Huskers who graduated virtually from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln during the COVID-19 pandemic were invited back to Lincoln this summer to cross the Pinnacle Bank Arena stage with August graduates. The in-person commencement events for business graduates include a doctoral and master’s ceremony held August 13 at 3 p.m. and an undergraduate ceremony on August 14 at 7:30 a.m.
“I am thrilled to not only hand out diplomas to our August 2021 graduates, but also congratulate our past graduates from May, August and December of 2020 and May 2021 who celebrated their graduation virtually due to the pandemic. At Nebraska, we want every graduate to have the opportunity to cross the stage and be recognized for their dedication and commitment while earning their degree,” said Dr. Kathy Farrell, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business.
Walter “Ted” Carter Jr., president of the University of Nebraska system, will deliver the undergraduate commencement address. Dr. Daniel Linzell, associate dean for graduate and international programs in the College of Engineering and Leslie D. Martin Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will speak to the graduate and professional degree graduates.
The new and returning business graduates also kicked off graduation weekend with a special event called Desserts with the Dean on Friday, August 13 at Howard L. Hawks Hall. The event provides attendees with the chance to celebrate with their peers and Farrell while eating sweets on the Holthus Terrace at the College of Business.
“It’s a fun event where I get to meet our graduates' parents, siblings and friends. I also encourage them to stay involved with the college as our newest alumni,” said Farrell.
For virtual graduates like Rachel Olig, ‘20, returning to Lincoln to attend the undergraduate ceremony in person officially marks the final step of her journey at Nebraska. A marketing major from Omaha, Nebraska, Olig currently works at Wells Fargo as a fraud and claims operations specialist in Des Moines.
“I completed my degree during the pandemic and the past year has been amazing, but there was always something missing. I needed that final moment on campus when I get to cross the stage and receive my diploma. I am so glad that the class of 2020 has the opportunity to come back and complete this final step,” she said.
2021 AUGUST BUSINESS GRADUATES:
Doctor of Philosophy
Cameron J. Borgholthaus, Edwardsville, IL; Business—Dissertation: Three Essays on the Consequences of CEO Personality. Advised by Professor Jonathan O’Brien.
Haolin Fu, Anyang, China; Business—Dissertation: The Relationship Between Job Attitudes and Subjective Well-Being. Advised by Professor Janet Near.
Reha Karadag, Cracow, MA, Poland; Business—Dissertation: Strategic Resource Decay: The Overlooked Endogenous Threat. Advised by Professor Laura Poppo.
Master of Business Administration
Samuel Richard Arrigo, Palos Park, IL
Luke Christian Castner, Lincoln
John Decker, Oro Valley, AZ
Jennifer Ann Deitloff, Sergeant Bluff, IA
Nathaniel Arthur Erwin, Charlottesville, VA
Max Maxon Fleck, Colorado Springs, CO
Leela Krishna Golla, Lincoln
Brian Kearns, Derry, NH
Karissa Keck, Omaha
Alireza Khodaei, Lincoln
Kelly Dawn Lowrance, Kearney, MO
Zachary Charles Lund, Aurora, CO
Giovanni Andre Martinez, Chicago, IL
Erika Lynn McCubbin, Omaha
Juan Jose Miceli Garcia, Tapachula, Mexico
Kevin Pray, Omaha
Diego Armando Sanchez, Holloman Air Force Base, NM
Esakkiappan Senthivel, Fremont, CA
Lisa Christine Solis, Philadelphia, PA
Santhosh Sridhar, Seattle, WA
Gregory William Thomas, Taylor, MI
Melissa Welch-Lazoritz, Omaha
Master of Professional Accountancy
Yigit Erdem Akalin, Naponee
Gavin Michael Brown, Martell
Hannah Sierra McKinney, Beatrice
Emily Ann Olsen, Omaha
Master of Science in Business Analytics
Luke James Ausdemore, Persia, IA
Masen Eric Bachleda, Carpentersville, IL
Karmen Kay Browitt, Mc Cool Junction
Connor Alan Curry, Lincoln
Kent Johansen, Lexington, NC
Julie Deane Sierks, Lincoln
Michael Paten Sperry, Cave Springs, AR
William Riley Talbert, Huntsville, AL
Miranda Emily Workman, Lincoln
Master of Science in Finance
Brianna Bauwens, Lincoln
Nicholas Paul Halle, Tulsa, OK
Lucie Beth Johannes, Houston, TX
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Amy Solange Abadie, Lenexa, KS
Salim Saif Muslem Salim Al Hajri, Muscat, Oman
Muzna Shakeel Khalid Al Zadjali, Lincoln
Alexander Jacob Aldana, Lincoln
Alexander Joseph Anzalone, Omaha
Mason John Brandenburg, Columbus
Stephen Edwin Browne, Huntley, IL
Samuel Bliss Castner, Lincoln
Cuong Bao Chau, Lincoln
Qianhao Chen, Lincoln
Tate Steven Christie, Lincoln
Ethan Thomas Cox, Blair
Aishwarya Deshmukh, Hyderabad, India
Collin Doan, Lincoln
Alex Patrick Fanslau, Papillion
Jackson Lee Fortner, Omaha
Morgan Elizabeth Frauendorfer, Humphrey
William Kefauver Fritz, Calabasas, CA
Paige Nicole Grogan, Omaha
Derek Wayne Guyton, Jr., Bellevue
Blake Bradley Hamel, Papillion
Carson Lee Henry, Lincoln
Sarah Elizabeth Higgins, Elkhorn
Krystal Hoang, Lincoln
Austin Michael Hraban, Lincoln
Farukh Ishanov, Odintsovo, Russian Federation
Kyle Thomas Kasun, Papillion
Gregory Thomas Klein, Elm Creek
Kaden Keith Lathrop, Highlands Ranch, CO
Nhi Hang Uyen Le, Lincoln
Hosu Lee, Lincoln
Peng Liu, Beijing, China
Skylar DeJong Lowe, Omaha, with distinction
Ricky Carnell McCants, Jr., Omaha
Zachary Charles McClure, Papillion
Andres Giovanny Mensching, Lincoln
Jayden Quitney Miller, Brooten, MN
Luzelena Moreno, Lincoln
Caleb Thomas Newburn, Lincoln
Dat Tuan Nguyen, Lincoln
Johnkhiem Trong Nguyen, Lincoln
Adrianna Kimberly Parks, Omaha
Tanner David Peterson, Grafton
John Thanh Pham, Lincoln
Alta Mae Pryce, Lincoln
Brady Allen Radcliffe, Lincoln
Isaiah Owen Roby, Dixon, IL
Tyler Reed Rogert, Waterloo
Corbin Scott Ruth, Malcolm
Kelby James Schommer, Hartington
Jonathan James Scripnick, Milton, Canada
Donald Carroll Smalley, Aurora
Christopher Patrick Smith, North Platte
Garrett Mason Stice, Lincoln
Michael Allan Todd, Omaha
Kendrick Parker Umphreys, Council Bluffs, IA
Jacob Reefe Villalva, Omaha
Li Wang, Mian Yang, China
Qiao Wang, Zaozhuang, China, with distinction
Yifan Wang, Shanghai, China
Nathan Paul Wheeler, Firth
Katherine Marie Wiebelhaus, Lincoln, with high distinction
Zhihan Zhang, Zhengzhou, China
2020 Virtual Graduates Returning to Cross the Stage:
Doctor of Philosophy
Nam Hoang Le, Hanoi, Vietnam; Business—Dissertation: Essays in Corporate Finance. Advised by Professor Julian Atanassov.
Master of Business Administration
Brian Joseph Britton, Beaufort, SC
Emily Alison Edge Biersdorf, Los Angeles, CA
Zane Burton Gaudern, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Earl Thomas Hughes, Lincoln
Stephanie Lynn Jacobsen, McCool Junction
Vimal Mehta, Olathe, KS
Anne Elizabeth Rimmington, Omaha
Master of Professional Accountancy
Amanda Lee Farver, Ankeny, IA
Abby JoAnn Kile, Lawrence
Master of Science in Actuarial Science
Mary Opokua Ampaw-Asiedu, Kenner, LA
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Daniel John Albin, Lincoln
Sarah Elizabeth Alexander, Omaha
Abdulrahman Khalid Hilal Alqalhati, Lincoln
Violette Lauren Tamim Al-Timimi, Lincoln
Sarah Nicole Arthur, Chesapeake, VA
Amjad Khamis Muhanna Awlad Thani, Muscat, Oman, with distinction
Jennifer Ann Bogle, Austin, MN, with highest distinction & University Honors Program
Elizabeth Bayley Brake, Lincoln
Dominic Rohan Campbell, Omaha
Hunter James Chadd, Lincoln
Catherine Constance Chapman, Waukesha, WI
Oscar Chavez-Franco, La Vista
Max Monter Colligan, Lincoln
Brady Raymond Conant, Lincoln, University Honors Program & Nebraska Business Honors Academy
Megan Lynn Copsey, Gering, with highest distinction, University Honors Program & Nebraska Business Honors Academy
Jeffrey Charles Crate, Omaha
Dalia Cruz, Villa Park, IL
Erin Elizabeth Cummings, Medford, MA
Connor Alan Curry, Lincoln
Olivia Mae Danner, Berlin, Germany, with high distinction
Brady James Dickson, Lincoln
Mayte Briggite Dingman, Greenwood
Anh H. Do, Omaha
Dominic Thanh Duong, Lincoln
Joshua Mark Dycus, Hastings
Emma Susan Eastman, Mound, MN
Daniel Alan Engmark, Bolingbrook, IL
Ethan David Foxall, Papillion
Rowan Marie Franks, Omaha
Chenfeng Gao, Lincoln
Julian Alejandro Garcia, Lincoln
Abigail Johannah Greeneway, Appleton, WI
John Bruce Guiton II, Woodbury, MN
Leigh Elizabeth Hanson, Omaha, with distinction, University Honors Program & Nebraska Business Honors Academy
Anthony Michael Hare, Alliance, University Honors Program & Nebraska Business Honors Academy
Brooke Elizabeth Harmon, Omaha
Jackson Edward Hartley, Lincoln
Zachary Helms, Omaha
Natasha Joy Hindia, Saint Paul, MN
Eric Alan Horn, Weeping Water
Alexis Camille Hruby, Lincoln, with highest distinction
Alyssa Michelle Joseph, Greeley, CO, with high distinction
Tori Ryba Kimminau, Lincoln
Olivia Noelle Klein, New Berlin, IL
Gunnar Patrick Kliver, Omaha
Diamond Koh, Lincoln
Race Parker Kohel, Lincoln
Emma Marianne Kolb, West Fargo, ND
Hannah Rose Krajicek, Papillion
Caleb Christian Krohn, Osmond, Chancellor’s Scholar, with highest distinction, University Honors Program & Nebraska Business Honors Academy
Sydney Faye Lacher, Hugo, MN
Kathryn Louise Lawton, Dixon, IL
Rebekah Marie Lee, Le Mars, IA
Gage Walker Lippold, Crete
Vincent John Malene, Omaha, with highest distinction, University Honors Program & Nebraska Business Honors Academy
Makinsey Taylor Manning, Lincoln
Madeline Louise McDougal, Omaha
Sydney Ann McManamy, Sioux City, IA
Nathan Wesley McNiel, Holdrege
Samantha Joy Miedl, Omaha
Brock Robert Milius, Plattsmouth
Jake Louis Modica, Naperville, IL
Yamilet Naomi Nevarez-Alarcon, Schuyler
Bao Duc Nguyen, Lincoln
Chi Linh Nguyen, Lincoln, with distinction
Tam T. Nguyen, Lincoln
Lindsey Kay Nissen, Lincoln
Rachel Lynn Novicki, Sheboygan, WI, with highest distinction
Rachel A. Olig, Omaha
Joseph Ryan Osbron, Valencia, CA
Hannah Ruth Pearson, Omaha
Brittney Anne Peden, Bloomington, IL, with high distinction & University Honors Program
Linh Thuy Phung, Lincoln, with distinction
Gregory Toby Piechalak, Omaha, with high distinction
Xueyao Qi, Shenyang, China, with highest distinction
Timothy Frank Rakestraw, Blair
Anja Miangola Diana Rakotoarimanana, Antananarivo, Madagascar
Jordan Nicole Rehagen, Olathe, KS
Gabriela Joanna Rodriguez, Lincoln
Rammuhamed Sabyrkulov, Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan
Daulten Kevin Sadd, Hastings, with high distinction
Jacob Matthew Sahulka, Weeping Water
Veronica Sanchez Gonzalez, Gibbon
Jared Christopher Sasse, Lincoln
Blake Hunter Schroeder, Columbus
Bailee Rae Smith, Salem, SD
Emma Kay Smith, Omaha, with distinction
Matthew David Snyder, Lincoln
Benjamin William Spargo, Columbia, IL, with high distinction
Yvonne Marie Stone, Lincoln
Erica Miwa Taddiken, Manhattan Beach, CA
Ermiyas Tekeste, Lincoln
Mai Thi Ngoc Tran, Lincoln
Cindy Paola Valladares, Lincoln
Benjamin Vanness, La Vista
Andretti Joseph White, Omaha
Spencer Hayes White, Chapel Hill, NC, with high distinction
Grace Katherine Whitmer, Lincoln
Justin Meinert Wissmann, Lincoln
Rongyuxian Wu, Lincoln
Fandi Xu, Omaha
Tessa Marie Masako Yonekura, Lincoln
Xueqing Zhao, Shenyang, Chn
Published: August 13, 2021