Summer jobs, classes, internships, camps, orientation – we pack a lot of fun and hard work into these next couple of months. Students, faculty and staff continue building for a fall with positivity and excitement at returning to more in-person opportunities. Chancellor Green announced on May 21 that those who are fully vaccinated from COVID-19 will not be required to wear a face mask indoors or outdoors at UNL campuses, and all venues on the campuses will return to 100% capacity. Also, social distancing is no longer required. Please note that some of our photos in this issue were taken prior to this announcement.

We were elated to hold a historic May commencement ceremony at Memorial Stadium. In addition to celebrating with more than 600 business degree recipients in person, I was honored to share the stage with Dr. Connie Rath, ’70 and ’71, as she received an honorary Doctor of Commerce from the university. Dr. Rath, president of the Clifton Foundation, was a driving force as we established the Clifton Strengths Institute at Nebraska. She continues to be a cherished friend and dedicated supporter of the efforts to further integrate CliftonStrengths into our Nebraska Business community.

Additionally, we are excited to invite our 2020 graduates back for a special in-person commencement ceremony the weekend of Aug. 13-14 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. We can't wait to welcome you back and celebrate with you.

I am pleased to share the NU Board of Regents recently approved three new programs. Beginning this fall, CoB will continue transforming the learning experience with new offerings for students and our community.

• A new major in business and law was designed to meet the high demand of employers who need professionals who develop business solutions from a legal and interdisciplinary perspective. Many jobs need the knowledge of both business and legal concepts but don’t require a juris doctorate. These graduates will impact the future of business by applying skills in contract negotiations, financial services, real estate development, procurement, corporate social responsibility or corporate governance. Interested students should schedule an appointment with a CoB academic advisor through MyPlan to learn more.
• The Marketing Analytics and Strategic Marketing Online Graduate Certificates offer professionals the chance to enhance a resume with dynamic courses and impactful skills. The marketing analytics certificate presents the opportunity to discover how to conduct meaningful marketing analytics to fuel insights and impact organization’s marketing and sales efforts. Additionally, the strategic marketing certificate provides a platform for exploring strategic business decisions and effectively using organization resources to reach target audiences. Regardless of industry or career path, these 12-credit-hour online programs provide dynamic tools and necessary skills to fuel your career.

As we look to the future and the fall semester, I am excited to ask you to mark your calendar for two events. Kickoff fall recruiting with learning about new initiatives and opportunities in the college during Employer Partners Day on Thursday, August 5. Registration is open at: https://business.unl.edu/employerpartners.

I hope you will also make plans to join us for the Nebraska Business Alumni Pre-Game Tailgate on Saturday, November 6. Prior to the Nebraska vs. Ohio State football game, we will gather in Hawks Hall to recognize our Nebraska Business community, including honor years celebrating milestone anniversaries 2016, 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971, 1966, 1961, 1956 and 1951. Early registration is available at https://business.unl.edu/AlumniTailgate. I enjoy these events as they are yet another reminder that at Nebraska, we do big things together!