Kyle Means, director of marketing at UNK, received the University of Nebraska Board of Regents KUDOS award during Friday’s meeting.
KUDOS awards recognize university staff for their professional expertise, service and “superior dedication” to UNK and the University of Nebraska. It is the university’s top staff award.
A Lincoln native, Means holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UNL and Master of Arts in Education from UNK. He’s served as UNK’s director of marketing since 2014.
Means is a thoughtful and energetic leader who manages nearly all marketing, advertising and promotional items, especially undergraduate enrollment marketing, for the division of Enrollment Management and Marketing. He works with a talented team to enhance the perception of the UNK brand and image, an example being the current “Be Blue. Be Gold. Be Bold” marketing campaign. He also oversees UNK’s in-plant print shop as well as a creative team of graphic design, enrollment communication and video production staff.
Recent accomplishments include the enrollment results of his team’s out-of-state marketing efforts this past year. Their wide-reaching campaign for the newly created New Nebraskan Scholarship played a role in increasing out-of-state, first-time freshman enrollment by 70%. Additionally, he assisted in creating a video production program known as LoperVision with a directive of enhancing livestream production of athletic events; helped launch marketing campaigns for Fraternity and Sorority Life, Discovery Hall, Nebraska Promise and Health Science Explorers; spearheaded multiple COVID-19 communications; started a UNK Roku channel; and launched “The Loper Experience” podcast.
Finally, he is excited to be a co-chair of the First Generation Leadership Team. As a first-generation student himself, it is an effort that is near and dear to him.
A frequent community volunteer and sports marketing/video production lecturer, Means says he “thoroughly enjoys being part of the Loper team, seeing the continued improvements on campus, and sharing positive stories of UNK.”
“The University of Nebraska has benefited my life and my family in so many ways. I can’t imagine where I would be without this tremendous institution,” he said.
His wife Leslie and parents Janet and Roger were in attendance Friday when he received the KUDOS award.
