Archives for February 13, 2025

Inspired by Care: Student Finds Her Calling in Dental Hygiene

February 13, 2025 by Noah Johnson

By Lily Dohmen

A trip to the dentist can be a stressful experience.

For first-year University of Nebraska Medical Center student Alyssa Empfield, it was the first step on a lifelong journey. Raised in Grand Island, Nebraska, Alyssa’s interest in dental hygiene sparked early on thanks to the kindness and professionalism of her dental hygienist.

“I always enjoyed getting my teeth cleaned, but it wasn’t just about the cleaning,” she said. “It was how my hygienist made me feel comfortable and at ease during the process. She really made the experience enjoyable.”

The relationship with her dental hygienist planted the seed for Alyssa’s future career. It wasn’t long before she reached out to her dental hygienist to learn more about the profession.

Those calls eventually led to an opportunity to begin shadowing her dental hygienist. That firsthand experience solidified Alyssa’s decision to pursue a similar career path.

“Once I shadowed her, I knew it was something I wanted to do,” she said.

Alyssa’s pursuit of a career in dental hygiene began when she enrolled at Peru State College. While at Peru State, Alyssa met a professor with strong ties to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. They encouraged her to tour the campus and consider attending the school.

Now, as a full-time student in UNMC’s dental hygiene program, Alyssa’s days are packed. She was able to attend UNMC after receiving a scholarship through the UNMC Student Scholarship Fund.

“We are in class Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” she said. “It’s like a full-time job and there is no time for anything else.”

A busy schedule makes it nearly impossible for Alyssa to take on part-time work while balancing her academic and clinical responsibilities. That is where scholarship support becomes invaluable.

Looking toward the future, Alyssa has a clear vision. She wants to provide exceptional care to her patients, especially those who may feel nervous or anxious about dental visits. The same care and compassion that her dental hygienist showed her years ago is what drives her to give back in the same way.

“I’m really grateful for all the support I’ve had, whether it’s been from my family, my professors, or the financial help through scholarships,” Alyssa said. “It makes all the difference in being able to keep my eyes on the prize and do what I love. Dental hygiene isn’t just a career for me — it’s a chance to make a positive impact on people’s lives.”

UNMC Student Scholarship Fund

A gift to this fund supports students by providing scholarships recognizing academic excellence and financial need. The scholarships are awarded through UNMC’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

“The financial support I have received has been a game-changer. It has allowed me to focus on school and not have to worry about how I am going to pay for things. I can’t imagine having to work on top of that. Any contribution to scholarships, big or small, really goes a long way.”

Alyssa Empfield

Full Circle: The Impact of Campus Recreation at UNL

February 13, 2025 by Noah Johnson

By Lily Dohmen

For many, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln feels like home.

But for one passionate individual, it represents not just an academic institution but also a personal journey that has come full circle.

Amy Lanham set foot on the UNL campus as a biology student in 1991, eager to explore the world of medicine.

To park her car conveniently on campus, she took a student job at the Campus Recreation Center. A job born out of practicality soon evolved into something greater.

Fast forward to today. Lanham serves as director of Campus Recreation at UNL, overseeing a program that serves not just students but also an entire community. The Campus Recreation Center on City Campus is a 300,000-square-foot facility with Cook Pavilion at its heart, a space that has supported both athletics and recreation for decades.

Despite its grand scale, the center is not without its challenges.

“The design of the building, crafted in the early 1980s and 1990s, no longer meets the needs of today’s diverse and evolving student population,” Lanham said. “Any opportunity we have to address current student needs, we want to take advantage of it.”

A major renovation of the Campus Recreation Center was just the beginning of an ongoing effort to better serve students. But the work doesn’t stop at Campus Recreation’s City Campus location. The vision extends to East Campus, the Recreation and Wellness Center and the outdoor spaces across the campus.

These developments are made possible through gifts to the Campus Recreation Development Fund. Through this fund, supporters play a critical role in the innovation and growth of Campus Recreation at UNL.

“The [Campus Recreation] Development Fund is really about educating alumni and students who’ve worked with us on how their gifts can help us improve the places and spaces that are so vital for current students,” Lanham said.

For Lanham, every gift — large or small — holds significant meaning.

The sense of community found within UNL’s Campus Recreation program extends beyond just students. Faculty, staff and community members benefit from Campus Recreation, helping create a diverse and welcoming environment for everyone.

The impact is felt by people of all ages and backgrounds, and the department’s reach spans the entire university experience — from freshmen to alumni.

“My vision is to have Campus Recreation be a part of every Husker story,” Lanham said. “It may look different for everyone, but the goal is to help students thrive in every part of their life.”

Support the Campus Recreation Development Fund

Provides for future initiatives and increased engagement opportunities that benefit Campus Rec programs, events, and facilities.

"Whether it's $5 or $5 million, it's about the positive interaction someone had with Campus Recreation that inspired them to give back. That spirit of generosity not only helps enhance the physical spaces but also leaves a lasting impact on the individuals who pass through them.”

Amy Lanham

Expanding Borders: The Impact of Student Organizations at UNL

February 13, 2025 by Noah Johnson

By Noah Johnson

Your education at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a time for firsts.

It’s where you find lifelong friends and discover your future. Sometimes, those discoveries happen in the classroom. At a university that is home to more than 20,000 students, however, it can be difficult to find your place.

That’s where recognized student organizations (RSOs) can make a life-changing difference. With nearly 500 active student-led organizations — ranging from groups that pursue hobbies, such as the UNL Aerospace Club, to exciting sports clubs like Pickleball Club UNL — there are countless opportunities to help students feel at home at UNL.

“RSOs make a big place like UNL a little smaller because you find something that allows you to engage and connect with the community,” said Veronica Riepe, director of the Student Leadership, Involvement, and Community Engagement office at UNL.

Riepe said RSOs offered on campus provide students with a multitude of options to pursue interests that are important to them. Engineering majors may find a home to pursue academic interests in an engineering RSO like the UNL chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB-NU). Other students may find their purpose by getting involved in organizations like Camp Kesem UNL or Students Together Against Cancer.

“When you’re in the classroom, you’re learning so much, and then you get the opportunity to come into an RSO and really apply what you’ve learned,” Riepe said. “It also allows you to experiment and find things that might be of interest to you that you might not have explored before.”

These organizations also provide students with the outlet to make a difference and learn how to become leaders within the UNL community and beyond.

Building Bridges

For Thomas Haar, a junior chemical engineering student from Rapid City, South Dakota, getting involved in RSOs has energized his college experience.

Haar is president of the UNL chapter of EWB-NU. The local chapter, which serves as a smaller chapter within Engineers Without Borders USA, is working to make a worldwide impact through two major projects: the Zambia Bridge Project and the Madagascar Solar Project.

The two projects aim to connect communities in Zambia via a pedestrian suspension bridge and install small solar power systems at schools in Madagascar to provide power for lights and computers, respectively.

Haar traveled to Madagascar following his freshman year to see the firsthand impact of his organization’s work. He said the trip showcased the importance of the work he was doing.

On campus, Haar said the RSO — made up of 30 to 40 students primarily from the College of Engineering — is always an exciting place to be. He added that each weekly meeting provides members with the opportunity to apply what they’re learning in the classroom to solve real-world problems.

“I think our members really enjoy doing something that they know will actually be implemented,” he said. “When I come to meetings, people are really interested in doing things like wiring diagrams or bridge calculations about stress because they know it will make a difference.”

Collective Impact

For organizations like EWB-NU, generous gifts and support are critical to advancing its mission.

Haar said the organization’s major projects are projected to cost a combined $350,000 to complete. Through gifts from donors, EWB-NU can continue advancing these projects, covering the cost for materials and travel for its members and professional advisers.

“We do a lot of work during the school year, but ultimately the speed is also kind of affected by how fast we’re able to raise money to get these supplies to build a bridge and put in solar panel systems,” he said.

Haar added that these gifts have a tangible impact on communities thousands of miles away. They could help spark learning for students in Madagascar through a solar-powered classroom or ultimately connect communities to critical resources in Zambia through a pedestrian bridge.

Riepe said RSOs across UNL are making an impact in countless ways, all while providing its members with lifelong memories.

“Someone’s affiliation with their university isn’t always tied to their major,” she said. “Sometimes the best memories, if you look on your phone at pictures from college, aren’t coming from sitting in the classroom.”

By supporting these organizations, Riepe said donors can keep enabling students to keep doing great things.

“Every little bit helps, and the students, in my humble opinion, are great stewards of the dollars that are donated.”

Support Engineers Without Borders-USA University of Nebraska Student Chapter Fund

This fund shall be used for the benefit and support of a partnership between the University of Nebraska and the villages in Madagascar through the Engineering Without Borders-USA University of Nebraska Student Chapter, College of Engineering.

"[Your gift] has a human impact. It's really cool to see that there's power within one individual to be able to increase the quality of life or the quality of life of a student's education. You are ultimately making a change with your donation."

Veronica Riepe

By Lily Dohmen

UNMC Student Scholarship Fund

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Building Bridges

Collective Impact

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