College of Arts and Sciences scholarship lifts student’s financial burdens

By Jackson Hatcher

Jordan Harper always thought she would pursue a career in STEM.

Then, a high school literature class changed everything.

Harper is a senior at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln pursuing bachelor’s degrees in English and ethnic studies, with minors in classics and digital humanities. She is also the recipient of a scholarship through the N Fund – UNL Arts and Sciences Scholarships.

Her interest in English was first sparked in her high school Advanced Placement literature class. Her experience in that class encouraged her to pursue an English degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“I had always sort of thought that in college, I would pursue something more STEM related,” Harper said. “I was almost a little embarrassed to be an English major because I thought it wasn’t legit enough or wasn’t a serious enough subject matter. But then I just decided to declare an English major, and I started taking classes my freshman year. I really loved it.”

Her passion for English and ethnic studies was supported every step of the way by the College of Arts and Sciences and the professors who work there.

“I’ve taken a lot of classes with Dr. Tom Gannon — a professor of English and ethnic studies in UNL’s English department. I’ve just learned so much from him, and I’m grateful that I’m going to take my fifth class with him,” Harper said.

Even though Harper describes herself as “academically motivated,” financial realities often overshadowed her education. Thanks to the N Fund – UNL Arts and Sciences Scholarships, those fears have been alleviated.

Harper said the scholarship allowed her to dedicate time to being a successful student. It also gave her the opportunity to pursue opportunities outside of the classroom. Currently, Harper is the president of Boots and Cats — UNL’s treble a cappella group.

“[This scholarship has allowed me] to pour more of myself into the things that I’m involved in without necessarily having to worry, ‘oh, am I clocking enough hours at work to pay the bills and be able to afford my application fees for graduate school?’” Harper said.

UNL has also afforded Harper opportunities to gain real research experience through the Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience program (UCARE).

Through UCARE, Harper works with Kevin McMullen, Ph.D., a research associate professor in UNL’s English department, to transcribe, encode and expand access to the newspaper columns of the prolific 19th-century writer Fanny Fern.

“Getting to work on a research project through UCARE has been a really fantastic experience,” Harper said. ”Since I’ve been able to do it for three years now, I really feel like I’ve grown a lot as a scholar, and it’s really neat to persistently work on a project for that long and see the progression of it.”

Harper hopes to build on her undergraduate experience in graduate school. She said the skills she’s learned as an undergraduate within the College of Arts and Sciences will be critical as she applies for programs to earn her master’s degree in library and information science.

As Harper looks back on her time at UNL, she is thankful for the support and experiences provided through the College of Arts and Sciences.

Those opportunities would not have been possible without the scholarship she received through the N Fund – UNL Arts and Sciences Scholarships.

“The College of Arts and Sciences is so vast, and there are so many programs,” she said. “By supporting the College of Arts and Sciences, you’re opening so many doors for all different kinds of students with all different kinds of interests and passions.”