Ivy Day April 2 to Celebrate Student Service, Leadership

Students, faculty members and alumni will be honored at the annual University of Nebraska-Lincoln Ivy Day ceremonies beginning at 9:30 a.m. April 2 in the Nebraska Champions Club, 707 Stadium Drive.

The event, co-sponsored by Mortar Board and the Innocents Society, will recognize the outstanding contribution of students selected to serve in the two organizations, as well as the achievements of current members and notable underclassmen and seniors.

Honorary memberships in the Innocents Society will be conferred on John Cook, head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball team, and Karen V. Lyons, associate director of the University Honors Program.

Honorary Mortar Board memberships will be presented to Dennis Leblanc, associate athletics director for academic programs and student services, and Annie Magnusson, assistant director of admissions for honors recruitment.

The keynote address will be given by Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning.

Ceremonies will conclude with the symbolic planting of the ivy.

The Innocents Society inducts 13 new members each spring, with the selection based on leadership, scholarship and service to the university and greater community. The Innocents Society was founded in 1903 to promote the spirit of the university and is the chancellor's senior honorary. It is not affiliated with any national organization.

New members of Mortar Board are tapped into the Black Masque Chapter each spring by Mortar Boarders wearing black masks and robes. The 25 new members were selected on the basis of outstanding scholarship, leadership and service to the university and community.

Following is a list by hometown of the 2005 inductees into the Innocents Society and the Black Masque Chapter of Mortar Board. The links below are to black-and-white JPEG images and biographical sketches of the new Innocents Society and Mortar Board members.

NEBRASKA

Ashland: Jessica Lutton (Innocents), Matt McCumber (Mortar Board).

Bellevue: Claire Iwai (Mortar Board).

Blair: Shari D. Kopf (Innocents).

Chapman: Nathan Krug (Mortar Board).

Cozad: Natalie Hart (Mortar Board).

Elkhorn: John Falk (Innocents).

Fairmont: Ryan Betka (Mortar Board), Christin Lovegrove (Mortar Board).

Garland: Jason Villalobos (Mortar Board).

Greenwood: Tyler Backemeyer (Mortar Board).

Hastings: Ben Keele (Mortar Board).

Lincoln: Chantal Afuh (Mortar Board), Angie S. Blomgren (Innocents), Andrea Loomis (Mortar Board), Emily Snodgrass (Mortar Board), Greg Walklin (Innocents).

Marquette: Nick Kauffman (Innocents).

Minden: Nicholas Tomsen (Innocents).

Norfolk: Josh Egley (Innocents).

North Platte: Crystal A. Weaver (Mortar Board).

Ogallala: Melynda Adams (Mortar Board), Sarah Demmel (Mortar Board).

Omaha: Lyndsey Redding (Innocents), John Wood (Mortar Board).

Paxton: Justin Snyder (Mortar Board).

Pender: Kristin Morse (Mortar Board).

Scotia: Vicki Wray (Mortar Board).

Springfield: Brad Zuger (Mortar Board).

Waterloo: Ryan Paul Mendlik (Innocents).

ELSEWHERE

Blue Springs, Mo.: Emily Jane Raveill (Innocents).

Highlands Ranch, Colo.: Shaundra Eichstadt (Innocents).

Independence, Mo.: Carly Duvall (Mortar Board).

Lenexa, Kan.: Sunita Gupta (Mortar Board).

Mitchell, S.D.: Sunny Backlund (Mortar Board).

St. Charles, Iowa: Ashlee Dickinson (Innocents).

Sturgis, S.D.: Rachel Marie Luptak (Mortar Board).

Winner, S.D.: Nichole Brockhoft (Mortar Board).

CONTACT: Tom Simons, University Communications, (402) 472-8514