44 graduate with SNR degrees in Spring 2017

Graduates took turns sharing their favorite memory of their time with the School of Natural Resources during a celebration May 5, 2017, in Hardin Hall. | Shawna Richter-Ryerson, Natural Resources
Graduates took turns sharing their favorite memory of their time with the School of Natural Resources during a celebration May 5, 2017, in Hardin Hall. | Shawna Richter-Ryerson, Natural Resources

SNR is sending out a big congratulations to the school's 44 May graduates. They were invited to participate in commencement exercises, which took place May 5 at the School of Natural Resources and May 6 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln’s Haymarket District.

"Do things. Don't settle,” Director John Carroll told the students during the SNR celebration. “Make us proud we had a little influence on the journey you've started."

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln granted 3,107 degrees during commencement exercises; students graduating from SNR students from eight states and one from Canada.

Undergraduates:

  • Dakota Altman, Lincoln; fisheries and wildlife
  • Courtney Anderson, Champlin, Minnesota; fisheries and wildlife
  • Morgan Battes, Shawnee, Iowa; natural resource and environmental economics
  • Kimberly Brown, Papillion; fisheries and wildlife
  • Drew Bruhl, Lincoln; fisheries and wildlife
  • Eric Bruster, Omaha; fisheries and wildlife
  • Thane Carstens, Bennington; fisheries and wildlife
  • Jazmin Castillo, Lincoln; fisheries and wildlife
  • Arden Cornwell, Lincoln; water science
  • Alison Creeger, Woodbury, Minnesota; environmental restoration science and environmental studies
  • Courtney Everhart, Gretna; fisheries and wildlife
  • Andrew Fulk, Mitchell; fisheries and wildlife
  • Thomas Hoenshell, McKinney, Texas; natural resource and environmental economics
  • Andrea Jensen, Lincoln; fisheries and wildlife
  • Jacob Kendrick, Lincoln; grassland ecology and management
  • Kaycee Koranda, Lincoln; water science
  • Paige Krupa, Omaha; fisheries and wildlife
  • Timothy Lambert, Grand Rapids, Michigan; fisheries and wildlife
  • Peter Lux, Norfolk; fisheries and wildlife
  • Bryce Maher, Gretna; fisheries and wildlife
  • Hannah Miller, Lincoln; fisheries and wildlife
  • Rachel Neisius, Lincoln; fisheries and wildlife
  • Sarah Nodskov, Omaha; fisheries and wildlife
  • Harlee Phillips, Clarkson; fisheries and wildlife
  • Skyler Rodriguez, Lincoln; fisheries and wildlife
  • Brooks Ronspies, Omaha; natural resource and environmental economics
  • Sarah Rothchild, Lincoln; fisheries wildlife
  • Matthew Russell, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; environmental restoration science and water science
  • Elizabeth Schultz, Mapleton, Minnesota; fisheries and wildlife
  • Curt Vandenberg, Valparaiso; fisheries and wildlife
  • Brody Vorderstrasse, Glenvil; fisheries and wildlife
  • Lexus Wellman, Blair; environmental studies and fisheries and wildlife
  • Monica White, Parker, Colorado; fisheries and wildlife
  • Connor Wichman, Omaha; fisheries and wildlife
  • Samuel Wilton, Greshan; water science and science
  • Charrissa Zuerlein, Bellwood; environmental studies and fisheries and wildlife


Graduate students:
  • Rebecca Bevans, Lincoln; natural resource sciences
  • Christian J. Cruz, Chanute, Kansas; geography
  • Alexis Fedele, Lincoln; natural resource sciences
  • Catherine Finkenbiner, Lincoln; natural resource sciences
  • Gunnar Malek-Madani, Lincoln; geography
  • Ashley Peterson, Omaha; natural resource sciences


Doctoral students:
  • Maggi Sliwinkski, McCord, Canada; natural resource sciences; dissertation: “Heterogenity of Avian Breeding Habitat on Grazing Lands of the Northern Great Plains.”
  • Dan Uden, Garland; natural resource sciences; dissertation: “Causes and Consequences of Landcover Change in Landcapes in Nebraska, U.S.A.”


The May graduating class earned 654 new graduate and professional degrees and 2,452 new baccalaureate degrees. The university has awarded 282,423 degrees since it was founded in 1869.

View more photos from the SNR celebration here.

View photos from the university commencement celebrations here.

Nebraska Today contributed to this report.