Nicole Blackstock has worked at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications since 2013, serving in several roles. She began as a clerical assistant and, since 2017, has served as assistant to the dean, building extensive institutional knowledge in areas including course scheduling, human resources, payroll, accounting, purchasing, travel, and events.
In her current role, she manages the dean's calendar and travel, handles correspondence and reimbursements, and coordinates the college's promotion and tenure files as well as faculty and staff search processes. She also serves as the college's building maintenance reporter, coordinating maintenance and building access requests, and advises the CoJMC Student Advisory Board.

Before joining CoJMC, Blackstock spent more than a decade as a senior customer service representative at Dell, where she honed her expertise in customer service, process improvement and standard operating procedures.

In May 2026, Blackstock earned her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her thesis on Great Plains history evolved into Rooted in the Plains, an independent podcast and educational platform that explores the people, places, and events that shaped the Great Plains before 1920. Through this project, she seeks to make public history accessible while demonstrating why it still matters. Blackstock also serves on the First Generation Nebraska Advisory Board, drawing on her own experience as a first-generation college graduate to support students navigating that path.