headshots of Elisha Friesen, Terrence Gude, Carly Johnson, Elena Kernes, Ashley Svik and Ted Walters on red background with graduate icons pattern

May Graduate Spotlights

13 May 2022    

Six students graduating from the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders shared Q-&-As ahead of the commencement ceremonies May 13-14.

Elisha Friesen (Taylor)

Elisha Friesen headshotGordon, Nebraska | Master of Education in Early Childhood Special Education

What made you interested in pursuing a master’s degree in special education?
I wanted to expand my availability to serving not only students with developmental needs and disabilities (K-6). This meant advancing my degree to focus on serving children from birth to five with disabilities and their families.

Why did you choose Nebraska for your master’s program?
The undergraduate experience through Nebraska was valuable, I think Nebraska programs are held in high regard. This holds true for the field of education; it was an easy choice to obtain my master’s degree through UNL.

How do you think Nebraska’s master’s program has prepared you for success as you move forward in your career?
Nebraska’s master’s program created a flexible and interactive environment in the educational community.

What does it mean to you to graduate from Nebraska?
I am a proud Nebraskan, graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies Nebraska values – perseverance, integrity, and compassion for my community. Graduating from Nebraska means that I have succeeded in understanding these values during my scholarship and will implement these as learning tools in my professional life.

What’s next?
I plan to work in the early childhood special education program through home-based intervention in the Lincoln community.

Terrence Gude

Terrence Gude headshotAshland, Nebraska | Elementary Education & Special Education (K-6)

What made you choose Nebraska for your undergrad?
UNL has been my dream school for as long as I could remember. I have always been a Husker fan, and there was no other place I would rather be.

What made you interested in pursuing a major in special education?
Growing up, my mom was a special education teacher, so I literally grew up in the education system. As early as I could remember, I knew I was going to be a teacher in some way or another.

What experiences have you gained as a student in SECD that have best prepared you for the next step in your career?
Through my experiences here at UNL, my perspective has changed immensely. I now realize that I do have privileges that other people are not fortunate enough to share with me. As I move into the next chapter of my life, my changed perspective helps me identify what my privileges are, and how I can help those who don't have the same privileges as me.

What does it mean to you to graduate from Nebraska?
It means that I am qualified to do what I love. It means that I can pursue my passion for education and make a difference I know I can make.

What’s next?
I am going to be teaching special education at Clinton Elementary here at Lincoln Public Schools starting this fall.

Carly Johnson

Carly Johnson headshotLincoln, Nebraska | Communication Sciences & Disorders (Education minor)

What made you choose Nebraska for your undergrad?
Growing up a Husker, I always knew this was where I wanted to spend my undergraduate years.

What made you interested in pursuing a major in communication sciences and disorders?
I had an interest in both teaching and nursing but couldn't see myself doing either of those careers specifically. After doing some research, I stumbled upon speech-language pathology and haven't looked back since!

What experiences have you gained as a student in SECD that have best prepared you for the next step in your career?
The best experience I have had from the past four years spent at the Barkley Center would have to be working in the Resource Room. This experience provided me with opportunities to get know the clinical supervisors and well as graduate students. The advice and encouragement they gave me makes me so passionate about this field and the people in it.

What does it mean to you to graduate from Nebraska?
Earning my bachelor's degree means so much to me as I am a first-generation college student. Having this degree allows me to pursue a career in a field that I am extremely passionate about and am so thankful to be a part of.

What’s next?
I will be attending Oklahoma State University this fall to pursue my master's degree in speech-language pathology! #gopokes!

Elena Kernes

Elena Kernes headshotHickman, Nebraska | Elementary Education & Special Education (K-6)

What made you choose Nebraska for your undergrad?
I knew UNL was where I wanted to be for college. It's always felt like home. I also knew that UNL had a great education program, so it was an easy choice for me.

What made you interested in pursuing a major in special education?
I was born into a family of educators. But not only was I surrounded by people in the field, I loved it. I was one of those kids who was tutoring other little kids just because I wanted to help and loved the feeling of it. I wanted to be like all the great teachers that I had in school. It wasn't hard to decide what to do with my life when it came down to it. Teaching has always been what I've wanted to do and special education was a big part of it.

What experiences have you gained as a student in SECD that have best prepared you for the next step in your career?
I feel as though this program has prepared me well for becoming a special education teacher. I have had some of the best professors (Sue Kemp, John Maag, and Dixie Sanger to name a few) who have helped me build my skills and knowledge that are necessary for being successful in this field. I can confidently say that those professors gave me exactly what I needed to prepare me for my future. Another experience that was helpful was working in the AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) lab for one of my courses. This was a wonderful and helpful experience that I was already reaping the benefits of during my student teaching.

What does it mean to you to graduate from Nebraska?
Earning my bachelor's degree in elementary education and special education from UNL means the world to me. My family are all UNL graduates, and my mother's degree is even in education from UNL. But it also means that I got an education degree from a school with an excellent program that has properly prepared me for my future in this field.

What’s next?
After graduation, I plan to leave the state and teach special education in Maine. I am looking forward to moving and working in a system that is different from the one I grew up in.

Ashley Svik

Ashley Svik headshotLincoln, Nebraska | Elementary Education & Special Education (K-6)

What made you choose Nebraska for your undergrad?
Growing up in Lincoln, I was always around the culture of UNL. Their programs are highly rated and the culture of the school was not comparable to others I had toured!

What made you interested in pursuing a major in special education?
I have worked with children for as long as I can remember. I started teaching swim lessons and coaching a swim team which sparked my interest in pursuing a teaching career. Through mentors and experience with students with disabilities, I decided to add special education as a second endorsement.

What experiences have you gained as a student in SECD that have best prepared you for the next step in your career?
I have learned a lot about behavior management for students, different disabilities and common characteristics and how to navigate them in a school setting, and many things about the education and special education world.

What does it mean to you to graduate from Nebraska?
My parents and grandparents have earned their bachelor's from UNL. I think it is pretty amazing to continue the generations that have attended UNL for their undergrads!

What’s next?
I have accepted a position in Millard Public Schools in Omaha as a special education teacher in an elementary school! I'm very excited to start this new position for the 2022-2023 school year!

Ted Walters

Ted Walters headshotEagle River, Alaska | Clinical Doctorate in Audiology (Au.D.)

What made you interested in a career in audiology?
I began my college career at the University of Nebraska's Communication Sciences and Disorders undergraduate program, and after learning about the profound impact an audiologist can have on their patients' lives, especially regarding cochlear implantation and vestibular testing, I knew it was the right career for me.

Why did you choose Nebraska for your Au.D. program?
Having completed my undergraduate degree at UNL, I was very familiar with the Audiology program here. As I was looking at other potential Au.D. programs, naturally I used the University of Nebraska's program as a comparison and found that when you look at the clinical opportunities, incredible expertise of the professors, quality of the education, and opportunities for humanitarian outreach, the University of Nebraska is unlike any other.

In what ways do you think Nebraska’s program has prepared you for success as you move forward in your career?
I believe the University of Nebraska's Audiology program did a great job in giving me the opportunity to obtain a lot of clinical experience early and often, with hands-on clinical starting in the very first week of graduate school. This abundance of clinical experience has helped me to become a highly competent audiologist.

What does it mean to you to graduate from Nebraska?
It’s definitely an honor to be graduating from the University of Nebraska with my Au.D. Looking back at when I began school here, I am amazed at the amount I learned, the clinical expertise I have developed, and all the lifelong friends I have made.

What’s next?
I will be starting my career at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, as an audiologist.


Special Education and Communication Disorders