October 7, 2021

Young Alumni Academy welcomes new cohort

The Nebraska Alumni Association's 2021-22 Young Alumni Academy cohort

The Nebraska Alumni Association's 2021-22 Young Alumni Academy cohort

The Nebraska Alumni Association has announced its selection of 43 University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduates to the Young Alumni Academy. The 2021 class is the academy’s ninth cohort and contains alumni who have a wide variety of professions, backgrounds and experiences.

The academy was established in 2012, and since its founding, nearly 350 recent alumni have been part of the developmental program devoted to enhancing the connection between young alumni and the university. The cohort meets each month during an eight-month period.

The following is a list of incoming academy members by current hometown.

Ankeny, Iowa

  • Christian Reynolds ’14, ’17, College of Education and Human Sciences, elementary education; College of Law, juris doctorate

Bellevue

  • Kyla Bayne ’15, College of Education and Human Sciences, hospitality, restaurant and tourism management

Council Bluffs, Iowa

  • Griffen Farrar ’16, College Arts and Sciences, political science, history

Kansas City, Missouri

  • Colby Dolan ’13, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, advertising and public relations

Lincoln

  • Kendall Bayne ’17, College of Arts and Sciences, English
  • Adam Britten ’15, College of Business, leadership in organizations management
  • Alyssa Christensen ’13, College of Arts and Sciences, psychology
  • Shanice Cushinberry ’15, College of Education and Human Sciences, child, youth and family studies
  • Shayne Cuong ’18, College of Business, marketing*
  • Evann Vrana Gerber ’18, Education and Human Sciences, child, youth and family studies
  • Morgan Green ’20, College of Education and Human Sciences, educational administration
  • Brian Grieb ’14, College of Engineering, computer engineering
  • Derrick Gulley Jr. ’18, ’20, College of Education and Human Sciences, child, youth and family studies; College of Education and Human Sciences, educational administration
  • Nick Knopik ’17, ’19, College of Arts and Sciences, biological sciences; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, leadership education
  • Emma Kwapnioski ’18, College of Education and Human Sciences, communication sciences and disorders
  • Bryan Lichtenberg ’11, College of Business, business administration
  • Steven Mah ’18, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, journalism, advertising and public relations
  • Carina McCormick, Ph.D., ’05, ’09, ’15, College of Arts and Sciences, psychology; College of Education and Human Sciences, educational psychology; College of Education and Human Sciences, psychological studies
  • William Metzger ’09, College of Education and Human Sciences, industrial technology
  • Bryson Nemecek ’15, College of Arts and Sciences, biological sciences
  • Carley Peterson, ’20, College of Arts and Sciences, sociology
  • Kelsey Moore Rezny ’15, College of Business, human resource management
  • Bill Spilker ’17, College of Arts and Sciences, computer science
  • Courtney Strayer ’19, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, advertising and public relations
  • Nick Turner ’18, College of Business, marketing
  • Kristin Warner Vest ’05, ’07, College of Education and Human Sciences, family and consumer science education; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, leadership and communication
  • Kate Person Watson ’07, ’09, College of Business, accounting; College of Business, master of business administration
  • Michael Wilson ’20, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, integrated media communication
  • Justine Yeo ’13, ’16, College of Arts and Sciences, mathematics, psychology; College of Business, survey research and methodology

Omaha

  • Brian Britton ’20, College of Business, master of business administration
  • Frederick Collins Jr. ’07, College of Arts and Sciences, communication studies
  • Trevor Culbertson ’16, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, natural resources and environmental economics
  • Ethan Dornbush ’13, College of Business, economics
  • Natalie Drozd ’18, ’20, ’21, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, advertising and public relations; College of Journalism and Mass Communications, integrated media communication; College of Journalism and Mass Communications, public relations and social media
  • Zach Duden ’17, College of Business, actuarial science
  • Brent Gengler ’16, College of Arts and Sciences, sociology
  • Barry Kienow Jr. ’11, College of Engineering, construction management
  • Grant Rathje ’16, ’21, ’21, College of Business, agribusiness; College of Business, human resource management; College of Business, master of business administration
  • Corey Thiele ’15, ’17, College of Architecture, architectural studies; College of Architecture, master of architecture
  • Dillon Thoman, ’17, College of Business, finance
  • Jacy Spencer Thoman’ 17, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, agricultural economics

Papillion

  • Meaghan Blair Milburn ’07, College of Arts and Sciences, psychology

Tekamah

  • Nick Bohannon ’20, College of Education and Human Sciences, nutrition and health sciences