The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts will recognize faculty, staff, student and alumni achievement at its annual Honors Day dinner on Friday, May 5. The dinner is by invitation only.
This year’s awardees include:
• Alumni Achievement Award in Art:
Trent Claus, B.F.A. 2006
Claus is a visual effects supervisor and senior compositor at Lola VFX and has been with them since 2007. The company has developed many unique and proprietary effects that have been used in more than 120 feature films and television productions, including “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Mandalorian” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
• Alumni Achievement Award in Music:
Sam Loeck, B.M. 2014
Loeck joined the Calgary Philharmonic as principal bass in 2016. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, he earned his bachelor’s degree in music performance from UNL. He then earned a Master’s degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Recently, Loeck was under consideration for the position of principal bassist of the London Symphony Orchestra, one of the premier orchestras in the world. While he did not get the position, the year-long process allowed him several stints as guest principal bass with the orchestra.
• Alumni Achievement Award in Theatre and Film:
Elizabeth Baquet, B.F.A. 2012
Baquet is a podcast executive for Mosaic Media where she oversees development and client pitches for podcast projects in a variety of genres. Mosaic Media’s A-list roster includes Will Ferrell, Judd Apatow, Jessica Chastain and Tessa Thompson. Additionally, Baquet oversees Ninth Planet Audio, Mosaic Media's in-house audio production company, which holds a first-look deal with iHeartRadio’s Big Money Players Network.
• Award of Merit:
Todd Nelson and the Nebraska Coast Connection
The Nebraska Coast Connection (NCC) was founded in 1992 by Producer/Director Todd Nelson, and its monthly Hollywood Salon has been a touchpoint for University of Nebraska–Lincoln students, alumni and Hollywood transplants. The Nebraska Coast Connection has sponsored internships over the summer for Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film students and celebrates regular engagement between professionals, alumni and current students.
• Student Leadership Award:
Katherine Schmit, Glenn Korff School of Music
Schmit is a senior music education major from Lincoln. She has been a member of the Cornhusker Marching Band for four years, where she has served as Trumpet Rank Leader and two-year Drum Major. She is also an officer of the Epsilon Omega Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi.
For a full listing of this year’s honorees, visit https://go.unl.edu/2v4u.