Alex Business & Broadcasting · Jefferson, South Dakota
Alex is from South Dakota, but he’s been a Husker fan his whole life. His mother forced him to even consider other colleges, but he always knew exactly where he’d go. In fact, he loves NEBRASKA so much that he spends his time being as involved as humanly possible. He works with admissions, has been a campus host since freshman year, has been on the board of directors for the student alumni association for three years, is a part of the Iron N student group, was nominated for homecoming royalty and just wrapped up his role as a New Student Enrollment leader. It’s no surprise that his mantra is “stay away from your dorm room.” Alex also gives recruiting tours for football on game days, and one of his dreams is to coach Husker football. There’s no doubt that Alex is a lot like other students with his love for our school and sports, but he is unique in his extreme involvement and passion for people. He tries to average three to five new friends a week, and if you see him on campus, definitely say hello.
Read all student storiesAbla Assistant Professor of Practice of Arabic Language and Culture · Syria
As a hijabi Muslim woman in the middle of the United States, Abla really hasn't felt much different. She and her family have been graciously welcomed into the hearts, homes, churches and temples of the Lincoln community. Being away from Syria for 10 years, she's still surprised when people go out of their way to greet her with "salam alycom," which means "hi" in Arabic, or more specifically, "peace be with you." Efforts as small as these speak volumes to her. Half of her 10 years in Nebraska have been spent teaching at the university. She absolutely loves it, and she created a minor in Arabic studies that offers students three years of language and a new cultural experience. A couple of her courses are Love and Sexuality in the History of Arabic Culture and Women in the Qur'an, bringing Arabic culture to the classroom through media, authentic videos, poetry, music, dancing and food.
Charlie Director of OASIS · Tuscaloosa, Alabama
From the moment she wakes up in the morning until she goes to sleep, Charlie Foster is focusing on diversity and inclusion at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For 15 years, Charlie worked as a counselor for Nebraska's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) where she focused on helping underrepresented students on-campus. Charlie now holds the position of Director of the Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services and the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center. Her role focuses on serving others and giving every member on campus a voice, something she's had a passion for since elementary school. Whether it be helping others with their mental health journeys or providing students with resources to get them through school, Charlie said she wants to be the person she needed when she was younger. In her family, Charlie was a first-generation college student. Throughout her college experience, she said she needed a role model to tell her she could make it and was worthy of the life she wanted for herself. Often times, students who are looking for help just need someone to advocate for them. To further inspire students at Nebraska, she tells them to "go be amazing," something she believes every students needs to hear throughout this chapter. Her mission on campus is to see students succeed, even if they've doubted themselves in the past.
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