The University of Nebraska Medical Center Student Association for Rural
Health, made up of students from rural areas studying at UNMC, held Rural
Health Professions Career Day Oct. 2. The event introduced students with
an interest in health careers to the multitude of careers available in
the health sciences.
About 187 high school students and teachers from 68 rural communities
learned about opportunities in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry,
physician assistant, physical therapy, medical technology and other fields.
They watched presentations and visited with health professionals.
Students met with UNMC representatives from the colleges of dentistry,
medicine, nursing and pharmacy and the school of allied health professions.
In the afternoon, each student attended three, 30-minute informational
sessions from among eight topics: nursing, physical therapy, medical technology,
medicine, physician assistant, dentistry and dental hygiene, radiation
sciences and pharmacy.
About one-half of the physicians, pharmacists, dental professionals
and allied health professionals practicing in Nebraska were trained at
UNMC. The Rural Health Professions Career Day is one of many UNMC efforts
to assist in Growing Our Own future health professionals for Nebraska.
Below is a list of participating high schools, high school students,
and their hometowns. The students are listed in the order in which
they appear in the photos (left to right, front row to back row).
AUBURN PUBLIC SCHOOL – Lindsay Hemmingsen (Auburn), Kaci Jones
(Auburn), Chris Marnell (Peru), Stacy Oakley (Auburn) and Katie Von Bergen
(Auburn)
BEATRICE HIGH SCHOOL – Front row: Sheree Burney, Robin
Crow and Kristal Griffeth (all from Beatrice). Back row: Megan
Luers, Laura Pickering, Heather Stierwalt and Tania Tennant (all from Beatrice).
BURWELL JR./SR. HIGH – Michael Donner (Burwell)
CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL – Ashley Bouchard (Gresham), Amber Floyd
(Utica), Amanda Matlock (Waco), Kayla Pieschke (Waco) and Keyna Rolenc
(Ulysses)
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL – Front row: Holly Bourek
(Dodge), Nora Kreikemeier (West Point) and Kim Petersen (West Point).
Back row: Aaron Raskamp and Chris Strehle (both from West Point).
CSAE-ARTHUR HIGH – Sammie Jo Vasa (Arthur)
CSAE-HYANNIS HIGH – Erica Anderson, Sarah Blaylock (Ashby),
Mark Dyer and Kari Frye (all from Hyannis except where indicated)
CSAE-MULLEN HIGH – Andrea Deibler, Tracy Finney and Erica Livesay
(all from Mullen)
CSAE-SANDHILLS HIGH SCHOOL – Michaela Coleman (Dunning), Megan
Rogers (Halsey) and Stephanie Sierks (Dunning)
CSAE-THEDFORD HIGH – Julie Hamilton and Bridget Rasmussen (both
from Thedford)
DONIPHAN HIGH SCHOOL – Jessica Armon, Kayla Beck, Kristen Friesen,
Megan Orcutt (all from Doniphan) and Katie Wach (Hastings)
ELKHORN VALLEY SCHOOL – Sandra Fox, Traci Fox, Ashley James,
Stephanie Linse and Jill Molhoff (all from Tilden)
ELMWOOD-MURDOCK HIGH – Sarah Jordan (Murdock) and Michael
Reeves (Elmwood)
EXETER PUBLIC SCHOOL – Erin Dinneen (Cordova), Kendall Gloystein,
Elizabeth Harre, Emily Miller and Lindsey Waldron (all from Exeter except
where indicated)
FAIRBURY JR./SR. HIGH – Front row: Beth Bell, Cassie Bourne
and Emily McCord (all from Fairbury). Back row: Darci McGee,
Chelsey Quinn and Andrea Steele (all from Fairbury).
FALLS CITY HIGH SCHOOL – Leah Carpenter (Falls City), Lauren
Fisher (Rulo), Kara Frederick (Falls City) and Erica Messner (Falls City)
GIBBON PUBLIC SCHOOL – Hayley Clevenger, Heidi Cozad (Kearney),
Andrea Halkyard, Karmynn Plantz and Annessa Stalder (all from Gibbon except
where indicated)
HEBRON HIGH SCHOOL – Front row: Jocelyn Bowman (Alexandria),
Craig Dye (Hebron) and Aaron Dye (Hebron). Back row: Tessa
Hatfield (Belvidere), Tara Hissong (Hebron), Jared Koch (Hebron) and Dan
Williams (Carleton).
HUMBOLDT HIGH SCHOOL – Chelsea Hunzeker and Jessi Standeford
(both from Humboldt)
MINDEN HIGH SCHOOL – Jessica Shepherd and Molly Will (both from
Minden)
NELIGH-OAKDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL – Erin Kester (Clearwater)
NEMAHA VALLEY SCHOOLS – Front row: Amy Ebeler (Tecumseh),
Ann Moles (Cook) and Holly Morris (Dunbar). Back row: Tara
Tubbesing, Laura Wagner and Tiffany Wellsandt (all from Cook).
NORFOLK SENIOR HIGH – Stacie Dreger, Bonnie Flook, Amber Harris,
Anne Rutten and Emily Stanley (all from Norfolk)
NORTH BEND CENTRAL HIGH – Stephanie Anderson, Katie Blacketer,
Niki Hunke, Melissa Reznicek, Ashley Sissel, Amy Tushen (Ames) and Anita
Winkelman (all from North Bend except where indicated)
NORTH PLATTE HIGH SCHOOL – Lindsey LaShell (North Platte)
ORD HIGH SCHOOL – Front row: Tiffany Foth (Ord), Kara
Novotny (Comstock) and Heidi Peterson (Ord). Back row: Denise
Rieck (Ord), Terrin Wolf (Ord) and Curtis Wray (Scotia).
OSCEOLA HIGH SCHOOL – Front row: Venessa Barra, Veronica
Barra, Mike Gabel and Jena Hayes). Back row: Kyle Prososki,
Trudy Richards, Megan Stowe and Dusty Tonniges (all from Osceola).
PENDER PUBLIC SCHOOL – Andrew Beckmann (Pender), Andy Guenther
(Bancroft), Deb Schenkel (Thurston) and Sherry Webster (Pender)
PIERCE HIGH SCHOOL – Front row: Kristen Anderson, Lynsey
Collison, Janneil Hoffman and Bobbie Krueger (all from Pierce). Back
row: Erin Navkral, Gabe Polt, Katie Prahl, Christina Prince (Osmond)
and Jill Theisen (all from Pierce except where indicated).
PLATTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL – Michelle Fees, Amy Fenton, Andrea
Heinen and Danelle Petersen (all from Plattsmouth)
SACRED HEART SCHOOL – Whitney Merz and Trisha Mullins (both
from Falls City)
SCOTUS CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH – Front row: Justin Harsh,
Cade Kudron (Bellwood) and Tamara Laudenklos. Back row: Lindsey
Pritchard, Joe Puetz, Kendra Schneiders and Lori Swanson (all from Columbus
except where indicated)
SEWARD HIGH SCHOOL – Liz Blomenberg, Jesse Carr, Nicole Johnson,
Andy Miller and Suzanne Plybon (all from Seward)
ST. PATRICK’S JR./SR. HIGH – Ann Brittan, Nicole Hernandez,
Amber Ottis, Danielle Pell and Rachael Wyatt (all from North Platte)
STERLING HIGH SCHOOL – Julie Frerichs, Cheryl Nieveen, Joshua
Rathe and Donna Woltemath (Tecumseh) (All from Sterling except where
indicated)
STUART PUBLIC SCHOOL – Front row: Lisa Keogh, Laurie Keogh
and Amy Kohle. Back row: Brock Olson, Matt Riha and Dan Riha
(all from Stuart)
WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL – Front row: Joe Dangberg, Stacy Kardell,
Kallie Krugman and Karie Mitchell. Back row: Katie Roberts (Carroll),
Lyndi Tietz (Carroll), Nicole Trevett and Katie Walton (all from Wayne
except where indicated)
WOOD RIVER RURAL HIGH – Chelsie Lammers (Wood River)