By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Funny. Curious. Kind. Caring. Authentic. Enthusiastic.
Those are some of the words people use to describe Ethan Ciancio.
“He is one of the happiest and friendliest people I have ever met,” said Patty Seevers, who knows a thing or two about great first impressions.
An office associate for University of Nebraska at Kearney Admissions and the unofficial campus greeter, Seevers met Ciancio last summer when he was serving as a New Student Enrollment leader.
“If you’re having a bad day, Ethan can make it better just by chatting with him,” she said. “He is very upbeat, and you can tell he really enjoyed his time at UNK.”
A Fullerton native, Ciancio decided to attend UNK because the campus and community “felt welcoming.”
“Every time I was here, I felt like people wanted me to be here. I should be here,” he said. “And that’s what I was looking for in a school.”
The self-described “homebody” in high school arrived on campus in fall 2021 with a single goal in mind. He wanted to meet new people, make connections and build personal relationships.
Mission accomplished.
“Being here allowed me to spread my wings, reach out to every corner of campus, be involved in whatever I wanted to, and meet as many people as I could,” Ciancio said. “It allowed me to really be the person that I think I was meant to be. And I think that was very important for not only myself but hopefully for those that I’ve impacted as well.”
EVERYONE IS A FRIEND
Aidan Weidner grew up in Humphrey, about 50 miles northeast of Fullerton, so they weren’t complete strangers when Ciancio moved into Men’s Hall as a freshman.
Not that it mattered much. Weidner soon learned that nobody is a stranger when Ciancio is around. He was friends with everybody, and he wanted everyone to meet each other.
“My first impression was how he wanted to know everyone on his floor – know them by name, where they were from and what they were interested in,” Weidner said. “He always addressed people he met by their first and last name, which stuck out to me because he never forgot anyone.
“If he was going to play video games until 4 in the morning, he would invite everyone he talked to just to hang out and make sure they’d get a chance to play. He always had his dorm room door open to invite conversation with people passing by.”
Inclusion is important to Ciancio. He wanted every Loper to feel like they belong here, too.
“The biggest thing I want people to take away from time here is that every day is a new day and every interaction could be that interaction someone really needed,” he said.
Something as simple as saying hello while crossing paths on the sidewalk can have a big impact, he added.
For Weidner, these interactions inspired him to branch out and bring more people together. He was voted UNK homecoming king in 2022 and Ciancio received the honor last year.
“Ethan’s impact on UNK is exactly what drew me to UNK – he makes you feel known,” said Weidner, who graduated this month with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. “He could make conversation with anyone, which makes everyone feel seen and important. I’m so proud of how much he’s grown since I first saw him as a freshman on his first day of college.”
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
A first-generation college student and Board of Regents Scholarship recipient, Ciancio also used his voice to advocate for fellow Lopers.
He was a member of the UNK Honors Program, Honors Student Advisory Board, Chancellor’s Ambassadors, Residence Hall Association and Loper Programming and Activities Council Executive Committee. During the 2023-24 academic year, Ciancio served as student body vice president.
Temo Molina, a rising senior from Stanton, worked alongside him as student body president. They were next-door neighbors the past three years in Men’s Hall.
“Ethan, or just Ciancio to a lot of his friends, has been a reminder of how good people can be to each other. I have seen him put a smile on so many students’ faces by being the prime example of a quality student, leader and friend,” Molina said. “He keeps me hopeful for the future and the communities we can build together.”
His infectious positivity easily spreads to others, Molina added, allowing him to bring out the best in people and push them to reach their goals.
“I believe the role of a leader shouldn’t be telling people what to do or how to accomplish something, rather, it should be guiding and assisting people to achieve their aspirations,” said Ciancio, who was recently recognized with the Mary Jane and William R. Nester Student Leadership Award.
After three years at UNK, Ciancio will remain in Kearney to complete a degree in radiologic technology through the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He plans to work as a traveling radiologic technologist, giving him a chance to go “wherever I can make an impact.”
“I’ve always embraced life with open arms,” he said. “Let’s see where it goes and what happens. I like to follow where the wind takes me.”
Thankfully, it brought him to UNK.
“I don’t think a day has gone by when I haven’t learned something new, met a new person, felt as though I belonged. And I think those are three very important things for many students to experience, if not all students to experience,” Ciancio said. “I have built lasting connections that I expect to continue into the future and I now have a network that I never thought would be possible.”
