Debra Kleve White’s journey to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln was anything but typical. A native Nebraskan whose family roots date back to the state’s homesteading days, she was the first in her family to attend college.
“My mom was a single parent, and we didn’t have the funds for college,” Debra recalled. “I worked for three years to save enough money to enroll.”
Debra, a Burnett Society member, was determined to go to college, but not just any college. After experiencing her first Husker football game, it had to be UNL.
“I knew nothing about football,” she said. “But when I stepped into the stadium and saw the sea of red, the band, the Yell Squad in their uniforms, just the whole atmosphere … I just knew deep down inside that I had to be a part of it.”
Despite never having cheered in high school, Debra tried out for the UNL Yell Squad and made it. That experience became a defining chapter in her life. “We were so close. They became like my sisters and brothers,” she said. “It was just an amazing experience.”
After college, Debra moved to Austin, Texas, where she built a successful career as a real estate broker and worked at the University of Texas. But her heart remained in Nebraska. In 2020, she retired and returned to Lincoln, dedicating herself to preserving Husker traditions and giving back to the Spirit Squad that shaped her life.
Debra is now the unofficial historian of the Spirit Squad and author of “The Spirit of Nebraska: A History of Husker Game Day Traditions — The Tunnel Walk, Mascots, Cheer, and More,” with a foreword by legendary coach Tom Osborne. She regularly speaks to current squad members, attends banquets and gifts her book to every new member.
Debra’s philanthropy is equally impactful. Since 2013, Debra and a fellow alumnus have awarded three annual scholarships to Spirit Squad members. Through her estate, she plans to establish the Debra Kleve White Scholarship and contribute to the general Spirit Squad fund, ensuring future students have the support she once lacked.
“I struggled going to college. I worked full time, went to school full time, and cheered, which was like another full-time job,” she said. “If I can make it a little easier for someone else, I want to do that.”
Debra’s passion extends to honoring trailblazing Nebraskan Louise Pound. After discovering Pound was instrumental in making UNL the first U.S. university to have female cheerleaders in 1917, Debra led efforts to rename a campus building in Pound’s honor (Louise Pound Hall, the former College of Business Administration building). She also is organizing a bronze sculpture installation and has nominated Pound for the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
“I just had this sick feeling that she might be forgotten,” Debra said. “So, I’ve made it my mission to make sure she’s remembered.”
It’s a mission that defines Debra and her love for UNL as a true-blue Husker.
“I’ve dedicated my life to giving back either physically or financially to the University of Nebraska,” she said. “That’s my whole focus right now.”
“My mom was a single parent, and we didn’t have the funds for college. I worked for three years to save enough money to enroll.”
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“I think it goes to show what can happen when somebody cares about you and wants to see you do well and succeed. It means a lot to me.”