Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 15, 2025

UNK Alumni Association

Tricia Danburg, [email protected]

308-698-5271

UNK Graduate Honored with Distinguished Chemistry Alumnus Award

KEARNEY – Creston M. Myers, O.D., has been selected as the 2025 Dr. Donald E. Fox Distinguished Chemistry Alumnus. Myers will give his lecture on Friday, Oct. 10, at 2:30 p.m. in Copeland Hall, Room 131. The lecture is open to the public.

He will be honored at the 45^th Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10, at 11:30 a.m. in the Gala Room in the Regional Engagement Center, 2204 University Drive, Kearney. Tickets are $30 per person ($35 starting Sept. 27), $15 for children ages 12 and under, and can be purchased until Oct. 1 at unkalumni.org/homecoming or by calling the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

“Dr. Creston Myers exemplifies the very best of our chemistry alumni,” said Annette Moser, Ph.D., chair of the UNK Chemistry Department. “His commitment to his profession and his leadership within the Nebraska healthcare community reflect the values we strive to instill in all our students. We are proud to honor his achievements and the positive impact he continues to make in the field of optometry and beyond.”

Dr. Donald E. Fox Distinguished Chemistry Alumnus Award

Creston M. Myers, O.D. (1999)

Creston Myers, O.D., of Alliance, Nebraska, began his optometry career in 2003 after earning his Doctor of Optometry from the Indiana University School of Optometry. He worked as an independent optometrist with Walmart in Storm Lake, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska, for three years before joining a private practice in Alliance in 2006. In 2012, he purchased an existing practice and now serves as the owner and primary doctor at Family Vision Clinic.

Myers has served on the Nebraska Optometric Association Board of Directors and is a member of the Nebraska Optometric Association. He is currently chair of the Nebraska Health and Human Services Board of Optometry. He was recognized as the 2011 Nebraska Optometric Association Young Optometrist of the Year.  

An Oshkosh, Nebraska, native and Garden County High School graduate, Myers earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with a minor in biology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1999. 

To purchase tickets and see a complete list of weekend activities visit unkalumni.org/homecoming or contact the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

2025 Homecoming Alumni Events

Friday, October 10

11:00 a.m.        Loper Gridiron Club Golf Tournament (Kearney Country Club)

11:30 a.m.        Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

2:30 p.m.         Chemistry Department’s Dr. Don Fox Lecture (Copeland Hall, Room 131)

3:30 p.m.         One Room, One Teacher Induction Ceremony (College of Education Atrium)

5:30 p.m.         Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Social (American Legion)

Saturday, October 11

7:30 a.m.          UNK Pride of the Plains Alumni Band (Fine Arts Building)

10:00 a.m.       Homecoming Parade (Downtown Kearney)
Noon                Loper Alumni Tailgate (Cope Stadium, Foster Field near Mantor Hall)

2:00 p.m.         UNK Football vs. Missouri Western State (Cope Stadium, Foster Field)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Banquet (Younes Conference Center South)

A full schedule of events and ticket information can be found at unkalumni.org/homecoming and unk.edu/offices/student_life/homecoming.

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The UNK Alumni Association provides opportunities for more than 60,000 graduates of the University of Nebraska at Kearney to connect with UNK and fellow alumni. Resources and opportunities for alumni can be found at unkalumni.org and therange.unkalumni.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 13, 2025

UNK Alumni Association

Tricia Danburg, [email protected]

308-698-5271

UNK Alumnus Honored with Gary Thomas Music Award

KEARNEY – Clay H. Blackman has been selected as the 2025 UNK Gary Thomas Distinguished Music Alumnus Award recipient.

He will be honored at the 45^th Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10, at 11:30 a.m. in the Gala Room in the Regional Engagement Center, 2204 University Drive, Kearney. Tickets are $30 per person ($35 starting Sept. 27), $15 for children ages 12 and under, and can be purchased until Oct. 1 at unkalumni.org/homecoming or by calling the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

“Clay Blackman’s impact on music education in Nebraska is both profound and enduring,” said Anthony Donofrio, Ph.D., chair of UNK’s department of Music, Theatre and Dance. “His dedication to students, leadership in professional organizations, and continued service to the field exemplify the values we strive to instill in all our graduates.”

Gary Thomas Distinguished Music Alumnus

Clay H. Blackman ‘81

Clay H. Blackman dedicated 38 years to teaching choral music to students from kindergarten through college across central and eastern Nebraska. He began his career at Stanton Community School, Central City Public Schools and Monroe Middle School. He spent most of his career at Omaha South High Magnet School and Ralston Public Schools, and most recently taught at Cross County Community Schools.

Now retired, Blackman works as a substitute teacher and serves as a clinician and judge throughout the Midwest. He is a member of the National Federation of High Schools and currently serves as the immediate past president of the Nebraska Music Education Association. He is also president-elect of the North Central Division for the National Association for Music Education. In the past he has presented at local, state and national music conferences.

While attending Kearney State College, Blackman participated in the Pride of the Plains Marching Band, symphonic wind ensemble, Choraleers, chamber singers, Nebraskats, and the Collegiate Music Educators National Conference.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in K-12 music education from Kearney State College in 1981 and a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from Doane University. A native of Ainsworth, Nebraska, and graduate of Ainsworth High School, Blackman now lives in Stromsburg.

To purchase tickets and see a complete list of weekend activities, visit unkalumni.org/homecoming or contact the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

Additional alumni award recipients will be announced through August 15.

2025 Homecoming Alumni Events

Friday, October 10

11:00 a.m.        Loper Gridiron Club Golf Tournament (Kearney Country Club)

11:30 a.m.        Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

2:30 p.m.         Chemistry Department’s Dr. Don Fox Lecture (Copeland Hall, Room 131)

3:30 p.m.         One Room, One Teacher Induction Ceremony (College of Education Atrium)

5:30 p.m.         Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Social (American Legion)

Saturday, October 11

7:30 a.m.          UNK Pride of the Plains Alumni Band (Fine Arts Building)

10:00 a.m.       Homecoming Parade (Downtown Kearney)
Noon                Loper Alumni Tailgate (Cope Stadium, Foster Field near Mantor Hall)

2:00 p.m.         UNK Football vs. Missouri Western State (Cope Stadium, Foster Field)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Banquet (Younes Conference Center South)

A full schedule of events and ticket information can be found at unkalumni.org/homecoming and unk.edu/offices/student_life/homecoming.

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The UNK Alumni Association provides opportunities for more than 60,000 graduates of the University of Nebraska at Kearney to connect with UNK and fellow alumni. Resources and opportunities for alumni can be found at unkalumni.org and therange.unkalumni.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 11, 2025

UNK Alumni Association

Tricia Danburg, [email protected]

308-698-5271

UNK Graduate Honored with CBT Distinguished Alumnus Award

KEARNEY – Bob Caldwell has been selected as the 2025 UNK College of Business and Technology Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient.

He will be honored at the 45^th Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10, at 11:30 a.m. in the Gala Room in the Regional Engagement Center, 2204 University Drive, Kearney. Tickets are $30 per person ($35 starting Sept. 27), $15 for children ages 12 and under, and can be purchased until Oct. 1 at unkalumni.org/homecoming or by calling the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

“Bob Caldwell’s career reflects the very best of what it means to be a UNK graduate—visionary leadership, entrepreneurial spirit and a deep commitment to community,” said Brooke Envick, dean of the UNK College of Business and Technology. “We are proud to recognize his achievements and continued service to Nebraska and beyond.”

College of Business & Technology Distinguished Alumnus

Bob Caldwell (1992)

Bob Caldwell, a Kearney native, has built a distinguished career in law, business and civic leadership.

Caldwell served as the University of Nebraska at Kearney student body president and the university’s first student regent. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in political science from UNK in 1992, followed by a Juris Doctor in 1996 and a Master of Business Administration in 1998, both from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

He served as general counsel for Linweld/Matheson, president and CEO of Hampton Enterprises, and is currently the executive vice president and chief administrative officer at NEBCO. Caldwell co-founded Heartland Ag Systems, the largest application equipment dealer in North America, and served as vice chairman of the $75 billion Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka.

Caldwell serves on the board of Capital Casualty Company, White River Nutrition and Bryan Health. His previous board service includes Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center/Nebraska Heart Hospital, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Lincoln Community Foundation, Lincoln Public Schools Foundation and the National Gases and Welding Distribution Association.

He has also been active with the Capital Humane Society, Nebraska Bar Association, Lincoln Lutheran High School Touchdown Club, Messiah Lutheran Church Foundation, and served on the University of Nebraska Law College Dean’s Advisory Board. He is a member of the UNK College of Business & Technology Dean’s Council and is a University of Nebraska Foundation Trustee.

Caldwell was recognized with the Midlands Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” award and is a graduate of both Leadership Lincoln and Leadership Nebraska. A graduate of Lewellen Rural High School, he now resides in Lincoln.

To purchase tickets and see a complete list of weekend activities, visit unkalumni.org/homecoming contact the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

Additional alumni award recipients will be announced through August 15.

2025 Homecoming Alumni Events

Friday, October 10

11:00 a.m.        Loper Gridiron Club Golf Tournament (Kearney Country Club)

11:30 a.m.        Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

2:30 p.m.         Chemistry Department’s Dr. Don Fox Lecture (Copeland Hall, Room 131)

3:30 p.m.         One Room, One Teacher Induction Ceremony (College of Education Atrium)

5:30 p.m.         Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Social (American Legion)

Saturday, October 11

7:30 a.m.          UNK Pride of the Plains Alumni Band (Fine Arts Building)

10:00 a.m.       Homecoming Parade (Downtown Kearney)
Noon                Loper Alumni Tailgate (Cope Stadium, Foster Field near Mantor Hall)

2:00 p.m.         UNK Football vs. Missouri Western State (Cope Stadium, Foster Field)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Banquet (Younes Conference Center South)

A full schedule of events and ticket information can be found at unkalumni.org/homecoming and unk.edu/offices/student_life/homecoming.

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The UNK Alumni Association provides opportunities for more than 60,000 graduates of the University of Nebraska at Kearney to connect with UNK and fellow alumni. Resources and opportunities for alumni can be found at unkalumni.org and therange.unkalumni.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2025

UNK Alumni Association

Tricia Danburg, [email protected]

308-698-5271

UNK Alumnus Honored with Distinguished Educator Award

KEARNEY – Howard Gaffney has been selected as the 2025 UNK College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year.

He will be honored at the 45^th Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10, at 11:30 a.m. in the Gala Room in the Regional Engagement Center, 2204 University Drive, Kearney. Tickets are $30 per person ($35 starting Sept. 27), $15 for children ages 12 and under, and can be purchased until Oct. 1 at unkalumni.org/homecoming or by calling the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

“Howard Gaffney exemplifies a lifetime of service, leadership and dedication to education in Nebraska,” said Mark Reid, Ph.D., dean of the UNK College of Education. “We are proud to honor him for his extraordinary contributions to public education and his continued impact as a mentor, advocate and role model.”

College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year

Howard Gaffney (1970, MAE 2002, EdS 2012)

Howard Gaffney of Anselmo, Nebraska, dedicated more than 50 years to the education of children in central Nebraska.

He spent the first 35 years of his career as a teacher and coach at Sandhills Public Schools in Dunning. After a two-year retirement, during which he worked as a substitute teacher, he returned to education as principal and athletic director at Hyannis Public Schools for four years. He then served as superintendent at Stapleton Public Schools for four years before retiring again. Most recently, Gaffney came out of retirement to serve as interim superintendent for Anselmo-Merna Public Schools during the 2022-23 school year.

Throughout his career, Gaffney worked as a teacher, coach, administrator and volleyball official. He is a co-founder of the Daubert-Pinnacle Girls Basketball Team, coached the Nebraska All-Star Girls Basketball teams in 1993 and 1997, and received the Nebraska School Activities Association Outstanding Volleyball Office Award in 2021 alongside his wife and officiating partner, Linda.

Now retired, Gaffney remains an active volunteer at both the local and state levels. He has been an advocate for public school legislation and is a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus, having served as the past state deputy. He is involved with the Nebraska Girls State Basketball Association, Nebraska State Education Association, Nebraska Farm Bureau, Saint Anselm’s Catholic Church and was named an admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska. In addition, he owns and manages his family’s farm and ranch.

Gaffney earned a Bachelor of Arts in education from Kearney State College in 1970, a middle school endorsement from KSC in 1975, a Master of Education in school administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2002 and a specialist degree in education from UNK in 2012. He is an Anselmo native and a graduate of Anselmo-Merna High School.

To purchase tickets and see a complete list of weekend activities visit unkalumni.org/homecoming or contact the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

Additional alumni award recipients will be announced through August 15.

2025 Homecoming Alumni Events

Friday, October 10

11:00 a.m.        Loper Gridiron Club Golf Tournament (Kearney Country Club)

11:30 a.m.        Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

2:30 p.m.         Chemistry Department’s Dr. Don Fox Lecture (Copeland Hall, Room 131)

3:30 p.m.         One Room, One Teacher Induction Ceremony (College of Education Atrium)

5:30 p.m.         Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Social (American Legion)

Saturday, October 11

7:30 a.m.          UNK Pride of the Plains Alumni Band (Fine Arts Building)

10:00 a.m.        Homecoming Parade (Downtown Kearney)
Noon                Loper Alumni Tailgate (Cope Stadium, Foster Field near Mantor Hall)

2:00 p.m.         UNK Football vs. Missouri Western State (Cope Stadium, Foster Field)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Banquet (Younes Conference Center South)

A full schedule of events and ticket information can be found at unkalumni.org/homecoming and unk.edu/offices/student_life/homecoming.

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The UNK Alumni Association provides opportunities for more than 60,000 graduates of the University of Nebraska at Kearney to connect with UNK and fellow alumni. Resources and opportunities for alumni can be found at unkalumni.org and therange.unkalumni.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 5, 2025

UNK Alumni Association

Tricia Danburg, [email protected]

308-698-5271

unkalumni.org/stay-informed/news/

UNK Alumni Honored During Homecoming Festivities October 10-11

KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney Alumni Association will honor alumni award recipients during the University of Nebraska at Kearney Homecoming festivities that will take place Oct. 10-11.

The 2025 UNK Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Awards go to Fr. Jim Cassidy (1972), Geoffrey Hall (1983), Merle A. Hinrich (1965, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters 1996) and Larry Keiter (1986). The Jim Rundstrom Distinguished Alumni Service Award recipients are Arlen (1984) and Nancy (Yurges) Osterbuhr (1995) and the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award will go to Rustin Dring (2011).

The 45^th Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards will be given out during a luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10, at 11:30 a.m. in the Gala Room in the Regional Engagement Center, 2204 University Drive, Kearney. Tickets are $30 per person ($35 starting Sept. 27), $15 for children ages 12 and under, and can be purchased until Oct. 1 at unkalumni.org/homecoming or by calling the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271.

The Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, in the Gala Room in the Regional Engagement Center with a social hour. A dinner follows at 6:15 p.m. with five former student-athletes and one physician being inducted into the UNK Athletic Hall of Fame. To purchase a ticket for the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet, visit unkalumni.org/homecoming by Oct. 1. Tickets are $40 per person ($45 starting Sept. 27), $15 for children ages 12 & under. Information on the inductees is available at lopers.com. 

On Saturday, Oct. 11, the day kicks off with the annual homecoming parade in downtown Kearney at 10:00 a.m. Following the parade, alumni and community members are invited to attend the free Loper Alumni Tailgate, at Cope Stadium near Mantor Hall starting at noon. The tailgate area is open until the 2:00 p.m. UNK football game kickoff against Missouri Western State.

To purchase tickets and see a complete list of weekend activities, contact the UNK Alumni Association at 308-698-5271 or visit unkalumni.org/homecoming. 

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Fr. Jim Cassidy (1972)

Father Jim Cassidy earned a degree in education from Kearney State College in 1972 before completing a Master of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in 1979. After his ordination, he was assigned to pastoral responsibilities in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. In the early 1980s, he started his 35-year career as the spiritual care coordinator for the Allina Health Hospice Program, while also simultaneously serving the Church of St. Joan of Arc—a role he continues to hold. During this time, Cassidy and a colleague developed and led support initiatives for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, a then newly identified illness.

In 2000, following a trip to South Africa, Cassidy founded Arm in Arm in Africa (aiaia.org), a nonprofit dedicated to improving lives of individuals in post-apartheid South Africa. He served as president and chair for 25 years and is now the chair emeritus and lead fundraiser. The mission of Arm in Arm in Africa is to establish and support local partnerships that create access to food, health care and education in both the townships and rural areas of South Africa. A U.S. mission delegation travels to South Africa annually to evaluate and develop the relationship, with Cassidy participating each year for 25 years.

Cassidy’s efforts have been recognized with several honors, including the Allina Health Award of Excellence and the Rainbow Education and Skills Program (Gugulethu Township, South Africa) Certificate of Appreciation.

A Fairmont, Nebraska, native and Fairmont High School graduate, Cassidy resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Geoffrey Hall (1983)

Geoff Hall of Fremont, Nebraska, began his career as a teacher at Chase County High School before earning his Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law in 1988.

He practiced law in both public and private sectors for more than 20 years in Kansas City, Omaha, Blair and Tekamah. In 2011, Hall was appointed judge of the District Court, 6th Judicial District—a role he continues to hold.

Hall received the Nebraska Supreme Court Distinguished Judge Award in 2020 and the Creighton University School of Law American Jurisprudence Award. He also completed a fellowship with the Nebraska State Bar Foundation.

He has served on the Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors; the Blair and Tekamah chambers of commerce boards; the UNK Alumni Association Board of Directors; and as a mock trial and youth sports coach.

An Omaha native and graduate of Omaha Paul VI High School, Hall earned a degree in education from Kearney State College in 1983.

Merle A. Hinrich (1964, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters 1996)

Merle A. Hinrich has dedicated his 60-year career to catalyzing trade. He was founder, chief executive officer and chairman of Global Sources, whose flagship magazine, Asian Sources, launched in 1971. It became the lead resource connecting American and European importers with exporters across East Asia.

In the mid-1990s, Hinrich moved Asian Sources’ substantial networks online, transforming the company into an e-commerce giant that listed on NASDAQ in 2000. Since selling Global Sources in 2017, Hinrich has been chairman of the philanthropic Hinrich Foundation he founded in 2012 and continues to advance sustainability in global trade.

Hinrich’s charitable work beyond his foundation includes serving as an international board member of the Weizmann Institute of Science, is an active supporter of the Asia Philanthropy Circle and Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum and was recognized with the National Heritage Board’s award in 2023. He was also the co-founder and former chair of The Society of Hong Kong Publishers and an investment promotion ambassador with Invest Hong Kong.

Hinrich graduated from Hastings High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in education from Kearney State College in 1964. He received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1996 from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and is also a 1965 graduate of the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Hinrich resides in Singapore.

Larry Keiter (1986)

Larry Keiter of Lincoln, Nebraska, is an executive coach, author, speaker and owner of Larry Keiter Coaching. Through his business, he provides executive coaching and organizational development services to both local and national companies. He is a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Korn Ferry Leadership Coach. He is set to publish two books in 2026.

He began his career as a store and district manager for Walmart, helping expand the company’s presence in Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa during his two decades with the company. He later served as second vice president of talent strategy at Ameritas for 14 years before launching his coaching business in 2022.

Keiter currently serves on the University of Nebraska at Kearney College of Business and Technology Dean’s Leadership Council and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Clifton Strengths Institute board. He is also a member of Rotary, where he was recognized as the Rookie of the Year for 2024-2025. Keiter is a past member and board chair of the Nebraska Retail Federation and was named an admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska.

A native of Hartington, Nebraska, native and graduate of Hartington Cedar Catholic High School, Keiter earned his degree in business administration with a minor in finance from Kearney State College in 1986. He also has a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Regis University and completed the Walton Institute of Retailing’s Advanced Leadership Strategies program.

Jim Rundstrom Distinguished Alumni Service Award

Arlen (1984) and Nancy (Yurges) Osterbuhr (1995)

Arlen and Nancy Osterbuhr of Minden, Nebraska, are longtime supporters of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the UNK Alumni Association. Both have served on the alumni association’s board of directors and volunteered in various roles. Arlen is active with the Loper Football Backers and UNK College of Business and Technology Dean’s Leadership Council. Nancy is a past UNKAA Gold Torch Society mentor and served on the UNKAA Outstanding Senior Awards committee.

Arlen has been with Minden Exchange Bank & Trust Co. since 1990 and currently serves as the chief executive officer and board chair. He holds leadership roles with the Nebraska Bankers Association, Minden Chamber of Commerce, Minden Optimist Club and Minden Community Redevelopment Authority. He is a former member of the FDIC Advisory Committee on Community Banking, American Bankers Association Government Relations Council, Kearney County Community Foundation, and Minden City Council, among others.

Nancy spent 20 years in mortgage lending with First National Bank in Kearney and is now retired. She currently works as a substitute teacher for Minden Public Schools and Axtell Community School.

A graduate of Leadership Kearney, she is a TeamMates mentor and has served on the boards of the Minden Opera House, Junior Achievement and Habitat for Humanity. She has also been a 4-H club leader and member of the Kearney County 4-H Council.

The Osterbuhrs are active members of St. Paul Lutheran Church.

Arlen, a Minden, Nebraska, native and Minden High School graduate, earned a business administration degree with an emphasis in management from Kearney State College in 1984. He also graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado. Nancy, a Bertrand, Nebraska, native and Bertrand Community School graduate, earned her business administration degree from UNK in 1995. 

Distinguished Young Alumnus Award

Rustin Dring (2011)

Rustin Dring of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is the chief executive officer of Garmat USA, a manufacturer of precision-engineered paint booths and refinish equipment headquartered in Englewood, Colorado. He has held this position since 2023.

A seasoned global executive, Dring previously served as president for Markforged in Massachusetts, as well as president and in other senior leadership positions with Enerpac Tool Group in Wisconsin, Australia and Singapore. While with Enerpac, he led the AsiaPacific business unit during a four-year expatriate assignment. He began his career following graduation with Eaton Corporation in Oregon.

Dring received a Bachelor of Science in industrial distribution from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2011. He also holds an MBA from Creighton University. Dring is a native of Kearney, Nebraska, and a Kearney High School graduate.

Additional alumni award recipients will be announced through August 15.

2025 Homecoming Alumni Events

Friday, October 10

11:00 a.m.        Loper Gridiron Club Golf Tournament (Kearney Country Club)

11:30 a.m.        Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

2:30 p.m.         Chemistry Department’s Dr. Don Fox Lecture (Copeland Hall, Room 131)

3:30 p.m.         One Room, One Teacher Induction Ceremony (College of Education Atrium)

5:30 p.m.         Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet (Regional Engagement Center, Gala Room)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Social (American Legion)

Saturday, October 11

7:30 a.m.          UNK Pride of the Plains Alumni Band (Fine Arts Building)

10:00 a.m.        Homecoming Parade (Downtown Kearney)
Noon               Loper Alumni Tailgate (Cope Stadium, Foster Field near Mantor Hall)

2:00 p.m.         UNK Football vs. Missouri Western State (Cope Stadium, Foster Field)

6:00 p.m.         ROTC Alumni Banquet (Younes Conference Center South)

A full schedule of events and ticket information can be found at unkalumni.org/homecoming and unk.edu/offices/student_life/homecoming.

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The UNK Alumni Association provides opportunities for more than 60,000 graduates of the University of Nebraska at Kearney to connect with UNK and fellow alumni. Resources and opportunities for alumni can be found at unkalumni.org and therange.unkalumni.org.