayUniversity of Nebraska Kearney

Campus Box 21Kearney, Nebraska 68849

Phone 308.865.8474Fax 308.865.8999

Web: unkalumni.org

facebook.com/UNKAlumni

twitter.com/UNKAlumni

linkedin.com/interests/groups/University of Nebraska at Kearney

Lopers@unkalumni.org

The University of Nebraska is an affirmative action/equal opportunityinstitution. Individuals needing accommodation under ADA shouldcontact the ADA Coordinator at UNK, 308.865.8655.

Spring 2015

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Campaign Raises $61 Million More than half for student scholarships

6 High Seas and High Notes Singing and sailing with Jordan Peterson '12

8 “UgivethaNKs” Program An opportunity for students to show appreciation for scholarships, staff and professors

9 Homecoming 2014 Weekend of celebrating alumni and new athletic hall of fame inductees

10 Appeals Court Judges Visit UNK Bishop and Riedmann credit UNK for their career paths during college initiative session

12 Q&A With Executive-In-Residence An interview with Richard Salmen '88

16 Intellicom Celebrates Milestone Gift noting 20th anniversary benefits students

20 Astronomy Program Unique in State

23 Josh Lamberson to Head Football A native of Wilber, Lamberson also selects new staff

26 What’s Happening Locally and nationally

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA KEARNEY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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Feature

ake Spies grew up with cattle in the “middle of nowhere,” he says, in the Nebraska Sandhills.

His dad managed ranches. Spies would help him in the summer and do day work for the ranchers around the area

whenever he could. He also worked hard in his years at Mullen High, where he was a top student and athlete (and a four-year state qualifier in rodeo).

He grew up. And up. Spies, who stands 6-foot-7 now and weighs 300 pounds,

grew into the starting left guard for the Lopers’ football team. He says he’ll never forget the day the phone call came, asking if he’d play for UNK.

“My parents were pretty excited,” he says. “They were just really happy for me to see the realization of all the hard work — and the vision I had of playing college football — finally paying off.”

The scholarships, he says, “definitely eased the stress.”Football, he says, is like a full-time job. The scholarships

made it so he didn’t have to take extra jobs, or even a full-time job, during college.

Now a junior agri-business major, Spies is one of the many students on campus who feel grateful for scholarships

created by private money – scholarships that were among the many fruits of the University of Nebraska’s Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities.

Support for students like Spies was one of UNK’s top priorities in the campaign, which began in 2005 and ended in December. More than half of the $57.8 million raised for UNK went to support students.

And more than 6,200 UNK alumni gave back.

That money is also helping students like Erich Gebers and Makenzie Hinrichs.

Gebers, a music education major, grew up in Lincoln with a love of cello music and Bach. Scholarships have helped the junior to be part of the Thornton String Quartet and the UNK

CELEBRATION TIME: Students Lisa Klingelhoefer, Hiromi Chiba, Kara Mercure, Ayano Sugahara and Shiori Kikuchi represented the UNK International and Study Abroad booth at the Foundation Campaign celebration at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Omaha.

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Campaign Raises $61 MillionMore than half for student scholarships

For Full Campaign Impact,See Special Insert

JAKE SPIES: Received the Boroff Family Football Scholarship and the Nebraska Bankers Association Scholarship.

More than half of the $61 million raised for UNK during the Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities went to scholarships – many of which will be “life-changers,” says Mary Sommers, director of UNK’s Office of Financial Aid.

“Just under 45 percent of our students are first-generation, so they are the first in their families to go to college,” she said. “That money really, really is a huge benefit to students.”

This money will make a difference between students having to work or not work, she said. The money will free up students’ time and let them participate in undergraduate research or in extracurricular activities – like a science major who can now also sing in the choir or play in the band, or a student with leadership skills who now can get involved in student government.

Campaign gifts from UNK alumni Ilene and the late Milton Steinkruger support students facing crises who are in jeopardy of dropping out.

One particular student was just a semester away from graduating, Sommers said, but because of the circumstances in his life he had to attend a semester beyond the normal eight semesters. He lost funding because of that extension. The Steinkruger money paid for his last semester.

“I think that fund, in particular, is one where we’ve really seen it make a big difference for a lot of students,” Sommers said.

The nine-year campaign, which began in 2005 and ended this past Dec. 31, raised $60.5 million for UNK, with more than $30 million committed to scholarships and $9.3 million for UNK Athletics scholarships, Ron and Carol Cope Stadium and the UNK Loper Fund.

“The Campaign for Nebraska is making a profound difference for the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In terms of scholarship assistance, university doors are opening a little wider and are including greater numbers of promising and deserving students than before,” said UNK Chancellor Douglas Kristensen.

“In terms of bricks and mortar, we are in a better position to increase our impact. This past spring, for example, UNK broke ground on a Health Science Education Complex, a project that represents a unique and exciting collaborative venture with the University of Nebraska Medical Center that is destined to benefit health care in rural Nebraska and throughout the state and region for generations to come.”

Charles Bicak, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at UNK, said the campaign has been “utterly transformative” for the UNK campus.

“The influence on the well-prepared graduate as he or she returns to communities from one end of the state to the other, in a professional capacity, is tremendous.” n

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String Project, in which he helps teach stringed instruments to children ranging from third-graders to seniors in high school.

“So I’m very thankful for all of the donors who give to the NU Foundation,” he says. “If it wasn’t for these donations, I would not be able to do half the things I do in college.”

Gebers is not sure he’d even be in college without that support. His family, he says, has faced some medical hardships the past few years and can barely make ends meet.

“They’re just that broke right now.”

Hinrichs, a junior majoring in theater and business, grew up in Hastings. She says that when she walks around campus

she sometimes thinks about the people whose names are on the buildings, and on her scholarships.

“The people must be very caring,” Hinrichs says. “I always think of people who are so happy and so full of joy that they want to share it with other people. It makes you happy inside, to know that there are people looking out for you, and that they’re willing to offer something of theirs for your sake.”

Spies agrees.“I’d say thank you to

the Boroff family and to the Nebraska Bankers for the scholarships I have. Thank you to them. They’ve helped me better myself and grow as a person, and they’ve really helped my family, too.” n

ERICH GEBERS: Received the Lavern Clark Strings Scholarship and the Kay F. Crawford Scholarship.

MAKENzIE HINRICHS: Received the Gerald Oswald Scholarship, the Carol Cope PEO Scholarship, the J.A. & Fern Baldwin Scholarship and the KN Energy Scholarship.

Mary Sommers

Director of Financial Aid Says Scholarships are “Life Changers”

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High Seas and High NotesSinging and sailing with Jordan Peterson '12

ike many kids, Jordan Peterson '12 said he was reluctant to go to his first piano lesson.

“At age 7, I remember telling my mother I didn’t want to go. But I finally gave in, and once I did there was no looking back. I immediately loved it and I played ALL the time,” Peterson said. “However, I think I had a love of music all my life. We have home videos of me as a kid singing Hound Dog by Elvis and dancing around the living room.”

Peterson said he was also influenced early by rides in his father’s 1962 Thunderbird and the sounds coming from the 8-track player. “That’s probably where I developed a love of funk music listening to such bands as Earth Wind & Fire and the Commodores.”

After he outgrew those early piano lessons in O’Neill Peterson with his parents made weekly two-hour trips to Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. It was there that Peterson started to shine.

By age 14, Peterson had expanded his affection for music by writing and recording his first CD. “Then in high school I really developed a love for musical theatre. I was in the school musical every year and for that reason, I chose musical theater as a major at UNK.”

That provided him numerous opportunities to further develop his talents.

“I performed in plays, one-acts and musicals all four years. I also performed in an improvisational troupe for a little bit, as well as performing in the jazz band and Choraleers.”

Peterson said one of his favorite groups at UNK was the Nebraskats, a show choir of which he was a member for four years. Nebraskats director Andrew White said Peterson was “just a super student, academically and musically.”

“He was a sponge for all different kinds of music and musical skills. He had a capacity for learning what was beyond most.” He was already a very accomplished pianist when he got to UNK, White said. “He continued to improve and also picked up quickly everything we had to offer, especially as a vocal student.”

Performing in competitions and solo recitals also kept him extremely busy. “But, I loved every minute,” Peterson said.

Since graduation, he is still staying extremely busy performing on cruise ships.

“As a musical theater major, I had already done some regional theater work during the summers while I was

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at UNK, so after college I was thinking about continuing to pursue that. I sent in audition videos to many theaters around the country, but I also knew some people who had found work in shows on cruise ships. So, I started looking into this, and I found a company called Landau Music. They hire musicians for cruise ships.”

Peterson said he originally wanted to perform in the Main Stage shows, but “I always played piano and sang, so I thought I’d give this a shot. I sent a list of songs I knew as well as an audition video, and not too long after that I was offered a job.”

Now, two years out from college, Peterson is performing to packed houses as a piano player on cruise ships around the world where he has his own piano bar. Audience members shout out requests, sing along and enjoy the atmosphere. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Cruise passengers obviously enjoy Peterson’s talents, personality and ability to relate to his audience some of their comments include:• “Peterson is a blast of fresh air right into your ear, his talent is

a stunning thing to behold.”• “It’s not everyone who can blend classic sounds with a fresh,

modern appeal, but Peterson does the job just right.” • “The piano player was the best. He’s a good as it gets.”• “He was the best player I have experienced in 62 cruises.”

Peterson said he is lucky that he likes all kinds of music. That is part of his popularity.

“The music I write is probably a combination of Billy Joel, Elton John and some modern artists like Gavin DeGraw or Train. But I love to perform all kinds of music, and my favorite is actually funk and soul music like the Commodores, Parliament/Funkadelic, and Earth Wind & Fire.”

Peterson, who was a semi-finalist in the world-renowned and prestigious “American Traditions Competition” in 2013 in Savannah, Ga., said he enjoys what he does at this point in his career, but “I definitely don’t want to do this forever.”

What’s next?“I’m about ready to move to a city like New York and see

what I can do there,” Peterson said. “I really love to write and record my own music. I used to do it a lot in high school, and then I kind of put it on the back burner to do musical theater. But now I would really like to spend more time writing and recording music and see where it takes me.”

Peterson’s latest album – “Jordan Micheal Peterson” – on CD and iTunes includes two of his originals: “I Wish I Had A Reason” and “Back to Then.” His website is www.jordanpetersonmusic.com. n

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Jordan Peterson ’12 started playing piano at an early age and honed his skills as a musical theater major where he starred in “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “The Malcontent.” Theater photos by Kerri Garrison '90.

SAYING THANK YOU: Current UNK student Rachel Stauffer participated in the UgivethaNKs program offering students opportunity to say thank you to professors, staff, mentors and advisers. Thank you notes were displayed throughout the union and later sent to specific people who were thanked.8

T“UgivethaNKs” ProgramAn opportunity for students to show appreciation for scholarships, staff and professors

Alumni News

he UgivethaNKs campaign was launched in the spring of 2014 and will return this spring, kicking off April 27. The event will start with a lunch where

donors can come and meet students who have been directly affected by their donations.

This campaign is about finding the experiences, people or parts of college to be thankful for and sharing them with the campus. It’s a great way to remember why we’re attending college and how much we have going for us at UNK.

“We want our students to be a part of something important, to be able to show their gratitude and make a difference,” said Brette Ensz '06, the assistant director of engagement at the UNK Alumni Association.

During the last UgivethaNKs, more than 20 stations were placed around campus to make it easy for students to complete a card saying what they were thankful for at UNK. There were four different cards the students could choose from, providing a variety of responses. For example, the card I completed started with, “The experience at UNK I am most grateful for is…”

Said Ensz, “We would take those (cards) every night and we’d hang them up in the Union to create this really great display of gratitude so people could see

how much we had to be thankful for here at UNK. This year, we hope to make the display even bigger and fill the Nebraskan Student Union with thanks.”

The William H. Thompson Scholars Learning Community is a living/learning community for students who are awarded the Susan Thompson Buffett Scholarship. The community students played a big role in last year’s UgivethaNKs campaign. They were responsible for making sure cards were picked up from every location at night and displayed in the Nebraskan Student Union. They also helped with event logistics and spreading the word about UgivethaNKs to students.

This event not only gave students a reason to say thank you to the faculty, donors and university; but reminded us that we have so much to be thankful for. Scholarships, friends, knowledge and experience are included, and UgivethaNKs presented an opportunity to recognize those gifts.

This year’s campaign has a few improvements to make it easier for everyone to participate. Online cards will be available to complete or mail in for eCampus students and once again, the

card stations will be set up at over 20 locations on campus for students, faculty and alumni to visit. More emphasis will be placed on including donors this year and honoring them for all they have done for students.

As a student, I encourage everyone to take part in this year’s UgivethaNKs campaign. It would be exciting to see so many cards representing something to be thankful for from alumni as well as students. It’s almost impossible not to find something to be thankful for yourself. During a week like ‘dead week,’ the second most stressful week of the semester for most students it’s

important to take a break from studying and reflect on our time at UNK and who made it possible for us to be here.

Please help us by completing one or all of the cards on pages 28 and 29 and sending them to UNK Alumni Association in care of UgivethaNKs at Campus Box 21, Kearney, NE 68849. Questions or would like to hear more about theUgivethaNKs program? Contact Anne McConkey at 308.698.5282 or email her at anne.mcconkey@nufoundation.org. Please complete and send them in by April 13. n

Student Writer

rachel Stauffer

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Alumni News

omecoming 2014 was filled with a myriad of activities for alumni, students and friends on Sept. 19.

At the 35th annual Alumni Association awards ceremony, special presentations were made to the following:

Distinguished Alumni honored were retired district judge Robert Hippe '63 of Gering; former president and chief executive officer of Bethphage and Mosaic Dr. David Jacox '72 of Omaha; and computer science technologist Mary Vaughn '78 of Parker, Colo.

Distinguished Young Alumni were Travis '01 and Dr. Angela (Emrick) Hollman '01 MSE '09 of Kearney who started Hollman Media in 2008.

Ron Glandt '80, Myron Placek '80 and Gregg Grubaugh '79 of Omaha; received the Jim Rundstrom Distinguished Alumni Service Award for their weekly Cheer’s Club alumni gatherings in Omaha.

Anne (Slattery) Nielsen '73 of Manhattan, Kan., a specialist in blind and visually impaired education, received the College of Education Distinguished Educator Award. Christa (Witt) Speed '78,

MAE '97 of Grand Island received the Gary Thomas Distinguished Music Award. Dr. Alan Luedtke '77 of Woodstock, Ga., was honored as the Chemistry Department’s Don Fox Lecturer.

Inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame were softball pitcher Cindy Cohn '97 of Mesa, Colo.; men’s basketball player Kenya Crandell '96, MAE '99 of Bozeman, Mont.; women’s basketball player Beth (Swift) Dye '03 of Omaha; wrestler Frank Kuchera '03 of Kearney and football player Mike Smith '98 of Kearney.

Sergio Ceja of Lexington and Cacia Lyon of Giltner were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Ceja is a junior elementary education major. He is public relations chair for Pi Kappa Alpha, president for Loper Liaisons and is on the executive cabinet for student government. Lyon is a senior organization communications major. She has been a resident assistant and a member of Lambda Pi Eta, Phi Eta Sigma, Christian Student Fellowship and secretary of community relations for student government.

The Homecoming parade featured 24 bands, floats and a variety of other entries. n

HHomecoming 2014 Weekend of celebrating alumni and new athletic hall of fame inductees

TOP LEFT: Lip Sync is an annual student competitive event hosted by LPAC as part of Homecoming competition. TOP RIGHT: Anne (Slattery) Nielsen ’73, Christa (Witt) Speed ’78, Travis Hollman ’01, Dr. Angela (Emrick) Hollman ’01 MSE '09, Mary Vaughn ’78, Hon. Robert Hippe ’63 and Dr. David Jacox ’72.

LEFT: Cacia Lyon and Sergio Ceja were named the 2014 Homecoming Queen and King. Right: Cindy Cohn ’97 with her niece preparing to ride in the parade. FAR RIGHT: Former Loper wrestler and Olympian Tervel Dlagnev '09 congratulates Frank Kuchera ’03 for being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Campus News

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Appeals Court Judges Visit UNKBishop and Riedmann credit UNK for their career paths during college initiative session

ebraska Court of Appeals judges Francie Riedmann '85 and Riko Bishop '77 never aspired to have careers in law. But appetites for asking questions and solving problems

pushed them both to change the path of their planned careers.The judges were on campus Nov. 12 with Judge Frankie

Moore to hear several cases and participate in a question and answer session with students, faculty and the community.

The Court of Appeals of Nebraska is the state’s second-highest court and reviews appeals from state trial court decisions. A decision of the Court of Appeals is final unless granted further review by the Nebraska Supreme Court. The six judges on the Court of Appeals issue an average of more than 350 written opinions each year.

The college campus initiative, designed by Court of Appeals judges, is intended to provide Nebraskans the opportunity to learn about the judicial branch, specifically the workings of the appellate level system. The Court has previously hosted arguments at Peru State College and Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Bishop earned her bachelor’s in English education in 1977 from Kearney State College before earning her J.D. from the NU College of Law in 1992. Bishop worked as an English teacher

from 1978 to 1983 and as a creative writing instructor until 1985. She was a judicial law clerk for the Nebraska Court of Appeals from 1992 to 1993 before working as an attorney for Perry Guthery Haase & Gessford, P.C., L.L.O.

Riedmann obtained her bachelor of science from KSC in 1985 before earning her J.D. from Creighton University in 1993. Riedmann studied journalism and communications at KSC, and interned at KGFW Radio. After graduation, she worked as a law clerk and paralegal. From 1996 to 1999, Riedmann was an associate for Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin, LLP. Until 2012 she was shareholder and director at Gross & Welch, P.C., L.L.O.

Both Riedmann and Bishop were appointed to the Nebraska Court of Appeals by Governor Dave Heineman in 2013.

What does it mean to you to be on campus hearing cases and talking to students?

Riedmann – “I love the education part of this. We spend so much time with paper, and so much time alone in offices separately – every day it’s my two clerks and me. We just don’t get out very much. It’s so nice to do this type of thing where we actually get to interact with people. We don’t do the glamorous

Riko Bishop (Left) earned her bachelor’s in English education in 1977 from Kearney State College before earning her J.D. from the NU College of Law in 1992. Bishop worked as an English teacher from 1978 to 1983 and as a creative writing instructor until 1985. Pictured with Chancellor Kristensen is Francie Riedmann (Right) who obtained her bachelor of science from KSC in 1985 before earning her J.D. from Creighton University in 1993. Riedmann studied journalism and communications at KSC and interned at KGFW Radio.

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arm of the judiciary system, but we play an important role in our system.”

Bishop – “Being back on campus brings back a whole lot of great memories. It’s pretty special from a personal standpoint. From a professional standpoint, it’s great to be a part of the education process for kids here. To share some of our experiences and how our paths unfolded to where we are. It’s important for young adults to understand that they don’t have to make a lifetime decision today. They can change course many times if they want to.”

How did you decide to go into law?Riedmann – “I never aspired to go to law school. We have

no lawyers in my family. It was just never a thought. I would do the reporting covering courts and trials. But law school was so intimidating, which is why I went to paralegal school. Once I had been doing that for five years, I thought, ‘Yeah, I can do that.’ I think one thing I wanted to let the students know is that we walked these halls too. If this is really what you want to do, it’s very attainable.”

Bishop – “I was always intrigued by law, but in 1974 when I started college here the path for most women was be a teacher or a nurse. In the back of my mind, I was thinking law school would be awesome, but it just wasn’t feasible for me at that time. I have no regrets about my path because I feel like being a teacher helped me develop a lot of skills that become quite beneficial as a lawyer.

“There were always problems that I never knew the answer to, and I really wanted to find the answer. That’s what ultimately drove me to go to law school. The professional experiences that I had in business and as a teacher lit the fire even more for me to be a lawyer because of the things that came up that I couldn’t answer. I always want to find out how to solve a problem.”

How did your education at UNK help you succeed?Riedmann – “I couldn’t do what I do today if I didn’t have

that foundation. That education of being in the news field makes you more inquisitive, and it makes you a little more assertive. Those are great qualities to have when you’re a lawyer.”

Bishop – “I was challenged a lot when I was here. Then becoming a teacher played an important role in wanting to become a lawyer. I just feel like having the opportunity to have a room full of one of the toughest audiences, is a tremendous experience. Learning to be in a room full of people who maybe were somewhat hostile toward the subject you were teaching,

especially diagramming sentences. I learned how to get them to understand when they’re all looking at me with blank faces and disinterested faces. Those same skills I had to develop during all those years of teaching really carried well into the courtroom. As you’re trying to persuade a jury and a judge as to the facts of the law, I really feel like being a teacher gave me a comfort level and an appreciation for the different kinds of audiences I got, and to learn

to be persuasive, but clear in how I told a story.”

What advice would you give to students?Bishop – “You need to naturally want to solve problems. If

you’re a lawyer, your life is about problems.”

What about your job would surprise some people?Riedmann – “How much work there is. I worked on

the Court of Appeals as a law clerk when I was right out of law school, so I thought I had an idea of how much work there would be. I had no idea what the judges were really doing. There’s so much work beyond what the public sees.”

Bishop – “We don’t have deadlines. When you’re an attorney, you have a deadline, you have a trial date. For us, we don’t have any deadlines so I think there’s a misperception that we can work whenever we want at our own pace. But it is like that conveyer belt where it just keeps coming and coming and coming. Because of the workload we have, it is very fast-paced.”

What do you enjoy about your job?Riedmann – “It’s like having my own library, only it’s not

fiction. You can pick up any file and read a different story. The hard thing to remember is that these are really people. Our opinions impact those particular parties, but we also write to a much bigger audience to give some guidance to the practicing bar. I like the diversity. It’s my constant reminder of how little I know. It’s what keeps it very interesting.”

Bishop – “I truly love everything about it. I love the people that I work with, I love the judges, the clerks, the court staff. The work itself – there’s such a variety of legal issues that we deal with all the time. You would think at some point, between the Nebraska Supreme Court and our court, that we would have decided every angle of every legal issue out there but we haven’t. Whether lawyers are getting more creative or there are just issues that have never come up before, we’re seeing new things all the time.” n

JUDGE: Alumna Francie Riedmann was on campus Nov. 12 for the Nebraska Court of Appeals. She is asking one of the attorneys a question during the oral arguments.

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he key to Richard Salmen’s success is welcoming change.The financial expert and 2014-15 Ron Landstrom

Executive-In-Residence presented “The Journey From Undisciplined Ability to Enduring Success and Happiness” Oct. 2 on campus. Salmen is senior vice president and senior adviser at GTRUST Financial Corp. in Overland Park, Kan. A Creighton native, he attended Kearney State College with an Army ROTC scholarship after serving as an Army private in Germany. Salmen graduated with a degree in business administration and airway science.

In 1992, he started an independent financial planning practice. Five years later, he worked as a trust officer/adviser for Legacy Trust Company in Overland Park, where he became a certified financial planner. In 1998, Salmen graduated from the United States Army’s premier staff officer development program at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.

Salmen began his work at GTRUST in 2000, and became a certified trust and financial advisor and a chartered financial analyst. After the 2008 banking crisis, as national president of the 26,000-member Financial Planning Association, Salmen frequently traveled to Washington, D.C. to help lawmakers draft new financial regulations.

Salmen also worked as an air traffic control specialist until he retired in March 2013. He worked at the Air Traffic Control Center in Olathe, Kan., for 25 years.

How did your experience at UNK help prepare you for your careers?

When I came to Kearney State, it was an environment where there were classes of 20 to 25 people. All the classes were being taught by the professors. I ended up having a mentor here – Dr. Dick Lebsack – that helped guide my education career here and has been a mentor to me since then.

I’ve been very, very fortunate to have had mentoring relationships in all stages of my life. I really felt like the education I got here was one that worked for me. I was encouraged to hear that the business school is still very much the same.

What made you choose business and aviation?It was pure dumb luck. When I came back on an ROTC

scholarship, I came back as a business major. The only reason I ended up in the airway science program is because I happened to see in the college catalog an airway science management major, and one of the requirements was getting your pilot’s license. The

Q&A With Executive-In-ResidenceAn interview with Richard Salmen '88

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Richard Salmen '88 told students that change is the key to success.

College of Business and Technology

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College of Business and Technology

only reason I did it is because I would get my business degree and I would get my pilot’s license, and the Army would pay for it.

Where did your interest in aviation come from?I can remember the first time I got to fly when I was about

9 or 10 years old. I grew up in a little town called Creighton. We had an airport, and there was some kind of fly-in. There was a guy there with a twin-engine airplane. We, as a family, went on a flight. I was sitting in the co-pilot seat, and I think I’ve been enamored with aviation ever since.

What are some of your favorite memories about UNK?One is graduation because I got the opportunity to speak. I

got an award called the Wall Street Journal Award for Academic Excellence. I still have the glass award sitting on my desk at home. It was a real honor to be recognized in that way. The other thing that was an important part of my experience here at UNK was the Army ROTC program. I got to grow a lot as a leader as I developed through that program.

What made you decide to pursue two careers?I started out as an air traffic controller. The FAA was looking

to get controllers in who would work for a few years and move up into management. And that was my plan – to become the guy running the FAA.

But I discovered very quickly after a few years what a bad idea that was. I couldn’t see the benefit long-term into putting all my effort into FAA management and not getting the reward, either financial or job satisfaction, that I wanted.

That’s when I decided to go get my MBA. I knew I loved being an air traffic controller, but that wasn’t going to be enough. The way I describe air traffic controlling is it’s a four-year learning curve and then a 20-year plateau. Once you know how to do it, you know how to do it.

I went down to KU and got my MBA. As I was getting close to wrapping that up, I asked myself, ‘What’s next?’ I enjoyed the

investing classes, I enjoyed the finance classes. I thought, ‘I’m pretty good at this money stuff. Let’s start a financial planning business.’ It was never designed to get as big as it did.

In 2012, I realized air traffic controlling was a 40-hour-a-week hobby.

What are your tips for finding success and happiness?Don’t short change yourself. Don’t sell yourself short. You’ll

spend most of your time working than doing anything else in your life. It doesn’t pay to settle. Nobody is going to manage your career but you.

If you’re not in a situation where you’re not earning what you want or you’re not doing what you want to do, nobody is stopping you from changing it. Change, even good change, is so hard for most human beings that they’ll avoid it.

The key to my success in life is not fighting change. n

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Buy a book, and support the Calvin T. Ryan LibraryIn 2013, rainstorm severely damaged UNK’s library building and thousands of books inside, the Buy a Book Program was created to help rebuild the Calvin T. Ryan Library book collection and to enhance the overall quality of the collection. With a minimum gift of $100, a personalized bookplate with your message is placed inside a newly purchased book selected by UNK librarians. The bookplate bears the name of the donor and the person(s) in whose honor the gift is being made.

There are Three levels of giving:ua $100 gift receives a nameplate in one book.ua $500 gift receives a nameplate in six books.ua $1,000 gift receives a nameplate in twelve books.

For more information contact Anne McConkey at anne.mcconkey@nufoundation.org or 308-698-5282. To give, visit nufoundation.org/unkbuyabook.

College of Business and Technology Dean Tim Burkink introduced the Ron Landstrom Executive-in-Residence Richard Salmen during his campus lecture, “The Journey from Undisciplined Ability to Enduring Success and Happiness.”

he 2014 Ak-Sar-Ben royalty had a definite UNK flavor. Morgan Kristensen, a

senior from Minden, was crowned queen and Mike Yanney, a 1955 graduate from Omaha, was crowned king at the 118th Coronation and Scholarship Ball in October.

The Coronation and Scholarship Ball has a mission of promoting, recognizing and celebrating volunteerism, philanthropy and community pride in the state of Nebraska. It is a fundraising vehicle for the Ak-Sar-Ben Scholars program operated in partnership with the Horatio Alger Foundation and TeamMates Mentoring Program.

Fifty four-year scholarship awards are presented to Nebraska and western Iowa students who have overcome great personal adversity and are in need of financial assistance to attain a college degree.

The original Coronation and Scholarship Ball was established in 1895 to recognize individuals in the region for their civic efforts.

Mike Yanney is a Kearney native and founder of America First Companies, now Burlington Capital Group LLC in Omaha.

The Korean War-era veteran also founded All Our Kids Inc., a youth mentoring service called Partnership 4 Kids. Yanney is currently the chairman of Building Healthy Futures. His wife, Dr. Gail Walling Yanney, is a retired anesthesiologist who served for 14 years on the Nebraska Center board.

The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry has named Yanney, to be inducted into the organization’s Nebraska Business Hall of Fame at a Feb. 5 ceremony in Lincoln.

Yanney spent his career in banking and finance, eventually founding in 1984 America First Cos., the investment banking firm that would become Burlington Capital Group.

As a student at UNK Morgan Kristensen has a wide array of interests. The political science major plans to go to law school after graduation. She is active in Alpha Phi sorority, fundraising for women’s health issues, volunteering in state-wide golf tournaments and in promoting education and scholarships.

During her reign, Morgan will promote the Ak-Sar-Ben scholarship program.

Kristensen is the daughter of UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen. Her mother, Terri Harder Kristensen, is a district court judge. n

Portraits in Philanthropy

Royalty With UNK TiesAk-Sar-Ben names Mike Yanney '55 and student Morgan Kristensen king and queen

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Mike Yanney '55 and Morgan Kristensen are named the 118th King and Queen of Quivira at the Ak-Sar-Ben Coronation and Scholarship Ball held at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha on Oct. 18. Yanney is a Kearney native and former investment banker who founded America First Companies, now called Burlington Capital Group. Kristensen is a senior political science major.

FAMILY: Ak-Sar-Ben Queen Morgan Kristensen and her family: sister, Paige, at left; dad, Doug Kristensen, chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Kearney; and mom, District Judge Terri Harder.

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Portraits in Philanthropy

Gift Serves as Alumnus John Mitchell’s Lasting Media LegacyJohn Mitchell’s '47 passion for journalism and his

entrepreneurial ambition all began in Kearney. During college in the mid-1940s, he worked nearly

every day as a radio announcer at KGFW while studying speech communications. Little did he know he’d go on to own his own broadcast stations across the state.

Mitchell died last year and is being honored by his family for his contributions to journalism and interests in supporting future generations of students with creation of the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund for Broadcast Journalism at UNK.

The endowment was created with a gift of more than $100,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation to forever support students with financial need who study journalism or multimedia in the Department of Communication at the College of Fine Arts and Humanities. First eligibility will be to students who have a career interest in the area of radio, television or video production.

“The Department of Communication deeply appreciates the support of the Mitchell family by providing scholarships for our students preparing for careers in journalism, broadcasting and multimedia,” said Ralph Hanson, department chair. “Their gift will add to John Mitchell’s lasting legacy for the media industry in Nebraska.”

Journalism students Erin Cuddy of Lincoln and Alyssa Sobotka of O’Neill are the inaugural scholarship recipients and were awarded $1,750 each by the college.

“I am extremely grateful for this award, and it will be a great help to me this school year,” said Cuddy, who graduated from Pius X High School in Lincoln.

Sobotka, who graduated from O’Neill Public School, said, “I was thrilled upon reading the news I’d been selected. Thank you for this honor.”

The Mitchell family has a history of philanthropic support for the university, including previous contributions to UNK’s Department of Communication for the Mitchell Communication Center and generous support for students and academic programs in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design at UNL in honor of Mitchell’s wife, Mary Mitchell, and her career accomplishments. John and Mary Mitchell were married for 62 years.

John C. Mitchell was born in Kearney in 1924 and graduated from Kearney State Teachers College, as did his sister and three brothers. He earned a law degree at Georgetown University before returning to Kearney to open a law practice. In 1953, he and his partners bought KGFW, which started his successful broadcast ventures.

In 1968, he and his family moved to Omaha where he established a law practice, managed his growing number of broadcast properties and started the Fort Calhoun Bank, as well as other businesses. He also enjoyed a long political career, serving or leading various public entities and Democratic Party organizations in and outside of the state. n

Written By roBB crouch, nu foundation

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John and Mary Mitchell

The 2015 Distinguished alumnus for the College of Business and Technology is Karen Wyatt Rhoads '81. Rhoads is the Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for The Buckle, Inc. and also serves as a member of Buckle’s Board of Directors. She worked for the company part-time while attending Kearney State College, rejoined the Company in 1987 as Corporate Controller and has served as an officer and director since 1991.

The Buckle, Inc. is a national retailer offering a unique mix of high-quality, on-trend apparel, accessories, and footwear. Buckle caters to fashion-conscious young men and women. Headquartered in Kearney, Buckle currently operates over 460 stores in 44 states.

Originally employed by “Brass Buckle” in college, Rhoads has seen many changes in the company over the years and her duties have developed and changed as necessitated by the growth in the company. Rhoads was instrumental in taking the company public in May 1992 and moving the Company’s stock from the NASDAQ to the NYSE in 1997.

Rhoads graduated from Superior High School. Before returning to Buckle, she was a Certified Public Accountant with Shonsey and Associates in Grand Island.

Rhoads currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Kearney Family YMCA Foundation and is a member of UNK’s College of Business

and Technology Advisory Council. She is a past Board member of the Kearney Family YMCA, Kearney Area Community Foundation, Good Samaritan Hospital, Fort Kearney Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Kearney Chamber of Commerce.

The distinguished alumna will be honored during the College of Business and Technology honors night on May 7 in the Nebraskan Student Union. n

SIntellicom Celebrates Milestone

College of Business and Technology

tudents at the University of Nebraska at Kearney who study information networking and telecommunications are benefitting from a partnership forged by Intellicom Computer Consulting of Kearney. The company is

celebrating its 20-year anniversary and service to greater Nebraska by announcing support for UNK’s College of Business and Technology. Its contributions are valued at $150,000 and involve a multiyear partnership with UNK to provide financial support, donated equipment for teaching laboratories and industry guidance for students.

As part of the collaboration, the company has established the Intellicom Fund for Information Networking and Telecommunications at the University of Nebraska Foundation to enhance UNK’s programs in this area.

“This unique public/private connection will provide significant benefits to students,” said Tim Obermier '83, chair of the Department of Industrial Technology and professor. “The partnership will assist us with the essential resources to prepare high-quality individuals for excellent careers in the field of designing, building, securing and maintaining information networks.”

Bryan Kuntz '95, vice president of operations for Intellicom, said the company is thrilled to be using this opportunity to deepen its long-standing relationship with UNK.

“Many of our employees came through UNK’s degree program, and we think the students in the program today are some of the best and brightest,” Kuntz said. “It’s our hope this partnership will enhance these students’ access to experiential learning and that they will graduate even better prepared to enter the workforce and make a contribution.”

Kuntz said the objectives for Intellicom’s partnership are to increase experiential learning opportunities for students, support the ongoing enhancement of lab environments and facilities for students and faculty and provide additional in-class or adjunct teaching resources with some of the company’s most experienced technical professionals in the state.

Among Intellicom’s initial gifts of equipment, it has provided the university with Cisco Internet Protocol phones and Cisco switches for use in student laboratories. UNK has also started to engage Intellicom’s senior engineering staff who talk to students about careers in technology and mentor them on computer virtualization. n

Dan Shundoff, left, CEO and president of Intellicom, announces the company’s support for UNK during the company’s 20-year celebration together with Tim Burkink, middle, dean of the UNK College of Business and Technology, and Pete Kotsiopulos '70, right, senior director of development.

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College of Business and Technology Names Distinguished Alumna

Karen Wyatt Rhoads

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Campus News

Dr. Hank Bounds, commissioner of higher education for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, has been named the next president of the University of Nebraska System. The NU Board of

Regents appointed Bounds Jan. 12. A lifelong educator with a demonstrated record of expanding opportunities for students, improving higher education outcomes and efficiencies and building successful partnerships with policy makers, donors and

business leaders; Bounds is the seventh president of the University of Nebraska.

A first-generation traditional college student who has spent his entire 25-year career in education, he was selected for the NU presidency among four public finalists following an extensive national search.

Bounds will begin his tenure as president on April 13.Dr. James Linder will continue to serve as interim president

until Dr. Bounds arrives and will assist with the leadership transition. Linder has served as interim president since May 2014, when James B. Milliken left following nearly a decade as NU’s president to become chancellor of City University of New York.

“Dr. Bounds is a highly respected educator who has focused his career on helping to change lives in a way that education impacted his own opportunities,” said Regent Howard Hawks of Omaha, Chairman of the NU Board of Regents. n

Hank Bounds Next University of Nebraska President

i Phi Chapter of Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership and service. The Xi Phi Chapter of Mortar Board was chartered at UNK

in 1988 and is one of 230 chapters nationwide.The Xi Phi Chapter of Mortar Board at UNK won the

organization’s highest national honor – the Ruth Weimer Mount Chapter Excellence Award – at the Aug. 1-3 Mortar Board National Conference in Atlanta, Ga. The award is presented annually to the nation’s most exceptional chapter.

UNK Senior Advisor Amber Messersmith '01 also won the prestigious Excellence in Advising Award, which is given to the nation’s top-three advisors from more than 230 chapters. The honor recognized Messersmith’s leadership, professionalism and spirit of service.

In the nomination form submitted by students, Messersmith was credited for guiding the chapter to national prominence and described as “the driving force” behind the organization.

“Dr. Messersmith makes a great effort to get to know each member. She fosters a sense of community within the chapter,” the nomination stated. “She is present at all chapter activities and never hesitates to lend a helping hand to committees.

“She also encourages us to go above and beyond what past groups have done. … Our advisor has an intense determination to be excellent. She possesses key leadership characteristics including honesty, a positive attitude, the ability to communicate, and the ability to inspire.”

The UNK chapter of Mortar Board also received the Golden Torch Award, given to 24 chapters that contribute meaningful scholarship, leadership and service to their institutions. UNK has received the recognition 15 out of the last 16 years.

In addition, UNK won nine Project Excellence awards, given to chapters for notable achievement in scholarship, leadership, fundraising, service and involvement. Projects recognized were: Faculty Appreciation Dinner, Campus Cleanup, Freshman and Sophomore outstanding recognition, Fuel Around the Fountain, Last Lecture Series, Reading is Leading program, True Blue game days and Veterans Day letter writing event. n

Mortar Board Wins National Award

Dr. Hank Bounds

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UNK Mortar Board Senior Advisor Amber Messersmith '01 won the prestigious Excellence in Advising Award at the Mortar Board National Conference in Atlanta. The recognition was given to the nation’s top three advisors from more than 230 chapters.

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College of Natural & Social SciencesInternational Studies

Astronomy Program Unique in State;

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new astronomy program sets the University of Nebraska at Kearney apart from other campuses in Nebraska. The program, which launched during the 2014-15 academic year, is the only undergraduate

astronomy program in Nebraska. Under the new program, students can earn a bachelor of

science in astronomy or a bachelor of science in astrophysics. Four new classes will now be offered to students majoring in astronomy – Astronomy Methods I and II, and Astrophysics I and II.

“We already have the planetarium on campus, and we have dark skies out here in central Nebraska that are ideal for research,” said Planetarium Director Lee Powell, assistant professor of physics and physical science.

The planetarium features a state-of-the-art projector, the Zeiss Skymaster ZKP4. Using fiber optic technology, each star is individually projected on the dome, creating a replica of the night sky. Since the functions of the projector are controlled entirely by computer, it is possible to use the planetarium to navigate to any place or time, whether it is in the past or the future.

The Department of Physics and Physical Science presents educational shows to school groups and private organizations at no charge during the fall and spring semesters.

There are local observatories that can be used for classes, Powell added.

The department also has the resources to teach the classes. In addition to Powell’s expertise in astronomy, two recent hires are astronomers.

Powell studies the structure of the galaxy and stars. Associate Professor Adam Jensen conducts research on exo planets, and Associate Professor Mariana Lazarova studies other galaxies. n

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Planetarium Director Lee Powell, assistant professor of physics and physical science.

Michael Stopford has been hired as the new assistant vice chancellor for international affairs at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

In his new position, Stopford is the UNK’s senior international officer and leads UNK’s strategic development in international affairs. He is responsible for a larger focus on international strategy, fundraising for international initiatives and development of an international alumni relations program.

Stopford also directs and oversees UNK’s Office of Study Abroad, English Language Institute, Office of International Admissions and Immigration Services, and the university’s International Outreach and Engagement Programs.

Stopford brings a wealth of experience to the position. Since 2011 he has served as executive vice president of higher education and global corporate strategy for public relations firm Weber Shandwick.

His career path also includes work from 2008-11 with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as deputy assistant secretary general for strategic communications services/science for peace and security.

Stopford also worked in public affairs, international affairs and government relations at American University in Washington, D.C., Exxon Mobil Corp., Syngenta International and The Coca-Cola Co.

Nearly 500 international students are enrolled at UNK. Most are undergraduates. The largest representation are from Japan, China and South Korea. n

Michael Stopford Named to Lead UNK international affairs

Michael Stopford

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MONA News

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he pieces in “The Art of MONA’s Founders: Zaruba, Peterson, Karraker,” will help patrons understand the careers of three very influential artists in central Nebraska.

Gary Zaruba MAE '67 who passed away Oct. 16, Larry Peterson '58 and Jack Karraker pushed for a collection of art illustrating the work of Nebraska artists. The idea, called the Nebraska Art Collection, began with fewer than 30 items in 1976. A law passed in 1979 recognized the group of art pieces as the official collection of the state.

“This is a way to get to know their artistic careers,” said Russ Erpelding, ARTreach curator at the Museum of Nebraska Art and co-curator of the exhibit. “They all had long careers at Kearney State College, then later known as the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The exhibit contains some of the earliest pieces from

their careers — artwork from the 1950s up to the present.”The exhibit continues on display through March 15.Although the show highlights the work of the three

professors, Erpelding said the exhibit also honors their long careers, their commitment to art and their work in helping to establish the museum.

“The concept of the Museum of Nebraska Art came from these three faculty members in the art department,” he said. “I think they were visionary because they were the ones who dreamed of this museum. They had a vision for it, but it developed in a bigger way.”

The present location, at the former Kearney Post Office building on Central Avenue, opened as the Museum of Nebraska Art in 1993.

“After other people in the community got a hold of the idea, it blossomed and grew bigger than what they had anticipated,” Erpelding said. “They came up with the idea; but a lot of people in the community, along with faculty at the university, helped with it.”

And having a building to house the collection helped nourish the visual arts in Nebraska.

“We have over 6,000 items by 700 artists in the collection,” Erpelding said. “They all have a connection to Nebraska, whether they were born, died, traveled through, lived or studied here.” n

MONA Honors the FoundersA celebration of MONA’s founders and art through March 15

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Shows at MONA

Picture This: Former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted KooserJanuary 30 – April 26, 2015

Cranes: Taking FlightFebruary 24 – May 10, 2015

Scenes of a 19th Century Journey:Paintings by Alfred Jacob MillerFrom the Collection of Joe RickettsMarch 10 – June 21, 2015

Emery BlagdonApril 7 – July 19, 2015

Student Art ShowApril 14 – May 10, 2015

Nebraska Now: Marvel Maring, Artist BooksApril 11 – July 5, 2015

Jack Karraker, left, the late Gary zaruba and Larry Peterson on the steps of the Museum of Nebraska Art, the institution they helped found in 1976. A show honoring the work of the three artists and former college professors continues on display through March 15 at the museum. “The Art of MONA’s Founders: zaruba, Peterson, Karaker” displays examples of their different art styles, said Russ Erpelding, one of the exhibit’s organizers.

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In September, eight school teachers were added to the One Room, One Teacher Honor Wall in the College of Education Sept. 19. The One Room, One Teacher project aims to preserve the stories and history of rural education.

“We felt it was important to memorialize the efforts and pay tribute to the one-room school teachers and the part they played, because they educated generations of Nebraskans under very difficult conditions,” said Ed Scantling, dean of the College of Education. “Their students went on to be the teachers, physicians, business leaders and scientists who helped make Nebraska the great state it is today.”

Contributors have their name – or name of a person they are honoring – permanently displayed on the One Room, One Teacher

wall of honor at UNK. Many of those honored are graduates of UNK, but the university also wants to honor non-alumni. Anyone who taught in a rural school in Nebraska is eligible for the honor, and individual schools may also be recognized.

“The College of Education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is proud to acknowledge and honor the hard work and the dedication of these outstanding educators through the One Room, One Teacher program,” Scantling added.

The One Room, One Teacher wall was established last year, when 35 teachers were honored. Donations to the University of Nebraska Foundation in support of the program fund scholarships for future teachers. n

College of Education

HONOREES: One-room teachers who were honored and pictured are Phyllis Hefti Finkner from Minden taught at Lenora Country School, Pleasant Plain School, School District #66 and Omaha rural school; Marjorie Schutte Martin from Acton, Calif., taught at School District #60 Rosemont, Hansen and Hastings rural schools; Florence Arlene Sukraw '69, MSE '74, ES '77 from North Platte taught at Huebner School, Long School, Hansen School, West Osgood School, North Osgood School, Nichols School, Star School, Miller School and Platte Valley School; Opal Irene Beavers Brodine from Elm Creek taught at Phelps County rural school in Elm Creek and Edith Wurst Gloystein from York taught at Seward County School District #7, School District #3 Beaver Crossing and School District #6 Milford. Three honorees were awarded posthumously: Rev. Tobias H. Buehner from Lubbock, Texas taught at rural schools in North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska; Beulah Mauler Deines '68 from Gering taught at Buffalo County School District #116, Pleasanton Rural School, Clay Center District #70 and Sutton rural school and Dolores Mae Line McFarland from Lexington taught at Reed School.

One Room, One Teacher Honors Eight

REUNION: It was a surprise reunion as three former students came to show their gratitude. From left, Marilyn Rose Heikes, the teacher Marjorie Schutte Martin, Cheryl Montgomery Biltoft and Jack McKinney enjoyed catching up. Marjorie Schutte Martin from Acton, Calif., taught at School District #60 Rosemont, Hansen and Hastings rural schools.

TECHNOLOGY TRACKING: Lucas Berndt '02 and honoree Edith Wurst Gloystein look over the histories of the teachers and their schools.

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LOPER ATHLETICSlopers.com

Josh Lamberson to Head FootballA native of Wilber, Lamberson also selects new staff

NK hired former Central Missouri assistant coach Josh Lamberson as its head football coach, UNK announced Dec. 14.

“I’m extremely honored and excited to help carry on the tradition of Loper football and write the next chapter,” Lamberson said at his first news conference on Dec. 15. “UNK is a proud program, and Nebraska is a proud football state. We are going to build our program around Nebraska kids and hard-nosed players who are committed to success.”

Lamberson, 32, is a native of Wilber and has a career record of 80-30 in nine years as an assistant coach at Central Missouri (39-19), Southeastern Oklahoma State (13-9) and Northwest Missouri State University (28-2).

He spent the past five seasons at Central Missouri, including four as offensive coordinator. He also coached wide receivers and was the recruiting coordinator.

Lamberson worked two seasons at Southeastern Oklahoma State as quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator from 2008-10. He also was a graduate assistant at Northwest Missouri State in 2006-07, helping lead the Bearcats to a 28-2 record and spot in the national championship game both seasons as quarterbacks coach.

Lamberson replaces Darrell Morris '87, who was UNK’s head coach the past 15 seasons.

UNK Director of Athletics Paul Plinske chose Lamberson following a nationwide search that garnered more than 125 applicants. Lamberson signed a three-year contract with an annual salary of $100,000.

“Josh brings an incredible passion for the student-athlete experience, a keen understanding of how to coach football and an uncanny ability to create a family atmosphere,” said Plinske. “His experiences at two highly successful Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association schools were incredibly appealing to me, but his ties to the state of Nebraska put him over the top and make him a perfect fit for UNK.”

Lamberson is no stranger to the MIAA. In addition to coaching seven years in the conference, he was an All-American quarterback at Northwest Missouri State and played in two NCAA Division II national championships. He finished his career in 2005 as the school’s all-time passing leader with 7,365 career yards and was a semifinalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy given to the top player in NCAA Division II.

“This is my first job as a head coach, and I’m absolutely confident that I’m prepared for it,” Lamberson said. Lamberson is recognized as a coach with a strong offensive mind.

Using a no-huddle, up-tempo offense, his teams at Central

Missouri were regularly among the MIAA’s top offenses. This season, Central Missouri led the MIAA in scoring offense with 35.7 points per game, was second in total offense at 446 yards per game and fourth in passing offense at 224 yards per game. His teams set 70 school records on offense.

Central Missouri went 39-19 during Lamberson’s five years there and made back-to-back postseason appearances in 2010 and 2011, when the Mules advanced to the NCAA-II quarterfinals and finished 11-3.

Joining Lamberson on the UNK staff are: Ken Gordon, defensive coordinator/secondary, from Northwest Missouri State; Joe Holtzclaw, offensive line, from Hastings College; Jake Willrich, linebackers/special teams, from Austin College; Shayne Shade, defensive line, from Northwest Missouri State; and Matt Miller, who remains on staff as wide receivers coach.

“Our staff is going to sell a brand of football where kids play together. A family atmosphere is the building block of something special,” Lamberson said. “UNK football has rich tradition and fantastic support from the community, campus and former players. We are going to embrace the past, build on what’s already in place and work hard to get everybody pointed in the same direction.” n

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Josh Lamberson

LOPER ATHLETICSlopers.com

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he 2003 men’s basketball team was honored as a UNK Athletic Team of Distinction Nov. 15.

That team captured the RMAC title, the NCAA North Central Regional championship and reached the Elite Eight national tournament in Lakeland, Fla. In doing so, the Lopers won 23 consecutive games and compiled a 30-3 record, the best in school history.

Capturing the regional tournament at the Health and Sports Center, the team beat Minnesota-Duluth 72-67, South Dakota State 86-85 and defending national champion Metro State 94-87 in double overtime in the finals before a crowd of more than 5,600.

At the national tournament, eventual champion Northeastern State of Oklahoma shot 70 percent from the field to defeat the Lopers 94-75.

Senior center Nick Svehla '04 earned first-team All-American and RMAC Player-of-the-Year honors. Coach Tom Kropp '75, MAE '79 was named RMAC and regional Coach of the Year. n

T30-3 Record, Elite Eight AppearanceHallmarks of 2003 Team of Distinction

BASKETBALL BROTHERS: Richard Dionne '04 (upper right) with his parents and teammate Nate Mohs '01, MAE '07. The Dionne family presented Sioux Indian quilts to team members, coaches Tom Kropp and Kevin Lofton and to the parents of Brian Dunagan '04, Tim and Cheryl (Apfel) Dunagan '77. The Dunagans made it possible for the Dionne family to make the trip to the national tournament in Florida from their home in Montana. Richard said Star Quilts represent a gift of his heritage to his basketball brothers.

TEAM MEMBERS: Nick Svehla, Omaha; Chad Sheffield '04, Grand Island; Nate Mohs, Ashland; Marty Levinson '05, MAE '11, Livermore, Calif.; Matt Jenkins '08, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Mike Gitt '03, Omaha; Kyle Fletcher '06, Norfolk; Brian Dunagan, Grand Island; Richard Dionne, Wapakado, Wash.; Joey Cochran '03, Kearney; Nick Branting '04, Denver.

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Teams of Distinction1930 Football1941 Football1956 Football1959 Cross Country1963 Football1964 Bowling1967 Baseball1975 Volleyball1978 Men’s Basketball1982 Men’s Basketball1987 Women’s Basketball1987 Softball1991 Men’s Cross Country

VolleyballThe volleyball team made another NCAA

Tournament appearance in 2014, finishing with a 27-4 record and a final national ranking of fifth.

Head Coach Rick Squiers has now led the Lopers to 15 straight NCAA tournaments. UNK saw its season end in Duluth, Minn., with a 3-2 loss to eventual national runner-up Southwest Minnesota State.

During the regular season, UNK went 19-3 to tie Central Missouri for the MIAA regular season title. Due to the Division II Fall Sports Festival (held once every four years), there was no league tournament.

Individually, senior Liz McGowan (Grand Island) earned AVCA honorable mention All-American honors. Averaging 4.68 digs per set as the starting libero, she broke Angie Usher’s school record for digs in a career (2,058) in the regular season finale at Washburn.

Also playing as an outside hitter this season, McGowan finished with 2,099 digs. She was joined on the All-MIAA team by junior setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.), junior right side Kelle Carver (Shawnee Mission, Kan.), sophomore middle Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney), freshman outside LaRose Currie (Vail, Colo.) and freshman middle Tara Ziegelbein (Lincoln).

Currie was also chosen as the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Finally, right side Steph Brand (Grand Island) was the only other senior on the squad.

SoccerThe sixth season of women’s soccer

brought a 4-12-2 (4-9-1) record. Head Coach John Maessner’s club was

greatly affected by injuries as several starters and reserves missed the entire fall or a significant portion.

Still, UNK was in the MIAA Tournament race until the end holding 11 opponents to one or fewer goals. The Lopers placed four on the all-conference team and had 12

members make the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Junior forward Montanna Hosterman

(Papillion) led in scoring for a third straight fall. Missing the season finale, she tallied 13 points (five goals and three assists) and 52 shots. Earning second-team All-MIAA honors, Hosterman should become the program’s all-time leading scorer.

Senior defender Lauren Hoeft (Holdrege), junior defender Kristyn Otter (Omaha) and sophomore Kadie Walaszczyk (Houston, Texas) also were tabbed All-MIAA.

Besides Hoeft, the other seniors were Delanie Phillips (Omaha), Jillian Stoumbaugh (Westminster, Colo.) and Kaitlyn Taylor (Omaha).

Cross CountryThe cross country team

almost returned to the NCAA Championships, falling just short and finishing fifth at the 2014 NCAA Central Regional meet in Wayne.

This year, the Central was allotted four team spots to nationals. Showing how close things were, sophomore Jahn Landrigan (Broken Bow) almost grabbed one of the three individual spots to the NCAA meet but was beaten by hundredths of a second.

Head Coach Brady Bonsall, despite some key graduation losses, had his team nationally ranked again as they finished runner up at the MIAA Championships.

Besides Landrigan, the top runners were senior Bryan Hill (North Platte), juniors Dan Connor (Bennington), Britt Jensen (Fremont Neb.), Alex Obermeier (York), Jerod Schoneman (Holdrege) and Cole Wellniz (Gordon) and freshman Andrew Fields (Ord).

On the women’s side, a young Loper team was hampered by several injuries that held out some potential scorers out of the lineup all season. UNK was still eighth in the MIAA and 17th out of 29 schools at regionals.

Sophomore Morgan Benesch (Columbus) was one of the region’s best, just missing out on a nationals trip as she finished 11th at regionals. n

Liz McGowan

LOPER ATHLETICSlopers.com

By Peter yazvac

unK athleticS

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Photos taken by Tiffany Mohs

Fall Sports Wrap-Up

lopers.com

MorganBenesch

Montanna hosterman

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legends

Christa (Witt) Speed of Grand Island received the Gary Thomas Distinguished Music Alumna Award. Speed, who later received her master of music in cello performance in 1997, served as an orchestra/string specialist in the Grand Island Public Schools for 37 years. She is a member of Nebraska State Education Association, Nebraska Music Educators Association and the American String Teachers Association.

Speed’s musical achievements include Nebraska ASTA Teacher of the Year, American String Teacher’s Citation for Exceptional Leadership and Merit, Moonshell Arts and Humanities Council “Larry Maupin Education Award,” Hastings Symphony Orchestra James Johnson Memorial Chair, Nebraska Music Educators Distinguished Service Award and Kim West Dinsdale Excellence in Teaching Award. She was inducted into the Nebraska Music Educators Hall of Fame in 2008.

Speed has been active in both statewide and national strings associations and music educators associations. She has also served in several offices.

Speed was founder and coordinator of “Strictly Strings Middle School Festival,” conductor at the Tri-City Junior Symphony and principal cellist at Hastings Symphony Orchestra. n

Christa (Witt) Speed '78

LIFETIME OF FRIENDSHIP: Marcia Trimble, Diana Wubbenhorst, Deb King,

Shirley Urwiller, Joan King '58, Joyce Spickelmier '70, Jan Beck '64, Maxine

Erpelding '66, Linda Schutte '70, Sharron Altmaier '55 and Carol McGahan met

in June for the annual local sorority Zetas and Alpha Xi Deltas luncheon.

LOPER PRIDE: Chancellor Doug Kristensen talked to over 55 people at the November

Grand Island Loper After Hours event at the Chicken Coop. These events give alumni a great

opportunity to hear the latest details on news and how campus is progressing.

KANSAS CITY: Dusty Jura '08, Dr. Brad Miller '07, Michael Christen '14, Brandon

Drozd '14 and Dr. Bryna Miller '07 attended Loper After Hours hosted at the home of

Tim '89 and Catherine Anderson in Kansas City, Mo., in September.

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legends

Dr. Anne (Slattery) Nielsen of Manhattan, Kan., received the College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year award.

Nielsen has been a teacher of the blind and visually impaired for 30 years, beginning in 1984 at the North Dakota School for the Blind. Her career has included positions as vision education services coordinator for Eastern Washington, outreach/vision specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and statewide vision impairment support project coordinator for the Kansas School for the Blind.

Internationally, Nielsen, who earned her Ph.D. from the University of North Dakota, has traveled to Peru and Nigeria to work with youth, babies and others in need of vision services.

She has written extensively and has received grants in her work with the visually impaired.

Prior to embarking on her career in special education, she first worked in the Office of Housing at UNK.

Along with Nielsen’s recognition at the alumni luncheon, she also was introduced at a reception with Teacher Education faculty and presented to future special education teachers while on campus. n

Dr. Anne (Slattery) Nielsen '73

What’sHappening

locally and nationally

NEW ALUMS: Welcoming new alumni is always fun with Blue Gold Brigade

Operation Graduation for the December 2014 graduates. The soon-to-be

graduates receive their first alumni shirt to wear to events.

TASTE OF KEARNEY: This fall the UNK Alumni

Association and UNK Athletics teamed up to start the

Taste of Kearney. The event took place prior to UNK’s

Oct. 4 football game on a brisk fall day. The carnival-

like event featured six local restaurants: Flippin’ Sweet

Trattoria, Tru Café, HyVee Market Grille, Dickey’s BBQ,

The Cellar and Runza. Over 2,000 tickets were sold at

this year’s events. Next year’s Taste of Kearney date has

been set for Oct. 10.

This football game also was the MIAA TV game of the

week, so the TV crew even came over to the event to

enjoy some “tastes” from Kearney.

One of the local restaurants, Tru Café, participated by

serving tasty meatball sliders, meatloaf with veggies,

chicken tortilla soup, muffins, and chicken salad wraps.

28

Loper Reunionsaoii Phi sigma Chapter 2014

AOIIPhi Sigma Chapter 45th Anniversary

TIME FLIES: Enjoying the opportunity to reminisce through the AOII reunion. Heidi Weber '07,

Missy Carder, Becky (Bredemeyer) Walters '07, Ashley Mostek '07, Siobhan Duffy ‘07, Laura

(Thompson) Fredricks '08 and Jen (Stephens) Evans.

The Alpha Omicron Pi Phi Sigma Chapter 45th Anniversary Celebration took place at the Holiday Inn Conference Center on Oct. 3. More than 275 members from all over the United States were present to celebrate the past, present and future.

A “Welcome Reception” was held Friday evening, Oct. 3. Saturday, Oct. 4, brought a breakfast, AOII House tours, campus tours and an evening banquet and program. The evening program included a Founder’s video, guest speaker Phi Sigma Founder Joyce Bryan Strout '70, a slide show depicting 45 years of photos and songs from the over the years.

Before and after the Saturday night program, many of the attendees favored getting together with friends that they hadn’t seen for years, taking pictures in the photo booth, participating in a raffle for a specially made Pandora bracelet, viewing composites and scrapbooks from over the years and watching the remainder of the Husker game.

AOII’s Phi Sigma Chapter originally began in 1967 when five collegiate women decided to start a new sorority. The new sorority was started as Phi Sigma Phi and within a year, this new sorority became the fastest growing chapter on campus. After a year, national sororities were entertaining this local sorority to become a new chapter in their organization. In 1969, the decision was made and Phi Sigma Phi became Phi Sigma, a chapter of the international sorority of Alpha Omicron Pi. n

FOUNDERS: Cristy (Best) Koch, Joyce (Bryan) Strout '70, Glenna (Johnson) Derr '69 and Betz (Powers) Quincy ‘69 represent four of the five women who founded Phi Sigma Phi at UNK, which eventually became AOII.

CAMPUS TOUR: While the AOII’s toured campus, they decided to perform the legendary “clap song” that all generations of Phi Sigma alumnae still know.

COMING HOME: Many years of AOII Sigma Chapter attended the reunion in Kearney. Amy Best Peterson ’82, Mary Minton Beller, ’81, Susan Jamrog Banks ’81, Mary Newton Harms ’81, Pam Mueller Johnson ’82 and Wendy Latter Kenton ‘82 visited their old house Conrad.

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Class Notes1948Frances (Amen) Ellis is retired and lives in Lexington where she taught high school/middle school English and business. 1955Dr. Marilyn (Whitney) Peterson was inducted into the Cozad Healthcare Hall of Fame in November for her for her service including serving as chair of the Cozad Hospital Board of Directors for 12 years during her 16 years on the board. 1970Cameron Sutton of Waukee, Iowa, is the state director for Iowa U.S. Senator, Joni Ernst. Sutton has served on the board of Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization based in Washington D.C. Sutton is a retired insurance executive.1975Pamela (Wisda) Shuler lives in Casa Grande, Ariz., where she retired after teaching at Mary C. O’Brien Elementary School.1979Teri Davis-Fewkes received her master of arts in school counseling from Olivet Nazarene University. She works for Palos School District 118 and has three sons, Mike, Sean and Scott.1981Judy ziola of Grand Island, Neb., has been selected as the new chief executive officer of the Grand Island YMCA. Ziola served as the associate executive director of the Whatcom Family YMCA in Bellingham, Wash., since 1988.1983Bill Meyer received the Exceptional Public Service Medal, NASA’s

highest honor for his scientific research. Meyer joined NASA in 1987. His work focuses on colloids, tiny particles that can be made to behave like slow atoms in the zero gravity of space. These colloids allow scientists to study atomic behavior.Harold Scott is Pre-K-12 principal at Meridian Public Schools in Daykin, Neb.1985Doug Duren has been promoted to vice president business development for the Omaha office of JE Dunn Construction.1990Sandy (Smith) Renken of Adams, Neb., is a teacher and technology director for Freeman Public Schools. 1992Dr. Brent Gage is associate vice president for enrollment management at the University of Iowa. He had been associate provost for enrollment management at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.1998Casey Foster of Lincoln received the 2014 Nebraska Department of Agriculture Employee of the Year. Casey is an Ag Promotion Coordinator and has been with the department for 15 years.1999Jennifer (Conner) Rowling is an associate with the Tye Law Firm in Kearney. 2000Stephanie (Konicek) Chandler is marketing director for the Norfolk, Neb. Catholic Schools.Jennifer (Pippitt) Demerath has rejoined the Omaha World-Herald as a local retail sales manager. Most recently, she was the advertising director for Walter Magazine at the News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.

Aric Riggins has been accepted as a participant in Class IV of the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy.Riggins is park superintendent for Red Willow, Medicine Creek, Swanson and Enders Reservoirs for Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Don’t missyour next UNK Today

Moving? Please attach your oldmailing label to the right. Provide your new information and return to:

UNK Alumni AssociationCampus Box 21Kearney, NE 68849-6120

Name: _____________________ __________________________New Address: ______________ __________________________City: ______________________State: _____________________Zip + 4: ____________________Ph.: _______________________Email: _____________________

M O V I N G ?

M O V I N G ?

unkalumni.org30

Class Notes2001Aaron Madsen is the Clinic Administrator for First Care Medical, PC of Kearney and Ravenna. He relocated to Kearney with his wife Natalie, a social science teacher and head softball coach at Kearney High School. 2002T. J. Isaacs has been hired as associate athletic director of development/external affairs at the College of Charleston, S.C. He had been director of major gifts for the Sun Devil Club at Arizona State University.2006Adam Keiswetter MA '09 is the head wrestling coach at Columbus, Neb. 2007Tim Anderson and Lindsay Ortmeier ’07 married in May 2007. They have two children Adelyn, born Dec. 2012 and Rex, born July 2014. Lindsay is a CPA and works for Ric Ortmeier CPA. They live in Geneva, Neb.Jeremy Bayley is a senior buyer with Baldwin Filters in Kearney. He also is a platoon sergeant of the U.S. Army Reserves with the rank of sergeant first class.Bridget Mostek, ME ’10, joined the staffs of Richard Young Behavioral Health Center and Richard Young Outpatient Clinic in Kearney, Neb. Mostek has worked at the Richard Young Behavioral Health Center since 2006 and has been its inpatient youth therapist since 2011. Paul Schleifer works at Tenet Healthcare in Dallas, Texas. He is also the father of two sons: Zachary Charles, born Sept. 2010 and Chase Weldon, born March 2012.

“I will always remember Mom Lang’s loving heart and hands toward all of us students. Her always friendly smile greeted us as she assisted us with college and dorm life.” ~ Merle Horst '70 •

Mom Lang

Often, the people we are today is because of the connections we made at UNK. We want to give you the opportunity to show your gratitude to those special people. Your letters are welcome. Whether it is to express gratitude to a past instructor, alumni or friend or to comment and/or add to a published story - we want to hear from you. Write us at UNK Today magazine, UNK Alumni Association 2222 9th Ave., Kearney, NE 68845. Include your name, class year (if applicable), email, city, state and daytime phone number - or send letters or email Lopers@unkalumni.org.

Notes of Gratitude

“I am grateful for ... Dr. Julie Dinsmore’s inspiration. Dr. Peter Longo’s passion and enthusiasm for teaching. UNK Art Department: Staff Instructors and students for their

creativity, ability to stretch and challenge me to think outside the box.The opportunity to meet and make so many dear friends and my

amazing husband.” ~Kim Dart •

Dr. Julie Dinsmore, Dr. Peter Longo, Art

I will always remember Dr. Fox who gave me a “C” in Chemistry if I promised not to take anymore science. ~Bob Nielsen '63 •

Dr. Fox

“Tonight, I was watching Christmas specials on TV; and I started thinking of ‘Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer’ which is one of my favorites. That led to thoughts of Roy Hyatte! A couple of years ago, I came up with this philosophy. I started going through this Facebook Group (Roy Hyatte - A life celebrated) and reliving many memories of Roy! Miss you, Roy! Thank you for your advice and wisdom!” ~ Dave Ferris '90 •

Roy Hyatte

This is your opportunity to participate in the UgivethaNKs program featured on page 8. Complete all or one of the four cards, cut them out and send them by Monday, April 13 to:UNK Alumni Association

Campus Box 21Kearney, NE 68845Or find them online at unkalumni.org/ugivethanks and submit online. Questions: contact Anne McConkey at 308.698.5282 or anne.mcconkey@nufoundation.org.

What are you thankful for?

31unkalumni.org

Class Notes2009Alex Mahundi and Kadi Ryan ‘07 were married on Sept. 7, 2013, in Kearney, Neb. They are parents of a daughter, Samara Kay, born Sept. 1, 2014. Alex is working at the YMCA as a youth and adult sports coordinator. He has also applied to medical school for fall 2015. Kadi is a nanny and gets to take her daughter with her. Keli Margritz is sixth-grade language arts teacher and head speech coach with the Aurora, Neb., Public Schools.Andrea Trew is a graphic designer at Bailey Lauerman Advertising Agency in Omaha.Scott Wemhoff is owner/operator at HPI Aerial Videography and Post-Production in Houston.2010Quinn Willet received his doctor of medicine degree from UNMC in May. He is completing his residency in Kansas City specializing in internal medicine. He married Dr. Katie Gloor in Lincoln on May 25. Dr. Gloor is also completing a residency in Kansas City.2011Wesley A. Goranson has joined the law firm of Harding & Shulz, P.C., L.L.O. He graduated with distinction from the UNL College of Law in 2014.2013Travis Arnold is an accountant for the firm of Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway & Luth, certified public accountants, in Grand Island, Neb.Alyx Friedrich MBA ’14 is an accountant for the firm of Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway & Luth, certified public accountants, in Grand Island.

unkalumni.org32

Class NotesCaleb Pokorny of Garden City, Kan., works for Kenneth Henderson Middle School teaching English as a Second Language ESL.Maggie Sowl of Kearney is a human resources assistant with Essential Personnel. 2014Angie (Himmelberg) ziggafoos is an accountant for the firm of Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway & Luth, certified public accountants, in Grand Island.

BirthsPatrick ’10 and Elizabeth (Thomas) Ackerman ’10 are parents of a daughter, Eva Kay, born Dec. 9, 2013.Kyle and Ashlee (Bentz) Babl ’08 of Kearney are parents of a son, Lennox Lee, born Nov. 10.Brock and Chloe (Burroughs) Blankenship ’13 of Kearney are parents of a son, Titus Calvin, born Nov. 27.Lucas ’02 and Aimee (Gloystein) Berndt ’02 of Kearney are parents of a son, William Jon, born Oct. 6.James and Jenny (Cook) Chan ’00 of Wheatridge, Colo., are parents of a daughter, Violet Grace, born July 18. They also have a son, Caleb, and daughters Hannah and Claire.Travis ’08 and Chelsey (Brock) Duncan ’08, MBA '09 of Omaha are parents of a son, Quentin Allan, born Sept. 10. Chelsey is marketing manager for CLS Investments.Mark ’09 and Micayla (Anderson) Dunn ’10 of Aurora are parents of a daughter, Harper Nadine, born Sept. 19.Michael Jr. ’02 and Alicia (Sigurdson) Epping ’03 of Chandler, Ariz. are parents of a son, Miles Randolph, born Sept. 26.

Luke ’08, ME ’11 and Heather (Bolin) Estes ’06 of Kearney are parents of a son, Alex Kent, born Oct. 27.Nicolas Fryda ’03, MS ’05 and Megan (Riessland) Fryda ’03, MSE '06 are parents of a son, Archer John, born Aug. 8. They also have a daughter, Paige, 8, and a son, Hudson, 3. Nolan ’05 and Laura (Emmerich)

Little ’05 of Kearney are parents of a son, Orrin Otto, born Nov. 28.Michael ’06 and Megan (Hempleman) Lowe ’04, MAE ’09 of Wood River are parents of a son, Creighton James, born Dec. 2. Corey and Shaina (Meier) McIntosh ’07, ’12 of Kearney are parents of a son, Emmitt Michael, born Nov. 19.

Now there are two more great opportunities to connect with your alma mater. In addition to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter -

you can now follow us on Instagram and Pinterest. We are looking for lots of pictures of #LoperLegacies and #LoperPetPals. So dress up your pets, your kids or both in #LoperBlue and submit your pictures to unkalumni.org. Don’t forget Lopesup.org is also an excellent way to keep up with Lopers around the globe.

instagram.com/UNKAlumnipinterest.com/UNKAlumni

I N S T A G R A M

P I N T E R E S T

Pride of the PlainsMarching BandAlumni GameSaturday Oct. 10, 2015

See details on the “Pride of the Plains”Facebook pagein September.

This is your opportunity to participate in the UgivethaNKs program featured on page 8. Complete all or one of the four cards, cut them out and send them by Monday, April 13 to:UNK Alumni Association

Campus Box 21Kearney, NE 68845Or find them online at unkalumni.org/ugivethanks and submit online. Questions: contact Anne McConkey at 308.698.5282 or anne.mcconkey@nufoundation.org.

What are you thankful for?

33unkalumni.org

Class NotesAnthony ’11 and Brittany (Davidson) McPhillips ’09, MA ’13 are parents of a daughter, Ella Marie, born Nov. 19. Richard and Kari (Sorenson) Mulroney ’97, MBA ’00 of Kearney are parents of a daughter, Ivy Annabelle, born Sept. 30. They also have a son, Max, 5. Kari is corporate tax manager at The Buckle.Tom and Traci (Knudsen) Neuberger ’01 of Oconomowoc, Wis., are parents of a son, Noah Paul born May 8. They also have a son, Jackson and a daughter, Morgan.Carter ’11 and Emilee (Lonowski) Pratt ’11 of Gretna are parents of a son, Miles Carter, born Oct. 14.Shane and Jacki (Riessland) Nordby ’03 of Kearney are parents of a daughter, Reece Olivia, born Dec. 12. They also have a son, Kylar.Marian and Grady Schake ’07 of Omaha are parents of a daughter, Ashtyn LeAnn, born June 21. They also have a son, Chase, 4, and a daughter, Haiden, 2.Stephanie and Troy Schleiger ’95 of Rochester, Minn., are parents of a son, Frederick Steven, born Oct. 1.Aaron ’08 and Caitlin (Babbitt) Smith ’08 of Omaha are parents of a daughter, Lennox Hazel, born Sept. 30.Chris ’97 and Dana (Epley) Stelling ’98 are parents of a daughter, Sara Mae Elizabeth, born May 25, 2013.Brad ’09 and Tara (Kral) Stolcpart ’10 of Kearney are parents of a daughter, Brynlee Ann, born Oct. 19. Kevin and Amber (Gregg) Swartz ’05, MAE ’10 of Kearney are parents of a daughter, Skylar Brielle, born Sept. 20.

34 unkalumni.org

Class NotesMatt ’02 and Sara (Carmoney) Wells MAE ’08 of Axtell are parents of a son, Harrison Scott, born Oct. 17.

MarriagesSarah Boyer ’05 and Russ McHenry Feb. 28, 2014, in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Sarah is the heart failure nurse coordinator at University of Nebraska Medical Center. They live in Elkhorn.Misty Buoy ’11 and Michael Sorenson, March 29, 2014. Misty is PO administrator and merchandising internet support in the merchandising department at The Buckle in Kearney.Kari (Schafersman) and Colin Caldwell ’03 married May 14, 2014. They live in Elkhorn, Neb. Colin works for Buildertrend in Omaha, Neb.Dr. Andrew and Kylee (Gardner) Saathoff ’08, Ph.D. ’11 married May 2, 2014, in York, Neb. Currently they live in Miller, Neb., where Andrew is a large and small animal veterinarian and Kylee is an occupational therapist at CHI (Good Samaritan Hospital) in Kearney, Neb.Jordan Higgins and Matthew Voichahoske ’12 Oct. 25, 2013,in Papillion. Andrea Martin ’14 and Jonathan Hunzeker ’14 May 24 in Minden. They live in Hattiesburg, Miss.Emmylou O’Brien ’11 and Chad Flanagan ‘12 Dec. 27 in Omaha. Chad is fleet coordinator for Werner Enterprises. Emmylou is a student at Creighton University pursuing a doctorate of occupational therapy.Jill Widdowson ’98 and Kendrick Clay July 12.

DeathsRonald Boyd ’67 of Bladen, Neb. died Nov. 13. He was 72. Maxine Brewer ’58 of Kearney died Oct. 3. She was 95.Mary (Straka) Dennis ’83 of Wilcox died Dec. 4. She was 53.Catherine “Kae” (Diers) Dwiggins ’60 of Kearney died Nov. 21. She was 87.Carol (Boukather) Engel ’66 of Loveland, Colo., died Oct. 24. She was 70.Velma (Campbell) Jacobs ’65 of Sidney, long-time Chappell resident, died Oct. 28. She was 97.zellamae Hoffman Hood ’63 of Sun City West, Ariz., died Nov. 8. She was the widow of longtime UNK Dr. Harry Hoffman, who died in 2000. She was 92.Dr. Wilma A. Larsen of Kearney died Sept. 12. She was a UNK professor from 1955 until retiring in 1987. She founded the child development lab which was named in her honor when she retired. She also was chair of the Home Economics Department for 20 years. She was 92.Dr. Ora Lindau ’41 of Kearney died Nov. 29. He was a professor of industrial arts at UNK for 25 years, retiring in 1981. He received the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 1987 for his work with the Alumni House. He was 95.Lola Martindale of Central City died Nov. 6. She was a former employee of the UNK Registrar’s Office. She was 90.John McNeill ’78 of Lincoln died Nov. 26.

August ‘Augie’ Nelson ’71 of Minden died Oct. 20. He was a recipient of three donated organs and his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, hosts an annual golf tournament with the funds going to the Nebraska Kidney Association. He was 70.William ‘Bill’ Nelson MAE ’58 of Lincoln died Sept. 24. He was emeritus professor of education, serving UNK from 1963 to 1996. He was 92.Juliette O’Donovan ’70 of Longmont, Colo., died Sept. 2. She was 90.Merlin Quillen ’48 of Kimball died Oct. 10. He was a principal and coach at Dix High School for 27 years. He was 92.Cori (Arends) Schutz ’00 of Lincoln died July 22. She was 37.Vernon Souders ’58 of McMinnville, Ore., died Nov. 30. He was 77.Adam Spady ’03 of Imperial died May 19. He was 35.Josephine Swanson ’90 of Kearney died Sept. 3. She was 77.Ardith ‘Ardee’ (Snell) Talbot ’56 of New Providence, Iowa, died June 3. She was 81.Dr. Doug Trank ’67, MSE ’69 of Mount Juliet, Tenn., died Oct. 13. He taught 30 years and was chair of the Rhetoric Department at the University of Iowa. He was 70.Mary Wichman ’71, MSE ’75 of Kansas City died Oct. 1. She was 79.Dr. Gary zaruba MSE ’67 of Kearney died Oct. 16. He was a professor of art at UNK for 39 years and a founder of the Nebraska Art Collection and the Museum of Nebraska Art. He was 74.

35unkalumni.org

UNK Connections

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OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT:oCampus Visit, (Let us know when you will be on campus so we can plan a tour.)

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oServing on the UNK Alumni Board, (New board members are elected in the spring of each year.)

oInformational Interviews, (I would talk to students about my professional journey.)

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oOngoing Career Mentoring, (Gold Torch Society - women’s mentoring, conversation tables, etc.)

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Please let us know where you are and what you are doing.

facebook.com/UnKalumniJoin in the fun!MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY: Motivational thoughts and quotes to get your week started off right.THOUGHTFUL TUESDAY:Thoughtful and Thankful! Thinking of those who have been extra special to the UNK Alumni Association.WHERE IS IT WEDNESDAY:Where or when - join us and guess to win FABULOUS Loper prizes.THIS OR THAT THURSDAY:Whether it’s a picture from days gone by or a trivia question? You won’t want to miss this day.FILL IN THE BLANK FRIDAY:Join the thousands of alumni who have already participated in this fun opportunity to share memories, advice and ideas.

twitter.com/UnKalumniFollowing the fun and format of our Facebook page - our Twitter account offers fun and engaging insight about what’s happening on campus as well as our other social media.

linkedin.comUnder the “Interests” tab - select “Groups” and join “University of Nebraska at Kearney” for job postings, career advice and important updates and information about what’s happening at your Alma mater.

lopers@unkalumni.org

Stay Connected! Follow US! WE NEED YOU!

Send in your updates. Loper Pride, Loper Legacy, Loper Pet Pal pictures, any exciting information or pictures you would like to share to UNK Alumni Association. You can also update your information online at unkalumni.org/member or email information to Lopers@unkalumni.org.

Campus Box 21Kearney, Nebraska 68849Phone 308.865.8474Fax 308.865.8999 Lopers@unkalumni.orgunkalumni.orgLopesup.org

Advancing health care in

Nebraska’s rural communities.

The University of Nebraska is answering the call for more

health care professionals. The new UNK/UNMC Health Science

Education Complex, scheduled for completion this summer, will

educate more nursing and allied health professionals. It’s one of

the many ways we’re meeting Nebraska’s health care needs—and

helping to build stronger communities and healthier citizens across

the state. The University of Nebraska. For a better Nebraska.

#NUforNE

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