Our Stories
Henry Doorly Zoo Aquarium fuels Ocander’s marine biology aspirations
An Omaha native and Hastings College wildlife biology major, senior Ashlyn Ocander dreams of rescuing and rehabilitating marine mammals. Her passion for marine biology blossomed when she was 13 and witnessed newborn…
Stogdill learns life lessons from dermatology internship
Sophomore biology major Alex Stogdill traveled to Nevada for January Term, or J-Term, to shadow a professional dermatologist. After nearly a month of observing the trade, Stogdill would leave the silver state…
Piper completes two internships in a single J-Term
Two internships are better than one. Or in sophomore biology major Geena Piper’s case, two internships during a single January Term. Piper has raised the bar and has already started preparing herself…
Video: Alexis Ferguson finds her passion in policy
Senior Political Science major Alexis Ferguson knew from a very young age that politics is where she wanted to be. Her focus landed on policy, listening to the voices of the people…
Internship solidifies Vadeboncoeur’s passion for fitness
J-Term allows students to experience different classes and situations during the month of January that they wouldn’t be able to in a normal semester. For senior Michaela Vadeboncoeur, an Exercise Science major…
Sherrill interns as NAIA sports ‘gatekeeper’
Since right after her graduation in May of 2016, Nikki Sherrill has spent her days overseeing women’s division II volleyball and women’s division II basketball for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).…
Humanities grad fights poverty, serves others
When you consider what an English major might do after graduation, working at a social services agency might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Aaron Bowen, however, has discovered…
Johnson gathering experiences, working toward master’s degree
After receiving degrees in political science and peace, justice and social change from Hastings College in 2014, California native Emily Johnson followed her food security and public policy passion and moved to…
HC music alumnus breaks new ground in Japan
Nathan Mertens’ saxophone career has a distinctly international flair. Since graduating from Hastings College in 2012, he studied at the l’université Européenne de Saxophone in France during the summer of 2015 and…
Bredow pursues a professional path with Google certification
Dan Bredow, a senior web communication design major from Omaha, Nebraska, is not the same student that first enrolled at Hastings College nearly four years ago. From a first-year student unsure of…
HC alumna secures prestigious scholarship for graduate study abroad
Most students complete master’s degree programs at schools across the state or even across the country, but few have the opportunity to study abroad. Miranda Klugesherz, a 2015 Hastings College graduate, plans…
After 57 years, Sachtleben introduces students to the night sky one last time
From his first day at Hastings College in 1960 as a “24-year-old kid with a crew cut,” to this past January Term as a seasoned educator, Dr. Clyde Sachtleben has spent most…
Hajny finds ‘magical moments’ fighting wildland fires (with video)
See a video interview with Hajny below. A biology degree from Hastings College can often lead to a career in a white coat, as many graduates go on to become physicians, veterinarians…
Video: Petersen continued education at Hastings College to achieve master’s degree
Alumna Frankie Petersen graduated from Hastings College twice. Once with Bachelor of Education in Science Teacher Education/General Science and a second time with a Master of Arts in Elementary Education and Teaching. She…
Music grad explores life out of comfort zone
As her graduation from Hastings College neared, Hannah Jensen ‘15 wasn’t sure exactly how she would apply her double major in piano performance and music education outside of college. Little did she…
Ross’s coral research builds on classroom skills set, work ethic
Coral colonies, including the Great Barrier Reef, are dying across the globe, and scientists from around the world are working to discover the reason behind and solution to the coral crisis. One…
