WHAT: UNK Summer Commencement
WHEN: 10 a.m. Friday, July 31
WHERE: UNK Health and Sports Center
SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow @UNKearney on Instagram, Facebook and X to see photos and posts
LIVE BROADCAST: Watch commencement live at http://unk.edu/eventdashboard
VIEW THE FULL LIST OF SUMMER GRADUATES
KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney will host its summer commencement 10 a.m. Friday at the Health and Sports Center on campus.
Chancellor Neal Schnoor will confer degrees for 182 graduate and undergraduate students during the ceremony.
The keynote speaker is Brooke Envick, dean of the UNK College of Business and Technology.
A Loper alumna and third-generation UNK faculty member, Envick earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UNK then completed a doctorate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She spent nearly two decades as a faculty member at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, before returning to her alma mater, where she’s served as a professor of management, associate dean and dean in the College of Business and Technology.
In her current role, she leads initiatives focused on workforce development, industry partnerships, strategic innovation and student success. Envick recently launched the Grow the Good Life program, a flagship initiative within the college focused on workforce alignment, talent development, employer engagement and regional prosperity. She also created the Academic Alignment Engine (A2E), a workforce intelligence platform designed to help educational institutions better understand and respond to evolving industry needs.
Envick is the author of “True Ascension: Unlocking Greatness through Faith, Fortitude, and Foresight” and “Flywheel Leadership: Designing Momentum That Compounds.” Her writing reflects her interest in helping individuals and organizations navigate change, build momentum and achieve meaningful impact.
The student speaker is Gavyn Brauer, who graduates magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science and minors in public law and kinesiology.
A North Platte native, Brauer has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA since changing his major from physical education to political science midway through his time at UNK. He earned an exceptional score of 178 out of 180 on the Law School Admission Test.
A member of the Kearney Law Opportunities Program, Brauer gained valuable experience in the legal field while completing his undergraduate degree. For the past two years, he worked as a legal intern at the Jacobsen Orr law firm in Kearney, where he now serves as a paralegal while preparing to attend law school in 2027.
Brauer was also a member of the UNK wrestling team and a four-time selection to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.
University of Nebraska Regent Kathy Wilmot will also address the graduates. The national anthem will be performed by UNK vocal music professor Sharon Campbell with accompanist Mirim Kim.
Those who are unable to attend in person may watch the ceremony via livestream on UNK’s website. A recording can also be viewed later on the website.
PARKING INFO
Commencement attendees are encouraged to park in the lots west of the Health and Sports Center. Visitors with handicap permits can park east of the Health and Sports Center. Those transporting a handicapped person will have access to drop off the individual on the east side of the complex but will need to move their vehicle to another lot.
Visitors with wheelchairs can sit in the corner seating sections on the main floor of the Health and Sports Center or use the elevator in the northeast corner of the building to sit in the designated section on the arena floor.
Doors open at 8 a.m.
BAG/PURSE POLICY
Guests should expect a visual inspection of person, bags and clothing capable of concealing prohibited items. Small clutch purses and wallets are preferred at entry and will expedite inspection.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
For safety reasons, prohibited items include but are not limited to:
- Any type of weapon, fake weapon or object resembling a weapon. This includes firearms, knives, tasers, chains and any item deemed to compromise public safety.
- Alcohol, drugs, illegal substances, vaporizing pens/E-cigs or any paraphernalia associated with drug use. The Health and Sports Center is a smoke-free facility.
- Animals (except service animals).
- Laser pens/pointers of any type.
- Noisemakers (including air horns, cowbells or whistles).
If a prohibited item is revealed during a search, patrons may dispose of the item or they may return the item to their vehicle. The UNK Health and Sports Center does not safeguard any personal belongings or items of any type.