Goldberg, Knopik named outstanding student leaders

Sydney Goldberg of St. Joseph, Missouri, and Nicholas Knopik of Lincoln have received the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s 2016 Outstanding Student Leadership Awards.

Juan Franco, vice chancellor for student affairs, presented the awards during an April 22 ceremony at the Van Brunt Visitors Center.

As part of the award, Goldberg and Knopik will each receive a full-tuition scholarship for the fall semester.

Goldberg has worked as a design studio product/project manager, research assistant for the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, counselor for the Girl Scouts of Nebraska Coding Camp and marketer for Goldberg Group Architects in St. Joseph. She is the president of the Jeffrey S. Raikes School Student Advisory Board, a Raikes School mentor, vice chair of the Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women and a College of Business Administration ambassador. She also is involved with Chi Omega Fraternity, Dance Marathon, Computing for All and the Kauffman Residents Association.

Knopik has demonstrated leadership as the logistics coordinator for New Student Enrollment at UNL, where he manages payroll, coordinates student housing and supervises a team of 32 undergraduate orientation leaders. He has been involved with Dance Marathon, Girl Scouts in STEM and the Nebraska Human Resource Institute. He also has been a member of the Cornhusker Marching Band, a UNL Honors Program peer mentor and a competitive speaking coach.

On behalf of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, multiple UNL committees select one male and one female student for recognition of exceptional leadership contributions at UNL, including efforts to develop leadership qualities in fellow students. The Outstanding Student Leadership Award is one of the highest honors presented to students, recognizing outstanding leadership in academic, co-curricular and/or extracurricular activities and involvement. In addition to Goldberg and Knopik, four students were honored as finalists and 15 as semifinalists for the awards.

• Finalists: Linsey Armstrong, Scribner; Brett Begley, Omaha; Conner Kozisek, Ainsworth; Kristina Zvolanek, Lincoln.

• Semifinalists: Morgan Battes, Shawnee, Kansas; Drew Cavanaugh, Minden; Emily Coffey, Lincoln; Dalton Dey, Gresham; Farid Farkouh, Lincoln; Andrea Gurney, Torrington, Wyoming; Blake Jeffres, Burwell; Earl Johnson, Omaha; Caitlin Kunz, Stuart; Annie Lundeen, La Crosse, Wisconsin; Mitchell May, Omaha; Hanna Rogoz, Woodridge, Illinois; Sydni Rowen, Omaha; Zachary Van Ede, Brandon, South Dakota; Jeffrey Wallman, Filley.

For more information on the Outstanding Student Leadership Awards, contact the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at 402-472-3755.