By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Melisa Becerra González has a warning for everyone attending summer commencement at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
“I’m a talker.”
The student speaker for Friday’s ceremony knows she only has a few minutes at the podium, but there’s so much she wants to say.
“It’s definitely a great way to show my gratitude,” she said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m grateful to share some reflections about a place and an institution that has allowed me to grow so much and has given me so many great opportunities and memories.”
As she prepares to graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science and minors in global peace and security and women’s and gender studies, Becerra González can’t help but think about everything she’s accomplished during her time at UNK and all the people who helped her along the way.
TEAM LEADER
Originally from Bucaramanga, Colombia, Becerra González was recruited to UNK to play tennis. She arrived on campus in January 2021 and joined a roster that’s featured players from nine different countries over the past four years.
Head coach Scott Shafer immediately recognized her talent – she played No. 1 singles and doubles as a freshman – as well as her ability to connect with others. He gave her the unofficial team title of director of diversity and inclusion.
“Melisa is a genuinely warm and caring person,” Shafer said. “She finds a way to connect with anyone and everyone she meets in a very sincere way. Because of that ability, she was pretty much the glue for our team the last four years.”
A former team captain, Becerra González embraced her leadership role and “bought into the whole spirit of college tennis,” helping create a culture that led to one of the most successful seasons in program history.
The Lopers went 21-6 in 2023-24, claimed their first-ever MIAA regular-season title and reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time. They ended the season ranked ninth by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), their highest-ever position on the national poll.
“I will always store that experience in my heart because what we did last season was so memorable,” Becerra González said. “It didn’t happen from one day to another. It was a product of years of work and years of failing and years of thinking that we were not good enough.
“I look back at all of those moments when I thought that I wasn’t going to make it, that I wasn’t good enough, but I had this support system that showed me my worth and allowed me to succeed on and off the court.”
Becerra González posted a combined record of 55-9, including a stellar 30-5 doubles mark with teammate Narindra Ranaivo to set a new UNK single-season record. A first-team All-MIAA selection in both singles and doubles, Becerra González was named the 2023-24 UNK Female Student-Athlete of the Year. She also received the 2024 ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award for the Central Region and was a finalist for the Ken B. Jones Award, presented annually to the top female and male student-athletes in the MIAA.
She finishes her UNK career with 133 combined victories, ranking fifth in program history.
“There are many different components that made us so successful last season, but Melisa’s leadership was definitely high up there,” Shafer said. “Without her, it’s going to be hard to find such an all-encompassing leader who has the respect of everyone.”
SHARING HER STRENGTHS
In addition to her athletic achievements, Becerra González earned numerous academic honors from the MIAA and ITA and she received UNK’s Mary Jane and William R. Nester Student Leadership Award, which recognizes outstanding seniors who have excelled academically while demonstrating exemplary service, character and leadership during their undergraduate careers.
She participated in undergraduate research for three years, studying topics such as gender-based violence in Colombia and Peru and the international student experience in Nebraska. Becerra González presented her findings during UNK Research Day and at Latin American Studies Association conferences in Vancouver, Canada, and Bogotá, Colombia.
This opportunity allowed a “very curious person” to explore different perspectives and dive deeper into issues that she’s passionate about.
“Research really aligns with the work that I see myself doing in the future,” Becerra González said. “I really enjoy sharing spaces of knowledge and looking into questions with very difficult answers. Political science is always changing, and that’s quite fascinating to me.”
A member of the Phi Sigma Alpha honor society, Becerra González participated in two international field study courses through the UNK Department of Political Science, one in Northern Ireland and another in Cuba. Both trips focused on international affairs, human rights and international law.
Her parents, Braulio and Diana, instilled that desire to serve the community and build a better society. Her involvement at UNK only made it stronger.
Outside her academic program, Becerra González was part of the Intercultural Scholars and Leaders Community and she served as president of Women Are Problematic, a student organization that focuses on women’s rights and female empowerment. She also worked at Calvin T. Ryan Library and led campus tours for Spanish-speaking families.
“My time at UNK allowed me to find my voice,” Becerra González said. “I had so many meaningful moments with the people here. It’s so great to get connected with people who have similar realities or challenges, and it’s important to find people who help you navigate through those things together.”
Becerra González just completed an internship with the Latino Center of the Midlands, an Omaha-based nonprofit that provides workforce development, educational and social programming. After commencement, she’ll start a full-time position with Nebraska Civic Engagement Table, a Lincoln-based nonprofit focused on community empowerment.
Eventually, she plans to pursue a doctorate in political science.
“Melisa has so many choices,” Shafer said of her future. “Her ability to connect is such a wonderful quality. No matter what she does, she’s going to be in a position where she’s strengthening others and building them up.”
