During my time on the Board, the College has experienced tremendous success, due in part to the strong leadership from the Board. If re-elected, I will continue to build on this momentum to achieve remarkable milestones that improve education for SCC students and build prosperity for the 15-county service area.
Reducing Property Taxes:
-Successful transition to the Community College Future Fund, ensuring operational funding needs are met while drastically reducing reliance on property tax levies.
Service to Business and Industry:
-Collaborative partnerships to inform progress and programming at SCC.
Reaching More Students:
-Consistent increases in student enrollment, further addressing the skilled workforce gap in Nebraska.
-Creation of the UPWARD Prison Education Program, taking advantage of Pell Grants to prepare incarcerated individuals with access to education to prepare them for careers upon release. This is the country's first Prison Education Program accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
-Enrollment increases in dual credit programs for high school students, such as The Career Academy.
-Increase in the number of female students enrolling in non-health STEM programs by an amount that exceeded the growth goal.
Program Expansion:
-Establishment of new credentials, including certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees, in fields such as Integrated Technologies, Data Science, and AI for Professionals.
-A large increase in the number of diplomas and certificates awarded, partly fueled by new innovative stackable credentials.
A Vision for the Future:
-Completion of comprehensive development of the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which launched in July 2025. This plan was created through in-depth research into future needs across stakeholder groups.
Recognition of Quality:
-Reaffirmation of accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), meeting all criteria without any required followup or monitoring for the first time in 30 years.
New and Upcoming Modern Facilities:
-Developed and planned to serve the needs of business and industry
-Opening of the 100,000 square foot Welding Technology Center, the largest of its kind in the US, through funding including a state award and substantial private donations. It features state-of-the-art equipment and space for industry partnerships.
-Opening of the Sandhills Global Technology Center, a collaboration between SCC, Sandhills Global, and the City of Lincoln. It houses emerging, in-demand programs such as Biotechnology, Computer Information Technology, Design & Drafting, and Electronic Systems.
-Approval and preliminary steps of three facilities projects -the Life Sciences Center on the Lincoln Campus, the Construction Technology Center on the Milford Campus, and the Agriculture Technology Center on the Beatrice Campus - to expand capacity to produce a skilled workforce. Securing $46 million in COPS financing with favorable interest rates due to the college’s financial stability.
-Completion of a $30 million renovation on the Lincoln campus, creating student-centric spaces and modern learning environments, including a new Advising Center.
-Opening of residence halls on the Lincoln campus, providing an alternative to increasing rent prices in the city of Lincoln and making the campus more of a learning destination.
Access and Affordability:
-Maintaining affordability for students, with tuition increases of only $3 per credit hour during my time on the Board, a rate far below that of inflation over the same period.
Supporting Student Success:
-Expansion of advising services, providing students with additional tools to achieve success in their educational journeys.