2020 Honors and Scholarship Winners

Outstanding Student in Corporate Finance: Miranda Swift

“Miranda Swift is the top student in the Business Finance academic major at the University of Nebraska at Omaha for the 2020 graduating class. As a triple-focus in Business Finance, Banking, and Investment Science and Portfolio Management, she demonstrated multidisciplinary intelligence and work ethic by earning almost a perfect 4.0 GPA. Aided by her quantitative and communications skills, her team earned first place in the College of Business Administration’s fall 2019 Capstone Cup. Beyond the classroom, she impacted our community over many years, both through an industry internship and a volunteer youth soccer coach.”

Outstanding Student in Business Law and Real Estate: Jacob Franzen

“Jacob Franzen is originally from Gothenburg, Nebraska, and represents the “best of the best” of students in the College of Business Administration. As an Honors Student, he will graduate in May with a BSBA with five concentrations: Real Estate, Legal Studies, Finance, Banking, and Investment Science. Despite this extensive academic workload, Jacob was on the Dean’s and Chancellor’s Honor Rolls for the entirety of his academic career, and has been inducted into four national honor societies. Additionally, he led several UNO student organizations with distinction. As Rho Epsilon President, Jacob revitalized the club and generated interest amongst real estate students that will benefit the organization for years to come. Jacob currently works at Union Pacific in the Real Estate Department and in his spare time, volunteers for various organizations, to include Angels Among Us and People’s City Mission. After graduating from UNO, Jacob plans to attend law school and practice property and business law after graduation.”

Outstanding Student in Investment Science and Portfolio Management: Nathan Ewart

“Nathan is an outstanding student both in and out of the classroom with an excellent rapport with faculty and fellow students. Faculty have commented on Nathan’s professional demeanor, his drive within the class room and his exceptional ethical behavior. Because of his outstanding academic performance, Nathan has been on the Dean’s list since the fall of 2016, inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Academic Honors Society and graduated Summa Cum Laude in December 2019.

Throughout his academic career at UNO, Nathan has actively served the college and the Omaha community. In 2019, Nathan was the president of the Maverick Investment Program in which he guided the student managed investment account of over $1,000,000 in equity investments. His outstanding management skills added an atmosphere of professional to the student ran meetings of the Maverick Investment Club. In addition, he was elected to serve on his church’s council as treasurer. His responsibilities included budgeting, bookkeeping, and advising the council on financial matters of his church. He also assisted members of Carole’s House of Hope. Carole's House of Hope is a charitable organization that provides transitional living for young women and mothers who have aged out of foster care or have become homeless. Nathan provided financial training to the young mothers at the home.”