May 2, 2017 · 6 min read

Alumni, students to be honored May 4

The Nebraska Alumni Association will recognize 18 accomplished University of Nebraska-Lincoln alumni, six promising students and an outstanding family at the annual Alumni Awards Banquet May 4 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center, 2021 Transformation Drive.

The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner and awards presentation shortly afterward.

The 2017 award winners represent all nine Nebraska colleges and have achieved successes in their careers and communities. The winners were chosen by a selection committee of Nebraska alumni from across the country. A comprehensive list of the 2017 award winners and complete biographies can be found on the Nebraska Alumni Association website here.

The following is a list of award recipients, including graduation year(s).

Early Achiever Awards:

Andrew Uden, 2012, 2014: Uden is chief operations officer and co-founder of Quantified Ag. Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree in animal science, he took a nine-month internship with the National Student Leadership Foundation in Washington, D.C., then returned to Nebraska to pursue a Masters of Applied Science degree.
Kelly Dubisar, 2002: Dubisar is an award-winning design director who uses her creative energy to provide tailored design solutions for some of Gensler’s most iconic clients, such as Instagram, Facebook and Autodesk. A graduate of the College of Architecture, Dubisar’s ability to create transformative workplaces makes her a highly sought-after designer.
Audrey Polt, 2009, 2012: Polt is assistant legal counsel for the University of Nebraska Foundation and an adjunct professor for the first-year Legal Research and Writing course. She graduated from Nebraska with highest distinction, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English and women’s and gender studies. She then attended the College of Law, where she graduated with distinction and was elected by the faculty to the Order of the Barristers.
Blake Lawrence, 2009, 2011: Lawrence received his marketing degree in just two-and-a-half years while being a linebacker for the Husker football team. In 2010, Blake co-founded Hurrdat, a social media agency, with Nebraska alumnus Adi Kunalic. In 2013, Lawrence co-founded Opendorse, a sports marketing platform that connects marketers with athletes to build social media.
Erin Roth Mauro, 2005, 2011: Mauro received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education. For the past two-and-a-half years, she has been the education and disabilities coordinator for Community Action Early Head Start and Head Start. Previously, she was a home-based early childhood special education teacher for Lincoln Public Schools and a behavioral consultant for the Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in Rural Communities project at the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools at Nebraska.
Andrew Yosten, 2006, 2007: Yosten’s interest in architecture grew out of working in the construction industry throughout high school and college, which eventually led to a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from Nebraska’s Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction. He went on to graduate from the Durham School’s Master of Architectural Engineering program in 2007. He is a vice president, global director of mechanical engineering, and managing engineering principal of the Omaha HDR office.
Richard Fountain 2005, 2008: Fountain earned his master’s degree in music and has steadily garnered praise for his versatile work. Currently an associate professor of piano at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, he is an accomplished teacher, adjudicator, orchestral keyboardist, and choral, vocal and chamber collaborator. He received the 2015 Teacher of the Year Award from the Lubbock Music Teachers Association.
Joe Toscano, 2014: Toscano is an experienced designer for R/GA at Google in San Francisco. He graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism in advertising and public relations as well as a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. Toscano writes for several global design publications including InVision, uxdesign.cc and Muzli. He is also writing a book titled “Designing Intelligence,” about how to design conversational interfaces and automated services, that is due out this summer.
Jennifer Bear Eagle 2002, 2008: Bear Eagle is one of six children and an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2002 and a Juris Doctor from the College of Law in 2008. She works as in-house counsel for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and previously worked for a leading national law firm in Indian Law. She is actively involved in her community, having served on the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs since 2008 and as a founding member of the Indian Law Section of the Nebraska State Bar Association.

Alumni Achievement Awards:

Kevin Clark, 1988, 1991: Clark’s Lincoln firm, Clark Architects Collaborative 3, has designed dozens of Catholic churches and schools. With two architecture degrees from Nebraska, Clark said one of his favorite projects has been his involvement with the design of the recently completed St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and Newman Center on the southeast edge of the Nebraska campus.
Dr. David Filipi, 1971: Filipi, a family medicine doctor in Omaha, graduated from Nebraska and continued his education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is currently a professor and medical director at the College of St. Mary in Omaha.
Doug Glaser, 1991: Glaser graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering but spent much of his college life on the football field. One of the nation’s top offensive linemen, Glaser was named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and a second-team All-American by the Associated Press and Football News. Today he is senior vice president of Kiewit Infrastructure Group. He is division manager of the company’s Western Canada and Kiewit Bridge and Marine districts.
Jake Kirkland Jr., 1981, 2002: Kirkland is a first-generation college graduate with a passion for education and helping students succeed. He recently retired after serving in various capacities for 30 years at Nebraska and 35 years within the University of Nebraska system. During his tenure at Nebraska, Jake assisted students with their academic, social and career-related concerns.
Jeanne Salerno, 1962: Salerno graduated with a Bachelor of Science in education. She is the director of professional development at the law firm Kutak Rock. She has volunteered in leadership roles for many Omaha organizations, inlcuding serving as president of the Junior League of Omaha.

Additional alumni award winners: