124 UNMC Medical Students Learn Residency Assignments on Match Day
A total of 124 senior medical students at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, learned about their residency assignments March 20 during an event at the Omaha Design Center. The 2026 Main Residency Match® — referred to as Match Day — is an annual rite of passage for medical students, a day when students across the country learn where they will train for the next three to seven years, depending on the medical area of their choice. Students are matched through a computer program to align their preferences for residency programs to fill the thousands of training positions available at U.S. teaching hospitals.
Thirty-four percent of UNMC medical students are staying in Nebraska for their training, with 31% at UNMC. Fifty-three percent matched in primary care, which includes family medicine, internal medicine, internal medicine/pediatrics, medicine-preliminary, medicine-psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.
Nationally, there were 44,344 residency positions.
The UNMC medical students, slated to graduate in May, are listed below by their hometown, name, specialty, and location of residency assignment. Some students have chosen not to have their names and match results released to the public. The hometowns listed are Nebraska communities unless otherwise stated.
Alliance: Sophia Isabelle Sánchez, emergency medicine, HealthPartners Institute, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Bridgeport: Emily Baxter, internal medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine; Kaitlyn A. Nein, pediatrics, UNMC, Omaha, Nebraska.
Scottsbluff: Alisha Huynh, pathology-anatomic and clinical, UNMC, Omaha, Nebraska; Taylor C. York, internal medicine, UNMC, Omaha, Nebraska.
Rising Sophomore ceremony honors students
By College Relations
Rising Sophomores at Chadron State College were honored with awards for their academic majors and outstanding contributions in extracurricular activities during an annual ceremony April 15. The ceremony, now in its 11th year, recognizes current CSC freshmen who have been nominated by CSC employees and students for their achievements during their first year at CSC.
Dean of Student Austen Stephens was the keynote speaker for the event.
Outstanding students from their respective academic programs:
Psychological Sciences
Miah Peters-Marsteller of Alliance, Neb., Psychology
UNK degrees for 739 to be Conferred at Friday Spring Commencement.
Graduate and undergraduate degrees will be conferred for 739 spring graduates at University of Nebraska at Kearney commencement exercises 10 a.m. Friday (May 8) at UNK’s Health and Sports Center.
Candidates for degrees are listed below in three groups: graduates from Nebraska, graduates from across the United States and international graduates.
Students graduating with honors have the honors noted after their names. Honors, along with grade-point averages necessary to earn those honors, include: summa cum laude, 3.90-4.00; magna cum laude, 3.80-3.89; cum laude, 3.70-3.79; and honorable mention, 3.50-3.69.
Alliance Brooklyn Rose Branstiter BSED Communication Disorders Summa Cum Laude Alliance Sydnie Marcella Jeffrey MAE School Principalship 7-12
Alliance Jayden David McCracken BS Exercise Science Honorable Mention
Alliance Aiden Kyle Zaro BM Music Education PK-12 Honorable Mention
Peru State College Announces Selection of Students for Fall 2026 Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP)
Peru State College is excited to announce that twelve students have been accepted into the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) for 2026. The RHOP program is designed for students from rural backgrounds who have a strong desire to pursue careers in healthcare while ultimately serving rural communities.
RHOP is a cooperative program between Peru State College and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). The purpose of the program is to recruit and educate students from rural communities who plan to return to rural areas to practice. Students accepted into the highly selective program receive a full tuition waiver from Peru State College. Those who successfully meet all RHOP program requirements and complete their pre-professional curriculum are guaranteed admission to UNMC to continue their studies.
“Peru State College is committed to preparing the rural health workforce in Nebraska,” said Paul Hinrichs, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “With programs like the RHOP guaranteed admission pathway programs for rural residents, Peru State is playing a vital role in developing healthcare providers who will improve access to quality healthcare in rural communities throughout the state.”
Richard Clopton, RHOP Coordinator, shared the following statement: “I conducted interviews with all of these candidates in collaboration with our partner programs at UNMC. I can assure you that this group of students is highly talented, committed, and capable as much as any in the nation. They represent the future of healthcare in Nebraska, and the future looks bright.”
Peru State College has been allocated seats in the following programs at UNMC: two in Dental Hygiene, two in Dentistry, four in Nursing, three in Medical Laboratory Science, two in Occupational Therapy, three in Pharmacy, three in Physician Assistant, two in Physical Therapy, three in Public Health, and two in Radiography.
The 2026 RHOP Program recipients include:
Maci Cornish (Alliance High School) – Nursing
Spring Commencement includes Associate and Specialist degrees
By College Relations
Chadron State College’s Spring Commencement on Saturday will honor 29 Associate of General Studies degree recipients, 52 candidates for master’s degrees, 188 candidates for bachelor’s degrees, and one specialist degree candidate. The combined ceremony begins at 10 a.m. in the Chicoine Center.
The speaker will be Chadron native Shawn Banzhaf, Executive Director of the Pat Tillman Veterans Center at Arizona State University. His team of 20 staff and more than 70 Veterans Administration work study employees provide services to more than 20,000 military-connected learners. He became the director in 2022 after starting as a volunteer and military advocate.
The ceremony can also be seen online.
CSC is participating in ReEngage Nebraska, a grant-funded program designed to reconnect adult learners who have paused their education and provide them with a clear, supportive pathway back to college to pursue a degree. As part of this effort, the Nebraska State College System received approval from the Coordinating Commission Post-Secondary Education to award an Associate of General Studies (AGS) degree to eligible students.
Following is the list of students expected to graduate, by degree. Hometowns listed are those on file for the students. Honor graduates are designated by asterisks.
Associate of General Studies Degrees
Alliance: Efrain Gallegos, Abbagale Serl
Bachelor of Arts
Alliance: Nikki Haller, Desirae Rebillet, Isaac Weems***
Bachelor of Science in Education
Hemingford: Landrie Nelson
Master of Arts in Education
Alliance: Gracie Johnson
Local Candidates for Graduation from Chadron State College
Chadron State College’s Spring Commencement on Saturday honored 29 Associate of General Studies degree recipients, 52 candidates for master’s degrees, 188 candidates for bachelor’s degrees, and one specialist degree candidate. The combined ceremony begins at 10 a.m. in the Chicoine Center.
The speaker was Chadron native Shawn Banzhaf, Executive Director of the Pat Tillman Veterans Center at Arizona State University. His team of 20 staff and more than 70 Veterans Administration work study employees provide services to more than 20,000 military-connected learners. He became the director in 2022 after starting as a volunteer and military advocate. See more details at: https://www.csc.edu/news/2026/banzhaf-returns-to-alma-mater-as-commencement-speaker.html
CSC is participating in ReEngage Nebraska, a grant-funded program designed to reconnect adult learners who have paused their education and provide them with a clear, supportive pathway back to college to pursue a degree. As part of this effort, the Nebraska State College System received approval from the Coordinating Commission Post-Secondary Education to award an Associate of General Studies (AGS) degree to eligible students.
Following is the list of students expected to graduate, by degree. Hometowns listed are those on file for the students. Honor graduates are as follows: summa cum laude: 3.9-4.0 GPA; magna cum laude: 3.75-3.89 GPA; and cum laude: 3.6-3.74 GPA.
Alliance, Neb.
Efrain Gallegos, Associate of General Studies
Nikki Haller, Bachelor of Arts
Gracie Johnson, Master of Arts in Education
Desirae Rebillet, Bachelor of Arts
Abbagale Serl, Associate of General Studies
Isaac Weems, Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude
Hemingford, Neb.
Landrie Nelson, Bachelor of Science in Education
Ivy Day Ceremony Honors Students
By COLLEGE RELATIONS
Graduating Chadron State College seniors were honored Friday during Ivy Day, a traditional event since 1920, sponsored by the Blue Key and Cardinal Key national honor societies.
Ivy Day royalty elected by the student body includes the Queen, Kiauna Hargens of Parkston, S.D., and attendants, Paige Pritchard of Sidney, Neb., Sydney Roberts of Osceola, Neb., Taya Berry of Lexington, Neb., and Sierra Hicks of Paxton, Neb.
The King is Dawson Ohrt of Henderson, Neb. Attendants include Sean Graff of Gothenburg, Neb., Caden Keller of Scottsbluff, Neb., Tyler Ring of Norris, S.D., and Brenner McLaughlin of Hebron, Neb.
Art Professor and Department Chair Mary Donahue delivered the faculty greeting, while Berry and Ohrt spoke on behalf of Cardinal Key and Blue Key, respectively.
The Platinum Eagle winners were Tianna Martin of Kearney, Nebraska, and Ohrt. The award, considered the highest honor a CSC student can receive, is presented annually to one male and one female for distinguished leadership and service. Runners-up were Mekenna Fisher of Hershey, Nebraska, and Ring.
The students crowned as royalty and the Platinum Eagle recipients were just some of the outstanding graduates who received accolades. Many students were recognized for their accomplishments by their academic departments, as well as those who will graduate Saturday with honors.
(May 2026 and December 2025 graduates are included)
Hometown listed is provided by the student.
Summa Cum Laude
Alliance: Isaac Weems
Academic Departmental Awards
Alliance: Isaac Weems, Psychological Sciences
Hastings College Honors 140th Graduating Class
Hastings College held its 140th Commencement on Saturday, May 9, 2026, awarding degrees to 190 undergraduates and seven Master of Arts in Teaching graduates. Graduates represented 21 states and nine countries.
Photos, which are free to download, and video of Commencement and College’s Baccalaureate service are available at hastings.edu/commencement.
The student speaker was graduating senior Bri Narick, an English major from Bellevue, Nebraska.
All degrees are bachelors degrees unless noted.
Alliance, Nebraska
Mikayla Ann Seebohm, Secondary Education, English Language Arts Education
Nebraska awards record 3,885 degrees in May ceremonies
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln conferred a record 3,885 degrees during commencement exercises May 8-9.
The 3,762 graduates – also a record – are from 61 countries; 45 U.S. states and the District of Columbia; and 230-plus Nebraska communities.
A ceremony for students earning graduate and professional degrees took place May 8 at Pinnacle Bank Arena; and two ceremonies for undergraduates were May 9 at the arena. A ceremony for College of Law graduates occurred May 9 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Interim Chancellor Katherine S. Ankerson presided over the ceremonies.
Following is a list of area graduates, listed alphabetically by hometown, with their college(s) and degree(s).
Alliance: Emma G. Freeze, College of Arts and Sciences, Bachelor of Arts.
Alliance: Chloe Faith Mann, College of Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
Alliance: Cyanne Voigt, College of Business, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Hemingford: Alysen Kay Turek, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Animal Science.
For the full list of May graduates, visit https://go.unl.edu/grads-may26.
UNK announces dean’s list for 2026 spring semester
The University of Nebraska at Kearney announced students who earned a place on the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester.
Students who are on the dean’s list must have completed 12 credit hours or more of classes with a 3.5 grade-point average or better on a 4.0 scale. Students earn a 4.0 for an “A,” 3.0 for a “B” and 2.0 for a “C.”
Courses taken on a credit/no credit basis – such as internships and student teaching – aren’t included among the necessary 12 credits.
Students who earned a place on the dean’s list are listed by hometown, with students from Nebraska listed first.
Alliance
Avery Lynn Goscha
Jayden David McCracken
Kaigan McBride
NCTA Dean’s List and Honor Roll Celebrate Academic Success
by Interim Executive Director Kelly Bruns, Ph.D.
Recognizing academic excellence is one of the highlights of each semester at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Earning Dean’s List or Honor Roll distinction reflects the dedication students bring to their education. This semester, 56 students achieved distinction, including 23 students named to the Dean’s List with a perfect 4.0 grade point average and 33 Honor Roll students with a GPA range of 3.50-3.99
The list includes 36 Nebraska students and 20 students from across the nation. Colorado and Kansas were strongly represented, along with students from Iowa, California, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Many honorees also came from communities near Curtis, including McCook, North Platte, Paxton, Wallace, Grant, Overton, and more, as well as neighboring communities in Colorado and Kansas. Their hometowns reflect NCTA’s continued role in supporting the land-grant mission by expanding access to hands-on agricultural and veterinary education for students from rural communities across Nebraska and beyond.
We congratulate these students for their hard work, determination, and commitment to academic success.
Honor Roll (3.50-3.99 GPA)
Hemingford, NE – Kyra Jespersen
Hastings College announces spring 2026 Dean’s List
Hastings College has announced the Dean’s List for its spring 2026 semester. For the semester, 327 students from 21 states and 8 countries were named to the Dean’s List.
To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must achieve a grade point average of 3.7 to 4.0 scale and be registered for full-time coursework.
Students are listed alphabetically by state and hometown.
Students with an asterisk by their name earned a 4.0 grade point average for the semester.
HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME
Alliance, NE
Kasey Jensen*
Mikayla Seebohm*
Ayvrie Waldron*
Chadron State College Announces President’s List
Chadron State College has announced the undergraduate students on the Spring 2026 President’s List. The President’s List consists of students with a 4.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
To qualify for the list, students must be enrolled in 12 credit hours of coursework, pursuing their first bachelor’s degree, and have no incomplete grades during the semester. Cities, states, and countries listed are provided by the students.
Alliance: Sonya Behrends, Krish Chaudhari, Jennifer Foults, Maycee Garcia, Bayleigh McCracken, Kaytlin Norris, Miah Peters- Marsteller, Carlie Schneider, Taylee Thompson, and Isaac Weems.
Hemingford: Boady Hunter.
Chadron State College Announces Dean’s List
Chadron State College has announced the undergraduate students on the Spring 2026 Dean’s List. Students met the requirements for the Dean’s List by earning at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average.
To qualify for the list, students must be enrolled in 12 credit hours of coursework, pursuing their first bachelor’s degree, and have no incomplete grades during the semester. Cities, states, and countries listed are provided by the students.
Alliance: Jackson Bailey, Jaelynne Clarke, Nikki Haller, Carter Haskell, and Nolan Nagaki.
Hemingford: Yohan Bae.
NWU Students Named to Spring 2026 Semester Academic Honors List
Nebraska Wesleyan University has announced its 2026 spring semester academic honors list recognizing undergraduate students with superior academic performance.
Students earning at least a 3.75 semester grade point average while completing a full-time course load of at least 12 credit hours of graded work are eligible for consideration.
The following students were recognized with this honor for the spring semester:
Hemingford: Cody Galles.
21 Students Selected for Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program Cohort
Twenty-one students from across the Cornhusker State have been selected for the newest cohort of the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program, a highly competitive University of Nebraska–Lincoln initiative designed to address the state’s shortage of food animal veterinarians.
The program, a partnership with the State of Nebraska, supports students pursuing careers in production animal veterinary medicine and aims to strengthen veterinary services in rural communities across the state.
Nebraska’s livestock industry contributes billions of dollars annually to the state’s economy and remains a cornerstone of rural communities. Veterinarians play a critical role in maintaining animal health, supporting food security, responding to disease concerns and advancing the long-term sustainability of animal agriculture.
“Nebraska agriculture and rural communities depend on strong veterinary leadership,” said Tom Burkey, interim dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. “Programs like Elite 11 help us invest in talented students who are passionate about animal health, food systems and serving communities across Nebraska. These students represent the future of veterinary medicine in our state.”
The following students, listed alphabetically by hometown, were selected for the newest cohort of the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program:
Alliance: Ryggin Meyer
Students selected for the program receive the Nebraska Production Animal Health Scholarship, which supports tuition during their undergraduate studies in CASNR. Students who continue through the program and are selected for the Elite 11 ultimately receive support while completing the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine, a cooperative program between the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
The program is designed to reduce the financial burden of veterinary education for Nebraska students who commit to practicing production animal veterinary medicine in the state following graduation.
In addition to scholarship support, students participate in professional development, mentorship opportunities and networking experiences designed to prepare them for careers serving Nebraska’s livestock industry and rural communities.
The Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program reflects the university’s broader commitment to workforce development, agricultural leadership and supporting the long-term success of Nebraska animal agriculture.