I am eternally grateful to UNL, being a first generation college student I am constantly reminded of how important higher education is. I met my wife and my best friends while in college, I was challenged intellectually, socially, and emotionally to become a better person who could be understand people different from myself. Without UNL, I do not have my job as a high school teacher, I don't have 2 additional masters degrees, I do not have my wife and kids, my house or any measure of success. So quite frankly, I owe everything I am and everything I will be to UNL and my time there. I'm lucky enough to still be able to influence and talk to high school seniors about going to college and when I talk about Nebraska and my experiences in college it just reminds me of how special of a place Nebraska is and how amazing my time there was. I am always humbled when I think about the fact that I am an alumnus of the University of Nebraska. I feel like I lived the dream of every Nebraska kid who grew up dreaming and wanting to go to Nebraska and make something of themselves. When I was lucky enough to participate in the Young Alumni Academy I was always pinching myself that I was able to spend time on campus again and see all of the amazing progress the University has made. It makes me excited for the future of Nebraska and my hopes that it will continue to have the same positive impact for future generations of Nebraskans as it did for myself.