Success Stories

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Sissoko launches coffee business while finishing college career

The coffee business started in a dorm room in Wyoming for Hastings College senior Sidy Sissoko. Sissoko, attending a community college at the time, and his roommate experimented with roasting coffee beans his roommate brought with him from his family’s coffee bean farm in Kenya, Africa. “People complained about the smell,” he said, “but when […]

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Perdunn ‘04 protects power system by working in cybersecurity with OPPD

A man of many talents, Michael Perdunn ’04 worked in customer service, marketing and project management before landing a dream job that fits with his passions. He protects the Omaha Public Power District’s (OPPD) power system by managing the cybersecurity team in Omaha, Nebraska. During his work as a project manager, the communication studies and

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Burke ‘17 starts educational career in the midst of COVID-19, helps students succeed

When starting her career in a high school this fall, Melissa Burke ‘17 wasn’t expecting her job to be fully online. The Hastings College psychology and health administration graduate works as a school social worker at the Chicago Tech Academy, a charter school in Chicago, Illinois. While the school is entirely virtual this year, Burke

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Bronco Buddies adapts to connect with elementary students through pen pal program

Bronco Buddies, started a year ago by education major Michaela Bailey, seeks to connect students at Lincoln Elementary School in Hastings with college student mentors. Last year, student athletes would visit and play with Lincoln Elementary students at lunch and recess. This year, the program looks different, as it shifted to a pen-pal program with

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COVID-19 can’t stop Wiegert from helping non-profit raise $10,000 during summer internship

Hastings College senior Kara Wiegert interned for the Central Nebraska Council on Alcoholism and Addictions (CNCAA) through AmeriCorps this past summer. This was the third summer Wiegert worked for CNCAA, and she said she’s been inspired through her experience and believes that anything is possible no matter where you come from. Wiegert worked alongside the

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Kalinskiy thinks of Hastings College skills after winning Russian competition

In early September, Dr. Oleg Kalinskiy ‘98 was named one of the 106 winners of the all-Russia competition, Leaders of Russia. The competition, held for the third time, is designed to help identify the next generation of Russian leaders, and Kalinskiy said he thought back on his Hastings College roots after winning. During the competition,

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Through clerkship, Sisson ‘19 applies tangible skills in law school

During his sophomore year at Hastings College, Marc Sisson ‘19 interned for the Nebraska Attorney General’s office in constituent services. Now in law school, he returned to the same office this past summer to work as a law clerk in an entirely different departmentーthe criminal appellate section. This fall, Sisson started the second of three

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Wiegert combines agribusiness, accounting in internship with CPI

Emily Wiegert, an agribusiness major with minors in accounting and economics, combined her study areas to find success at her summer internship. The Hastings College senior utilized her skills as an accountant intern for the agronomy department for Cooperatives Producers, Inc. (CPI) in Hastings, Nebraska. CPI is a farmer-owned cooperative with more than 400 employees

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Fisher learns to ‘trust the process’ in internship, academic career

After Hastings College MAT student Cole Fisher ‘19 landed an internship with the University of Minnesota athletic staff in February, he thought he’d observe coaches, work with athletes and get hands-on experience. COVID-19, however, completely changed the way his internship looks. Instead, the internship is more academically focused— and has provided valuable lessons for a

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