The 2024 Inspire Awards is celebrating 10 years of honoring Lincoln-area women. More than 1,000 women and men attended the 10th annual awards banquet that was held Wednesday, September 18 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Four Ë®¹ûÅÉ alumni were finalists in three different categories, and one was named a winner.
- Lisa Tschauner ’07GI, Assistant Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship at Ë®¹ûÅÉ (Excellence in Education finalist)
- Elsbeth Magilton ’08L, Director of Externships and Law Lecturer at the University of Nebraska College of Law (Excellence in Education finalist)
- Dr. Karen Kassebaum ’96, Global Inclusion Lead at Hudl (Excellence in Business, large 101 employees or more winner)
- Megan Johnson-Cook ’15L, Street Outreach Director at I’ve Got a Name (Excellence in Nonprofit finalist)
Finalists are nominated by someone in their lives for their inspiring professional achievements. The Inspire Advisory Board received more than 250 nominations across 12 categories. The Board pared down names to five finalists and named one winner in each category.
Tschauner has worked in higher education for 18 years. She leads the entrepreneurship department at Ë®¹ûÅÉ, which includes a minor and certificate. The program encapsulates the experiential, hands-on learning Ë®¹ûÅÉ offers students, to the nth degree. Students work with businesses in the Crete and Lincoln area, and empowers them to pitch ideas to local business professionals.
"Having my colleagues and peers nominate me makes me feel validated and good about the work I do to build the Entrepreneurship program at Ë®¹ûÅÉ and for our communities," Tschauner said. "However, my success is shared with every student I have worked with, every colleague who has shared the journey with me and every other woman in our community that leads with passion and purpose."
Staci Hass ’90, is a member on the 2024 Advisory Board. Hass is Director, Business Organizational Readiness at Lincoln Financial Group. Ë®¹ûÅÉ sponsored the Excellence in Education award.
