The Maverick Minute | UNO Student Body President Carlo Eby

Full Transcript

Chancellor Gold: Hello, I'm Jeff Gold. And welcome to another Maverick Minute. I have the pleasure today of being joined by Carlo Eby and, as you well know, Carlo is the president of our student government and the student region for UNO. And today we're going to turn the tables a little bit. Instead of my interviewing Carlo about a subject of interest to me or to the campus, Carlo's going to talk to me. And so, Carlo, what questions do you have?

Carlo Eby: We have the burning questions that the campus and the students really care about and that really matter most to them. Sure. I'll start out with a big one. You're a busy man. You travel a lot. You're kind of a jet setter from coast to coast. When you travel, are you an aisle seat guy? Do you like the middle seat, window? What's your preference there?

Chancellor Gold: A lot depends on where I'm going and what flight I'm on, but I usually like the aisle seat. The best part of the aisle seat is that if you want to get up and walk and stretch your legs on a long flight, easy thing to do. The worst part of the aisle seat is if the person in the middle and on the window want to get up and stretch their legs during the flight, you're out of luck.

Carlo Eby: It's a good point, it's a good point. So, the next question that we have is, what is one tip that you would have for all students here on campus? If they said, "What's your one tip "coming into college as a freshman?" What do you say to that student?

Chancellor Gold: I've thought a lot about that, Carlo, because I've been asked by many students and faculty members, "What's the secret to being successful "no matter what your career is?" Whether it's in business, such as yours, or medicine such as mine? And, at the end of the day, I think it's about being true to your dreams. About having a passion, having a vision as to where, roughly, you want to end up. Be willing to change as the winds change and as your opportunities become available to you. But if you have a dream of something that you want to do, you should definitely follow it.

Carlo Eby: That's great advice. The next question is, what has been the best part about being the chancellor at UNO?

Chancellor Gold: It's very hard to have a single best part because I've really enjoyed meeting and working with faculty and staff, and, of course, with the students and the student body. But, my favorite part of it is actually, when I come to campus dressed very much like you are on a weekend or an evening or a holiday, and I sit down in Milo Bail to have a copy of coffee and just to talk to students and staff who are walking by, and just to have them tell me about how much this university means to them. About how it's changed their career, how it's changing their life. And that's the air under my wings. And that is unquestionably, Carlo, the best part.

Carlo Eby: What has been the biggest difference, coming from the Med Center versus some place that has a little bit more arts majors or sports. What has been the biggest difference here?

Chancellor Gold: Well that's been the fun of it, is just broadening the scope. As many of the audience may know, is when I was in Ohio, we were part of a very large, comprehensive undergraduate NCAA Division I university and so, I had the opportunity to walk through the undergraduate campuses and research labs and in business and in fine arts and in music and in many, many other areas. I had the opportunity to be part of the, not just the performance groups, but the sports activities as well. And to have that opportunity again is just really a lot of fun for me. And it's invigorating. And part of it is because I see opportunities for synergy. Making opportunities for our students, for our faculty, for our staff, and mostly for our community, by bringing programs of the Med Center and UNO closer together. And that's been a real excitement and it's, frankly, been very gratifying. And I think we've just barely touched the surface.

Carlo Eby: So, the last question I have for the chancellor. A lot of guys, everyone sees you as you're a classy guy, you're a sharp guy. And I think they make an assumption of what kind of music do you like. So, when you're walking around the house on a Saturday afternoon, what's on the radio? What are you listening to?

Chancellor Gold: Well, I have very eclectic music tastes. Everything from classical music down to the Masters of Beethoven and Brahms and others, all the way up through Elton John, New Age and beyond. So, if you were to come by on a Saturday morning, you'd have to really roll the dice to guess what I'd be listening to.

Carlo Eby: I like it, I like it. So that's all the questions I have for you Chancellor. Thanks for sitting down with me today.

Chancellor Gold: Well, Carlo, thank you. And this is an opportunity for me to thank you and to thank you in front of our audience for all that you have done. Our audience may or may not know that you were willing to testify before the appropriations committee, that your leadership of the student body and, frankly, the energy that you have brought to that has been truly remarkable. I want to congratulate you-- I appreciate it. and really thank you.

Carlo Eby: Thank you very much.

Chancellor Gold: And thank you for being with both of us today on this Maverick Minute.