A Future in the Cattle Industry
May 11, 2026
As a Krutsinger Beef Industry Scholar, UNL senior Lydia Ockander has experienced all facets of the industry she’s proud to have chosen for a career.
People are inspired to give to the University of Nebraska for many reasons — they want to give every student the opportunity to succeed, they want to be a part of building the state’s workforce and they want to support research and discoveries that will change lives and save lives. So many reasons, so many stories. We hope you’ll be as moved by them as we are.
As a Krutsinger Beef Industry Scholar, UNL senior Lydia Ockander has experienced all facets of the industry she’s proud to have chosen for a career.
Carter Schultz loves small-town Nebraska. As part of the inaugural cohort of students in the UNMC pharmacy program launching this fall in Kearney, he wants to bring meaningful connections to the people he will serve ― in a small town.
A $1 million pledge is enabling UNO’s School of the Arts to provide hands-on experiences for students through the work of a storied local artist.
With the help of donor support, the Lied Center for Performing Arts is growing its world of possibility — expanding access, elevating the arts and helping students step into the spotlight.
“I just want to say thank you to anyone who has supported this fund,” Hayley Moree, a second-year medical student at UNMC, said. “I think the unique thing about this kind of support is that it is bringing our community closer. Our donors are making a direct impact on making UNMC a place where everyone feels welcome.”
“These scholarships allowed me to focus on my education,” Vivian Kaldahl, a 2026 graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said. “They also allowed me to have a work-life balance so that I could get my education without any debt. It’s one of the biggest blessings I could ask for.”
A superintendent predicted who Alan Stanek’s future wife would be during a job interview. Sixty years later, their love story and commitment to education continue to change lives.
Burnett Society member Michelle R. Wright established a planned gift to support students at UNO after being encouraged to pursue her own education.
“As a first-generation college student, it means so much just to have the opportunity to be here,” Taina Davis, a junior marketing major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Business, said. “Their support has helped me gain a better understanding of what I want to do with my future.”
“Helping someone achieve a smile they’re proud of — and hopefully giving them greater confidence along the way — is what excites me most about my future career,” Julia Reimer, a recent graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Dentistry, said.
“[This scholarship] helped me focus more on learning, growing and making the most of my time at UNK without being as worried about the overall cost,” Kaden Gilbert, a 2026 University of Nebraska at Kearney graduate, said.
“[Donor support] puts us in a really special position where we can offer high-quality experiences to prospective and current students,” Melissa McCoy, assistant dean for admissions and enrollment operations at the University of Nebraska’s College of Law, said. “We could not do that without our esteemed alumni and donors who are willing to invest in this college. I feel very fortunate, and I’m incredibly grateful for what our donors do for us.”