Support student organizations such as DREAM at UNK by making a gift through the UNK Nebraskan Student Union Campus Programming Fund.
One student organization at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is looking to create a more inclusive environment on campus.
DREAM, also known as Disability Rights, Education, Activism and Mentoring, is a recently established student organization focused on fostering a welcoming environment for students with disabilities on campus.
“Our goal on campus is to spread awareness and lessen the stigma around disabilities, along with helping to make more able-bodied students know about the things they might take advantage of,” said Ally Chacón, a junior and president of UNK’s DREAM chapter.
UNK’s DREAM chapter is one of over 60 student organizations nationally advocating for disability rights, education and inclusion on college campuses. The chapter formed over the last year when Jazzmyn Martin, assistant director for Disability Services for Students, began working at UNK.
“I wanted to create a community for students to have that inclusive environment,” Martin said.
DREAM was officially recognized as a student organization in spring 2024. During its first few months, the organization held several events on campus to promote awareness, including trivia nights, movie screenings and other games like adaptive sitting volleyball.
Chacón, a criminal justice major with minors in behavioral health and Japanese, said she was drawn to get involved in DREAM shortly after the student organization was created. The idea of building a community that promotes disability awareness was something she immediately connected with.
“It was interesting to see an organization openly say that when there are people with disabilities, mental and physical, that are still stigmatized,” she said. “It was really interesting to see that they wanted to help students like that.”
DREAM has flourished in its first year, bringing anywhere between 20 to 60 students around campus together to participate in its events and sessions. Martin said she has seen this community become closer and closer throughout its first year of operation.
“I see friendships growing every day in this group,” Martin said. “I think it really is providing that community and sense of belonging for a lot of our students. We’re hoping to continue to grow that.”
As a new student organization, Martin and Chacón said getting off the ground can be difficult without financial support.
“We’ve always been limited in funds,” Chacón said. “So whenever we were purchasing stuff for events, we’ve had to go out of our own pocket.”
Thanks to the support the students received during One Day for UNK and beyond, DREAM can begin to expand, reaching more students and spreading its message of inclusiveness across campus.
“These gifts will directly involve and help students grow,” Chacón said. “It will support DREAM, our event planning and will have an impact on our future.”
A gift to this fund bolsters the general student scholarship aid available to students within any UNK college.
A scholarship can make a life-changing difference for students looking to achieve their dreams by pursuing a college degree.
That difference can be seen on the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s campus. Through the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Student Scholarship Fund, students within any college can receive general scholarship support.
These scholarships, funded through generous gifts toward the UNK Student Scholarships Fund, provide the spark for students like juniors Michaela Hegemann and Clarisa Lopez Chojolan to pursue their passions.
Michaela Hegemann’s road to finding her passion has had plenty of obstacles.
Hegemann, a Dodge, Nebraska native, began attending UNK in 2020. Her freshman year of college was clouded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Hegemann was a pre-medicine major as a freshman with the hopes of eventually becoming a doctor. However, her education was interrupted as a sophomore.
“During my sophomore year of college, I ran into some pretty difficult personal experiences that pushed me off track with my classes,” she said. “That really messed up my scholarship.”
Hegemann earned a University of Nebraska Regents Scholarship as an incoming freshman. Due to the disruption in her classes the following year, Hegemann was forced to take time away from school. When she tried to re-enroll in classes this fall, Hegemann found a hold on her account.
“My hands were tied because I had missed this opportunity to set up a payment plan and I didn’t have a sum of money like that to just pay off the hold on my account,” Hegemann said. “I was at a point where I would have had to just stop my education completely.”
That’s when she learned about student scholarships provided through the UNK Fund. After working with UNK’s financial aid office, Hegemann received the critical funds necessary to get her education back on track through a UNK Fund scholarship.
“I was able to use this scholarship from the UNK Fund to cover the money that I owed so that I could register for classes this fall and continue my education,” she said.
Now, Hegemann is back to pursuing a career in the medical field as a pre-nursing major. While her path has been untraditional, Hegemann said she was grateful for the support that allowed her to continue her education.
“These gifts truly made it possible for me to continue doing what I want to do in life,” she said. “I wouldn’t have been able to be in the position that I’m in today without this scholarship.”
Clarisa Lopez Chojolan had a dream of being first.
Lopez Chojolan emigrated from Guatemala and grew up in Grand Island, Nebraska. She is the oldest of her family and chose to attend UNK because of the opportunities it provided first-generation students.
“I wanted to set an example for my brothers and my other cousins who are younger than me,” she said.
Lopez Chojolan is a criminal justice major with a minor in business and management. She hopes to use her education to pursue a career in child protective services. Eventually, Lopez Chojolan said she hopes to open her own business.
“I would love to open my own restaurant someday,” she said. “My dad ran his own business and I really enjoyed helping with that.”
The resources available at UNK are helping Lopez Chojolan achieve those dreams. As a first-generation student, she said the university played an important role in helping her acclimate to college life.
“[The support I received from] UNK really helped me through that transition,” Lopez Chojolan said. “I was able to create some really strong connections and that has really helped me a lot.”
For Lopez Chojolan, the support she received as a scholarship recipient from the UNK Fund eased the financial stress that served as a potential roadblock to higher education for her.
With her mother being the only working family member as Lopez Chojolan prepared for college, she knew financial support would be necessary in order for her to pursue her dreams.
“I think a lot of people decide to give up on their dreams of attending college because they don’t have the money to get there,” she said. “Thankfully, I heard about this financial support, and it really helped me.
Thanks to the support of generous donors, Lopez Chojolan is able to pursue her dreams of attaining a college degree and setting an example for her family.
“I’m really thankful for this scholarship and what these gifts have been able to do for me and my family,” Lopez Chojolan said.
Support student organizations such as the Japanese Association at UNK by making a gift through the UNK Nebraskan Student Union Campus Programming Fund.
Finding a community while studying in a new country far from home can be overwhelming.
For Japanese international students studying at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, the challenges of college are only magnified by the 5,000-mile distance between Kearney and their home.
Enter the Japanese Association at Kearney (JAK). The student organization, currently in its 23rd year of operation, plays a critical role in providing support for the university’s 100-plus Japanese international students while spreading the country’s culture throughout the Kearney community.
Ryo Suzuki, senior director for the Nebraska Safety Center and college of business and technology at UNK and JAK adviser, said the student organization’s mission is twofold. Internally, the organization works to provide peer-to-peer support for its international students. That includes everything from helping students find jobs to offering transportation for groceries and flights home.
“Nebraska is thousands of miles away from home, so some students may feel isolated,” he said. “We’re organized in a way that our students always have someone to talk to. We’re always putting the experience and knowledge of all of our students into the organization for it to be shared.”
The organization also opens its doors for any student attending UNK who is interested in learning more about Japanese culture.
“We always welcome any student who is interested,” Suzuki said. “We are here to share our knowledge and culture.”
In addition to providing internal support for the university’s Japanese student population, JAK has developed a strong presence in the community since its founding over two decades ago.
Central to that presence is its annual Japanese Festival. The festival, which takes place between February and March each year, offers attendees a unique opportunity to appreciate Japanese culture in the heart of Nebraska.
The festival includes traditional Japanese cuisine, musical and dance performances as well as other engaging activities. Each year, the festival draws anywhere between 500 to 600 visitors from all across Kearney.
“I like to think the Japanese Festival is one of the biggest grassroots events in the Midwest that celebrates Japanese culture,” Suzuki said.
The festival is free and open to the public. That means the generous gifts made toward JAK for One Day for UNK and beyond play a critical role in keeping this tradition alive. Specifically, Suzuki said the additional funding helps provide lunches, water and other resources to volunteers during the festival.
“This is a volunteer-led event,” he said. “They don’t receive any extra credit for this. They do it for the good of their heart.”
For Suzuki, the continued success of the Japanese Festival is representative of the impact JAK has had on his students, UNK and the greater Kearney community. Thanks to the continued support of donors and the UNK community, students in JAK have found a second home where they can shine.
“Our donors’ gifts created this opportunity where our students can be the spotlight,” Suzuki said. “Sometimes they are shy, but when they’re singing and dancing at this festival, it is because they let them shine. They’re literally investing in the future of this community.”
A gift to this fund provides support to the Loper Success Hub.
The Loper Success Hub at the University of Nebraska at Kearney had a single goal when it opened its doors on the second floor of the Calvin T. Ryan Library in August 2024.
It wanted to create a community where each student could find the resources and support needed to thrive.
“We wanted the Loper Success Hub to be a place where our students could find a sense of community,” said Aaron Estes, senior director of the Loper Success Hub. “Beyond all of the services we offer, we want students to feel like this is their place and that they are at home.”
The services offered by the Loper Success Hub are plentiful. The newly opened space offers centralized academic support and resources for a variety of campus services, including:
By placing these critical services in one location, Estes said the Loper Success Hub can create a holistic learning environment for UNK’s student body. Additionally, Estes said it is easier to direct students to the resources they need.
“Let’s say I work in Residence Life or I am a professor on campus and a student says, ‘Hey I’m having a really hard time with this situation,’” Estes said. “In a lot of cases, the solution can be found on the second floor of the library. I think we’re already seeing that, and people are finding their way to us.”
Many students entering the Loper Success Hub for the first time are likely there for a specific reason, such as academic advising or tutoring. However, Estes sees those same students returning later in the semester, seeking out a new service after learning about just how much is offered through the Loper Success Hub.
“A student may come through the door for a certain reason and they’re going to find out all of the different kinds of help they can get here."
The center also serves as a home for various student organizations and programs, such as First Gen Lopers and Kearney Bound Scholars. Estes said the hub has made it a priority to establish itself as an inclusive space where students can come together.
“We want students to come here and not only feel like they can connect with an adviser or connect with a tutor but also just bring a group of friends or have a student organization come and have an event in,” he said. “This is their place.”
Estes said donor support toward the Loper Success Hub plays a critical role in helping the center succeed, ranging from supplying rolling whiteboards to math tutors to covering the cost for essential equipment that helps the hub function on a daily basis.
Beyond that, Estes said the support from donors plays a major role in achieving a much larger goal: providing students with an accessible, engaging education.
“College education for a lot of these students can just change the whole trajectory of their life from here on out. The support from donors allows us to help those students achieve those goals.”
A gift to this fund bolsters the general student scholarship aid available to students within any UNK college.
Seeing your classmates and friends have their lives planned out while you are still trying to figure out yours can be frustrating. That’s a feeling University of Nebraska at Kearney student Isabel Zaruba was all too familiar with.
“By November of my senior year, everyone knew what career path they wanted to take,” Zaruba said. “I didn’t even know what state I wanted to be in, let alone what school I wanted to attend.”
Even though Zaruba was highly involved in high school, she had no idea what her future held.
“I was captain of the cheer squad, president of the student council, president of HOSA, a member of NHS and played sports,” Zaruba said. “I enjoyed being involved, but I did not know what I wanted to do with my life.”
"I enjoyed being involved, but I did not know what I wanted to do with my life."
It wasn’t until Zaruba volunteered at her local hospital that something clicked. She connected with many people in the physical therapy clinic, who encouraged her to explore the medical field. “The medical field has always been in the back of my mind,” Zaruba said. “Volunteering showed me how health care is a welcoming community, and I began to see myself working in it.”
She applied to UNK because it’s the school her family attended. “When I started receiving scholarships, I was getting really excited about Kearney,” Zaruba said. “I decided to visit campus and realized I loved the people, the faculty and the community.”
Zaruba has no specific major outlined but is on the pre-med track. Without scholarships, Zaruba wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the many programs offered at the College of Arts and Sciences. “Thanks to my scholarships and donors, it was amazing knowing I would not have to pay a dime,” Zaruba said.
Zaruba plans on attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center to eventually become a doctor. “Without donor support, I would not be at UNK studying what I truly want to do,” Zaruba said.
During this process, Zaruba learned to be patient because it is okay not to have your whole life planned out. People’s plans change every day, every hour and every minute.
To see more students like Isabel Zaruba succeed, consider making a gift of any amount to the UNK Fund – Student Scholarships.
"Without donor support, I would not be at UNK studying what I truly want to do."
Your contribution will be utilized to help fund student leadership scholarships, student programming initiatives, leadership development programming for all student organizations, dynamic university speakers and all other student life initiatives at UNK.
A sense of community on college campuses fosters belonging, support and personal growth. It provides a network of peers, faculty and resources, which can enhance academic success, mental well-being and social connections.
For University of Nebraska at Kearney senior, Marissa Kuehn, the Advertising and Public Relations Club has provided her with the sense of community she’s been longing for during her college years. Holding the position as president of the ADPR Club, Kuehn finds a passion for giving her peers the same sense of community that she feels within the club as well as the chance to network with those who have pursued a career in the advertising and public relations field.
“When we move into careers in the real world, the networking and connections we’ve made are really going to take us to the next level."
Kuehn currently works for the Women’s Buying Team at Buckle. Although her work for Buckle doesn’t directly involve advertising and public relations, Kuehn can apply the things she’s learned throughout ADPR Club to help her succeed in her role as a member of the Women’s Buying Team. “If it weren’t for the club and the connections I’ve made, I wouldn’t be able to confidentially say I’m going to stay here in Kearney and apply my knowledge to my current job,” said Kuehn. “Being able to apply the things I’ve learned throughout ADPR Club to my current job is a pretty unique experience.”
One of Kuehn’s favorite events that the ADPR Club puts together is the Meet the Pros event. This is a great opportunity for students to meet with professionals in advertising and public relations, and get feedback on ways they can stand out in the industry and how to improve their portfolios. Kuehn and her peers had the opportunity to hear from professionals that work for big advertising agencies in Lincoln, Kansas City and, even, New York.
“It’s really cool to hear from someone who is living the type of life you see in movies,” said Kuehn, referring to a guest speaker who works for an ad agency in New York. “Knowing that those people started at the same place we did shows us the potential of where we could end up.”
Not only has the ADPR Club provided students with networking opportunities and knowledge they can apply to future careers, but it’s also a comforting place for students to come and build relationships with one another. The ADPR Club has, “provided me with a safe place where I can let go of some of my anxieties,” said Kuehn. “It’s a place where I feel uplifted and encouraged.”
The relationships Kuehn has built with her peers and professors will stick with her throughout the rest of her life. These relationships play a vital role in shaping students’ experiences, fostering personal growth and preparing them for success beyond graduation. Being a part of the ADPR Club is a “very unique experience that I could rave about for a long time,” said Kuehn.
“It’s truly awesome, and it’s what has brought me to this department and what continues to keep me here.”
Like many of the great student organizations on campus, ADPR Club requires funding to continue stimulating growth and providing resources for students. “Without funding, we wouldn’t be able to meet with people in our community and continue learning,” said Kuehn.
Your generosity makes a huge difference in many students’ lives and is something that will impact them now and throughout their future. Support students like Kuehn today and help improve their quality of life on campus, providing them with opportunities to discover a sense of community within UNK.
“I want donors to know that their support is not just a financial contribution, but it’s an investment in the future of students like me…”
William Otte’s pursuit of a fulfilling academic journey was made possible through scholarships.
Growing up in the small town of O’Neill, Nebraska, Otte always knew that he wanted to pursue a higher education. Determined to make his dream a reality, he set out to secure funding for his college career. Otte recalls spending almost every Saturday during the winter of his senior year in high school at a coffee shop filling out scholarship applications.
“If I wanted to go to college, I was going to have to figure out a way to pay for it myself for the most part,” said Otte.
Otte received the Susan T. Buffett Scholarship and the Board Regents Scholarship, which combined to fund a large portion of his higher education. All that was left was to determine which University of Nebraska campus to attend for the next four years. The University of Nebraska at Kearney was the natural choice. His parents met at UNK, the campus was beautiful, and it provided a familiar small-town experience.
Beginning as a chemistry major and now a junior with a history education major and a minor in philosophy, Otte has leveraged his scholarships to explore diverse interests. He plans to continue this exploration in the future through traveling the world and pursuing his career.
Otte plans to become a history and philosophy teacher at a small-town Catholic school. He wants to bring classical liberal arts to smaller communities like his hometown.
“I know that some of the more urban, bigger cities have those (classes), but that’s not always an opportunity in the smaller areas,” Otte said.
Otte wants to teach high school students that there are virtues to strive for, beyond stories, in contemporary and classical literature. When students strive to align their actions with these virtues, he said, they can change their life in the process.
Without financial support, Otte believes his life would be vastly different today. He hopes donors recognize the positive impact scholarships have had on his, and other students’ lives.
“I want donors to know that their support is not just a financial contribution, but it’s an investment in the future of students like me, and the impact of that investment goes far beyond the classroom,” said Otte.
Donating to the University of Nebraska helps fund scholarships that provide freedom for students like Otte to explore their passions and interests. Please consider making a gift today to help us create more opportunities for UNK students.
A gift to this fund bolsters the general student scholarship aid available to students within any UNK college.
A gift to this fund bolsters the general student scholarship aid available to students within any UNK college.
Grand Island, Nebraska, native Haley Wiemers embarked on her journey at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Her story not only revolves around her pursuit of dreams but also underscores the pivotal role of donor support in shaping her path to success.
Wiemers attended Grand Island Senior High School, where she discovered her entrepreneurial spirit and embarked on a business venture. She aspired to establish a coffee shop named “The Bean.” Recognizing the need for a robust educational foundation to expand on her entrepreneurial dream, Wiemers, influenced by her parents who are proud UNK alumni, identified the Kearney campus as the ideal place to both chase her dreams and receive a quality education.
Wiemers acknowledges that without donor support, her college journey would have been considerably more difficult. Financial constraints could have stifled her involvement in extracurricular activities, club memberships, and full engagement in her studies. Generous donors have made it possible for her to enjoy a full college experience.
For Wiemers, scholarships are more than financial assistance; they symbolize a trusting investment in her future. She had the privilege of meeting two donors who are dedicated supporters of her education and believe in her potential. Their involvement and encouragement have continually fortified her commitment to success.
Beyond her entrepreneurial ambitions, Wiemers aspires to make a profound impact on her community.
“I’m very passionate about kids having an education, I never want financials to be a burden or to be an obstacle that stops them from doing things in their life,” stated Wiemers.
Drawing from her high school experiences, where she actively engaged in philanthropy and youth leadership programs, she envisions creating a scholarship program through her coffee shop.
Wiemers’ journey, from a determined high school student with dreams to a college student with a vision of giving back, serves as a potent testament to the impact of donor support on students’ lives and their communities. As she continues to pursue her dreams at UNK, Haley stands ready to leave behind a legacy of success and generosity, embodying the spirit of transformation through education and philanthropy.
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.”
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!
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