Tamara Omtvedt, enrollment management marketing specialist for UNK Communications and Marketing, 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.
Omtvedt has been a valued member of the UNK Communications and Marketing team for the past seven years, bringing exceptional expertise, strategic thinking and a deep understanding of how to reach and engage prospective students. During that time, she has significantly elevated UNK Admissions’ communications efforts, particularly the email and direct mail strategy.
In the 2024-25 recruitment cycle alone, UNK sent nearly 4 million emails and more than 112,000 direct mail pieces, with even higher numbers projected this year. Omtvedt is at the center of this work. She collaborates seamlessly with UNK Admissions, academic departments, the CRM team and other campus partners to ensure every message is timely, strategic and aligned with UNK’s goals.
One of her most impactful achievements has been the development and execution of UNK’s comprehensive “drip” email campaign. Under her leadership, a yearlong communication plan was created to thoughtfully guide students through the college search process, blending promotional and transactional messaging with sophisticated CRM-driven automation. This level of strategy and execution simply did not exist before her tenure.
Despite these accomplishments, she is the first to emphasize that this success is shared. In her words: “I’m honored to receive this award, but the success of our email communications is truly a team effort. Our CRM team provides the structure, insight and reliability that ensure our messages reach the right students at the right time. Their behind-the-scenes work makes it all possible.”
Omtvedt has raised the bar by setting a new standard for both quality and scale, pairing a clear vision with meticulous execution. Her work has directly strengthened UNK’s recruitment efforts and positioned the university for continued success.