KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney alumnus and longtime UNK athletics department staff member Rich Brodersen will join the University of Nebraska Foundation on Oct. 1 as director of development, leading fundraising for the UNK athletics department and College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
“Rich’s campus experience and relationships within the university community will be a great benefit to our ability to partner with donors and engage with UNK alumni,” said Lucas Dart, vice president for UNK alumni relations and development.
Brodersen currently serves as senior associate athletic director for internal affairs and is public address announcer and game manager for most Loper Athletics events.
“Rich has been the driving force behind the daily operations of Loper Athletics for more than two decades,” Athletics Director Paul Plinske said. “He’s impacted many lives on and off campus. His skills will be greatly missed, but his passion for UNK and Loper Athletics continue with this new opportunity.”
Calling the appointment a slam dunk for the university, Plinske said he’s especially grateful for Brodersen’s help during his transition to Kearney.
“I’m overjoyed he’ll be staying with us in such an important role,” Plinske said. “We’ll move efficiently yet carefully to replace him, and I can’t wait to see all the pieces come together as we continue to promote valued staff and enhance our athletics department.”
William Jurma, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities, said, “Rich has a degree from our college, a clear passion for UNK and an energetic, positive communication style. I look forward to working with him and am confident that our faculty and alumni will as well.”
A McCook native, Brodersen earned a bachelor’s degree at UNK with a broadcast journalism major and was a long- and triple-jumper on the track team. The Kearney resident is president of the Kearney Sports and Recreation Board and past president of the Dobytown Kiwanis. Prior to UNK, he worked at Nebraska Television Network as weathercaster and marketing and public relations coordinator.
“It’s been an honor to be a part of the UNK Athletic athletics department for 26 years, and I am extremely excited to join the University of Nebraska Foundation team in Kearney,” Brodersen said. “To have experienced UNK as a student-athlete and as an athletics department administrator will help me continue forming strong connections with alumni and supporters of our great institution.”
With Brodersen’s hire, the foundation announced that Director of Development Stephanie Kaczor will assume fundraising responsibility for UNK’s College of Education and College of Natural and Social Sciences. She previously served as director of development for the College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
Brodersen and Kaczor may be contacted at the foundation’s Kearney office at 308-698-5270 or 1-800-432-3216.
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UNK Media Contact: Todd Gottula, Director of Communications, 308.865.8454, gottulatm@unk.edu
NU Foundation Source: Robb Crouch, NU Foundation, 402-458-1142, robb.crouch@nufoundation.org
