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By Liz McCue

In 1980, then-President Dr. Phil Heckman told ˮ���� College faculty and staff that it was time “for the next leap,” as recounted by Donald Ziegler ’50 in his book “ˮ���� College in Lincoln: The First Twenty Years.”
 
That leap? Initially, it was right down the road from Crete — in the city of Lincoln, where opportunities abounded to reach students who weren’t looking for a residential college experience, but wanted to attain their undergraduate degree while working or caring for family.
 
What started in fall 1981 as just seven nontraditional learners seeking to improve their careers through higher education is now a bustling campus location offering undergraduate degrees, seven master's programs one doctoral program, and a home to many administrative offices and departments that support all facets of the university.
 
ˮ���� Lincoln completed the first academic year in spring 1982 and celebrated its first three graduates in 1984. As of May 2022, 5,506 students have earned their undergraduate degrees. 8,517 students have earned graduate degrees during this period, as well.
 

From the get-go, Angie Oltman Klasek ’81 was involved, hired almost right after graduating from ˮ���� herself, to join the staff leading the fledgling Lincoln program. Her title changed from administrative assistant, to adviser, to instructor, to supervisor of advising, to campus director, to executive campus director–Lincoln, but her excitement to see students grow and succeed at all ages and in all careers stayed constant.
 
“That is my biggest passion, the students,” Klasek said.

One of her role models, and an important early collaborator in building ˮ���� Lincoln, was Fred Brown ’59. In the early ‘80s, he was president of Buena Vista College in Iowa, which had successfully established partnerships with several community colleges to provide access to bachelor’s degrees. Brown later served as ˮ����’s 11th president from 1987-2005.  
 
The Lincoln campus location’s first home was at 4600 Valley Road, where courses were offered to students to attain their bachelor’s degrees, many of whom came directly from earning associate’s degrees in partnership with Southeast Community College. Career development and management workshops were also offered.
 
It was a challenging start, Klasek said, with limited space, budget and staff. Materials to ensure success in the classroom were hard to come by.  
 
That changed with a proposal from Don Clifton, then president of Selection Research, Inc., in 1982, to create a joint computer training venture to help SRI employees learn the new technology. The partnership gave a jumpstart to ˮ���� Lincoln – both in enrollment as other companies followed suit in providing tuition support and professional development to employees, and with a more permanent building location. Later, ˮ���� Lincoln moved to its current location at 52nd and R Streets.
 
“I’m very proud of how we’ve created a community that students, staff and faculty are proud to be part of, that focuses on educating all students in a variety of ways,” Klasek said.

That community has grown over the years, as well. In 2003, Brown opened courses in Grand Island in collaboration with Central Community College. In 2014, ˮ����'s location in Omaha opened, and ˮ����’s Open Learning Academy came online in 2016 (literally! All OLA courses are available on the internet.)
 
Throughout that time, the staff and faculty of ˮ����’s nontraditional programs — and residential programs, too! — have been a major factor in why Klasek spent her career here. There’s always been a commitment to students, and to creating programs that allow them to balance the desire for learning with the demands of their lives.
 
“My mission has always been to serve the students, to help them learn about themselves and empower them to take on new challenges,” Klasek said.

Sadly, Klasek passed away from pancreatic cancer on Sept. 28, 2022. ˮ����, especially Lincoln's campus, won't be the same without her passionate presence. 

Quick Facts:

• The Master of Arts in Counseling program was first offered in fall 1995.
• 753 students have completed their Master of Arts in Counseling degree through ˮ����
• The MAC program is just one of five counseling programs in Nebraska accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
• Students have enrolled in ˮ����’s online classes and programs from all 50 states and from 175 countries.
• Since Fall 2016, 61,056 credit hours have been logged by students for courses and programs offered in the Open Learning Academy.
• As of May 2022, 5,506 students earned their undergraduate degrees through ˮ���� Lincoln; 8,517 students have earned graduate degrees.