October 13, 2023 - UNK Fund

For John Behrens and Alexis Bernthal, the Cyber Club at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is family.

Both Behrens and Bernthal are juniors studying computer science at UNK. Over the last year, Behrens said members of the club and UNK’s Department of Cyber Systems have worked tirelessly to grow the club. That work has paid off, with the club seemingly growing with each weekly meeting.

“A lot of us just want to have a community full of friends with similar interests,” Behrens, the club’s president, said. “I’m so proud of what we’ve worked on to build the club.”

Thanks to the generous gifts from donors during One Day for UNK, the Cyber Club is poised to grow even more. Funds raised this year will help fund Hackathons, weekly meetings and networking opportunities with employers.

“I feel like saying thank you to our donors is the most important thing,” Bernthal said. “I think this motivates more people to do good work and help each other in our community.”

As Behrens and Bernthal reflect on their time in the Cyber Club, they can’t help but think of the lifelong friendships they have created. It’s the kind of community they can call home.

“I’d say that most of my core friends are from the Cyber Club,” Behrens said. “It has been such a positive experience and I didn’t realize I would build the kind of relationships that I have through this club.”

Your support during One Day for UNK impacts the lives of students like Mackenzie. Thank you for making a gift to support UNK’s colleges, student organizations and making this year’s One Day for UNK a success!

Mackenzie Welsh didn’t have to go far to find her second home.

Welsh, a junior communication disorders major with a minor in women and gender studies, grew up in Papillion, NE. She knew she wanted a change of scenery as she pursued higher education, but also wanted to remain close to her family.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney quickly became Welsh’s top choice. The opportunity for an affordable education and proximity to home helped UNK stand out, but Welsh was sold on becoming a Loper after she visited campus for the first time.

“It just had a great hometown feel that I really appreciated when I first visited,” she said.

Once she arrived on campus, Welsh quickly found a family in the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. What started as an attempt to meet new people has now turned into a connection Welsh will carry for the rest of her life.

“It has probably been the best thing about my UNK experience by far,” she said. “I have met the most wonderful human beings. I love our community here and I would 100% say that it is one of the things that has kept me here at UNK.”

Greek life has also given Welsh the opportunity to become a leader on campus. She currently serves as president of the Panhellenic Council. Thanks to the gifts from donors during One Day for UNK, Welsh and the Panhellenic Council have opened the door for more women to experience Greek life by lowering recruitment costs.

She said One Day for UNK provides each chapter with a unique opportunity to come together for a single goal.

“It’s such a huge fundraiser that we can all collaborate on, which doesn’t usually happen,” she said. “I think that has just brought this sense of togetherness and I’m grateful for giving days like this because it’s just so helpful to all of our student organizations. I know that Greek life will benefit greatly from it.”

Colleges

Areas

Stories

Contact