As a corporate analyst in Fiserv’s Global Analyst Program, Tyrell, a 2022 graduate, is immersed in a fast-paced environment where he’s tasked with developing innovative solutions, providing strategic advice and supporting critical business operations. His diverse skill set, honed through his international relations major and Spanish minor, equips him to excel in this multifaceted role.

“Every day brings new challenges and opportunities,” Tyrell said. “From collaborating with cross-functional teams to analyzing complex data, I’m constantly learning and growing.”

A key aspect of Tyrell’s role involves bridging the gap between finance and sales. He works closely with various departments, including finance, sales, billing, product management, legal and leadership, to optimize pricing strategies and drive revenue growth.

Beyond his core responsibilities, Tyrell said he actively seeks out opportunities to improve operational efficiency and streamline processes. His fresh perspective and analytical skills have proven invaluable in identifying areas for improvement.

Tyrell credits his success at Fiserv to the strong foundation he built at 香蕉视频. “The diverse curriculum, supportive faculty and engaging extracurricular activities prepared me well for the challenges of the professional world,” he said. “The analytical and research skills I developed in my coursework are directly applicable to my daily work.”

The connections he forged during his time at Hastings have also played a significant role in his career trajectory. A referral from a fellow HC graduate opened doors to opportunities at Fiserv, and the strong network he cultivated continues to support his professional growth.

As Tyrell continues to advance his career at Fiserv, he’s excited about the opportunities to learn, grow and contribute to the company’s success. He said he鈥檚 also eager to explore the vibrant Omaha community with his fianc茅e.

By Carissa Barwick, communications specialist

“I love that 香蕉视频 has pushed me beyond my limits of what I thought I could do,” Kascak said, who added that professors pushed her to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

To support her career goal, she also found an internship at the Hastings Tribune where she has been able to write numerous stories and features, including developing a couple of series, one about artificial intelligence and another about mental health in school-aged students. She’s also written about elections, political groups and covered meetings for the Tribune.

鈥淚 would love to go back to the region somehow, and I now know that Turkey, or Eurasia more broadly, is the area of the world that I would like to work in or study,鈥� the political science and history major from Arlington, Kansas, said.

This story originally appeared in .

Miller was one of two people with 香蕉视频 ties to earn a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) from the U.S. State Department鈥檚 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in 2023. The other, Kinser Rafert, graduated from 香蕉视频 in May and spent his summer studying Arabic in Morocco.

The CLS program is part of a movement to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages, many of which are critical to national security and economic prosperity. CLS scholars gain language and cultural skills that enable them to contribute to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.

This selective program awards fully funded scholarships to 500 American students, representing 245 U.S. colleges and universities. To have two students from 香蕉视频 in one year is remarkable.

鈥淯nderstanding other languages and cultures is the key to success in careers in international affairs and service to our country,鈥� said Dr. Corey Stutte, visiting assistant professor of political science. 鈥淥ur students’ participation in the highly selective CLS program is an excellent example of how Hastings is more than just 13 square miles and 25,000 people鈥斚憬妒悠� is a gateway for developing global citizens and leaders for tomorrow.鈥�

Host family expands opportunities

Miller鈥檚 summer consisted of three hours of class each day during which she and her classmates focused on reading, writing, listening and speaking Turkish鈥攁 language unlike any she had previously studied.

鈥淸Turkish] is not a part of any major language families and the most similar grammatical structure is actually found in the Japanese language,鈥� Miller said.

Living with a local host family with limited English skills expanded her opportunities to hone her listening and speaking skills as well as learn more about Turkish culture.

鈥淭urks drink tea at least three times a day, often more, and I grew to really like that part of every day,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淲hile I don’t drink nearly as much tea as a Turk, and I don’t usually drink Turkish 莽ay [tea] here, starting a day with a hot cup of tea is something I will probably continue to do forever.鈥�

By Alicia O’Donnell 鈥�96

Hoffmann, an ag business major, and Hervey, a double major in political science and sociology, didn鈥檛 cross paths much as students at 香蕉视频, but struck up a friendship while attending law school together at the University of Nebraska鈥� Lincoln.

Despite their diverse academic backgrounds, the two share an undergraduate experience at 香蕉视频 that helped them define their motivations, and the areas open for those motivations to turn into job opportunities.

For Hoffmann, the fourth generation of a farm family, this looked like realizing how her passions for law and agriculture could work together.

鈥淚 always had an interest in law, and growing up on a farm I always loved agriculture. But after getting my ag business degree at 香蕉视频, I kind of saw our operation through that lens and knew I wanted to get my law degree,鈥� Hoffman said.

Hoffmann first practiced as an associate attorney at Bacon, Vinton & Venteicher Law Firm in Gothenburg, Nebraska. This role had a strong connection to agriculture and rural life, often dealing with estate planning, real estate contracts and economic development, which was a perfect fit at the time.

Hervey鈥檚 law career went in an entirely different direction, but one that is equally fulfilling for her. She currently works for Lindemeier Law office and also for Lincoln County as a public defender, primarily practicing family law.

While she is presented with a variety of cases, Hervey has really found her passion in juvenile law. Here, Hervey has the opportunity to work with clients under the age of 19 that are charged with a crime, as well as representing parents and children in child welfare cases.

鈥淧ersonally, I really enjoy the children’s welfare cases because I get to work one on one with the kids and I really get to know them. I see their environments, how they鈥檝e grown up and I help make a recommendation of what is in their best interest,鈥� Hervey said.

This wasn鈥檛 what Hervey always had in mind for her law career. Though she envisioned herself going to law school since she was an elementary school student, she always dreamed of being a prosecutor. It wasn鈥檛 until her last year of law school when she participated in the College of Law鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Justice Clinic that she realized practicing juvenile law was where she felt drawn.

鈥淚 wrestled with the decision to work for Lindemeier for a while, just because I had to be a public defender in this role and I had worked the prosecuting side of law for so long. But I thought it was a good challenge, and I got to work on cases I was passionate about. I鈥檓 really glad I decided to take the risk and try the other side of the criminal world.鈥�

In a recent turn of events, Hervey and Hoffmann will be working together at Lindemeier Law Office, as Hoffmann took a position at Lindemeier. Her passion for rural law remains, but she is looking forward to using her profession to help people through difficult circumstances, as well as the opportunity to work with her old friend.

鈥淚’ve done a complete 180 in my career. I’ll be working in criminal defense, juvenile law, and family law as well as continuing to do estate planning. I’m most excited for the opportunity to assist people who are possibly going through one of the worst times of their lives. It will be great working with a fellow HC grad. Tori will be a valuable resource in helping me learn about the new practice areas I’ll be working in,鈥� Hoffmann said.

Career paths change in college, and as Hoffmann shows, sometimes they continue to change throughout one鈥檚 professional life when one continues to follow their passion.

By Landry Hinkson ’23

A political science major, Caplinger鈥檚 ultimate goal is to go into the Foreign Service and work as a Foreign Service Officer. To gain related experience, she spent last summer in Washington, D.C. interning for Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon. At age 18 with only one year of college under her belt, this was an opportunity she never thought possible.

鈥淚 was actually doing some googling looking for cool opportunities and found this internship. I never thought I would actually get it, but that I might want to apply again in a couple of years and it would be useful to know what the application process was like,鈥� Caplinger said. 鈥淏ut then I was accepted, and I moved across the country to live on my own as an 18 year-old. It felt crazy.鈥�

Working for Bacon, Caplinger not only got to observe day-to-day life in a political office, but she also was able to get hands-on experience by doing tasks such as taking formal meeting notes, compiling research and comparing new and previous legislation.

Working in this setting allowed her to learn valuable skills she will be able to implement moving forward in her career and navigating similar professional settings. One big takeaway was finding the confidence to actively seek opportunities for involvement.

鈥淚 learned to be proactive even though sometimes that meant feeling like I was playing out of my league,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are some interns who just waited to be handed something to do, but that鈥檚 just not a good look professionally. Keeping track of up-coming meetings and then taking that first step to ask what kind of help or preparation is needed really goes a long way.鈥�

She was also able to expand her people skills through observing communication in different faucets.

鈥淎mericans are very informal, yet a hierarchy is still very present when working in politics. I did a lot of learning about how to be informal yet still show respect to my superiors. We also visited several dignitaries from foreign embassies and it was interesting to observe the ways in which those above me interacted with them,鈥� Caplinger said.

While Caplinger only finished her second year of college this spring, she plans on loading her schedule so she can graduate a year early. This means she has already started working on her Honors Program capstone, a research project related to a student鈥檚 field of study that all seniors complete as part of their required coursework.

For her capstone she plans to create a map that predicts and tracks human trafficking. This is a project she feels will translate nicely onto her professional resume as well as fitting into her own personal community service goals.

鈥淚deally I want to be able to tell users how much human trafficking is likely going on but also tell them the movement patterns of traffickers,鈥� she said. 鈥淚nformation like when traffickers are likely to move from different parts of the country, and potential large events that could be hotspots for traffickers are what I want to bring awareness to.鈥�

Caplinger has big aspirations for her future, with professional work and research experience to support her as she moves forward with her education. She plans to continue to take advantage of the opportunities that come her way as she begins her final year of college next fall.

By Landry Hinkson, a sophomore communication major from Bazaar, Kansas.

Savanah Ellis spent last summer in a basement.

Painting for more than 100 hours in that basement, she was able to complete a full room mural for the Axtell (Nebraska) First Presbyterian Church. Ellis, who just finished her junior year at 香蕉视频, was approached about this project by her brother and church pastor Logan Ellis, after the church received a grant from the Nebraska Presbyterian Foundation to use for community engagement.

The church decided to use these funds to transform their basement into a gathering place for its youth, complete with a full room mural encapsulating the natural world. When her brother began to envision what the mural would be, she had the idea of making each wall different, yet related. With nature as the ultimate theme, each wall became a separate scene, including the ocean, mountains, forest, sky and finally, a simple sketch of the Last Supper.

Once a plan was in place, it was time to get to work. Ellis, who is majoring in art and international relations, started painting in May 2021, and made it her goal to finish it by the start the fall. Over the summer she often spent 14 hours per day, painting in seclusion.

鈥淲hen I work, I like to try and finish things in one sitting, even when that means working 14 hours straight. There were a lot of times I wanted to stop and I just couldn鈥檛, that鈥檚 just not how my creativity works,鈥� Ellis said.

This isn鈥檛 the first time that she has devoted herself to a large-scale project. Ellis discovered her artistic talent at a young age, and spent many hours painting murals throughout her hometown of Beaver City, Nebraska, as a high school student. These murals were done in collaboration with another student artist; some of their projects include a mural of the famous Great Wave at the Beaver City pool and a mural of a barn and pumpkins at the local pumpkin patch.

Murals require lots of time and dedication from Ellis, but seeing the effect that the finished product of her art has on other people always makes it worthwhile.

鈥淧ainting on such a large scale is both mentally and physically taxing, so if I am going to do it, I am doing it for a purpose. Since spending so long in the church basement painting and working, I became sort of detached from its beauty. It has been so rewarding for me to watch others walk in and see the church basement,鈥� she said

Ellis was able to experience this first hand by incorporating her mural into her Honors Capstone project. She held an art show in the church鈥檚 social hall and invited members of the Axtell and 香蕉视频 community to attend. Entitled Sonder, the purpose of her show was for viewers to see the artistic and personal growth Ellis has endured since coming to college.

鈥淕rowing up in a small town you know everyone, and you believe there is a specific way to do things. But when I came to college, I realized there are so many people who have so many different experiences that are all special to them. I鈥檝e been thinking about this concept for awhile, and the progression of my work over the last few years really shows that.鈥�

This project has also been beneficial to Ellis鈥檚 future career aspirations. With plans to become museum art curator, her job would be to pick the art pieces that are exhibited in art shows. This is exactly what Ellis got to experience when putting together Sonder.

Ellis will be beginning her fourth and final year at Hastings next fall and plans to continue building her resume by participating in the Irish Fellows program during the fall semester. 香蕉视频 students will spend five weeks in Ireland pursuing research and service learning related to their chosen field of study. Ellis plans to spend her time in Ireland working on another mural.

鈥淩ight now I am tentatively planning sister murals, so a mural in Hastings and one in Ireland. Ideally each mural will be about the other place, to show the connection between the two places,鈥� she said.

The chance to bring different cultures together through her murals is an exciting opportunity to incorporate both of her passions of art and international relations into one work.

Looking to the future, Ellis said she鈥檚 excited to continue expanding her worldview and seeing that reflected in her art, a journey that grew during her time of learning and creating at 香蕉视频.

By Landry Hinkson, a sophomore communication major from Bazaar, Kansas.

After graduating from 香蕉视频, Teal had planned to be a professor and studied at Boston College for her Masters with hopes of going to Harvard for a Ph.D. But she became frustrated with academia because she noticed how closed off it was and she wanted to do more than write something for peer review.

鈥淗ere at Hastings, I was given the expectation that in order to do history, I needed to do something with it, I couldn鈥檛 just write something for other historians to read,” she said during a November 3 interview before speaking to 香蕉视频 students about the history of water in the west as a part of the 香蕉视频 Lecture Series Student Symposium.

She decided to forgo the Ph.D program and received another Masters in resource management at the University of Colorado at Denver.

Teal received degrees in history and political science, but she said she learned more in classes outside of her major classes that helped push her to her current career at Chatfield State Park in Colorado. 鈥淚t was Dr. Beechly鈥檚 natural history courses that, I believe, actually nudged me on to the path I鈥檓 on now,” she said.

Teal credits her ability to speak at a lecture to her time on the 香蕉视频 forensics team and her time in 香蕉视频 media.

鈥淛ust follow what feels good and don鈥檛 be afraid to try on what the college has to offer for size,鈥� said Teal. 鈥淵ou might be surprised at what fits, or at the very least you might have a fun time doing it.鈥�

This fall, Sisson started the second of three years of law school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 鈥� and was awarded a full-tuition scholarship based on academic performance and involvement in the program.

鈥淩eceiving a scholarship I didn鈥檛 even apply for was a real validation of the work I鈥檝e done and is beneficial to have going into my second year,鈥� said Sisson, who graduated from 香蕉视频 with a political science degree in 2019.

The opportunity to land the clerkship position this summer began during his first year in law school, Sisson attended an on-campus interview (OCI) event. OCIs happen at the beginning of the second semester each year, and Sisson submitted an application and got to the interview round, where he initially got reconnected with the Attorney General鈥檚 office and was hired.

While many interns had to work remotely this summer, the Omaha, Nebraska, native worked in the office because he needed access to the physical documents in case files. His clerkship duties were to assist attorneys with conducting legal research and writing as it pertained to their motions or briefs that came through the criminal appellate section.

Although Sisson was in the office, many of his coworkers were home. He was primarily alone in the office, and his physical interaction with people was minimal.

鈥淓ven though I lacked some of the face-to-face interaction with coworkers, I was able to learn and help out with the same things as I would have if we weren鈥檛 in a pandemic,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he office did a great job of giving me opportunities that allowed me to work on cases going straight to the Nebraska Court of Appeals and the Nebraska Supreme Court.鈥�

Through his clerkship, Sisson had the opportunity to apply the work he learned during his first year of law school. He utilized legal research and writing skills taught in the first year, and his position has helped him have more confidence going into his second year of law school.

Sisson is very involved in his law school program. He is a part of the Student Bar Association, the Federalist Society, a candidate member on the Nebraska Law Review, and much more. He said he got used to being so involved during his time at 香蕉视频.

At 香蕉视频, Sisson said he utilized every opportunity to join groups, organizations and even presumed leadership roles.

鈥溝憬妒悠� created a community that is so infectious that you want to be overly involved, so it was no question that I would join several organizations in law school,鈥� he said.

Sisson said the political science faculty and pre-law advisors at 香蕉视频 were intentional in creating a beneficial learning environment.

Sisson said Dr. Bob Amyot, 香蕉视频 professor of political science, helped him tackle extensive readings, summarize and put his thoughts into articulate writing that achieves results.

鈥淭he three political science majors in my class all went to law school. It鈥檚 a testament to the professors who took the initiative to tailor our learning experience to dive into things that would be beneficial for our future,鈥� he said.

By Courtney Hanson, a senior from Brookings, South Dakota, majoring in communication studies and philosophy and religion

Brudy鈥檚 paper, 鈥淐hildren with Congenital Heart Disease Are Active but Need to Keep Moving: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Wrist-Worn Physical Activity Trackers,” looked into whether patients with CHD collect less physical activity in terms of daily steps and active minutes than other, healthy individuals.

In the past, he said, research done on children with CHD was focused on survival of the patients, however, the focus has shifted to prevention and health promotion. In the past 20 years, research has found importance in studying the benefits of physical activity for patients with CHD.

鈥淲e know physical activity helps with general well-being, and my research tries to find out how physically active CHD patients are, to determine whether or not an intervention is needed,鈥� he said.

The findings in the study, which had seven co-authors, showed that a majority of children with CHD were sufficiently active considering compared to healthy peers 鈥� although physical activity needs to be promoted to those who may be overweight or with complex CHD severity.

The Appenweier, Germany, native pursued his masters at the Technical University Munich, studying health science with an emphasis on prevention and health promotion.

鈥淎longside athletic performance, I was interested in learning the science behind the human body and how to use it for an advantage on the field,鈥� he said, but during that time, he was invited to work alongside the chair of Preventive Pediatrics as a scientific student assistant.

The chair had close cooperation with the Outpatient Clinic for Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Defects of the German Heart Center Munich. Brudy had the opportunity to help with a research project on cardiovascular risk in adults with congenital heart disease.

In 2018, after graduating from his master鈥檚 program, Brudy鈥檚 work inspired him to continue with a Ph.D. studying Physical Activity Behavior in Patients with CHD.

鈥淎fter finishing, I thought about getting a doctorate, and when the opportunity opened to continue studying on the work I did in my master鈥檚 program, it felt like the perfect fit,鈥� he said.

Brudy said his 香蕉视频 professors prepared him for his post-undergraduate studies. As a political science major, he took many classes with professors of political science.

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 always fun to keep up with all the readings and work on seemingly endless literature research, but when I continued to graduate school, I was well prepared by what I had learned at 香蕉视频,鈥� he said.

In addition to Brudy, authors on the paper were Julia Hock, Anna-Luisa Hacker, Michael Meyer, Renate Oberhoffer, Alfred Hager, Peter Ewert, and Jan Muller.

By Courtney Hanson, a junior from Brookings, South Dakota, majoring in communication studies and philosophy and religion

The quotation is especially apt given the 2006 香蕉视频 graduate鈥檚 recent appointment as director of communications and program development for Holland Children鈥檚 Institute and Holland Children鈥檚 Movement of Omaha. Established by the late Richard Holland in 2013, the nonprofits strive to create in Nebraska a national beacon for economic security and opportunity for children and families.

鈥淩ichard Holland was a beloved philanthropist in Omaha and Nebraska who cared very deeply for children and families, especially the ability of families to access the 鈥榞ood life鈥� in Nebraska no matter their socioeconomic status,鈥� said Denkovich, a political science and psychology graduate.

The Holland Children鈥檚 Institute facilitates research and analysis related to income disparities and equitable access for Nebraska children and families. The Holland Children鈥檚 Movement works to ensure Nebraska children and families are prioritized in budget and policy decisions through advocacy, public engagement and collaboration.

鈥淐reating safe, healthy and economically-secure spaces for Nebraska鈥檚 children and families is my calling,鈥� said Denkovich, who earned a master鈥檚 degree in public administration, with an emphasis in nonprofit management, from the University of Nebraska鈥揙maha. 鈥淲hen they called me about this position, I just knew it was the right fit.鈥�

Denkovich oversees all communications for the Holland organizations while cultivating donors, writing grant proposals, developing collaborative programs with other Omaha nonprofits and cultivating story banks on issues such as paid family and medical leave, tipped minimum wage and other politically-salient policy ideas. Denkovich and other staff also assist in the writing of public opinion polls for the nonpartisan Institute, which engages third-party firms to conduct scientific polling of Nebraska residents. The staff is currently drafting the Nebraska Voters Outlook Poll for 2019 to gauge public opinion and identify socially-relevant issues for Nebraska鈥檚 children and families.

Typically, poll results show that most Nebraskans are committed to equal opportunities for all children and families, even if it means a higher tax bill, Denkovich said.

鈥淔or example, our most recent study shows that a clear majority of Nebraskans (58%) believe state government underfunds public education and that our children are not a priority, while the same poll reflects that a clear majority of Nebraskans (58%) believe that the state prioritizes tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations,鈥� Denkovich said.

Denkovich believes that early intervention, especially for at-risk children, is key to developing capable, self-confident adults for Nebraska鈥檚 future. That means a legislature that fully funds public education and programs that help under-resourced families plan for post-high school, whether that be college, trade school or immediate workforce entry, as well as electing lawmakers who support child- and family-friendly legislation.

鈥淲e need investment on the front end. We have the ability to do that, we鈥檙e just not doing enough,鈥� Denkovich said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important that we spend that money on the front end because we know it returns dividends on the back end. We need to set children up for success with early childhood development because every dollar we invest, we see that return several times over later in life.鈥�

Advocating for the marginalized, advancing public health

In 2018, the Omaha Jaycees honored Denkovich as one of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans who improve the Omaha community through selfless acts of kindness while excelling in their careers.

Beyond professional commitments, Denkovich serves on the national advisory council for GLSEN, an anti-bullying organization that seeks to create safe, healthy and inclusive school communities for all students, and co-chairs the Mayor鈥檚 LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. Denkovich also volunteers with Young Jewish Omaha and serves on the governance council of Nebraska鈥檚 Institute for Holocaust Education.

Before joining the Holland organizations this year, Denkovich was for three years program coordinator at Heartland Family Service of Omaha, facilitating the Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition, a tobacco prevention and control program funded by million dollar-plus state grants. The job involved coordinating the work of 11 staff across five different subcontracting agencies in Douglas County, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center and American Lung Association.

鈥淚t taught me a lot. It was really baptism by fire in many ways,鈥� Denkovich said. 鈥淲ith that position, I oversaw everything from daily operations to staff management, event planning and board development as well as grant writing and reporting. It was a great run, and I found an even greater passion for public health.鈥�

Nonprofit skills honed at 香蕉视频

In the first semester at 香蕉视频, Denkovich was miserable and lonely, even calling his parents in Lincoln and asking to come home.

鈥淚 was really struggling my first semester. I felt overwhelmed,鈥� Denkovich said.
Finding fortitude, Denkovich ventured out of Weyer Hall and joined several campus organizations. The Student Senate. Peer Umbrella Network. Alliance. Artist Lecture Series. Student Health Advisory Council. Dorm Council. Co-founded Team Against Bias. And, eventually was named to Psi Chi and Omicron Delta Kappa honoraries. The list goes on.

Denkovich graduated four years later with networks of supportive friends and mentors, selection to Who鈥檚 Who as a campus leader and a passion for serving marginalized and vulnerable communities.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I really developed a love for nonprofit and organizational work,鈥� Denkovich said. 鈥淢y campus involvement pushed me out of my comfort zone and into the work. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. 香蕉视频 is where I became more myself.鈥�

Now an influential young leader in Omaha, Denkovich promotes 香蕉视频 at every opportunity. After visiting the offices of a Holland Heroes honoree who focuses on at-risk youth and noticing Hastings was missing from a set of college pennants hanging on the wall, the dedicated graduate called the alumni office and made sure the college was represented.

“I thought, these youth have to know about 香蕉视频,” Denkovich said. “Some of them are learning for the first time it’s possible to attend college. Many of them are imagining what it’s like to explore New York City or see the ocean from the coast of California. Many have never traveled outside Omaha. While curiosity about the wider world is important, we want to retain that young talent in Nebraska. We want to show that all things are possible right here. They don’t know what they’re missing if they don’t at least visit 香蕉视频. Sometimes that jewel is right in front of you, but you miss it if you’re in a rush to leave!”

By Judee Konen 鈥�85, Associate Vice President for College Advancement