The College of Pharmacy Innovation Fund isn’t just an educational resource — it’s a living, breathing network that continues to shape the future of pharmacy, one student at a time.
When Amber Hawk first set foot on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus eight years ago, she entered uncharted territory.
With a background in nonprofit administration, Hawk was not a pharmacist, but she was driven to make a difference in higher education. She had applied for a recruiter position and, over time, built a career that would eventually lead her to become director of admissions and recruitment for the College of Pharmacy.
Today, Hawk finds herself at the heart of an initiative that’s making an impact on the next generation of pharmacists — the College of Pharmacy Innovation Fund. This fund is helping create an educational experience that not only supports students financially but also connects them to a community of professionals who will help guide them throughout their careers.
“The Pharmacy Innovation Fund bridges the gap between current students and our alumni and donors,” Hawk explained.
"It’s the main fund we use for preceptor development, student engagement and alumni-supported education efforts."
Students are welcomed into the profession from day one, starting with the White Coat Ceremony. Funded by the College of Pharmacy Innovation Fund, this ceremony marks the beginning of a student’s journey into pharmacy and their entry into a community of health care professionals.
“Through the efforts of the alumni association, we’ve been able to create a welcoming and engaging start for our new students,” said Hawk. “The White Coat Ceremony is a huge part of that, and it’s something that helps students feel supported and valued from the moment they step onto campus.”
The College of Pharmacy Innovation Fund doesn’t only help with ceremonial moments — it also has a direct impact on students’ education. For example, the fund was used to purchase iPads and Notability app subscriptions for all pharmacy students.
“That tool is invaluable for students,” said Hawk. “They have all of their notes and materials right at their fingertips. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference in how they manage their academic workload and stay connected to their education.”
One of the most powerful aspects of the College of Pharmacy Innovation Fund is the sense of community it fosters.
The support students receive isn’t just financial; it’s the belief that they are part of a larger network of professionals who want them to succeed.
The UNMC Alumni Association hosts an event for incoming students, allowing them to meet and interact with alumni right from their first day on campus. “It’s powerful for incoming students to hear that someone purchased their white coat and that someone was once in their shoes,” Hawk explained. “That connection — the idea that someone who’s walked this path is rooting for them — it makes a huge difference in their mindset.”
For Amber Hawk, seeing this cycle of giving and receiving in action is the most rewarding part of her work. “To see students connect with alumni, to see them walk across the stage with a white coat on their back, knowing that they’re part of something bigger — it’s truly inspiring,” she said.
"It’s a reminder of how powerful education, community and generosity can be."
The College of Pharmacy Innovation Fund isn’t just an educational resource — it’s a living, breathing network that continues to shape the future of pharmacy, one student at a time.
The Wellness Hub is the center point for students to receive the support they are looking for.
Students at the College of Medicine are challenged with fast-paced learning and heavy schedules, preparing them for their future in health care. While in school, not only do students have to keep up with their education, but they also look after their own mental health and well-being. Although students are incredibly academically driven, the transition can be difficult.
In 2020, the Wellness Hub, where students can come and lounge between or after classes, was built solely from the support of the Innovation Fund. This is the center point for students to receive the support they are looking for.
“The wellness space creates a home base for medical students, who are often moving from one rotation to another,” Shalmali Mirajkar, a third-year student, said.
“In rotations, we often have to use other departments’ spaces that never feel like our own. So the wellness hub has been crucial for medical students, particularly during clinical years, to find a space to gather and call our own.”
Sheri Sallee, student wellness advocate, works with a network of people at the Wellness Hub to cater to students’ needs. Sallee emphasized how important it is to have current students aid their peers, as they truly understand the pressures that students feel.
“Not only do you need to excel academically, be great with patient experience, do research, be involved in the community and join all of our interest groups, but you also somehow need to be well,” Sallee said.
“We take this collective approach and really emphasize peer-to-peer support.”
Because of the College of Medicine Innovation Fund, these resources are available and accessible to all students. The fund supports the Wellness Hub, M1 dinners, peer mentorship, the Fall Fest and refreshments in the office.
“The donors that contribute to this fund are vicariously healing society by ensuring the well-being of the minds that cure the sick,” Omar Ceesay, a second-year student, said.
To support our future physicians and encourage wellness throughout their schooling, please consider donating to the College of Medicine Innovation Fund.
Each time Bruce Sheffield enters the University of Nebraska Medical Center, he is reminded of a second chance at life and a deep friendship formed from difficult circumstances.
The story begins in 2013. Sheffield, a ’73 UNMC alumnus, began experiencing persistent flu-like symptoms. Muscle and joint aches, along with severe pain, left him unable to function.
“We all thought it was just some weird viral thing because it just hit me like a truck,” he said. “My wife, Margaret, even had to lift me out of my chair. It was so painful”
A year and a half later, Sheffield’s condition seemed to improve. However, he would soon discover a lump on the side of his neck that would ultimately be diagnosed as lymphoma.
After his diagnosis, Sheffield was referred to Nebraska Medicine’s Dr. Matthew Lunning. Within days of his referral, Sheffield met Lunning to begin his lymphoma treatment.
After four months of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in early 2015, Bruce won his battle against lymphoma. He’s remained in remission ever since.
In the years that followed Sheffield grew closer to Lunning, becoming good friends over the course of his biannual check-ups.
“Lunning is the greatest guy I’ve ever met. I never tried to diagnose myself or guide myself through any of it. I’m just so thankful that I had such good and knowledgeable people to take care of me.”
The relationship between Lunning and Sheffield played an important role in Bruce’s cancer journey. Throughout Bruce’s treatment and recovery, Lunning said their bond continued to deepen.
“With the transplant and the subsequent follow-ups our bond has continued to grow,” Lunning said. “I’ve looked forward to seeing him.”
Lunning said his relationship has evolved beyond a patient-physician relationship thanks to Sheffield’s background in medicine.
“We’ve helped each other through other parts of our life that weren’t cancer-related between visits,” Lunning said. “As I grow in my career, I’ve leaned on him for questions about what he went through as a physician and that has also been really helpful to me.”
Bruce and Margaret now have the chance to cherish the next stage of their life in Raymond, NE alongside their two children and five grandchildren, thankful for a second chance at life together.
Through the Hope Fund for Cancer Research, the UNMC Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center can provide life-saving cancer research. To continue providing this crucial support, please consider making a gift to the Hope Fund for Cancer Research today.
The Hope Fund for Cancer Research supports the UNMC Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center by being a resource to help meet the most pressing needs to advance life-saving cancer research.
For more than 80 years, the College of Nursing has provided affordable, accessible nursing education. By supporting the college, you have an immediate, direct and long-term effect on students and faculty. Your gift will help increase the overall quality of nursing education.
A gift to the Graduate Studies Program provides, promotes and enhances the highest quality graduate education in health sciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Several new initiatives have been introduced that ensure graduates and postdoctoral fellows have the best possible training to compete for excellent jobs and positions after they leave.
Troy Scheer began his first semester at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the fall of 2018 expecting to take the first steps toward pursuing a degree in computer science.
However, Scheer quickly found that he was pursuing a career he wasn’t truly interested in. He pivoted and found an interest in the field of health sciences but couldn’t pin down a career that truly connected with him.
Scheer spent the next two semesters of his freshman year soul-searching for his calling. Seemingly overnight, he landed on a path toward a career in nursing. Six years later, Scheer is just weeks away from receiving his Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
“I think I just woke up one day and realized that every day in college was going to be preparing me for my future career,” he said.
“In those early days of my undergraduate career, I realized that I wanted to pursue something that I felt like was going to give me the opportunity to directly impact the lives of people and help them in a meaningful way.”
Scheer, a Gretna, Nebraska, native, is in the final weeks of his preceptorship out of the college’s Lincoln division. After receiving his BSN in May and receiving his nursing license in June, Scheer will begin work at Nebraska Medicine as an RN in the neurological specialty unit.
“I’m very excited for the position,” he said. “It’s something that I’ve been looking forward to for a couple months now.”
On top of the new job, Scheer is already planning for his future. He was recently admitted to the PhD in Nursing program through UNMC beginning this fall. Earning his doctorate will help Scheer get one step closer to his goal of preparing future generations of Nebraska nurses.
“I want to dive into the world of nursing research and academia,” he said. “Potentially, I could see myself becoming faculty to someday teach future nursing students.”
The success Scheer has found through UNMC’s nursing program would not have been possible without the support of selfless donors. Scheer was the recipient of several UNMC scholarships, including the Bernice Harris Nursing Scholarship and Nora Parker Linn Scholarship.
He said the impact donor support has on himself and his peers at UNMC is immeasurable.
“Being a student is not an easy path,” Scheer said. “It involves a lot of professional and personal growth, along with the financial burdens that accompany higher education.”
"What may seem like a simple monetary gift really does go a long way in supporting students’ growth and education.”
The future is bright for Scheer. His passion for the field has bloomed over the last two years thanks in large part to the opportunities provided to him through UNMC’s nursing program.
“I’m very proud to be able to call myself a UNMC Lincoln Division nursing student,” he said. “The main reason for that is the faculty. They have provided some of the best interactions I’ve had over the last six years of undergraduate study.”
The school’s focus on implementing information learned during classroom instruction in a hands-on environment has helped Scheer continue to grow as a nursing student.
“You have your didactic classes throughout the week, where you’re in a classroom setting and it’s all very information heavy,” he said. “Then, you’ll turn around the next day and you’ll be bedside in a hospital caring for someone who’s incredibly ill and you’re applying that textbook knowledge.”
Those bedside interactions also helped Scheer realize that he found his passion in nursing.
“The humanity you’re able to witness when you’re in the hospital and you’re helping people that are very ill and vulnerable is such a great feeling,” he said. “I’m very proud of everything I have done thus far in nursing school.”
As he prepares to enter the next chapter of his life, Scheer is proud to call himself a UNMC graduate. The opportunities provided to him over the last two years have set the stage for a lifetime of success, all while making an impact in the lives of those who need it most.
“I believe that my peers and I are quite prepared to enter the field as new graduate nurses and we have our college and faculty to thank for that,” he said.
“I’m very thankful for the support that has been given to our college that allows this good work to continue.”
For more than 80 years, the College of Nursing has provided affordable, accessible nursing education. By supporting the college, you have an immediate, direct and long-term effect on students and faculty. Your gift will help increase the overall quality of nursing education.
Clayton Harris has always been an extrovert.
He knew from the time he began his first job in high school at Subway that he had a knack for working with people. Now, he’s swapped out subs for scrubs to make a difference in Nebraska’s health care field by joining the next generation of the state’s nursing workforce.
Harris is a first-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing student studying at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Norfolk Division. Born and raised in David City, NE, Harris knew he wanted to become the first in his family to pursue higher education. Even before he took his first step on a college campus, Harris knew he wanted to pursue a career in healthcare.
“Being around people all day really energizes me,” Harris said.
“I think nursing is the highest form of customer service that’s out there. It allows you to be very personable with other people, as well as just being a source of knowledge whenever they need something.”
After completing his nursing pre-requisites at Wayne State College, Harris took the next step in his nursing career at UNMC’s Norfolk division. He highlighted the college’s culture, saying students are encouraged to approach new challenges head one without fear of failure.
“It’s okay to make mistakes,” he said. “They use that as positive reinforcement to help us grow as students. I think UNMC just does a really great job in fostering that kind of culture.”
When Harris graduates in May 2025, he hopes to use his degree to address a growing shortfall. According to the Nebraska Center for Nursing, the state will experience a workforce shortage of over 5,000 nurses by 2025. 73 of Nebraska’s 93 counties have less than the national average ratio of registered nurses to patients.
He plans on returning to rural Nebraska to make a direct impact in addressing the nursing shortfall, all while helping those who mean the most to him.
“I like smaller communities a little bit more because you can get to know the people in the community a lot faster,” he said.
“These are also areas of need, so I just really want to go back and help out rural communities.”
Harris knows the impact donor support has on himself and his peers within the College of Nursing. Whether supporting scholarship opportunities or the variety of other funds spread throughout the school’s five campuses, Harris said donors can play a direct role in impacting the next generation of the state’s nursing workforce.
“No matter where you go for college education, there is going to be that financial barrier and it can just be hard to push through that for some students,” Harris said. “Giving back to the College of Nursing is a great way to support future generations.”
“The [service] trips were very popular from the get-go, and they have just expanded since.”
The Student Alliance for Global Health is an organization at the University of Nebraska Medical Center uniting UNMC students, faculty and the local community aiming to create a broader awareness of global health challenges. Through a variety of events and initiatives, SAGH provides platforms for learning, discussion and action about global health endeavors worldwide.
Kristina Pravoverov is a MD/PhD student at UNMC and the current vice president of SAGH. After learning about SAGH’s mission during her first year of medical school, Pravoverov quickly recognized the alignment between her passion for travel and her desire to advocate for the intersection of social justice and health disparities. Soon after joining, she applied for the Jamaica Medical Service trip and began her work with SAGH.
“I was only a first-year medical student, and I was not very confident in my clinical abilities or my clinical knowledge,” said Pravoverov. “But what I realized the first day that I was there was that I had the support of incredible faculty that were able to guide me and help me become a better future physician,” she said.
Sara Pirtle is the faculty adviser of SAGH. Her connection with SAGH dates to its creation during 1995-1996, when two medical students recognized the absence of an organization catering to students who were passionate about global health. These two students then took the initiative to establish SAGH, a decision that received official approval from UNMC, making it a part of the institution ever since.
“The [service] trips were very popular from the get-go, and they have just expanded since,” Pirtle said. “There’s been robust donations all along … and now we have a nice donation vehicle that started last year with the giving days.”
Last year, SAGH received $300 from donors during UNMC’s giving day, For the Greater Good. “Which is, frankly speaking, a drop in the bucket compared to what we need for our service trips,” Pirtle said. “But it’s all helpful and we need a lot of money to have a robust offering of service trips.”
Donations received by SAGH go toward allowing students to provide health care services, education and outreach to underserved communities. Your support of this mission impacts the lives of students like Kristina Pravoverov and instructors like Sara Pirtle.
The UNMC Student Alliance for Global Health brings together UNMC students, faculty and community members to learn about global health issues and to support global health initiatives at home and abroad.
A woman, let’s call her Jane, walked into the University of Nebraska Medicine Center’s VISION clinic thinking the problem with her eyesight could be solely attributed to her lack of prescription lenses. She soon learned that the problem with her eyesight was a symptom of something far more serious. What she was experiencing would require more care and attention than simply getting new glasses.
Living below the poverty line and without health insurance, Jane’s story is about more than her health. It’s also about how she was able to receive treatment given her financial situation. Without the collective efforts of student volunteers and UNMC faculty and the benefit of generous donations, Jane wouldn’t have received the care she needed or would have been buried under a mountain of medical debt.
A trip to the VISION Clinic, which is part of UNMC’s SHARING Clinic, is what made the difference. And donations from people like you are what made it possible.
SHARING was started in 1997 to provide free or low-cost primary health care to underprivileged populations in the Omaha area. The student-run clinics provide high-quality care in a multidisciplinary educational setting.
Not only do the SHARING Clinics provide free or low-cost medical care, they also give UNMC students the opportunity to interact with patients as early as their first year in medical school. The fact that it is multidisciplinary means it’s not just helping medical students learn, but also nursing students, students from medical nutrition, physical therapy, dentistry and pharmacy – to name a few.
Third-year medical student and co-chair of the SHARING Student Advisory Committee, Laura Ebers, started volunteering at the clinic during her first year at UNMC. “Being able to volunteer my first and second year as a student provider helped me be more comfortable and better prepared for the third and fourth years of medical school where you’re interacting more directly with patients,” said Ebers. “It helped me build my confidence talking with patients.”
So, what about Jane, you ask? Enter third-year medical student, Logan Bomberger, a volunteer at the SHARING Clinics and faculty recruiter on the Student Advisory Committee.
“After doing an assessment, we realized that she was experiencing something called diabetic retinopathy,” said Bomberger. “Her eyesight was actually being affected by her diagnosed diabetes that was being left untreated. So, by coming to the clinic and getting that recognized, we were able to start her on medications that she wasn’t able to be started on before because she was uninsured and unable to get medical care.”
Jane was able to continue to follow up with her care and soon saw improvements not only in handling her diabetes but also with her vision.
Donations of any amount to SHARING Clinics will help fund the day-to-day operations of the clinics, supporting the training of future health care professionals and patients like Jane.
“By donating to projects like the SHARING Clinics, you’re really helping to shape our community into a place where everyone has the opportunity for a healthier tomorrow,” Bomberger said.
Gifts to this fund support the operations of the SHARING Clinic.
Due to reliable and trusting support from donors, Klein was able to pursue a future where her career and passion align.
During her first two years at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Abbey Klein held two jobs alongside her full schedule of classes. A challenging period such as this underscores the sacrifices she made to pursue her education, highlighting the toll it can exact. “When you burn the candle at both ends in your education and complete it, it’s like, what’s left?” she explained. “If your tank is empty, how can you go out into the world and become an impactful health leader?”
Like many others, Klein confronted these questions as she pursued her educational aspirations. Her academic program emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between personal well-being and academic pursuits for future leaders in the health care field.
“Paying for school is challenging, and it becomes even more so when you have additional financial obligations like a house or children,” she continued. “When I received funding from scholarships and grants, specifically from donors, it truly made those things possible.”
Today, Klein is paying it forward.
“One of my passions is teaching; I love seeing new students — their passion is so invigorating, and being constantly surrounded by that is something that keeps me going,” says the now assistant professor in the College of Nursing.
In conjunction with educating the next generation of nurses, Klein is also a researcher for the College of Nursing. “I’m really excited to continue my research, which focuses on pelvic floor disorders in women,” she explained. “I am deeply committed to finding ways, within the community setting, to empower women to attain their optimal health.”
Due to reliable and trusting support from donors, Klein was able to pursue a future where her career and passion align.
Donating to the University of Nebraska and its students provides brighter opportunities for the UNMC community and fosters a web of generational trust between past and present students. Please consider making a gift today to help us provide more opportunities like these to UNMC students.
A gift to this fund supports students by providing scholarships recognizing academic excellence and financial need. The scholarships are awarded through UNMC’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
“Mom was a kindhearted soul. She would be more than happy to have what she worked for go to help people in the (nursing) profession.”
By Susan Houston Klaus
The first things you learn about Leland Essary are that he’s exceptionally good humored, a great storyteller — and proud of his mother’s accomplishments.
Burnett Society member Leland and his mother, Theta Cole Bullington, shared a love of adventure and of helping others. Theta rose in her profession to be a respected leader in public health nursing; Leland enjoyed a decades-long career in teaching. Along the way, the mother and son didn’t hesitate to lend a hand to people in need.
Born in Stockville, Nebraska, Theta had her sights set on becoming a nurse.
“Her parents were not wealthy people,” Leland said. “When Mom graduated from high school, she went to teach to make money [to be able to go to the university and study nursing]. Her overall goal was not to be a teacher; her overall goal was to be a nurse. It meant a lot to her.”
In 1938, at age 29, Theta earned her general nursing degree. The next year, she received her Bachelor of Nursing degree from what is now the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Theta was a nurse in Pennsylvania during World War II. Later, she moved to Oklahoma, where she worked with the Native American community and then went on to serve in public health nursing in Nevada and as director of public health nursing for Santa Cruz County, California.
A young Leland and his mom returned to Nebraska in the late 1950s, where she renewed her teaching certification, serving in one-room schools. Later, she worked in nursing for the educational service units in North Platte and Kearney.
Theta was always ready to help others. Leland remembers her writing a check to a friend of his and saying, “Pay me back when you can.”
Neighbors in rural Nebraska, with health care many miles away, would ask for her help because they knew she was an RN.
From his mother, Leland learned the value of hard work and pitching in where it was needed.
He worked cattle on his stepdad’s 5,700-acre Sandhills ranch from the time he was 11.
“You fix fences, you put up hay for the winter, you fix wells, herd cattle, chase cattle,” Leland said. “I bet I was on a horse five out of the seven days in a week.”
Leland graduated from McPherson County High School and Kearney State College. Like his mother, he became a teacher.
Leland had taught in Grand Island for eight years when he and three other teachers who enjoyed off-roading were lured by Arizona’s warm climate and plenty of places to ride off-road. Leland moved to Phoenix and joined Washington Elementary School, teaching sixth-grade math and some English.
For Leland, teaching turned out to be a lifelong vocation.
“In 30 years, I never had a class of kids that I just didn’t absolutely love,” he said.
Like his mother, Leland hasn’t hesitated to go the extra mile. A kind gesture nearly 25 years ago turned into a lasting friendship.
In 1999, he met up with a tour group of Amish people whose driver had had a health emergency. Leland volunteered to take them around southwest Colorado. He refused to accept any payment, so one member of the group invited him to visit them in Indiana.
He took them at their word. After he retired, he drove to Indiana, planning to stay a few days and return home. Leland ended up staying in the community for more than three months. He found himself again in the classroom, teaching math and English in a one-room school — the same kind of school at which his mother had taught when she returned to Nebraska.
Theta joined her son in Arizona after retiring in the late 1970s. She loved to travel and enjoyed her years in the Phoenix area.
Recently, Leland said, he had been thinking about how he could honor his mother, who died in 1995, and her career in nursing through his estate. He thought about the recognition Theta received in 1983 from the UNMC Alumni Association, which presented her with its inaugural Distinguished Alumnus Award.
It meant everything to her, Leland said.
“She was so honored by it,” he said, “I got to thinking, what could I do?”
Theta’s enthusiasm for her alma mater helped Leland decide on the perfect gift in her honor: the Theta C. Bullington College of Nursing Scholarship Fund.
It seemed an appropriate tribute to someone “who just lived the nursing profession” and knew it could be difficult for some to afford an education, Leland said.
The endowed gift, which was established as a bequest, will provide a lasting legacy for his mother for decades to come.
“Mom was a kindhearted soul,” Leland said. “She would be more than happy to have what she worked for go to help people in the profession.”
This article was originally written by Bill O’Neill at UNMC
UNMC and its primary clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, continue to expand their contribution to the state’s economic success.
According to an independent new analysis, the medical center impacts Nebraskans daily — directly or indirectly — through its statewide educational programs, bioscience research and clinical services.
The med center’s economic impact topped $5.9 billion in the last fiscal year, a 34% increase since 2018, according to the report prepared by Tripp Umbach, a national consultant with expertise in economic impact studies. The current economic impact number grows to $6.4 billion annually when considering the academic-related functions (such as residency programs and research) at UNMC affiliates, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and the VA Health System.
UNMC, Nebraska Medicine and the affiliates also supported more than 56,000 jobs in the Nebraska economy, including not only direct employment, but also indirect jobs created through the supply chain — equipment vendors, construction workers and others.
See the report on the med center’s combined economic impact here.
“UNMC and its clinical partners continue to be an important economic engine for the state of Nebraska,” said Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, chancellor of UNMC and chairman of the board at Nebraska Medicine. “As the medical center increases its already expanding national leadership role in health professions education, research and care, our statewide economic impact will increase as well, further benefiting all of the people of Nebraska for generations to come.”
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical center’s experts and educators provided extensive education and infectious diseases expertise to Nebraskans, efforts which stretched far beyond the economic impact, said James Linder, MD, CEO of Nebraska Medicine.
“One reason that the medical center continues to have such a beneficial economic impact on the state is its devotion to health care,” Dr. Linder said. “As medical center experts worked to keep fellow Nebraskans safe and provide reliable, timely and accurate medical knowledge to the country as a whole, the stature of our partnership and the benefits it provides continue to grow.”
Among the report’s findings:
“The state has been steadfast in its support of the mission of UNMC and its partners,” Dr. Gold said. “We see through this report that, apart from helping to meet the health care needs of our Nebraska neighbors, the state’s support advances not only the health and well-being of the citizens of our state, but it provides them a positive economic benefit as well.”
© 2019 University of Nebraska Foundation
