Find out more about Louise Pound at https://archives-spec.unl.edu/lee-pound-rivalry/louise-pound--the-woman

VISUAL DESCRIPTION: A graphic appears that says Louise Pound, A Woman Ahead of Her Time. A photo montage of historical photos appear, showing Louise over the years with colleagues and athletic teams.

Upon completion of her B.A. (1892) and her M.A. (1895) from UNL, she set her sights on being the first female graduate to earn her PhD. Pound found it difficult, as a woman, to be accepted into a doctoral program in the United States. So Pound continued her studies at the University of Heidelberg, in Germany, passing the doctoral examination. She graduated magna cum laude in 1900. She completed her Ph.D. in two semesters instead of the usual seven semesters. Her dissertation titled, The Comparison of Adjectives in English in XV and XVI Century was presented in the German language which she mastered along with French.

Louise had many first and accomplishments in academia as a renown scholar. She was accomplished and well-known in national and international academic circles. During her lifetime, Pound was a distinguished literary scholar, folklorist, linguist, author, musician, athlete and a UNL Professor of English for 50 years. She was the first woman president of the prestigious Modern Language Association. As a scholar, Pound crusaded for the serious study of American English. At a time when the world looked toward Europe for ‘real’ culture, Louise championed the dignity of the American language. She used the rich folklore and dialect of Nebraska to guide much of her research and devoted her career to preserving Nebraska’s native folklore, publishing 12 books and many articles.

Her academic accomplishments included being one of the first members of Phi Beta Kappa at UNL. In 1905, Pound founded and was a member of the honor society called Black Masque, which today is known as Mortar Board. She was one of the first female college professors in the United States. In 1917, she helped organize the first college female cheerleader squad at UNL who were also the first female cheerleaders in the United States. There have been two buildings on campus that have carried her name, 1969 Pound Hall dormitory and 2018 Louise Pound Hall.

Seventy years before Title IX, Pound was an accomplished athlete who fought on behalf of women to play competitive intercollegiate sports. Pound was a championship athlete who proudly represented UNL, the city of Lincoln and the State of Nebraska in tennis, golf, cycling and basketball. She didn’t just play; she conquered every sport she played. Pound dominated on the tennis court winning singles and doubles matches in intercollegiate contests at UNL and nationally, beating both women and men. In 1894 she earned a UNL Men’s Varsity N letter in tennis, and in 2018 she was inducted into the UNL Men’s N Club as the only female member.

Pound helped organize the first UNL women’s basketball team in 1896. She was a player, a captain and later a coach and manager of the team, which was an intercollegiate championship team for 10 years. She was an award-winning cyclist earning bars and medals for cycling 100 miles in 12 hours and 5,000 miles in a year (in a skirt). Pound was a champion golfer winning the city championship for 26 consecutive years. She was the first woman inducted into the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame in 1955, and in 2022 she was inducted into the UNL Athletics Hall of Fame.

She was an extraordinary woman. In the academic world, she was a pioneering scholar who made important contributions to at least three disciplines. In the world of sports, she was an outstanding athlete who excelled in every sport she attempted, both as a player and a coach, of high-level athletic competition for women.

Louise Pound was a dedicated advocate of opportunities for women especially for their educational and professional advancement.

She was a life-long Nebraskan who had many other opportunities at prestigious colleges, but her choice was fiercely affirmative for the University of Nebraska.

North America’s grasslands are rapidly being transformed as expanding trees and shrubs displace native wildlife, reduce forage and water supplies, increase wildfire risk, and threaten rural communities and economies. Protecting these landscapes requires preventing and addressing woody encroachment early through science-based tools, practices like prescribed fire, and coordinated partnerships among landowners, agencies, Tribes, and other conservation partners.

A Nebraska Teacher of the Year, Shelby Aaberg ('04) is bringing what he learned at Nebraska into his classroom, helping Scottsbluff students fall in love with math and realize their potential. Read Shelby's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska.

Video description: Video opens on an aerial view of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Text fades in that reads “We are Nebraska.” Shelby gives students a high-five as they walk into the classroom, then stands at the front of his classroom and speaks to students seated at desks. Video cuts to Shelby seated in his classroom with the whiteboard, desks and chairs behind him. He talks toward the camera. hotos of Molly from her time as a Nebraska student — posing for a photo with Lil’ Red and standing in front of a chalkboard — appear on a cream background. Amara Alsidez, a freshman and Scottsbluff high school, is seen in the gym speaking toward the camera. We cut to Shelby in a classroom again as he addresses students. Students work on computers, then with geometric tiles at tables in the gym. Shelby deals cards to Nicholas Roberts, a senior at Scottsbluff High School and an incoming Nebraska student. Nicholas is seated in a classroom as he talks toward the camera. Awards for mathematics competitions and photos of students at the competitions hang on the walls of the room. We cut back to the gym where students play card games at tables, back to Nicholas, then to students working together in the classroom. Shelby talks toward the camera from his classroom. Students line up to fly their paper airplanes. Shelby teaches at the front of the class as students follow along on their calculators. Video closes with aerial footage of the city and the Scottsbluff water tower.

A Nebraska Teacher of the Year, Shelby Aaberg ('04) is bringing what he learned at Nebraska into his classroom, helping Scottsbluff students fall in love with math and realize their potential. Read Shelby's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska.

Video description: Video opens on an aerial view of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Text fades in that reads “We are Nebraska.” Shelby gives students a high-five as they walk into the classroom, then stands at the front of his classroom and speaks to students seated at desks. Video cuts to Shelby seated in his classroom with the whiteboard, desks and chairs behind him. He talks toward the camera. hotos of Molly from her time as a Nebraska student — posing for a photo with Lil’ Red and standing in front of a chalkboard — appear on a cream background. Amara Alsidez, a freshman and Scottsbluff high school, is seen in the gym speaking toward the camera. We cut to Shelby in a classroom again as he addresses students. Students work on computers, then with geometric tiles at tables in the gym. Shelby deals cards to Nicholas Roberts, a senior at Scottsbluff High School and an incoming Nebraska student. Nicholas is seated in a classroom as he talks toward the camera. Awards for mathematics competitions and photos of students at the competitions hang on the walls of the room. We cut back to the gym where students play card games at tables, back to Nicholas, then to students working together in the classroom. Shelby talks toward the camera from his classroom. Students line up to fly their paper airplanes. Shelby teaches at the front of the class as students follow along on their calculators. Video closes with aerial footage of the city and the Scottsbluff water tower.

In our state's only Level IV NICU, Molly Hovis (’21) uses her Nebraska education to help the smallest patients grow big and strong. Read Molly's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska.

Video description: Video opens on an aerial of Children’s Nebraska in Omaha. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” Molly Hovis, a NICU nurse, smiles as she walks down the hall of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, then looks down as she holds a baby. Molly sits in a chair in a patient room as she speaks toward the camera before it cuts to an aerial of the exterior of the hospital. A close-up on a baby’s foot transitions to a shot of Molly holding the baby bedside. A whiteboard in the room reads “Welcome to the NICU.” Molly chats with fellow nurses at the nurses station on the floor and then smiles as she walks down the hall. We return to the shot of her seated in a patient room. Photos of Molly from her time as a Nebraska student — standing on the Union Plaza in her New Student Enrollment polo and in her graduation regalia outside the Sheldon Museum of Art — appear on a cream background. Molly talks with a parent in a patient room before it cuts to stuffed animals lined up in birthday hats on the windowsill of the room. A view of the baby in her crib pans up to show Molly talking to the parent, looking in at the baby and holding the baby. The video closes on the baby kicking her legs in her crib.

In our state's only Level IV NICU, Molly Hovis (’21) uses her Nebraska education to help the smallest patients grow big and strong. Read Molly's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska. Video description: Video opens on an aerial of Children’s Nebraska in Omaha. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” Molly Hovis, a NICU nurse, smiles as she walks down the hall of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, then looks down as she holds a baby. Molly sits in a chair in a patient room as she speaks toward the camera before it cuts to an aerial of the exterior of the hospital. A close-up on a baby’s foot transitions to a shot of Molly holding the baby bedside. A whiteboard in the room reads “Welcome to the NICU.” Molly chats with fellow nurses at the nurses station on the floor and then smiles as she walks down the hall. We return to the shot of her seated in a patient room. Photos of Molly from her time as a Nebraska student — standing on the Union Plaza in her New Student Enrollment polo and in her graduation regalia outside the Sheldon Museum of Art — appear on a cream background. Molly talks with a parent in a patient room before it cuts to stuffed animals lined up in birthday hats on the windowsill of the room. A view of the baby in her crib pans up to show Molly talking to the parent, looking in at the baby and holding the baby. The video closes on the baby kicking her legs in her crib.

A former bakery owner, Matt Sehnert ('86) has been a staple in the McCook community for decades. Today, he's taking lessons about the importance of philanthropy that he gained on campus to support and invest in his hometown. Read Matt's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska.

Video description: Video opens on an aerial of McCook, Nebraska. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” Matt Sehnert, chairman for the McCook Community Foundation, places an apron over his head. He twists dough in the kitchen of a bakery before it cuts to him seated with the bakery behind him as he speaks toward the camera. Memorabilia — including an apron and news clippings — and photos from Sehnert’s Bakery are hung on the wall. Matt walks down the streets of McCook and enters Lucy’s. He points to a baked good in the case. The video cuts back to Matt in the kitchen cutting a piece of dough. He works alongside Kevin Cochran, head baker at Lucy’s Bakery who speaks while rolling dough. A compilation of scenes working in the kitchen transitions to Matt talking with Buddy Burton, an employee at Lucy’s, before he gives him a hug. Matt shakes hands with a patron at a table and chats with someone at the register. A photo of Matt and his parents is shown amongst news clippings before cutting back to Matt seated talking toward the camera. A shot of Matt’s desk includes photos of his family — particularly his kids who have now attended the University — and is followed by more photos of Matt’s connections to the university, including with his children on campus and at a Greek Spring Formal in 1986. The exterior of Alpha Tao Omega fraternity house is shown, followed by photos of Matt during his time with the fraternity and archival video of students walking across campus. An aerial view of McCook transitions to clips of Matt chatting with community members. Kaye T. Thompson, director of the Family Resource Center talks from behind a desk before Matt gives her a hug. Additional clips of Matt chatting with community members are shown before the video closes on an aerial of downtown McCook.

After starting Timberlyne as a small business, Nebraska Business graduates Len ('75) and Jule ('90) have expanded it into an award-winning company providing timber and barn kits across the state and nation. Through partnerships and collaborative projects, their commitment to the university and the state remains strong. Read Len and Jule's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska.

Video description: Video opens on an aerial of Wayne, Nebraska. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” Co-founders Len Dickinson and Jule Goeller sit in chairs in the Timberlyne showroom with sheds behind them as they speak toward the camera. An aerial shows the Timberlyne facility before cutting to photos of Len and Jule throughout the business’ history. Photos of buildings they worked on — including Ashfall Fossil Beds and the new Architecture Hall extension — are shown. Len and Jule walk through the showroom and outside to talk with an employee. They watch as a tool drills into a block of wood and talking with employees. A shot of their license plate shows a Nebraska Alumni Association Life Member license plate holder. Photos of Len and Jule at various Nebraska events — from sports to academics — are shown. Students show models during a class inside Architecture Hall before it transitions to an exterior shot of Architecture Hall with Downtown Lincoln in the distance. Len and Jule are seen chatting with people in Timberlyne before the video closes on them pointing to large easels that feature the history of their business.

After graduating, Kyren Gibson ('11) took her talents back to rural Nebraska where she's making art accessible to all through community art projects, rotating exhibitions in the local arts center and festivals. Read Kyren's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska.

Video description: Video opens on an aerial of Alliance, Nebraska. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” The aerial shows the exterior of the Carnegie Arts Center before cutting to an interior shot where Kyren enters the building and goes up the stairs. he is seated in a chair with art on the walls behind her as she speaks toward the camera. Panning shots show various pieces of art in the center before cutting back to Kyren seated in a gallery. She walks around the center, looking at art on the walls. Business names are hung outside a room with a banner that reads “thank you for supporting the arts.” More artwork is shown, including at Carhenge where stacked cars have been repainted with pinks, blues and yellows. Photos of local art projects, from fish painted on a crosswalk to outdoor wall murals, appear on a cream background. We cut back to Kyren in the center speaking toward the camera before showing more photos of community art projects. Sandra Williams, associate professor of art, painting a mural on a wall with students — including Kyren. We cut back to inside the center where Kyren hugs someone near the entrance, and more art is shown. An award for outstanding tourism event for the Carhenge mural festival is placed on a podium in the center. The video closes on another view of Carhenge.

85% of the state's firefighters are volunteers. In that group is Don Softley ('76), a volunteer fire chief in Grant who has dedicated himself to protecting his town for the past 40 years. Read Don's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska.

Video description: Video opens on an aerial of Grant, Nebraska and the fire department. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” Donald Softley walks toward the door to enter the fire station. Large garage doors open to reveal firetrucks before we cut to Donald driving his car through Grant. An aerial shot shows the city of Grant. Donald (’76) — a fire chief with the Grant Volunteer Fire Department and a retired banker — is seated with the fire uniforms lined up behind him as he speaks toward the camera. He turns on lights to show the a large sign of the department’s roster on a wall. Don chats with an EMT colleague, Travis Ogg, at his desk. Travis speaks toward the camera from his desk chair. A picture of the Grant Volunteer Fire Department team hangs on the wall outside of Travis’ office. Video cuts to a coat with a fire department patch on the sleeve and then to Donald talking fellow firefighter Rick Ochsner. Rick sits in a chair and speaks toward the camera. We see Donald take a seat in his office before it cuts back to him speaking toward the camera. He points toward Husker memorabilia, including a Tom Osborne autographed football, that sits on the shelves of his office. Scott Knoles, senior captain of the volunteer fire department, takes boots off of the metal shelves, places them on the ground and begins to pull them up. It cuts to him at a desk as he talks toward the camera. Don laughs as he talks with EMT Travis in his office before cutting back to Don seated with uniforms behind him. We cut to Donald and his wife on their property. He points in the distance as their dog exits the garage. In their kitchen, Donald’s wife Kay Softley talks toward the camera. Quick cuts show Don talking with colleagues and holding his fire chief helmet out toward the camera before returning to the Softley’s kitchen where Kay and Don laugh.