Cindy and Mick McCaffrey have made a $4 million gift to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications to establish the McCaffrey Student Success Fund, a permanent endowment supporting student workers across the college.
The gift is rooted in their shared belief in the power of education and the value of hard work. As college students, both relied on campus jobs to pay their way. Cindy worked early mornings in the cafeteria, wrote for the Daily Nebraskan and interned at the Omaha World-Herald. Mick played basketball at Oklahoma State on a scholarship and picked up odd jobs on campus.
“When I was a student at Nebraska, working on campus was essential in helping me afford my education,” Cindy said. “Student employment kept me grounded, connected, focused and gave me hands-on experience that directly shaped my career. Mick and I know how powerful that kind of support can be. We want today’s students to have those same chances: to learn by doing, earn a paycheck, and understand that their contributions matter.”
Cindy graduated from the college in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. After starting her career as a newspaper reporter, she moved into technology-focused communications roles at Apple, E*TRADE and 3DO. In 1999, she joined Google as one of its earliest employees and served as vice president of corporate marketing. She helped shape the company’s global brand and stepped down following its IPO in 2005.
Mick earned a degree in marketing from Oklahoma State in 1975. After holding sales positions in the Midwest, he shifted to technology roles in California. He worked in engineering and quality assurance for Yahoo and other emerging software companies. While Cindy focused on communications, Mick built his career on the technical side of Silicon Valley’s growing tech sector.
“It feels incredibly meaningful to come full circle,” Cindy said. “To go from being a student worker who needed that job to someone who can now help make those jobs possible. It’s a privilege to contribute to the success of both students and the college community as a whole.”
Cindy chose Nebraska because it had a strong journalism program and was affordable through student employment. She said she remains amazed by how much the college has evolved.
“I’m a little jealous, honestly,” she said. “We didn’t have opportunities like Experience Lab or an in-house ad agency. The students today are getting real-world experience year-round, and that kind of preparation is invaluable.”
This is not the McCaffreys’ first investment in student success. In 2013, Cindy established the McCaffrey Emerging Media Scholarship to support students studying journalism and technology. The scholarship continues to support students with a secondary major or minor in a tech-related field.
In the summer of 2024, the University of Nebraska Foundation reached out with a growing concern. Following several years of university-wide budget cuts, the college was losing funding for student jobs. Without help, students would no longer be able to support operations at 90.3 KRNU, manage the equipment room, greet visitors, support faculty or help fellow students succeed in foundational courses. For many, it would mean losing their only source of income.
The McCaffreys responded immediately with a $145,000 gift to sustain student positions for the 2024–2025 academic year. That one-time gift supported 66 student workers, helping them stay enrolled, pay rent and feel like they mattered.
“My part-time position as a peer mentor provided me not only with invaluable professional experience, but also with the financial means to support my college journey,” said student worker Macy Neumeister. “It eased the burden of tuition fees and living expenses, allowing me to focus more on my studies and less on financial stress.”
Over the following year, the college stayed in close contact with the McCaffreys, sharing stories about the students their gift had helped. In summer 2025, Jane T. Olson Dean Shari Veil visited Cindy in California to continue the conversation. Soon after, Cindy and Mick committed to a $4 million endowment to fund student jobs in perpetuity.
“This is a gift that invests in people and potential,” Veil said. “Cindy and Mick are helping students stay in school, grow professionally and thrive as part of our community.”
The McCaffrey Student Success Fund will support roles that put students at the center of college life: mentoring first-year peers, leading campus tours, supporting classroom instruction, staffing the front desk and assisting with software and equipment in the design labs. These jobs offer purpose, structure and hands-on experience that shapes how students show up in class and in their careers.
Cindy said she hopes the fund helps students prepare for life beyond graduation.
“We hope it will help students stay enrolled, reduce financial stress and allow them to focus more on learning and less on how they’ll pay next month’s bills,” she said. “But beyond that, it gives them purpose, and creates space for discovery, connection and growth. I know from experience that these jobs help build the confidence and professional skills that students will carry forward in their lives and careers.”
The McCaffreys’ gift also supports Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, the university’s current fundraising initiative focused on expanding access and student success. Their gift supports one of the campaign’s top goals: keeping a Nebraska education affordable and impactful.
“These part-time positions are more than just jobs. They foster meaningful connections and contribute to the vibrant college community,” said Katie Lockyear, communication design student worker.
For Cindy, giving back is personal.
“It’s our way of saying thank you,” she said. “Knowing that 66 students benefited last year alone is the best feeling in the world.”
For alumni who once greeted guests at the front desk, ran a soundboard or juggled class with campus jobs, the McCaffreys’ gift is a reminder that those roles mattered. They built confidence, created connections and helped launch careers. By sustaining these opportunities, the McCaffreys are helping today’s students build the same foundation that has shaped generations of journalists and communicators at Nebraska.
