With more than twenty years of dedication to her role at UNO, Jill Sutton has been honored as Employee of the Year—a prestigious recognition celebrating her warmth, dedication, and impact within the English department.
From Omaha to New York City, Tina Kuriyama is an alumna unlike any other. After transferring to UNO, Kuriyama graduated in the spring of 2016 with a degree in English. Captivated by the works of Pablo Neruda and Voltaire, she fell in love with literature...
Anchored by her belief that she would always be a writer, Sarah Mason’s life proves to be as layered as her poetry. Having grown up in New Mexico, Mason’s first introduction to poetry came on a coffeehouse stage in Albuquerque, where she witnessed her first poetry slam...
For UNO undergraduate Moolaweh Soe, the future is as bountiful as her ambition. While pursuing a dual degree, assisting nonprofits, and volunteering in the Omaha community, Soe continues to strive for greatness—and she’s not looking back.
For Joshua Lingenfelter, classic literature was more than just a pastime—it was his north star. His passion deepened when he discovered UNO’s dual enrollment program, and over a decade later, that spark continues to grow.
What Are You Reading?
I just finished reading After the Last Border, by Jessica Goudeau. This work of narrative nonfiction profiles, in alternating chapters, two women and their families as they become refugees in Austin, Texas. One family is from Myanmar, the other from Syria. Goudeau also intersperses chapters about the history of the Refugee Resettlement Act and how it has evolved through different political landscapes.
This is such a compelling book (I learned so much!), and it made me think deeply about our UNO students who come from refugee communities in Omaha. The audio version of the book, read by the author, is wonderful, along with her author's note about how she befriended the women so intimately profiled in her book.
-- Annie Johnson, UNO English Instructor
I recently read Forty Years in the Academic Trenches: Change Comes to an American University by Frank Heppner. This book raises important concerns about the past, present, and future state of academia. Heppner wrote this book to encourage college teachers. He wanted them to know it is possible to positively affect students; it just takes devotion on their part. The text is a blueprint for how to prioritize students.
When posed with the problem of not having proper teacher training, he took advantage of the instructional development program. When it became clear to Heppner that the University of Rhode Island was admitting less qualified students to maximize tuition from out-of-state students, he resolved to change his teaching style rather than lower his standards. He was not willing to have a higher than 40% failure rate when he was accustomed to a much lower rate.
He met the students where they were and implemented a multi-pronged approach to ensure their success. Students mentioned that his was the only big lecture course “where a senior professor had actually taken a personal interest in them” (70). He bucked the system and prioritized the students’ success rather than focusing on seeking out lucrative grants. The book’s premise is not sensational. It’s practical and resonates with my own sentiments. He prioritized student retention, used high impact practices, and genuinely cared about his students.
-- Dustin Pendley, Coordinator
Give to the UNO English Department Fund for Excellence
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