Six students at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business received $3,000 Future of Nebraska Scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year in recognition of their leadership, service and potential to make an impact in the state.
The scholarship recipients are Hana Mamot of St. Libory, Adalynn Wareham of Bennington, Sofia Sokolovska of Omaha, Landon Roth of Milford, Jack Van Slyke of Wahoo and Benjamin Bousquet of Lincoln, representing communities across Nebraska.
More than 70 individual donors have contributed to the Future of Nebraska Scholarship fund, helping the College of Business expand the scholarship's reach and make a Nebraska Business education more affordable. Their contributions are part of a record of more than $1.75 million in scholarship support awarded by the college to incoming and current students this year.
“This donor support for the Future of Nebraska Scholarship reflects a strong belief in the talent and potential of young people across our state,” said Kathy Farrell, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business. “Their generosity is helping provide more Nebraska students with support as they pursue their business degrees and prepare to make a difference in their communities and our state.”
The scholarship recognizes Nebraska high school seniors who demonstrate leadership potential through experiences such as starting a small business, participating in extracurricular activities, leading volunteer efforts or giving back to their communities.
Applications are open for the next Future of Nebraska Scholarship recipients. Nebraska high school seniors who plan to attend the College of Business in fall 2027 can apply for a $3,000 scholarship by Dec. 1, 2026, at business.unl.edu/futureofnebraska. Applicants must be Nebraska residents, plan to graduate from high school in fall 2026 or spring 2027, and have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Kody Maguire, assistant director of recruitment who led the selection committee and outreach efforts for the scholarship, said the recipients show the ambition, leadership and community-minded spirit of students across Nebraska.
“We read and listened to stories from students whose initiative and aspirations say a lot about the future of our state. I hope high school seniors from communities of all sizes across Nebraska will see themselves in these recipients who are now completing their first semester at Nebraska and know that their experiences, ideas and potential matter here too," said Maguire.
The recipients include:
Benjamin Bousquet
Bousquet of Lincoln graduated from Pius X High School and is majoring in management. In high school, he competed in varsity soccer and served as captain of his Hawks FC club team. He also operated his own lawn care business, worked as a cashier and detasseling squad leader and volunteered with organizations and community events.
Bousquet plans to become an entrepreneur and start a business that makes people's lives easier. He credits soccer with teaching him how to respond to setbacks and keep pursuing his goals.
“I learned the importance of giving it my all, trusting my gut and following through. I am certain my future will not follow a perfect path, but I have learned to persevere even when it seems as though obstacles are in the way," he wrote.
Hana Mamot
Mamot of St. Libory graduated from Palmer Public Schools and is majoring in accounting. She ranked second in her class. At Palmer, she participated in National Honor Society, Future Farmers of America, volleyball, band and other activities while volunteering with the Village of Palmer Clean-Up, Palmer Youth Sports Association and Palmer Public School Summer Reading Camp. She also attended the college's Discover Accounting summer program for high school students.
Mamot hopes to use accounting and her skills to help Nebraskans, particularly those in rural communities, strengthen their financial futures.
“Financial security is not just about dollars and cents. It is about giving families peace of mind, strengthening communities and ensuring that future generations have opportunities to succeed,” she wrote. "I will empower individuals to make informed decisions that ripple out to strengthen families, communities and our economy as a whole."
Landon Roth
Roth of Milford graduated from Milford High School and is majoring in business administration. He served as vice president of student council and participated in football, basketball, golf, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and band. His community service included volunteering at the People’s City Mission, participating in Milford community food drives and helping with youth basketball.
Roth organized a clothing drive after noticing students in his community who needed warmer clothing. The effort collected approximately 300 articles of clothing. He plans to use his business education to pursue a career in sales while continuing to make an impact in Nebraska.
“True satisfaction comes not from throwing a touchdown pass or making a game-winning shot, but from seeing the gratitude on somebody's face after providing them with something they desperately needed. Being the future of Nebraska is not about promising grand, theoretical change. It is about demonstrating a measurable, practical commitment to the state’s continued prosperity," he wrote.
Sofia Sokolovska
Sokolovska of Omaha graduated from Westside High School and is majoring in finance. In high school, she served as vice president of community service and fundraising for DECA, editor-in-chief of the yearbook and manager for the school's store.
After coming to the United States from Ukraine, she turned her experience rebuilding her own life into service to others. She helped fundraise and participated in supply drives to support Ukrainian nonprofit hospitals, organizations, refugees and other needs, while leading more than 50 volunteers. She also volunteered as a translator for refugee families and created a tutoring program for students facing language barriers.
“Leadership isn’t about speaking the loudest, it’s about creating a space where others can act from the heart," she wrote. "Math made sense when nothing else did. It offered order when my world and mind had been chaos. My goal is to use the stability of numbers, the meaning my mother gave me and the roots my homeland gave me to create stability for families and people who start over from scratch."
Jack Van Slyke
Van Slyke of Wahoo graduated from Bishop Neumann High School and is majoring in management with an entrepreneurship and innovation option. He served as president of his FBLA chapter, competed in Future Farmers of America and 4-H, coordinated American Red Cross blood drives and volunteered with the Nebraska Council on Economic Education to help elementary students learn about financial literacy. He also helped Bishop Neumann win the 2025 Class C-2 state football championship. He also attended the college's Discover Business: DREAMBIG Academy to explore business careers.
Van Slyke plans to use his business education to pursue entrepreneurship and create opportunities for others in Nebraska.
“There is an immense responsibility that comes with owning a business. A business owner carries the livelihoods of many families beyond their own. This sense of accountability transforms leadership from a position of authority into a role of stewardship. My experience taught me that true leadership is not measured by personal success but by the success and well-being of those who depend on you,” he wrote.
Adalynn Wareham
Wareham of Bennington graduated from Bennington High School and is majoring in business administration. An entrepreneur in high school, she started Bennington Bakes, a preorder bakery business, and sold her products at a community farmers market and other local events. She participated in FBLA, serving on its leadership team and competing in business events at the state level, choir, band, theatre and robotics. She also volunteered in youth sports and as a camp leader and youth caretaker for her church.
Following in her family's entrepreneurial footsteps, Wareham plans to build multiple businesses that strengthen Nebraska communities while creating opportunities for younger generations to develop practical and entrepreneurial skills.
“I want to be able to impact people the way my family has through their business. Being the future of Nebraska does not end with a dream, but starts with learning,” she wrote.
