By TYLER ELLYSON UNK Communications KEARNEY – Jose Ceballos was experiencing a range of emotions Friday morning. Relief. Pride. Happiness. “I feel everything,” he said with a smile. It takes years of hard work and determination to complete a college degree, making the final moment that much more satisfying. For Ceballos, graduating from the University of Nebraska at Kearney was a monumental achievement. “It’s very big,” he said. “My parents brought me to … [Read more...] about UNK graduates share their excitement at winter commencement ceremony
social work
From LA to UNK: Perla Navarro finds peace in central Nebraska
SENIOR DAY The UNK women's soccer team plays its final match of the season 1 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 31), when the Lopers host Emporia State at Cope Stadium. Tickets are available here. By TYLER ELLYSON UNK Communications KEARNEY – Perla Navarro’s personality is a lot like life in central Nebraska – calm and quiet. That’s something the University of Nebraska at Kearney soccer player has learned to appreciate, although it was startling at first. When she moved to … [Read more...] about From LA to UNK: Perla Navarro finds peace in central Nebraska
‘I felt called to it’: Maha Younes named chief diversity officer at UNK
By TYLER ELLYSON UNK Communications KEARNEY – Maha Younes was supposed to be on the search committee for the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s chief diversity officer position. With extensive international experience and a passion for serving marginalized and vulnerable populations, she would have been a perfect fit for the group. But that wasn’t enough to satisfy the social work professor, who connected with the position on a personal level. “I felt called to … [Read more...] about ‘I felt called to it’: Maha Younes named chief diversity officer at UNK
Phadiziana Smith-Whiteside overcomes obstacles to be first in family to attend college
By ERIKA PRITCHARD UNK Communications KEARNEY – Phadiziana Smith-Whiteside didn’t know a single family member – parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles or cousins – who had attended college. “Leaving high school was a big transition,” she said. “I had to look up YouTube videos of freshmen moving in because I didn’t know anything. Should I bring a mirror? Do they have a checklist? Is that a thing?” An Omaha Northwest High School graduate, Smith-Whiteside also … [Read more...] about Phadiziana Smith-Whiteside overcomes obstacles to be first in family to attend college
Healing Journey: After losing family, Fayth Jackson finds herself at UNK
By TYLER ELLYSON UNK Communications KEARNEY – She keeps the photographs in a journal on her nightstand, “that way they are never too far out of reach.” Each 4-by-6 image captures a moment in Fayth Jackson’s life, a time before tragedy tore her family apart. When she looks at those photos, she’s transported back to the precious few years they spent together. For an instant, Jackson’s family is whole again. “I’ve noticed that the more time passes since they left … [Read more...] about Healing Journey: After losing family, Fayth Jackson finds herself at UNK
