The signal has been sent — the end is near and thousands of new beginnings are about to kickoff at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

From circular formations near the Sheldon Sculpture Gardens, members of the Cornhusker Marching Band’s percussion section dropped the bass during tryouts last week. Their drum beats, reverberating across City Campus, serve as an annual call, alerting students, faculty and staff that summer is ending and the fall semester is here.

This is an exciting time of the academic year, ripe with hope, promise and happiness as students return in full force, moving into residence halls and Greek houses, lining up at the University Bookstore and seeking guidance on navigating campus life.

While we will be showcasing events that signal the start of a new semester, Nebraska Today will hold onto summer for a few more days. In honor of the tried-and-true “What I Did This Summer” writing assignment from our elementary school days, University Communication is featuring the seasonal adventures of a host of Huskers.

The “What I Did This Summer” series opens with a feature about College of Education and Human Sciences graduate Connor Bohlken. It seemed a fitting start to the week, coming days after the university awarded 756 new degrees on Aug. 11.

Through the rest of the week, we’ll take you into Nebraska ditches in search of bumblebees; explore herding animals in Africa; talk to a student who squeezed 800 hours of internships into a few months; and venture on a bike ride across the United States.

We’ll also talk with Ann Tschetter about her advising work during New Student Enrollment; highlight how Nebraska’s Programs in English as a Second Language was a national host for Fulbright scholars; and go to Puerto Rico with Denise Bulling as she works with first responders on crisis and grief management in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Along the way, these Nebraska Today stories will link to other summer adventures — including a student’s photo tour of Europe, outreach in communities across the Cornhusker State, and a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain.

While we all have an eye on the start of the new semester, we hope you enjoy a look back on the summer of 2018.

As always, we welcome your opinions on Nebraska Today coverage. If you like a story, share it via a favorite social media channel. If you have questions, feedback to offer or would like to let us know about a great story here on campus, reach out directly to tfedderson@unl.edu or call 402-472-8515.

Troy Fedderson
Director of Internal Communication
Editor, Nebraska Today