Brandon Benitz
assistant to the dean of Student Life, 308.865.1619
UNK– Blue and Gold Welcome Week activities at the University of Nebraska at Kearney begin at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, with the New Student Welcome Convocation at the UNK Health and Sports Center.
UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen, along with members of the UNK administration, faculty and upper-class students, will address new students about how to get the most out of their UNK experience.
“Students will be able to hear from other students how to be successful at UNK,” said Brandon Benitz, assistant to the dean of Student Life. “Parents can hear administrators, who are also parents, and learn how to help guide their son or daughter through their higher education experience.”
Speakers will include Chancellor Kristensen; Dr. Rick Miller, Summer Orientation Committee chair; Dr. Gail Zeller, dean of Student Life; Student Senate member Nate Summerfield of Wayne; and Markeya Dubbs of Wood River. After the convocation, students will meet with faculty and peer mentors within their chosen department of study.
“The convocation will give students and parents a good foundation for the beginning of their UNK experience,” Benitz said.
UNK Alumni will be available to talk with students and their parents, along with faculty and peer mentors, at the Loper Family Picnic, which is scheduled for 5-6:30 p.m. at the Cope Memorial Fountain.
“The Alumni Association’s involvement with Blue Gold Welcome Week is the beginning of a greater effort to help new and current UNK students become more familiar with us before they graduate,” said Lucas Dart, Alumni Services director. “Too often, graduates-to-be hear nothing from their Alumni Association until they are off and away. It is important that students realize that they are part of a very large Loper family, and that there are benefits to being in that family.”
The UNK Pride of the Plains Marching Band Pre-Game/Half-time Show is from 6-6:30 p.m. The band will march through the Loper Family Picnic and perform on Foster Field.
“The band’s first half-time show will feature music from Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Westside Story,’ which will be played at the season-opener at Wayne State College and the home-opener with the University of Nebraska at Omaha,’” said Dr. Neal Schnoor, associate professor of music and performing arts. “The band is pleased to have the opportunity to march and perform for students and parents in addition to our traditional audience of community members, band parents, family, friends and UNK athletic teams.”
The Blue and Gold Welcome Back Comedy Night featuring comedian Steve Hofstetter will begin at 9 p.m. in the Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Room. Named “the thinking man’s comedian,” Hofstetter, who is considered by many to be one of America’s best young college comedians, has appeared on Sirius Satellite Radio, ESPN and SportsIllustrated.com. This will be the third time that Hofstetter has appeared on the UNK campus. Last year, Hofstetter performed for about 500 people at the Blue and Gold Welcome Back Comedy Night, Benitz said.
“We want to students to have a first rate collegiate experience the first day they are on campus,” Benitz said. “In addition to meeting with faculty and peer mentors, we want them to experience a premier, up-and-coming comedian.”
UNK Pride of the Plains Marching Band members are listed alphabetically by hometown:
Amherst– Jonathan Beaver and Chris Gugel.
Ashland– Kimberly Morwitzer
Aurora– Ashley Lawton and Nichole Merten.
Axtell– Jordan Brandt
Beatrice– Troy Ehmke
Bellevue– Kara Dacey and Heather Wilkie.
Berwyn– Jessica McCullough
Blair– Jared Biffar and Allison Mussack.
Boelus– Emily McIntosh
Clarkson– Rachael Toman
Columbus– Derek Sharman and Shayla Werner.
David City– Megan Buresh and Jill Stara.
Dickens– Brooke Harris
Doniphan– Kallie McDermott
Elm Creek– Ilicza Ripp
Farwell– Jennnifer Rathman
Fremont– Josh Steager
Genoa– Blaine Drozd
Gering– David Kelley and Brian Peister.
Gibbon– Amy Smallcomb
Grand Island– Becky Berven, Alicia Griesman, Jordan Hespe, James Kenyon, Ryne Miller, Amy Neel, Eric Rempe, Gustavo Rodriguez Barrera and Lauren Stewart.
Hastings– Kathleen Albers, Brittney Kramer and Calli Samuelson.
Holdrege– Blake Dunaway and Eric Jones.
Hordville– Trevor Schnabel
Juniata– Abbie Schuyler
Kearney– Tyler Allen, Leah Bartek, Abby Bittman, Jordan Blackledge, Helen Breuer, Andee Bubak, Anthony Ford, Jason Gfeller, Spencer Hinrichs, Megumi Kajigaya, Stacy Laue, Kylie Lewis, Paloma Mena-Werth, Jessica Merten, Takayuki Mizoguchi, Mari Nakamura, Jody Neel, Kyla Nelsen, Paul Niedbalski, David O’Neill, Brock Persson, Sonya Push, Katelyn Rempe, Jordan Skyler, Nathan Thorn, Heather Walker, James Wolf, Dakota Zimniak and David Ziola.
Lexington– Dayvid Cardenas, Francisco Carrera, Joel Montes and Nathan Richardson.
Lincoln– Michelle Allen, Megan Gengenbach and Joshua Moravec.
McCook– Casey Cobb, Tyler Cobb, Raisa (Julie) Gates and Lewis Tapia.
Minden– Will Gleason
Newport– Cameron Scheibe
Norfolk– Betty Cushing
North Platte– James Michael Conley, Elizabeth Deardoff and Carey Teters.
Ogallala– Daniel Anderson and Mark Messner.
Omaha– Kelci Fulton, Andrew Jacobitz, Cayle Jones, Jordan Love, Megan Miller, Paula Newhouse and Katie Trygg.
O’Neill– Ryan Lieb
Ord– Robert Roth
Osmond– Clint Dennis
Pierce– Kathy Venteicher
Plattsmouth– Marissa Charles
Prague– Jessica Sousek
Riverdale– Jacinda Uden
Scottsbluff– Brooke Brown, Zack Durbin, Amy Krichau and Justin Vogel.
St. Paul– Justin Buchanan and Krista Scheer.
Waco– Elle Bruns
Wahoo– Matthew Braunsroth
West Point– Laura Buse and Stephanie Luebbert.
Wood River– Abbie Davis
OUT OF STATE
IOWA
Union– Stacia Kluever
VIRGINIA
Springfield– Christine Kadin
