By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – When Elly Piper returns to Norfolk, she often catches herself saying something that makes her mother smile.
“I’ll tell her, ‘Mom, I have to go home,’” Piper said. “And she’ll say, ‘You are home.’ But it’s just not the same.”
Over the past four years, home has taken on another meaning for the University of Nebraska at Kearney senior. It exists in the northeast Nebraska city where she was raised and on a college campus nearly three hours away where she was able to grow as a person, a leader and a future health care provider.
“I always say home is not a place, it’s the people you’re surrounded by,” Piper said. “So this very much was home for me. It was the perfect fit for everything I wanted and who I wanted to become.”
A pre-medical student, Piper graduates summa cum laude on Friday with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a health science emphasis. She’ll remain in Kearney to attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center as part of the first class of medical students at the new Health Science Education Center II on the UNK campus.
Committed to Rural Communities
Piper’s interest in health care developed early, influenced by a family that values education and service.
“I knew I wanted to do something helping others,” she said. “Giving back was always a big thing for us, and I feel like as a medical provider that’s what I can do.”
Her father, a UNK alumnus and longtime science teacher at Pierce Public Schools, sparked her curiosity through hands-on learning, while her mother, vice president of Midwest Bank in Norfolk, emphasized community involvement. Piper also drew inspiration from her older sister, who is completing her own journey into family medicine.
Following in her father’s footsteps, Piper enrolled at UNK as a member of the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP), which provides academic and financial support and professional development opportunities for students committed to practicing health care in rural communities.
Through KHOP, she toured hospitals across the state, connected with providers and explored the realities of rural medicine.
“That was wonderful, seeing how different facilities in Nebraska approach health care and learning about the opportunities available in these communities,” Piper said. “I feel like I was able to build valuable connections early in my career.”
Those experiences reinforced her desire to serve smaller communities, where access to care remains a challenge.
“In rural Nebraska, everyone is so willing to support each other,” she said. “That’s what makes it so special. I want to live my life surrounded by people who care about each other.”
Piper’s preparation also extended far beyond the state’s borders.
In summer 2024, she participated in a VAW Global Health Alliances medical outreach trip to Peru with other UNK and UNMC students. Working alongside local doctors and pharmacists, they provided free care and medication to more than 1,000 people living in underserved areas.
“That was the best experience,” said Piper, who’d never traveled outside the U.S. before. “Going to a developing country and seeing how they live made me appreciate the care we receive in the United States and made me even more excited to practice in the future.”
She continues to gain clinical experience as a phlebotomist at Kearney Regional Medical Center.
Making Meaningful Connections
Back on campus, Piper benefited from UNK’s small class sizes and close faculty mentorship.
“Our professors here are really wonderful,” she said. “You always have that one-on-one opportunity to ask questions, and I feel like that really elevates your learning experience.”
Outside the classroom, Piper embraced campus life with the same energy she brings to her academic pursuits.
She served three years as a resident assistant, guiding new students and fostering community in the residence halls. Piper was also active in the Honors Program, Mortar Board, A.T.L.A.S. Honor Society for health science students, Residence Hall Association and Catholic Newman Center while participating in intramurals and community outreach programs like Buddy Bowling and TOPSoccer.
“Being so involved allowed me to grow personally, build relationships and really branch out,” she said. “It also taught me a lot about time management and finding balance, two things that are important when you’re going into medicine.”
Her leadership left a lasting impression on those around her.
“Elly truly is a one-of-a-kind individual,” said Bryan Schneider, her former supervisor in Residence Life. “She brings a unique blend of positivity and extroversion and strives to be a better person every day. She embraces the responsibility of being a leader and role model.”
Piper’s impact extended beyond her own residents, he added, showing the entire UNK housing team what can be accomplished through collaboration and a genuine commitment to helping others.
“Elly finds the most meaning in solving problems and helping others achieve their goals,” Schneider said. “This, combined with her incredible work ethic and intelligence, has provided her with a ton of insight and context to become a standout doctor.”
UNK faculty saw the same attributes.
“Elly is a cheerful, diligent, intelligent and resilient student, always willing to help others,” said Surabhi Chandra, a professor and co-chair in the Department of Biology. “She brought exuberance and a determination to achieve her goals.”
Chandra believes those qualities will translate seamlessly into medicine.
“Elly is compassionate and caring, and she has deep empathy,” Chandra said. “She will excel as a physician in whichever specialty she chooses.”
Continuing the Journey in Kearney
Recently recognized with the UNK Alumni Association’s Outstanding Senior Award, Piper will take the next step in her journey without leaving the community she now considers home.
The Health Science Education Center II will welcome its first class of UNMC medical students in Kearney this fall, expanding this training into rural Nebraska. Members of that inaugural class will receive scholarships covering at least half the cost of tuition for all four years, part of a broader effort to address physician shortages across the state.
For Piper, the decision to stay in Kearney was both practical and personal.
“A lot of things added up, and it felt like the right decision,” she said. “Kearney provides so many opportunities to be a community leader, and I’m excited to continue building on that foundation at UNMC.”
While she’s still exploring specialties, Piper is drawn to primary care fields such as family medicine or obstetrics and gynecology – areas where long-term patient relationships are central.
She believes health care, like home, is ultimately about people.
“I want all of my patients and the people in my community to know they were well cared for,” she said. “That’s why rural medicine is so appealing, because of the impact you can have.”
