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University of Nebraska has record year in philanthropic support

August 30, 2021
Tyler Ellyson
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The University of Nebraska Foundation announced a record $343 million in philanthropic gifts and commitments in the fiscal year that ended June 30, marking the second consecutive year of more than $300 million in new funds committed to benefit the University of Nebraska.

Gifts were directed to the University of Nebraska according to donors’ designations. Alumni, friends of the university, foundations and corporations make up the 46,639 donors who gave during the year.

“The University of Nebraska is in a remarkable position of strength as we look to the future, thanks to private and public partners whose investment in their university truly makes all things possible,” said University of Nebraska President Ted Carter. “Our generous and visionary donors extend the university’s reach even further, helping to make higher education a reality for thousands of students and growing the impact of our research and service. The entire university family is grateful to our philanthropic partners for all they do for our 52,000 students.”

Private support given created new scholarships for students and faculty chairs and professorships for the recruitment and retention of top faculty, provided support for academic and athletic programs, furthered research, helped care for patients and constructed facilities for teaching, research and service.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney benefited from private support in numerous areas, including a $1 million gift from CyncHealth to create the Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative Chair of Population Health in UNK’s College of Business and Technology and donations supporting the football and soccer team facilities at Cope Stadium.

Student support was a priority for many donors, and more than 10,000 students across the university system received privately funded scholarship awards in the past year. Gifts were given to support students in nearly every major and college. Among them were a scholarship fund for students from Creighton, Nebraska, enrolled at UNK; a scholarship fund for students majoring in English at UNK; and funds to support those enrolled in the Teachers Scholars Academy at UNL, UNO and UNK.

“Many of our donors understand that a University of Nebraska degree can literally change the trajectory of someone’s life, and they have a strong desire to make those degrees accessible and affordable to more people,” said University of Nebraska Foundation President and CEO Brian Hastings. “Others want to support the life-saving work that our academic medical center does every day, but also recognize their global leadership through the COVID-19 global pandemic. This is the 85th anniversary of the foundation’s partnership with the University of Nebraska, and we could not be prouder to have this anniversary marked by a record-breaking year.”

Falter brothers establish UNK scholarship to help others ‘receive a great education’

Four brothers are making a difference at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and in the community of Creighton, Nebraska, by establishing the Falter “4” UNK Scholarship. All four brothers attended UNK when it was Kearney State College and credit it for the lasting impact it had on their lives.

“Our hope is that this scholarship will open the door to someone who wants to pursue the UNK life that might not have thought that was possible before,” said Shannon Falter.

The four in the name is the foundation of the scholarship:

  • Four Falter brothers established the scholarship: Dana, Rod, Shannon and Todd. They all attended Creighton High School and went on to graduate from UNK.
  • The four also represents that they established this scholarship “for” UNK.
  • The scholarship was established “for” the Creighton, Nebraska, community and extends into other Knox County communities.
  • The scholarship also helps students for up to four years, with an annual $5,000 scholarship award possible for renewal each year. Qualified recipients must be enrolled in the College of Business and Technology and meet the scholarship requirements.

“We chose the business and technology area for the scholarship not only because three of us graduated with degrees in those fields, but because over the course of our careers we have witnessed the importance of the continued emphasis on financial literacy and technology, regardless of what career you choose to pursue,” said Dana Falter.

The brothers are excited about giving students the opportunity to attend their alma mater.

“It’s exciting to know that we are creating a legacy and giving back to the community. It feels great,” said Rod Falter.

It gives the brothers the opportunity to give back to the students at Creighton High School and northeast Nebraska while promoting UNK.

“This scholarship really is about giving back to your community and helping younger people achieve success,” said Todd Falter.

Dana Falter’s hopes are that this scholarship “will assist students in creating their own memories and receive a great education like we did.”

For information about establishing a student scholarship fund or other fund to support any area of UNK, contact Lucas Dart at lucas.dart@nufoundation.org or 308-698-5272.