Lincoln High teacher Amber Vlasnik to deliver commencement address Friday to 668

When: 10 a.m., Friday, May 5
Where: UNK Health and Sports Center, 24th Street and 15th Avenue, Kearney
Social Media: Follow @UNKearney and #lopergrad on Twitter to see photos and posts from 2017 graduates, their friends and families
Live Broadcast: Watch Commencement live and join in the #lopergrad conversation at http://unk.edu/eventdashboard

KEARNEY – Graduate and undergraduate degrees for 668 will be conferred at the University of Nebraska at Kearney commencement exercises at 10 a.m. Friday (May 5).

Mathematics teacher Amber Vlasnik, awardee of the 2017 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, will deliver the commencement address. Vlasnik graduated from UNK in 2008 and teaches at Lincoln High School. She has earned her master’s degree and is pursuing a doctorate in educational studies from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. At Lincoln High, Vlasnik has served as math department chair, a math instructional coach and instructional team leader, and was designated a Noyce Master Teaching Fellow.

Morgan Prochnow of Seward will be a summa cum laude graduate on Friday, with a degree in communication disorders. She will give the senior class reflection. A member of Mortar Board, she has been on the dean’s academic honors list each semester while in college, and is a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and Gamma Phi Beta sorority.

University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds and NU Regent Bob Phares will address the graduates, as will Jack Kreman, president of the UNK Alumni Association LEAD Council.

The University Wind Ensemble, directed by Duane Bierman, UNK Director of Bands, will provide the processional “Konigsmarsch” by Richard Strauss; and “Pomp and Circumstance” by Edward Elgar. The national anthem will be performed by a trio of graduates: John Jacobs, Nolan Pribnow and Alyssa Wetovick.

Marilyn and Galen Hadley of Kearney will be the recipients, during the exercises, of the Cope Cornerstone of Excellence Award.

Doors to the UNK Health and Sports Center will open at 8:30 a.m. Parking in the west lots is encouraged. Visitors with handicap parking permits can park east of the Health and Sports Center. Family members transporting a handicapped person will have access to drop off the person on the east side of the complex, but will need to move their vehicle to another lot.

Visitors with wheelchairs can sit in the corner seating sections on the main floor or use the elevator in the northeast corner of the building to sit in the designated section on the arena floor. Individuals who have difficulties with steps should arrive at least an hour early to have access to seats just below the railings on the main floor or to obtain seating on the arena floor bleachers. Overflow areas will be available for watching in the HPER gym and HSC 150-151.

For those unable to attend in person, UNK commencement ceremonies are webcast at www.unk.edu

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Candidates For Degrees

Candidates for degrees are listed below in three groups: graduates from Nebraska, graduates from across the United States and international graduates. Nebraska graduates are listed in alphabetical order by hometown. Out-of-state graduates are listed in alphabetical order by state. International graduates are listed in alphabetical order by country. Degrees are listed. Students graduating with honors have the honors noted after their names. Honors, along with grade point averages necessary to earn those honors, include: summa cum laude, 3.90-4.00; magna cum laude, 3.80-3.89; cum laude, 3.70-3.79; and honorable mention, 3.50-3.69.

NOTE: Abbreviations that appear in the listings, and what they represent, are:
Undergraduate Degrees                                   
BA – Bachelor of Arts
BAE – Bachelor of Arts in Education
BS – Bachelor of Science
BSE – Bachelor of Science in Education
BFA – Bachelor of Fine Arts
BGS – Bachelor of General Studies
BM – Bachelor of Music

Graduate Degrees (GR)                   
EDS – Education Specialist
MA – Master of Arts
MAED – Master of Arts in Education
MS – Master of Science
MSE – Master of Science in Education
MBA – Master of Business Administration