By the Numbers: Aim 8: Create a robust alumni, donor and community engagement program

Summary of Activities

In 2022-2023, the college expanded its engagement with alumni and donors nationwide. We continued to host regular Drinks with the Dean events, which provided the opportunity for alumni to engage with each other in their local community. In 2022-2023, the college hosted Drinks with the Dean events in Minneapolis, Omaha, Lincoln, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Denver, Nashville, New York, Dallas and Kansas City.

In November 2022, the college held a Ribbon Cutting to officially open the Don and Lorena Meier Studio. The studio was made possible through generous donations from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and the Don and Lorena Meier Foundation. The event attracted more than 100 faculty, staff, students and alumni and featured remarks from representatives of both the Meier Foundation and the Nebraska Broadcasters Association.

In March 2023, the college hosted an opening for the Pepsi Unlimited Sports Lab. The Lab was made possible through underwriting contributions from Pepsi-Co of Lincoln. The event attracted over 50 faculty, staff, students and alumni and featured remarks from Kirk Anderson, CEO of Pepsi-Co of Lincoln.

Alumni Jane Olson, former Human Rights Watch Board of Director chair, visited campus twice during the academic year. In November 2022, she visited campus and gave a public talk about her recent book World citizen: Journey of a Humanitarian. She visited campus again in March 2023 to be honored as the college’s Alumni Master. Olson again spoke in classes and at the annual Medallion Dinner hosted by the Nebraska Alumni Association.

In April 2023, the college hosted Jenna Johnson, deputy democracy director for the Washington Post, as the featured speaker in the Seline Lecturer Series on the Future of Journalism. Johnson spoke about how polarization and misinformation erode democracy.

Also, in April 2023, the college hosted Diane Brayton, vice president and general counsel for the New York Times, as a Hearst Visting Professional. Brayton spoke in several classes about the importance of the law in media.

In the fall of 2022, the college put out a call for alumni to engage in curriculum review committees. The committees met in spring 2023 to provide feedback on the college’s four undergraduate majors to ensure they meet industry needs and align with the ACEJMC learning outcomes.  

Committee members were provided access to an overview of the college’s curriculum and all syllabi for courses in the major reviewed. They completed a survey to provide feedback on each of the programs. Committee members then met with faculty in each major to review the feedback and make recommendations for improvement. Members of the Curriculum Review Committees included:  

Advertising and Public Relations 

• Anna Fobair (2018), account supervisor, Ketchum 
• Kelly Mosier (2006), senior director of Hudl studios, Hudl 
• Jim Vranicar (1990), COO, Signal Theory 
• Tyler Riewer (2004), creative director, Charity:Water 

Broadcasting 

• Will Bauer (2020), metro east reporter, St. Louis Public Radio 
• Ami Graham (1993), general manager, Broadcast House 
• Kristine Johnson, anchor, CBS 2 NY 
• Clay Masters (2007), host/correspondent, Iowa Public Radio 

Journalism 

• Matthew Hansen, executive editor, Flatwater Free Press 
• Jane Hirt (1989), consultant, M. Harris & Co.  
• Paula Lavigne (1998), investigative reporter, ESPN 

Sports Media and Communication  

• Sean Callahan (2003), owner/publisher, HuskersOnline 
• Chris DeRuyscher (200), senior director of ballpark entertainment, Texas Rangers 
• Anthony Galvan (2009), VP of brand and communications, HUDL 
• J.J. Jurgens (1998), senior writer, producer, CBS Marketing  

In spring 2023, the college launched a dean’s advisory board to counsel the dean on the college’s priorities, strategies and goals. Board members serve three-year terms and meet quarterly to exchange ideas and provide feedback on the future of our industries. Members of the Dean’s Advisory Board include:  

• Emily Doskow (2002), chief marketing officer, Leo Burnett 
• Colette Stallbaumer (1992), general manager, Microsoft 365 
• Angel Jennings (2008), assistant managing editor, Los Angeles Times 
• Jenna Johnson (2007), deputy democracy editor, the Washington Post  
• Dionne Searcey (1993), reporter, the New York Times  
• Paige Dimakos (2013), CEO, The Draft Network  
• Ericka Galbraith (2000), coordinator producer, ESPN 
• Ben Lupo, esports streamer  
• Tia Newcomer (1995), CEO, CaringBridge 
• Ronald Ng (1993), global chief creative officer, MRM 
• Brittany Jones-Cooper (2008), host/reporter, Yahoo News 
• Courtney Rodgers (2007), senior vice president of business operations, Hudl 
• Juan Perez (2009), education reporter, Politico 
• Josh Planos (2014), VP of communications and public relations, Better Business Bureau of Omaha 
• Tony Sattler (2003), EVP of customer experience and insights, Swanson Russell 

The college also continued to engage local alumni and professionals as professionals-in-residence to mentor students enrolled in the Experience Lab. The PIRs for 2022-2023 were: 

• Bayley Bischof, assignment manager/senior reporter, 10/11 News 
• Eva Coppinger, video producer, ASA & EVA Media 
• Shaun Cummins, senior technical director, KLKN-TV 
• Hannah Davis (2021), marketing coordinator, Union Bank & Trust 
• Erin Doernemann (2020), marketing and design specialist, Apple Roofing 
• Amy Ebbeka, co-owner and creative director, Ebbeka Design 
• Randy Hawthorne (1992), product manager, Nelnet 
• Derek Hernandez, director of brand and content, Mentor Collective 
• Amie Just, sports columnist, Lincoln Journal Star 
• Mikel Lauber, director of news, 10/11 News 
• Mike McKnight (1976), investigative reporter, WOWT-TV 
• Austin Pistulka (2017), broadcast/digital production director, Rural Radio Association 
• Mary Kay Quinlan (1972), emeritus associate professor and former associate dean, UNL 
• Ryan Rothman (2017), marketing and digital media coordinator, University of Nebraska 
• DeWayne Taylor, radio host, NRG media  
• Mike Tobias (1986), senior producer, Nebraska Public Media 
• Jon Vanderford (1993), executive producer and host, KOLN/KGIN TV 
• Andrew Ward (2014), morning anchor, KLKN-TV 
• Ellis Whitney, senior content producer, 10/11 News 
• Matt Wynn, executive director, Nebraska Journalism Trust 

In October of 2022, the college launched an annual scholarship brunch, to connect scholarship donors with the recipients of their generosity. The event acknowledged each scholarship recipient and provided photographs of the donors and recipients. The inaugural event featured remarks from Greg Andersen, CEO of Bailey Lauerman, who established the Bailey Lauerman Scholarship for Student Opportunity the previous year, and Dulce Garcia, a senior advertising and public relations major who received the scholarship. The college will continue to host this event annually, with the 2023 event scheduled for Nov. 4, 2023.

In the fall of 2022, the college launched a Comprehensive Campaign fundraising committee to support college fundraising activities as part of the University of Nebraska Foundation’s “Only in Nebraska” campaign. This five-year fundraising campaign aims to raise $14.7 million to support the college’s strategic priorities by 2027. The comprehensive campaign committee includes:  

• Charlyne Berens, professor emeritus and former associate dean  
• Eric Brown, (1967), president, Rural Lifestyle Marketing 
• LaSharah Bunting, (1996), CEO, Online News Association 
• Randy Essex, (1983), environmental and health editor, Detroit Free Press  
• Randy Hawthorne, (1992), product manager, Nelnet 
• Margaret Holman, chair, (1973), president, Holman Consulting 
• Meg Lauerman, (2000), communications consultant 
• Jim Lauerman, (1969), retired founder, Bailey Lauerman 
• Mario Scalora, director, UNL Public Policy Center  
• Jay Wilkinson, (1988), founder and CEO, Firespring 
• Jeff Zeleny, (1996), chief national affairs correspondent, CNN  

Review of the Targets

Event attendance grew during the 2022-2023 academic year. However, a downward trend was noticed at the end of the fiscal year that coincided with a new event NU Foundation event management system, AlumniIQ. The college has taken steps to address the downturn but will need to monitor registrations and attendance to ensure adjustments were successful.

The college will need to consider how to measure alumni participation as new career development services aimed at this audience are established.

The college participated in Husker Connect, a digital mentoring program hosted by the Nebraska Alumni Association. However, data revealed that while students were signing up (likely due to a requirement in JOMC 20), only ten students have ever contacted alumni in the three years the college was on the platform. As a result, the college is discontinuing its participation in the program. Professional mentoring is established through the JOMC 20 and Experience Lab Programs. A question will be added to the senior exit survey in 2023-2024 to ensure that students develop mentoring relationships.

The number of repeat donors and new donors both fell during fiscal year 2023. The strategic planning committee will examine likely causes for the decline to determine if the decline is unique to the college or a result of the economic downturn. The committee will coordinate with the NU Foundation to develop a plan for reversing this trend.

Review of the Strategies

Uninitiated: Indicates that work has not started on a strategy beyond a couple of initial conversations

In Progress: Indicates that work is actively ongoing on the strategy

Finished: Indicates that all work is completed or that the remaining work is maintaining the existing level of activity