UNK students share their stories during ‘I Love NU’ Day
LINCOLN – There are plenty of statistics that can be shared to highlight the impact of the University of Nebraska System.
Nearly 50,000 students are enrolled across its four campuses. The system graduates about 11,000 students each year and generates roughly $700 million in research activity annually. Altogether, the university contributes $6.4 billion to Nebraska’s economy and supports more than 52,000 jobs statewide.
For every $1 the state invests in the NU System, about $10 is returned to the Nebraska economy.
NU System President Dr. Jeffrey Gold loves to reference those numbers during conversations with the governor, state senators and “anybody else who will listen.”
“When economic times are tough, what do we do? We pull in risky investments, and we double down on solid investments that we know there’s an absolute return on,” he said Wednesday during the “I Love NU” Day celebration in Lincoln. “The university is just an absolutely rock-solid financial investment.”
Those figures are significant, but they only tell part of the story, Gold emphasized while addressing a room filled with NU supporters.
“A more important part of the story is what each of you has brought to the university,” he told the students in attendance. “And an even more important part of the story is what each of you will bring to the state of Nebraska.”
In its ninth year, “I Love NU” Day is an annual event that brings people from across the state together to celebrate the NU System and promote the critical role it plays in economic and workforce development. This year’s version started at the Cornhusker Hotel in downtown Lincoln and ended at the State Capitol, where students met with lawmakers and highlighted the university’s impact on their lives.
Opening Doors
University of Nebraska at Kearney freshman Jodean Chesley was among the students who helped tell this story.
“UNK has presented me with some incredible opportunities,” she said. “I wanted to come today to show my support and also thank the lawmakers in our state who work tirelessly to advocate for those opportunities.”
A political science major from Chadron, Chesley chose UNK because she saw a chance to combine strong academic experiences with the kind of close-knit campus community where students are known as individuals.
“Kearney is a place where students can really build on their potential,” she said. “They give you the keys to open those doors, then provide the support you need to walk through them.”
Chesley is a member of the Kearney Law Opportunities Program (KLOP), a partnership with the University of Nebraska College of Law that prepares students for legal careers in rural communities. Participants receive financial assistance, academic support and numerous professional development opportunities, including undergraduate research, field study experiences and internships.
“Right now, Nebraska is facing a shortage of attorneys, especially in rural communities, so many people are underserved when it comes to legal representation,” Chesley said. “I want to provide those services so future generations can continue to thrive in our state.”
The future lawyer stressed the importance of continued investment in higher education.
“You’re not just throwing money at a problem,” Chesley said. “You’re supporting individuals who will eventually give back to rural communities, who will give back to the university system, who will give back to the state and who will give back to the country. It starts with making sure those educational opportunities and those investments are secure.”
Investing in Talent
State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney was among the lawmakers who met with UNK students during the event. He called education the “No. 1 priority” for Nebraska.
“The NU System is of utmost importance to our state for both the education it provides and the research conducted there,” he said.
Earlier Wednesday, Clouse met with a group of visiting fourth graders from Kearney and local high school students participating in a youth leadership program. Those interactions reinforce the need to invest in young people and create pathways that keep this talent in Nebraska.
“Education is an investment in yourself and it’s an investment in our state,” Clouse said. “That’s how we’re going to succeed.”
Speaker of the Legislature John Arch also addressed the “I Love NU” group, encouraging students to remain prepared for opportunities that lie ahead.
“While opportunities do come to everybody, not everybody is prepared to take advantage of those opportunities,” Arch said.
As NU students committed to higher education, he added, “You are doing all the things that are required of you today to prepare for an opportunity to come in the future.”
Developing Leaders
For UNK senior Sam Schroeder, those opportunities have already begun to take shape. The political science major from Seward is in his second term as student body president and student regent. A KLOP member, he’ll graduate from UNK in May and begin classes at the Nebraska College of Law this fall.
“When I first came to UNK, it was a rough start,” he shared. “I’d never really been away from home, and I was in this new place that was two hours away. … But I quickly found myself surrounded by a tightly knit community, and everybody had my back and wanted me to grow both as a person and professionally.”
Faculty members played a major role in connecting him with internships, research opportunities and leadership experiences throughout his college career, including a summer position at the State Capitol.
Schroeder said “I Love NU” Day quickly became one of his favorite events. He first attended as a freshman and has since come to appreciate the chance to celebrate the university and share the student experience with lawmakers.
“UNK can offer a personalized, high-quality education that serves our students and greater Nebraska,” he said. “So, thank you. I really appreciate this opportunity and the opportunity to be here the last four years.”
Stories from students like Chesley and Schroeder show what those statistics really represent.
“There’s probably no Nebraskan in this state whose life is not touched by somebody or some program or something that the university does every single day,” Gold said.