Luke McDermott is a UNL junior from Millard majoring in political science, economics and history while also earning a Certificate in Public Policy Analysis.

A UNL Honors Program student, he is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was chosen in Spring 2025 by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation as one of 54 scholars nationwide selected as a prestigious Truman Scholar. This year’s Truman Scholars were selected from 743 nominees representing 288 colleges and universities. Truman Scholars receive up to $30,000 for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.

McDermott has a lengthy history of public service, serving as Government Liaison Committee Director for UNL's student government as well as a page for the Nebraska Legislature. He also traveled to Washington D.C. in the summer of 2024 to serve as a Victory Institute Congressional intern in Sen. Adam Schiff's office, and is the recipient of a 2024-26 Voyager Scholarship, the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service.

Jay Wilkinson is a visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist and advocate for purpose-driven business. A 1988 graduate from the College of Journalism & Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Wilkinson is the founder and CEO of Firespring, an agency providing creative, marketing, printing and technology solutions to help businesses and nonprofits prosper. It is Nebraska’s first Certified B Corporation and was featured in Inc. Magazine as one of the Top 50 Places to Work in America. He also founded the Do More Good Movement, an organization created to educate, empower and amplify companies and business leaders doing more good for their various stakeholders.

Wilkinson returned to the UNL campus in April of 2025 as the college's Alumni Master for the year. He visited Campus Voices to reflect on his time at UNL and how it prepared him for the various ventures he has pursued.

Following a confrontation and assault of some students from the LGBTQA+ community on the UNL campus, this episode of Campus Voices focused on the reaction from the campus and resources available to help in the aftermath.

Lucinda Austin is an associate professor and the associate dean for graduate studies and research at the Hussman School of Journalism & Media at the University of North Carolina.

She joined the UNC faculty in July 2016 and teaches courses in public relations and strategic communication. Her research focuses on social media’s influence on strategic communication initiatives, namely health and crisis communication, and explores publics’ perspectives in corporate social responsibility and organization-public relationship building.

Dr. Austin earned her Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she was recipient of the 2011 Charles Richardson Most Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award and the 2009 Outstanding Teaching Award. She has published work in a number of academic journals.

She visited the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus in April 2025 to work with College of Journalism and Mass Communications Dean Shari Vail as part of a mentorship partnership through the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Association of Schools of Journalism & Mass Communication.

The 2025 Seline Lecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln featured Nebraska Examiner Editor-in-Chief Aaron Sanderford and CNN National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny, both of whom hold degrees from UNL's College of Journalism & Mass Communications.

While on campus, they sat down with College of Journalism & Mass Communications faculty member Barney McCoy to visit about the intersection of local and national political coverage.

J.J. Jurgens is a broadcast producer, writer, creative director, editor and vocal performance professional. An Omaha native, she played basketball for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1994-98 while studying in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. She was the first person to graduate from UNL's specialized Sports Marketing/Broadcasting Master's program in 2000 and worked for HuskerVision, UNL's athletic television production group. Following graduation, she moved to the west coast where she worked in a variety of broadcast production capacities, including 8 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers and 21 years with CBS. She also owns her own voice over and creative production firms. She returned to the UNL campus to visit with journalism students in late March of 2025.

Noah Stahr talked to Aaron De La Torre, Vice President of the Mexican American Student Association.

Lydia Hernendez talked to Robert Russel, Center for Academic Success and Transition Director about the importance of the CAST program at UNL.

Hamilton Reinbold talkes to to Tom Dey about why he became a new student enrollment leader and how he makes connections with the incoming freshmen and makes sure they feel welcome on the UNL campus.

Mackenzie Noble hosts Campus Voices with guest Dr. Vernetta Kosalka, an Assistant Professor of

Practice in Hospitality, Restaurant, and Tourism Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr.

Kosalka shares insights from her extensive career, including owning a wedding planning business and

working in various hospitality roles.