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Sara posting with mammoth statue in Morrill Hall

Go After
What You Want

Sara Segal is a human resources and management major who used her experience at Nebraska to start pursuing her career goals while in college.

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Jean standing in front of Winnebago school

A New
Journey

Jean Parker-Morris is a first-generation student who is creating her future at Nebraska with her community cheering her on.

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Santiago holding drone and ball

Dream
Big

Santiago Giraldo came to Nebraska knowing he wanted to make an impact. He discovered a supportive academic community in the School of Computing and is now stretching his interpersonal strengths through his involvement on campus.

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Jaime posing

Building a
Future

Before coming to Nebraska, Jaime Zamarripa was interested in pursuing a career in the business field. Now, the business administration major reaffirms his decision to pursue graduate school after taking classes at the College of Business and receiving support from his peers and faculty members.

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Dywan playing pool

Overcoming
Fear

Dywan Williams, a business administration major, dreamt of going to Nebraska. When he arrived on campus, he built connections through Husker programs that support first-gen students to succeed.

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Diaz posing

Exceeding
Expectations

Lulu Diaz, a youth and family studies major, aims to be first in her family to graduate from college. Despite trials and tribulations, she succeeds and becomes a source of support for other first-gen students.

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David on red stage with laptop

Get a
Head-Start

David Estrada is a first-generation student who used his experience at Nebraska to build a solid foundation for his career in computer science.

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Taylor posing outside

Find Your
Value

Meet Taylor Daum, a first-gen student who didn’t know what to expect of her journey to college. Found out how Taylor got connected to resources at Nebraska and is now helping other students adjust to college life.

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Jayven holding clipboard

Take the
First Step

Secondary social science education major Jayven Brandt built a supportive network on campus and made some unexpected connections along the way.

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Alec playing poker

Endless
Possibilities

Alec Rome took advantage of every opportunity to participate in unique experiences at Nebraska—which led to a job offer!

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Samuel posing outside

Overcoming
a Challenge

When Sam Farmer faced challenges at Nebraska, he found an on-campus support system to help him develop study habits and navigate changing his major.

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Bryar posing beside a cattle gate

Charting a
Career Path

As a transfer student to Nebraska, Bryar Gerlach’s campus connections and hands-on experiences helped him meet his goals and land a job at graduation.

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Wijdan in a green dress

Aspire
to Inspire

Wijdan Almamari used her experience as an international student to become a source of support for other students, helping them adjust to Husker life and connect to resources on campus.

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ZhaoZhou sitting in front of the Journalism College

Chasing
Opportunity

Zhaozhou is an international student from China who knew nothing about Nebraska before coming to college. After overcoming the initial culture shock, Zhaozhou discovered opportunities to pursue his dream career and build a diverse skillset in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

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Brianna leaning on a log in front of a playground

Create Your
Own Legacy

Brianna Miller was the first in her family to attend Nebraska. She came to college with an open mind and leaned into her discomfort, allowing her to meet new people and take on leadership roles.

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Andrea posing in a hallway

Building a
Future

Andrea Trejo is a first-generation student who instantly felt a connection with Nebraska. That sense of community continued to grow as she became more involved in the dance program and the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.

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Nidhi preparing food

Try it
All

For Nidhi Polekar, coming to Nebraska felt like starting from scratch. Through New Student Enrollment, she found a community that inspired her to explore her interests and facilitate important conversations on campus.

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Hero in the haymarket

Dare to
Begin

Sheng Jit Koo, a Malaysian transfer student, was nervous to start his academic journey at Nebraska. Getting connected with the Malaysian Student Association helped him grow his social circle and get comfortable on campus.

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Clarice Santos sitting down

Seen. Heard.
Supported.

As a first-generation student of color, Clarice Santos was worried about navigating college life and feeling accepted. Through her involvement on campus, she bonded with diverse groups of supportive scholars, building her leaderships skills, conducting research and helping others succeed.

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RaDaniel standing in Hawks Hall

Chasing Career
Dreams

For Ra’Daniel Arvie, getting involved helped him gain career-based skills while building a community around campus.

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Erika sitting on the bleachers

Laying a Solid
Foundation

Throughout her time at Nebraska, Erika has had the opportunity to take advantage of unique experiences through her major. She knows that this exploration won’t stop after she graduates.

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Rita sitting in front of the fountain

Grad School
Game Plan

With her sights set on an M.S. in speech-language pathology & audiology, Riha Karney is crafting a stellar application through leadership roles and relationship building.

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Aus Perez standing by wood railing

Finding a
Community

Aus Perez came from a town of 6,000 to Nebraska hoping to make new connections while maintaining old relationships. What they discovered was a community of friends, classmates and mentors and the freedom and support to be their authentic self.

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Malayna standing by water

Look to
the Future

For as long as she can remember, Malayna has had a deep connection to nature. At Nebraska, her love for learning grew when she found opportunities to pursue exciting environmental research.

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Lee on the university campus portrait

Paying
for School

Growing up, Lee wasn’t sure how he was going to pay for college on his own. With dedication, he found a path and set himself up for success. Now he uses his knowledge to help other students navigate financial aid resources.

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Josselyn leaning against painted wall portrait

Make a
difference

Josselyn Vazquez-Catalan is a global studies major who grew up in a place very different from Lincoln. Despite this, finding an inclusive group of friends on campus helped her embrace her background. Her experiences opened doors to global connections and inspired her to give back.

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Sydney standing at desk in classroom portrait

Discover
Your Voice

Sydney Trench found the courage to pursue her passion for teaching and is building a solid foundation for her career through hands-on opportunities.

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Ethan sitting at a desk portrait

Find Your
Academic Community

As a software engineering major, Wisconsin-native Ethan Butt has never had a summer off because he always has an internship or research program lined up. Butt realized early on the importance of gaining real-world experience in the classroom before pursuing a career where he can continue to learn, grow, contribute and give back.

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Samantha Wolff

Work Study
Works

Secondary broad science education major Samantha Wolff never thought working with students was something she would enjoy. Almost three years later, see how she’s earning money while helping elementary students with their homework.

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Matt Waite

Rethink
Professors

Matt Waite is a professor of practice and a 1997 alum of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications (CoJMC). As one of the most popular professors on campus, we decided to pick Prof. Waite's brain for the advice he'd give soon-to-be college students.

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Overcoming
Obstacles

As a first-generation student, Elaidy wasn't sure what to expect when she got to college. Getting involved with Emerging Leaders at Nebraska helped connect her to the resources and community she needed to become her best self and inspire others.

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Connect With
Your Peers

Will met a supportive and motivating group of friends within his major through his learning community.

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Portrait of Alexandra Lee

Open Up
Your World

Alexandra received guidance and financial aid from Nebraska while planning her study abroad and will probably take lessons from that experience with her for the rest of her life.

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Learn by Doing
the Job

Coming to Nebraska, Aaliyah quickly learned that in order to broaden her horizons, she would have to venture outside of her comfort zone. She explains how she is learning what she likes and dislikes through trial and error. Through this process, she is narrowing her career path by connecting with professors, trying out new clubs and gaining new experiences through her internship.

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Take
Charge

After being on academic probation and being dismissed from the university, Cameron Anderson learned to take charge of his education, enlist some help, and find the willpower to achieve real goals.

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Experience
the World

Carlos Velasco studied abroad and reflects on how the experience helped him grow personally, academically and professionally.

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Be
Authentic

During her time at Nebraska Cassie became more comfortable with who she is as a person and found a strong sense of community from the people around her.

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Experiences. Achievements.
A Career Path.

When Sierra Hansen realized her career plan wasn’t what she wanted anymore, she emailed ten Nebraska professors and ended up landing an opportunity that led her down a career path she never could’ve imagined.

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From Community
to a Career

After applying to 26 schools, Justice Forte visited Nebraska and knew it was where she needed to be. Joining the pre-law learning community immediately connected her with her peers and professors, so she was able to start taking steps toward her career goals on day one on campus.

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Paying
for School

Jeremiah, an out-of-state student, worked hard and hustled to find a way to pay for college.

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Finding
Home

As racial minority and first gen student, Hoai Vu was nervous about adapting to the social and academic pressures of college at first. Becoming involved with OASIS helped him navigate college life and find a community that gets his culture and motivates him to “stretch his strengths.”

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Don’t
Wait

Celine had an experience which upset her and inspired her to do something about it. Through the encouragement of a professor she is making a documentary about hair and how it provides deeper understanding than previously thought.

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Make Your
Future Here

John came to Nebraska from Alabama with a love of theme parks and a drive to bring his imagination to life, so he took a chance and formed the Theme Park Design Group. Among other projects, his club has been commissioned to create an exhibit for the Lincoln Children’s Museum.

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Solve a
Problem

Paska Juma combined her personal struggles with her educational pursuits, took a risk and created her own business that is lifting up women.

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Art & Culture
in Lincoln

Getting involved in the arts community in Lincoln is a guaranteed way to collide ideas and experiences with others to see new perspectives. Whether you prefer to be on the stage or in the audience, there are many ways to get involved in theatre and the arts. Japrice describes his own experience not only as a performer, but also as an observer of theatre, art and music.

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Find More than
Just a Major

When Hailey Nielsen realized she wasn’t passionate about her major and wanted to switch it, she was freaked out. Switching her major turned out to be the best thing that could happen to her, because in the end it helped her find a career path she loves.

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Go
Big Red

Attending a game day at Nebraska is a perfect way to get involved on campus, make new friends and be a part of something amazing while you are in college. Read why Coleman loves Husker athletics, and why he thinks you will too.

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Find What’s Next on
Your Career Path

Working as a peer guide for Career Services, Yakira McKay realized that the key to staying focused on what she is doing and where she is going, is to help others along the way. Now she shares her message, that it’s okay to not have everything figured out, with other students.

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Real Life
Experience

Tayler Sundermann did more from day one at Nebraska—he asked questions, approached his professors and got help when he needed it. As a result, he earned multiple internships, completed a research project in 3D printing as an undergrad and got a head start on his career path.

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Stretch Your Strengths
Through Research

Douglas joined a team collaborating with the University of Oxford to make a series of interactive ebooks about ancient Greek plays. He’s now a part of an international research project that’s bringing the Classics to life in the twenty-first century.

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Nights Have
Life in Lincoln

Allie Carlini left her comfort zone and the Nebraska campus to explore the city of Lincoln. What she found was new experiences, different perspectives and the confidence to follow her own path.

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Co-Create
the Future

Julian Davis thought he’d lone-wolf his way through college. Scope out how community and a cause transformed his time at Nebraska, and his future.

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Ice Cream
Bro

See how Reid Gahan found that putting classroom knowledge to work can result in a dream job. Hint: it involves eating lots of ice cream.

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Don't
Stand Still

Music and pre-med major Alex Chapman could be selling his beats full-time. See why he’s embracing Husker life instead.

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Do What
You Like

You don’t have to have your future figured out. See how Krysten Athan experimented with classes and applied good advice to uncover the path to a career she’ll love.

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Paying for
School

Meet Grace Chambers, a first gen college student who figured out how to get her tuition totally covered. Check out how she did it and what keeps her going.

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Move your
Field Forward

Read how senior psychology student Myrianna Bakou is producing socially-relevant research to change how we think about victims of assault, thanks to empowering faculty and opportunities to find her niche.

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Move Your
World

From dancing in Vietnam as a 4-year-old to testing it out in Nebraska as a college junior, members of this dance crew come from around the world and rep every level of skill—but it’s the community they cultivate that makes it so cool.

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It’s Your
Life

Master’s Golf, College World Series & USA Football—Alyssa’s interned for them all while earning her degree. Get the scoop on how she got where she is with Nebraska.

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Stitch
the Issue

Riley has had 4 years packed with experiences in using technology to solve problems in her field and using hands-on implementation to bolster class content.

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Everyone
Can Use a Coach

With Nebraska’s tailor-made programs for first generation students, Nestor Hernandez has had a mentor from day one who has guided him through planning, studying and succeeding in college.

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