Dear Alumni and Friends,
Welcome from the University Honors Program!
As each academic year ends, we take a moment to reflect—and to begin planning for what’s ahead. While summer brings a quieter campus, we’re already hard at work welcoming our largest-ever Honors class through new student enrollment and developing exciting new courses and programming. With so much on the horizon, I wanted to reach out directly to our alumni. One of my top priorities this year is to strengthen connections with you—our incredible graduates. We are proud of your achievements, and we also recognize how instrumental you have been in shaping Honors into what it is today.
For alums and friends of the University Honors Program, we will be hosting several events starting this fall, including our annual fundraising dinner, We’d Be Honored: A Celebration of the University Honors Program, on October 30. Keep an eye out in our next alumni newsletter for future events!
We’ve also heard from our students that they deeply value opportunities to connect with alumni. The encouragement, advice, and inspiration you share have had a powerful—and sometimes life-changing—impact on them. As part of our efforts to reconnect, we’re increasing the frequency of this alumni newsletter to quarterly, and we’ll be organizing alumni panels, lunches, and events with both students and faculty. Throughout my career, I’ve seen how transformative it is for students to connect with people like you—people who’ve built meaningful lives and careers and are willing to share advice or support. And I’ve seen how rewarding those interactions are for alumni, too.
We also want to hear from you—about what made Honors a meaningful part of your time at UNL. We’d love to know when you graduated, what you’re doing now, a favorite Honors memory, and if there were any influential people who shaped your experience. We’re also looking for alumni who’d like to get involved in today’s Honors Program—whether that’s by serving on panels, sharing career insights, mentoring students, helping with advocacy or fundraising, or joining us at student- or alumni-led events.
Thank you again and I look forward to hearing from you all!
Go Big Red!
Tyler R. White, PhD
Faculty Director, University Honors Program
We'd Be Honored: A Celebration of the University Honors Program
The University Honors Program will be hosting our annual fundraising dinner on October 30, 2025. Dr. Jamie Williams, of the Husker Football Hall of Fame, will feature as the keynote speaker. Individual tickets are available for $80, and purchases support the University Honors Program. Tickets are available via our website.
Toomey earns Fulbright
Honors alumnae Brigid Toomey was awarded a prestigious Fulbright grant. Fulbright recipients are selected based on their academic and professional achievement as well as their leadership potential within their field. Toomey, a biological sciences major from Mooresville, North Carolina, will study cellular and molecular biology at Grenoble Alpes University in Grenoble, France for a year. She plans to pursue a doctoral degree when she returns to the United States. Fellow Honors alumni Emma Bitterman, Elizabeth Herbin, Anna Youell, and Charlotte Brockman were among those recognized as alternates and semifinalists.
McDermott named Truman Scholar
In April, Honors student Luke McDermott was selected for the prestigious Truman Scholarship. McDermott, now a rising senior majoring in political science, economics and history, grew up in Omaha. Truman Scholars receive up to $30,000 for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government. Award winners are determined based on their outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence. McDermott plans to use the scholarship to pursue joint Juris Doctor/Master of Public Policy degrees.
Honors Explores London
Sophomore psychology major Makenna Blum has always been fascinated with history and exploring new cultures. Naturally, studying abroad was at the top of her bucket list. However, with her demanding college schedule and strong ties to the Husker community, a semester-long program didn’t seem feasible.
Recognizing the need for short-term study abroad opportunities, Nebraska Honors reintroduced Honors in London, a semester-long course featuring an embedded spring break trip to London. Meeting twice a week during the spring semester, the course explores London’s history, culture, politics, art, and people. Students then visited key sites learned about in class, like the British Museum, Tower of London, Hampton Court, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
“I chose this study abroad program because of a few different things,” Blum said. “One being I like that it was only a spring break trip to London, so I didn’t miss any school or wasn’t gone for a semester. Two was the location; I thought London would be the perfect place to go because of the many things we can learn and do there.”
Throughout the course, students delved into royal history, the English expansion and empire, Winston Churchill's leadership during World War II, and London’s role as a cultural and artistic hub post-Empire. Although these academic themes were central to the experience, for instructor Sawyer Smith, it was also about growing a sense of independence while being introduced to international travel.
“My main goal was getting my students comfortable being outside of their comfort zones,” Smith said. “I wanted to share the abroad experience in a way that has a sense of structure so that it isn’t as intimidating as just going off into London by themselves.”
Following this principle, the first three days of the trip were spent in a large group touring museums, experiencing unique local cuisines, and learning the public transportation system. In the later portion of the trip, students were given free rein to explore and plan their own excursions.
Blum used this time to connect with her classmates, visiting the National Gallery, Big Ben and the Sky Garden, as well as attending a performance of SIX, the musical about the wives of Henry VIII. Throughout these experiences, Blum learned to navigate the obstacles posed by international travel by being flexible and adjusting appropriately.
“London shaped my worldview by having me adapt. Though I struggled with certain things like public transportation, differences in restaurants, and many other things, London taught me to overcome them,” she said.
Smith witnessed this growth in confidence firsthand. “Seeing students grow and go from ‘Can I do this thing?’ to ‘I’m going to go and do this thing; here’s the plan; I’ve thought about all these things; you don’t need to worry about me’ was super rewarding,” Smith said.
In the future, Smith hopes Honors in London and similar spring-break programs abroad will become a beloved Honors tradition. Blum, on the other hand, hopes to share a piece of advice.
“If you have the opportunity to do something, do it. There are amazing professors and advisors that can help you along the way,” she said. “Also, if you ever get the chance to go to London, make sure you are on the right train before you board because there is no cell service in the underground tubes!”
Hardin Combines Science and the Arts in Thesis
Honors alumnus Mason Hardin blended his passions for science and art in a unique Honors senior project. Hardin, a chemistry major and theater minor from Sioux City, Iowa, focused his research on ways to protect cattle from blood-feeding insects. When it came time to present his work, he developed a dance routine to demonstrate elements of his research. The routine helped Hardin clarify his communication and make his research more accessible to the public.
“I see it as a necessity to incorporate novel approaches,” Hardin said. “Being able to incorporate [his research] into its own unique form and make a memorable experience might increase the impact and ability for it to be seen by others.”
Hardin plans on attending medical school this fall where he is interested in continuing research.
Sign up for Lunch with Alums!
On behalf of the Honors Program Student Advisory Board (HPSAB), we are excited to announce a new program – Lunch with Alums. Through this program, HPSAB hopes to offer current students the opportunity to sign up to enjoy lunch with Honors Program Alumni in small groups (4-5 students + 1 alum) on campus. We hope to offer such an opportunity on a monthly basis. Sign up to indicate your interest, and we will be in touch in the early fall with options for specific dates and to gather more information.
Honors Apparel Store Now Open!
The Honors Program is pleased to accept orders for apparel featuring shirts designed by Honors alumni Abigail VanHorn (class of 2024)! The store will be open for a limited time. We encourage you to choose "ship my order;" however, pick up will be available at the Knoll front desk the week of August 18. We are unable to ship orders selected for pick up.