Maddie Hansen, a 2025 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has quickly moved from student leader to industry professional and academic mentor. As a professional-in-residence in the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications Experience Lab, she works directly with students in the Production House, where she teaches the vital skills of motion design and animation.
Hansen simultaneously applies her creative expertise as a motion designer at Performance Digital, a marketing agency in Omaha, keeping her instruction grounded in current industry practices. Her time as a UNL undergraduate was marked by exceptional achievement, including being named a Chancellor’s Scholar, Regents Scholar, and a member of the 2025 Homecoming Court. She held numerous campus leadership roles, serving as an orientation leader, resident assistant, campus host, and fraternity and sorority life ambassador, in addition to interning in graphic design at Hudl and being a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
Her portfolio of work is already award-winning, highlighted by a prestigious Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Award in food/restaurant journalism (2025) and an Eric Sevareid Award for KRNU Student Election Night Coverage (2025). Maddie’s excellence in design is further cemented by two Creative Nebraska (ADDY) Awards, securing wins in the magazine category (2024) and the animation or special effects category (2025), alongside a Nebraska and Regional ADDY. Hansen is not just creating motion design, she is animating the future of the communications field.
