English Alumni Spotlights
Catch up with UNO English Department alumni and discover the possibilities that exist after graduation.
Chad Jorgensen
Why Study English?Jorgensen says, “At the core of what you learn during education in English and the humanities is how to be an effective communicator, how to think critically and problem solve, and how to collaborate and be understanding of different perspectives and cultures."
Published Fall 2025
Hannah Vogltanz
Why Study English?Vogltanz states, “Knowing English linguistics, literature, and history is fun and valuable,” she said. “But studying English to serve and communicate is the reason for an English degree.”
Published Summer 2025
Senator Wendy DeBoer
Achievements in EnglishCongratulations to UNO English Alum, Senator Wendy DeBoer for receiving the 2024 Public Service Award. The ability to listen to other’s views is supplemented by her experience with English as “literature exposed her to different ideas and different perspectives.” In addition to broader perspectives, she also believes that studying English helped her with “Critical thinking, communicating ideas succinctly, and forming better arguments.”
Published Fall 2024
Leslie Lopez
Why Study English?Lopez states, “If you want to be able to think critically in a way that is probably more subjective than hard sciences or fields like that, and in situations where multiple answers can be true, studying English is very helpful. It also helps you empathize with others in different situations because stories exemplify real life and give you another way to understand each other. There’s so much of the world we can’t experience, but literature helps you explore things you might not be able to get to experience in your life.”
Published Spring 2024
Tia Cole
Why Study English?Cole sees her UNO English degree as what opened the path to her current career and as a tool that “helped develop the expertise she uses in many aspects of her business.” She believes that her experience at UNO contributes to her success in leadership, composition, and pedagogy among other things.
Published Fall 2022
Jessie Carr
Achievements in EnglishCongratulations are in order for UNO English alum, Jessie Carr. She has won the Elton S. Carter Award for Excellence in a Master’s Thesis competition for her thesis, “Invisible Wolves: A Memoir of Maladies.”
Published Fall 2022
Thom Davis
Why Study English?Davis explains that, without the knowledge and experience he gained while a grad student taking UNO English classes, he never could have been qualified to teach Advanced Composition for IS&T
Published Fall 2022
Wendy DeBoer
Why Study English?Studying English supplemented her ability to listen to other’s views because “literature exposed her to different ideas and different perspectives.” In addition to broader perspectives, she also believes that studying English helped her with “critical thinking, communicating ideas succinctly, and forming better arguments.”
Published Fall 2022
Carrie Palmesano
Achievements in EnglishThe Nebraska English Language Arts Council and Nebraska Council on Teacher Education have named UNO English alumna Carrie Palmesano as Nebraska’s English Teacher of the Year for 2021-2022.
Published Spring 2022
Mary K. Stillwell
Why Study English?Prolific author Mary K. Stillwell is grateful for the support she received from UNO English, stating, "Although I was an older student out of school for many years, the faculty and my fellow students in the Department of English at UNO were welcoming. Thanks to UNO and to the faculty and staff of the English Department, who nurtured my dreams and set me upon this journey."
Published Summer 2018