
NCPA helps fuel Chavez’s collegiate dreams
As a first-generation student from an immigrant family, Bryan Chavez didn't always see college as accessible. But through scholarships from the Nebraska College Preparatory Academy and the support of his loved ones, Chavez will accomplish his goal on Dec. 18 by graduating from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with degrees in computer science and mathematics.

Support made all the difference for international entomology grad
A series of circumstances brought Blessing Ademokoy of Nigeria to pursue her doctorate in entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She’s worked on research related to stink bugs — a common but destructive insect — and their impact in terms of yield loss and how to manage them. She’s published several articles, with six more in process, and her finds from Nebraska fields are slated to become a part of the University of Nebraska State Museum’s permanent collections.

Nebraska’s African Poetry Book Fund takes lead on international award
After 10 years of celebrating the work of emerging African poets, the Brunel International African Poetry Prize, formerly supported by Brunel University London, will be renamed the Evaristo African Poetry Prize. The prize will be operated by the African Poetry Book Fund at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Yusuf credits McNair Program for helping him find his path
The son of Somali immigrants, Khalid Yusuf grew up with an appreciation for learning, and coming to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln turned out to be the “perfect opportunity” for him to pursue higher education.

Nebraska Extension expands global support, engages local international community
Several university offices, including Nebraska Extension, the Office of Global Partnerships & Initiatives, Student Affairs, and the African Student Association, partnered to provide sponsorship and support for the 2021 Afro Fest Omaha. The annual festival honors Omaha’s expanding community of African refugees, immigrants, local businesses and entrepreneurs that mark one of the largest African immigrant populations in the United States, while also connecting communities across Nebraska.

Community partnership creates multicultural story repository for Lincoln children
For six weeks this summer, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln virtually engaged with 25 young African leaders from 17 countries as part of the U.S. State Department Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in Civic Engagement Institute initiative. As part of the Leadership Institute’s community service component, each Fellow recorded childhood stories from their countries for providers from Lincoln Littles, a group supporting and advocating for high-quality early childhood education in the Lincoln community.

Ibrahimpasic, Kunzman nationally recognized for education abroad curriculum design
Emira Ibrahimpasic, assistant professor of practice in the School of Global Integrative Studies, and Kate Kunzman, Education Abroad coordinator in the College of Arts and Sciences, earned the 2021 Award for Excellence in Education Abroad Curriculum Design from The Forum on Education Abroad for their summer 2021 course, "Negotiating Peace: From Conflict to Coexistence."

Cross-campus partnership supports STEM education in Senegal
For the last ten months, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has hosted several Senegalese faculty for a virtual training program on best practices for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the University Partnerships Initiative Senegal program.

Largest-ever International Education Week introduces students to new global opportunities
Every November, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln comes together to celebrate International Education Week and the benefits of a global education. 2021 marked the university’s largest-ever IEW celebrations with more than 100 events organized to highlight the wealth of global opportunities available to students and the international experiences of the Husker community.

Researchers analyze roadmaps toward larger, greener global rice bowl
Producing more rice on existing cropland, and doing so while minimizing the environmental impact, is a challenge. New research led by Shaobing Peng, a professor of agronomy at Huazhong Agricultural University, and Patricio Grassini, associate professor of agronomy at Nebraska and co-leader of the Global Yield Gap Atlas, provides an analysis of roadmaps toward sustainable intensification for a larger global rice bowl.