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.

As the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Lincoln/Lancaster County, Dominique Kelley ('12, '14) empowers youth to reach their full potential. Through programming and mentorship, she’s helping strengthen the next generation in the Lincoln community. Read Dominique's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska. Video description: Video opens on an aerial of downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” Dominique Kelley — CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Lincoln/Lancaster County — is seated in a chair in her office talking toward the camera. Families check in at tables for an event. Dominique serves up food that is lined up on tables at the event. She talks to a person in a hallway before we cut to a shot of children proceeding down a line of tables getting food, then footage of a dance performance. Dominique meets with her team inside the Boys and Girls Club office. They are seated at a long table with yellow chairs. Photos of Dominique's time as a student — including her with her Husker women’s basketball teammates and posing with young fans — appear on cream backgrounds. We cut back to Dominique seated in her office talking toward the camera. She chats with people, gives someone a high-five and another person a hug. We see her alongside others serving food before it closes on a wide shot of the event.

As the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Lincoln/Lancaster County, Dominique Kelley ('12, '14) empowers youth to reach their full potential. Through programming and mentorship, she’s helping strengthen the next generation in the Lincoln community. Read Dominique's story and meet other Husker alums making an impact at www.unl.edu/WeAreNebraska. Video description: Video opens on an aerial of downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. Text on the screen reads “We are Nebraska.” Dominique Kelley — CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Lincoln/Lancaster County — is seated in a chair in her office talking toward the camera. Families check in at tables for an event. Dominique serves up food that is lined up on tables at the event. She talks to a person in a hallway before we cut to a shot of children proceeding down a line of tables getting food, then footage of a dance performance. Dominique meets with her team inside the Boys and Girls Club office. They are seated at a long table with yellow chairs. Photos of Dominique's time as a student — including her with her Husker women’s basketball teammates and posing with young fans — appear on cream backgrounds. We cut back to Dominique seated in her office talking toward the camera. She chats with people, gives someone a high-five and another person a hug. We see her alongside others serving food before it closes on a wide shot of the event.

Kids around the world get down and dirty this week. International Mud Day is a chance for youngsters to make a mess and connect with nature. The squishy event is especially popular at the Ruth Staples Child Development Lab at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln… where every day is dedicated to outdoor learning.

VISUAL DESCRIPTION:

Preschooler and teacher slide and play on a large mound of mud. Gretta, a 12-year-old girl with blonde hair and streaks of mud on her face, describes the scene. Youngsters splash around inappropriately tub filled with dirty water and dirty children. The Assistant Director of the Ruth Staples Child Development Lab, Mollie von Kammpen, speaks about International Mud Day. As Mollie talks, we see a group of boys gathered around the tank of muddy water, throwing toys into the muck. A teacher cheers as she and a little boy slide down "mud mountain" together. A small girl "washes" a piece of sidewalk chalk in a bowl of grey water. A teacher washes some mud off a boys face with a garden hose. A little boy gives a teacher a "mud shampoo". A young teacher, Chelsea Brisbin, helps children use kitchen tools to "cook" with mud. A teacher sings "Old MacDonald" with a toy dinosaur. A little boy picks dried mud off his arms. A group of children play around a water table - pouring, splashing, making waterfalls. Teacher Anastasia Jorgenson carries a completely-caked boy to the water tank and eases him into the "bath". 12-year-old Gretta lets a toddler paint her face.

In honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's International Quilt Museum is showcasing the exhibition, “Material Nation: 250 Years of American Quilts.” The exhibition includes more than 250 quilts and quilt-related objects sourced from the museum’s collection — the largest publicly-held collection in the world. The quilts on display, which include many that have never been on view before, trace American material culture and thread together more than two centuries of the creativity, innovation and community that made quilting a quintessentially American artform.

VISUAL DESCRIPTION: The video starts with wide shots of a large art gallery with quilts hanging on the walls and ceiling. The quilts are red white and blue and patriotic. The title Material Nation: 250 Years of American Quilts appears followed by International Quilt Museum: University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Carolyn Ducey, retired curator of collections, speaks within the gallery space. Carolyn converses with a few guests to the museum. Leslie Levy, executive director of the International Quilt Museum, speaks while we see her walk around the gallery spaces and look at quilts. Quilt Museum workers carefully unfold a quilt on large tables. We see a series of close-up details of different quilts. Camilo Sanchez, curator of exhibitions, and Melissa Slaton, assistant curator of exhibitions, hang a large quilt on a gallery wall. The quilt has a large American flag design. Next we see several more details of various quilts before ending with a University of Nebraska–Lincoln America 250 graphic.

Husker students from a variety of colleges travel together to Mexico City.

VISUAL DESCRIPTION:

About a dozen Husker students dressed in red t-shirts gather around Broyhill Fountain on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's city campus. They wave to the camera. A passenger jet zooms overhead, and we are in Mexico City where gleaming skyscrapers stand beside ancient cathedrals. Marnie Nelson, the Director of Global Experiences at UNL speaks outside a museum. The students cheer and wave to the camera. They are now standing before the Teotihuacan Pyramids. A male student in a sun hat - Loren Cribbs - admires the view from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon, while his classmates explore and climb the massive stone monuments. The students take a moment to applaud the pyramids before they return to their bus and head to the next attraction. A female student - Madelynn Hanes - takes us to the National Museum of Anthropology. There we see towering fountains, murals, pottery and stone sculptures. We cut to ConAgra's Mexico headquarters, where students learn about local brands of snacks. Now we cut to La Salle University. There students study, deliver presentations and receive certificates as they cheer each other on. Back in the bus, the students sing a pop song as the bus nears the next stop - a huge lake called Xochimilco. Small boats powered by men with long poles deliver the students across the water, while a local woman lectures about sustainable farming practices. The students come ashore and are welcomed with hot drinks before they march to a field of lettuce to pull weeds. Many of the students wear large leafs on their heads to stay cool in the midday sun. They all gather at a long table to eat a beautiful lunch and share their favorite moments from the trip. The video ends with Loren Cribbs, in his hotel room at the end of the day. He looks tired, but happy. The final shot of the video is a female student unrolling a GO BIG RED banner for the camera.

Here's a quick tour of some of the sights and sounds on the NU campuses.

An annual musical tradition draws huge crowds to the university's sculpture garden.

Every year new Huskers are welcomed onto Nebraska's campuses with events and celebrations. Learn more about Big Red Welcome at https://bigredwelcome.unl.edu/

VISUAL DESCRIPTION: The video starts with an aerial shot looking down on Husker students forming an N inside Memorial Stadium. A series of shots of students exiting the stadium gate doing a tunnel run onto the football field and cheering. D-Wayne speaks directly into the camera, hyping up the crowd. Graphics appear on screen that read "Big Red Welcome." Following shots include students outside the union enjoying the Chancellor's BBQ, students doing games and activities on a field during Husker Mania, students dancing outside the union at night during Party at the Union, and crowds of students having fun at the street festival outside Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska fans show up for every moment — and commencement is no exception.

As the sun was rising on the horizon, families and friends line up outside Pinnacle Bank Arena to celebrate the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s newest graduates.

As graduates, including Kennedy Lawrence, Sam Malick, Tierra Andrew and Devin Jones, received their diplomas, support from parents, siblings and loved ones filled the arena. This year’s commencement honored a record-breaking graduating class and encouraged students to “lead with purpose” and uplift others as they begin their next chapter. Learn more at https://news.unl.edu/tag/may-2026-commencement

VISUAL DESCRIPTION: The video starts with an aerial shot of downtown Lincoln Nebraska with the early morning light. Pinnacle Bank Arena is in the foreground. Lines of people stand outside Pinnacle Bank Arena. Staci Lawrence, mother of Kennedy Lawrence from Omaha, Nebraska, is interviewed standing outside the arena. Next we see Staci entering the arena followed by a shot of her daughter, Kennedy Lawrence walking across the stage, diploma in hand. a few shots of graduates walking across stage and high diving families in the front row. Sam Malick from Omaha walks across the stage with diploma in hand. His sister, Katelyn is interviewed outside the arena. Tierra Andrew walks across the stage with her diploma as her family cheers her on. Her father, Jason is interviewed sitting in the front row. David and Sunila Jones are interviewed in the front row of Pinnacle Bank Arena. Devin walks across the stage as his family cheers him on. Devin fist bumps his father and takes a photo with her parents. Graduates celebrate outside the arena. We end with an aerial shot of graduates and guests congregating outside the arena with a red Nebraska N logo appearing.