‘I Love It Here:’ UNK Student Earns Eye-Opening Opportunity Through Donor Support

By Noah Johnson

Kelsey Camplin has seen her world come to life thanks to the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Camplin is a junior studying business administration at UNK’s College of Business and Technology. The Lincoln native came to the university three years ago to earn her degree and discover what the next stage of her life had in store for her.

She found all that and more on UNK’s campus. Camplin is active in Gamma Phi Beta sorority and has been involved in both the CBT Learning Community and the college’s student ambassador program.

“I would say I’m an outgoing person, so it was easy for me to just want to try things,” she said. “I also didn’t know anyone here, so I didn’t really have anything to lose by going and trying things.”

That mentality also led Camplin to one of her most transformative college experiences. Last spring, Camplin traveled to the Czech Republic as part of a study abroad trip offered through CBT.

Thanks to donor support to the UNK Fund – College of Business and Technology Area of Greatest Need, Camplin received a scholarship to help make the trip a reality.

While abroad, Camplin was tasked with developing a marketing plan for a local business. She said the assignment opened her eyes to the cultural differences between the Czech Republic and her home in Kearney.

“It was just crazy to be able to talk to people and learn their stories, because their lives are so much different than us,” she said. “There are different regulations to follow compared to America, so it was really helpful to have people who were just so willing to talk to us about their culture.”

Camplin said the trip was representative of the endless opportunities found within the college. Because of the support from her teachers, advisers and fellow students, Camplin said she knows she has a home in Kearney.

Camplin will receive her undergraduate degree at the end of her junior year. After that, she plans to pursue her master’s degree at UNK. The support Camplin received through the UNK Fund – College of Business and Technology Area of Greatest Need has continued pushing her forward.

“It’s so inspiring to receive this support,” she said. “I just think that their support is so valuable, and it means so much.”