Rob & Zach
Management · Elkhorn, NE & Leawood, KS
Shortly after meeting in the College of Business, Zach and Rob’s entrepreneurial spirits brought them together—both in friendship and business. It didn’t take long before a casual phone call turned into an exciting new venture: launching Big Red Fan Club.
Zach and Rob met when they were selected for the Clifton Builders Program, which supports students who aspire to change the world by building new businesses and communities through their leadership. With a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on, real-world projects with local businesses, the program has offered Zach and Rob some of their most valuable business experiences.
“The first project we did was a start-up competition for who could generate the most revenue selling to the community. There aren’t many opportunities like that and that’s why the Clifton Builders Program is second to none,” said Zach.
Through Clifton Builders and campus RSOs like Husker Venture Club and Big Red Investment Club, Zach and Rob built the network and skills to launch Big Red Fan Club in the new era of NIL endorsements. The company connects Husker fans with student-athletes through exclusive experiences, player generated content and behind-the-scenes action while giving athletes the opportunity to build their brand and earn money off the field.
Zach and Rob’s experience building their start-up hasn’t been without hard work, challenges and sacrifices—but they’re proud of the early success they’ve experienced. And they encourage students to take advantage of university resources and to take chances on themselves and their aspirations in and out of the classroom.
“Now is the time to take action. You can read books about entrepreneurship but will never become one until you try something,” said Rob. “You’ve got to go for it and not be afraid of failing, because that’s where you learn all your lessons. No one has created something successfully without hiccups.”
Rick Alloway
Associate Professor of Broadcasting
From vinyls and cassette tapes to CDs and streaming services, 90.3 KRNU has seen it all.
The campus radio station has been a fixture at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications since 1970. Back then it was housed in Nebraska Hall and could only be heard in residence halls through the campus electrical system. Now, KRNU has a full-service radio space in Andersen Hall that can be heard on the radio and on two online stations.
Professor Rick Alloway’s voice aired on 90.3 KRNU for the first time in 1973. He was a first-year student looking for experience in broadcasting and was given the chance to do that right away through the College of Journalism & Mass Communications.
“It's a testimony to the fact that the college has always felt very strongly about letting you do right away what it is that you came here to do,” Rick said. “It's that hands-on from day one kind of attitude that we've always had.”
After graduating from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and working for a few years, he eventually found his way back to KRNU in 1986. Since then, Rick has seen thousands of students try on the KRNU headphones and get behind the microphone. He’s also led the station through format changes — from playing Top 40 hits, to becoming an independent music station, to expanding the station’s life coverage of sports to the web.
KRNU has endured through decades of world-changing events, but it never operated through a pandemic until this year. While student broadcasts stopped in March 2020, Rick and the KRNU team created safety measures that allowed students to return to the studio last fall. Some students were even able to remotely cover their shifts from home, which allowed the college and the students to learn a new set of broadcasting skills.
After adapting to a year full of change, UNL’s standalone student radio station will be back to broadcasting student voices full-time this fall. Whether they’re in the studio or at home, Huskers will be contributing to a 51-year Husker tradition.
Mikki
Assistant Director of Professional & Life Skills
As a mother who can’t help but put herself in others’ shoes, Mikki is a passionate—and impactful—advisor, mentor and friend to international students at UNL.
“Thinking about sending my own kids to another country for four years—to study, live and engage with another culture and language without having family nearby—I put myself in the shoes of the students and their parents and think, ’How in the world could you navigate all this?’”
This empathy has led Mikki to be an advisor to the Rwandan Student Association and Business International Student Association, affirming and addressing the issues they face while also helping them make connections around campus and in the community.
“I really want to be there to support international students and am honored when they talk to me about their experiences,” says Mikki.
Going further, Mikki developed a seminar in the College of Business for international students that offers language support, one-on-one tutoring, academic guidance and networking opportunities.
“Language barriers can affect many things in your day-to-day life: your education, your ability to interact in the classroom, comprehend the material, and study,” Mikki explains. “It’s very layered.”
They also result in another common challenge for international students: connecting with their American classmates.
“A lot of students have high hopes about making American friends; many people are very friendly here, but it can be hard to cross those cultural divides and really find things in common.”
Mikki challenges domestic students to be more intentional about including international students across campus.
“As students come into your classes and dorms, make the effort to sit and listen to them, ask questions, and be curious—it makes a huge difference,” she says.
“It takes work to develop a friendship no matter where you’re from. My role is advocating for international students to have the strength and courage to keep trying.”
Sean
Mechanical Engineering · Lincoln, Nebraska
How, exactly, do you ship a robot to space? As Sean learned first-hand last summer, you do it very, very carefully.
Interning for Nebraska Engineering faculty Shane Farritor’s Virtual Incision lab last summer, Sean suddenly found himself preparing one of Virtual Incision’s surgical robots for its maiden voyage to the International Space Station. Launched into space for its 250-mile journey on Tuesday, the hope is that these robots can one day be used to perform surgery remotely from Earth.
For any of that to be possible, the first test robot needs to arrive at the station intact.
“I mostly worked on the hardware to get it up to the station and perform the experiment where the robot cuts rubber bands in its workspace, simulating surgery,” Sean explains. “I basically helped with the equipment that supports the robot.”
While a “locker” sounds simple enough, the process of ensuring the robot makes the journey safely — and is safe for astronauts to unpack once it gets there — requires a staggering amount of detail.
“We created an early version just for simulating vibrations that the robot will experience during launch,” says Sean. “We also used lots of protective measures, working with NASA to prevent safety hazards like electrical fires or structural failures causing injury.”
Sean, who graduated in December and now works full-time at Virtual Incision, will be anxiously awaiting the results of the robot’s journey.
“It's definitely a little nerve-wracking; it’ll be a week or two later until we know for sure, but I'm really excited.”
And for someone who’s worked on a project soaring so high, Sean stays grounded about the experience.
"It’s a privilege, right?” Sean says. “It’s just an honor, so you have to just keep your head down, try your best and work hard on what needs to get done.”