Dear Alumni,
Happy New Year! We’re excited to kick off 2026 and hope you are too! In this edition of our alumni newsletter, you’ll find highlights from last fall—our annual student service trip, our fundraising dinner, and more. But we especially want to share ongoing collaborations with local partners like the Foundry and the Department of Economic Development, aimed at tackling brain drain in our state.
It’s been a privilege to work with so many talented and driven students. One thing that stands out is their passion for purpose-driven work—whether it’s serving the community, developing transformative technologies, or solving big challenges. By connecting students with local employers, nonprofits, and government agencies, we’re seeing more of them embrace the idea of building “the good life” right here at home.
Next month is the annual Glow Big Red campaign, noon on February 11- noon on February 12. However, the portal is now open to accept gifts. Each year we are humbled by our alumni’s generosity and willingness to continue to support Honors!
And there’s more to celebrate—the 2026-27 school year will mark 40 years of the University Honors Program! We’ll be commemorating this milestone with special events and stories from our rich history starting next fall, so stay tuned!
As a new year begins, we wish you success, happiness, and plenty of exciting opportunities in the year ahead.
Go Big Red!
Tyler R. White, PhD
Faculty Director, University Honors Program
Honors Students Give Back to Community
Early in the morning on October 20, fifteen students from the University Honors Program and Living Learning Communities departed Lincoln for Kansas City. These students spent their fall break by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and the Kansas City Zoo. The students were thrilled to make a difference, and they were inspired to take the lessons that they learned in Kansas City back to Nebraska. Lilly Pannier, a first-year international business major, said “Volunteering in Kansas City showed me how much I like to help people and inspired me to do more in my local community.”
Honors Connects Students, Employers via Talent Forum
Students and employers came together for the Nebraska NEXT: Collegiate Talent Forum. The event, hosted by Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Nebraska Honors, and the Foundry, was designed to address brain drain in Nebraska. It featured a panel of recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates who now work in the state. Panelist and Honors graduate Audrey Ellis said that her involvement in the Honors Program continues to provide benefits in her professional life.
Husker Jamie Williams Champions the Value of Honors
Dr. Jamie Williams headlined as the keynote speaker as community members, alumni, current students, faculty and staff all came together for a celebratory dinner. Dr. Williams is an educator, entrepreneur, and former Husker and professional football player. He is also the parent of a recent Honors graduate. He spoke about the value Honors provides to students' education. Beyond the keynote, the dinner also featured ample opportunities for networking and community building. Maggie Gessner, a third-year psychology and international business double major, said “I learned so much talking to the guests tonight. I made lifelong connections to people in the program and the dinner affirmed those connections.”
NASA Astronaut Clayton Anderson Visits Honors Seminar
Students in the upper-class Honors seminar “Space Odyssey: Surveying the Past, Present, and Future of Outer Space” were treated to a special guest visit by NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson. The class is focused on the history of the space industry, international relations in space, and the ethics of space exploration. Anderson's visit brought these "far-out" concepts to life and inspired the students in the class. Fourth-year computer science major Walker Lee said that Anderson’s passion about space exploration allowed Lee to connect with what Anderson was saying about life in outer space.
