To provide scholarships for Physician Assistant students at UNMC
Ryan Houser
On April 9, 2022, our alum, Ryan Houser, died unexpectedly in an automobile accident. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 2003-2009 where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and athletic training. During his time at UNL, Ryan played played trumpet in the Cornhusker Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band. He loved the Cornhusker Marching Band so much he decided to take six years to graduate.
Ryan later attended the Physician’s Assistants program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, graduating in 2017. At the time of his passing Ryan worked as a PA at MD West One Orthopedics.
A scholarship in his name has been created to provide scholarships to the Physician Assistant students at UNMC. This scholarship is very important to his family to keep his memory and legacy alive. The family is hoping to raise enough money so the scholarship can become an endowment and thus a permanent scholarship.
The 2022 Russ Swanson Outstanding Band Member Award was announced February 10, 2023 at the Band Banquet, held at Memorial Stadium. The band department chooses one recipient, and our Band Alumni Association awards this person a plaque and cash award. This year’s commemorative award was made by band alumnus Nathan Nelson of Rooted Woodworking. Julie Duensing and Ranelle Maltas represented the BAA and were able to speak with the current band members about the BAA and what we do. Congratulations to all CMB members for a great season!
Katherine Schmit is a senior music education major with an emphasis in trumpet at UNL. During her time at UNL, she has been a member of the Cornhusker Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Jazz Orchestra. As a member of the Cornhusker Marching Band, Katherine served as a trumpet rank leader and drum major. She is a member of the Epsilon Omega chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, and served two years as Vice President for Membership.
Katherine is a co-founder of Quintessential Brass, a student-led brass quintet which has been playing together for the past four years. She is also a member of UNL’s Teacher Scholars Academy. Katherine was recently named Outstanding Undergraduate Artist/Scholar for the Glenn Korff School of Music and will receive the Student Leadership Award for the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts in May.
Outside of school, Katherine loves teaching trumpet lessons and hopes to grow her studio in the future. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in trumpet performance and continue her career as a performer and teacher.
We’re gearing up to celebrate the fifth annual Glow Big Red! On Feb. 15-16 from noon to noon (central time), we’re celebrating 24 Hours of Husker Giving — and we’re counting on you! Our fundraising will specifically support the Jack R. Snider UNL Band Alumni Association Scholarships.
The Jack R. Snider Scholarship is awarded to current members of the Cornhusker Marching Band who are non-music majors. Recipients demonstrate leadership (formal or informal), volunteerism and integrity. They are a role model for their section and the band and exemplify what it means to be the Pride of All Nebraska.
Last year, we received 23 gifts totaling $2,550 and made a big difference! Check out a few impact stories from previous scholarship recipients.
You’ll uplift Husker students and make a meaningful impact in their lives when you:
Give: Join your fellow Huskers by making a gift of $5 or more!
Share: Share your Husker pride on social media, using the hashtag #GlowBigRed; and
Glow: Light up your room, home, or business to let your Husker pride shine.
We’ve set an ambitious goal of $4,000 and we’re confident we’ll meet this goal together! Thanks to band alum, Scott Washburn, all gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1,000. Make your gift ahead of time at glowbigred.unl.edu and still have it count toward our big day.
Let’s Glow All In for Glow Big Red, Huskers!
P.S. Make a gift of $60 or more by noon (central time), on Feb. 16 and the NU Foundation send you a reversible Husker bucket hat! Perfect to wear with your alumni uniform for the Reunion Weekend.
With the rebuilding of Westbrook Music Building starting, there is a wonderful opportunity to create a state-of-the-art band rehearsal hall. Jack and Mary Alice Snider left a sizeable amount at the University of Nebraska Foundation earmarked for “costs associated with constructing and equipping the ‘Lentz-Snider’ Hall, Glenn Korff School of Music, Hixson Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.”
An excavator and bulldozer move earth at the corner of 10th and Q streets, where parking lots are being cleared to make way for the new Westbrook Music Building.
After a meeting with the dean of Fine Arts, the band staff, and the Foundation, the Snider family came up with the following:
The Nebraska Bands Program has been at the forefront of performance and pedagogy for more than 140 years. We look forward to a new rehearsal space with technology that will enable us to:
Link sections of the Cornhusker Marching Band who are now rehearsing in various spaces to enable full ensemble preparation while indoors.
Share cutting edge rehearsal techniques from our Ensemble Performance Lab with partner ensembles nationwide.
Engage in virtual side-by-side coaching with young bands that cannot afford a trip to the Lincoln campus.
Collaborate with composers worldwide to prepare and premiere new works.
Engage guest artists remotely to share their expertise with our students.
Capture the work of conducting students and enable concurrent voice-over coaching on video.
…and even more applications we’re only just beginning to imagine.
It is estimated that an additional $45,000 is needed to make all this happen. So, here is how you can help make this happen.
Anna Gullett is a junior from Bellevue, Nebraska with a major in Mathematics and minor in Statistics. Over her past two years at UNL, Anna has been a part of numerous clubs and activities including Math Motivators, Actuarial Science Club, and the Cornhusker Marching Band. As a junior marching band member, she is in her first year on the leadership team.
In addition to her on-campus activities, Anna also teaches the front ensemble at Bellevue West High School. Over the years, she has performed with the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps as well as the Blue Devils. In spring of 2023, Anna will move to San Jose, California where she will perform with RCC Indoor Percussion, study remotely, and teach various ensembles in the area. After graduation, Anna hopes to pursue a career in data analysis.
Brynn Boes plays percussion and is a junior in Biological Sciences from Gretna, Nebraska.
Peter Lux
Peter Lux is a freshman from Blair, Nebraska with a major in Mechanical Engineering. Peter began playing trumpet since he was seven years old. While attending Blair High School, Peter was a member of the show choir, concert, jazz, and marching bands. He also played in the
pit orchestra for his school’s musical. Peter is proud to have made all state four times and have been awarded the Louis Armstrong Jazz award in high school. Peter is a member of the hall of fame for Musical Distinction.
Peter joined the CMB because he really enjoys playing the trumpet and thought that he may have had to give it up otherwise. By majoring in Mechanical Engineering, he doesn’t have much time to practice his instrument or play in other bands, that is why he’s so grateful to be a part of the CMB. It allows him to not only to keep playing but connect with a group of people whom he may have otherwise never known.
“My experience with the CMB so far has been extremely positive and fulfilling. Performing in front of a crowd of thousands of people is both exhilarating and enjoyable at the same time. Quite frankly even my first time performing on the Memorial Stadium Field I never felt nervous or anxious in the slightest. I would say this is due in part to the fact that the Nebraska fans are always so supportive of the band and excited to see it.”
