Entertainment icon and University of Nebraska alumnus Johnny Carson maintained a strong relationship with his home state and alma mater. Today, the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film proudly recognizes his legacy and belief in what education can accomplish.

Watch the video of Carson receiving the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. The University of Nebraska publicly said thanks to Carson through the Cornhusker Marching Band’s performance of “There is No Place Like Nebraska” and “The Tonight Show Theme” with Doc Severinsen during Carson’s nationally televised tribute.

The state of Nebraska was eager to host the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games on July 18 - 23, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln served as home base for the participating athletes and provided venues for several events.

When University of Nebraska at Omaha students of the College of Business Administration return to campus in a few weeks, they’ll open the doors to one of the nation’s newest and most advanced academic facilities for business education.

Successful aging is about living where you want to live, doing what you want to do and enjoying a full life. It’s about preventing future illness and improving quality of life with small changes that bring big rewards.

Did you know the University of Nebraska at Kearney offers one of the best music education programs around? Well, thanks to a recent challenge grant—and the ongoing success in reaching its $150,000 goal—the university soon hopes to share the music program’s reputation with many more future students while letting them know an excellent, cost-effective education is available right here.

Successful aging is about living where you want to live, doing what you want to do and enjoying a full life. It’s about preventing future illness and improving quality of life with small changes that bring big rewards. The Home Instead Center for Successful Aging at the University of Nebraska Medical Center offers this and more.

More than 1,000 qualified nursing school applicants have unfortunately been turned away by the University of Nebraska College of Nursing in the last five years.

Who will care for you?

Without her scholarship, Amanda Gates might have struggled to stay in school and on the national championship Husker volleyball squad. Watch this video to see how much the scholarship meant to her.

National Semiconductor Corp. has honored University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumnus Brian L. Halla with a named student fellowship fund for the College of Engineering. Halla serves as executive chairman of the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company and was chief executive officer for 14 years before retiring from that position in 2009.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney Department of Music and Performing Arts has received private gifts totaling $2 million from an anonymous donor, including $500,000 to permanently endow a chair in the music department.

The University of Nebraska Foundation has received a $50 million gift commitment from the Robert B. Daugherty Charitable Foundation to support a global Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska. Water for food is one of the top priorities of the Campaign for Nebraska, a $1.2 billion fundraising campaign publicly announced in October 2009. The Daugherty gift will create a center for research, education and policy analysis related to use of water for agriculture.

Former Nebraska football player and college of engineering alumnus Ndamukong Suh has pledged a $2.6 million gift to his alma mater, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The gift, announced at the Huskers annual spring football game Saturday afternoon, will benefit the Husker athletic strength and conditioning program and create scholarships for students.

With the shake of a hand, Paul Engler’s father nurtured an entrepreneurial spirit in his son, helping to launch a career that made Paul a world-renowned cattle feeder. Hear how the Stuart, Neb., native bought 100 head of cattle at age 12 without a penny to his name.

Plans are underway to build a new facility in the heart of campus that reflects UNO’s commitment to its mission as a metropolitan university.

The proposed $23 million community engagement center will be prominently located between the Strauss Performing Arts Center and the Criss Library, serving as an attractive front door to the campus and as UNO’s signature outreach venue.

When asked to rank the importance of student support on a scale of one to ten, Koua Moua, a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, replied without hesitation, “ten.”

Support for students through private donations to scholarship funds is instrumental in changing many students’ dreams of attending college into reality - and Moua is one of those students.

It has been said that in order to attract the best, you have to be the best. For the University of Nebraska, this means having the highest quality educators - and to have the highest quality educators means there must be faculty support.

University of Nebraska at Omaha psychology professor Joseph Brown, who holds an endowed position, knows the importance of faculty support. Brown says that donors’ support of UNO’s faculty helps make the university “remarkable” and helps produce outstanding teachers and researchers, which ultimately benefits students.

University of Nebraska alumnus and cattleman Paul F. Engler of Amarillo, Texas, announced today a $20 million gift to support programs in agribusiness at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

“I think about myself and my age, and I still have fire in my belly,” Engler said. “We need to identify these boys and girls who have that fire in the belly when they are young and then when they come to the university, expose them to a curriculum that teaches risk—how to evaluate it and how to manage it—because if you do not take risk as an entrepreneur, you are not going to make it.”

Campaign for Nebraska seeks to raise $1.2 billion by the end of 2014. This funding would enable the university to meet high-priority opportunities and needs at UNO and the University’s other three campuses.

The Foundation has raised more than $667 million toward its goal — the most ambitious in the organization’s 73-year history — since fundraising for the campaign began in 2005.

The campaign’s top priority is to provide students across the state affordable access to the university through scholarships and financial aid provided by private support. At UNO, for example, more than 75 percent of the campus’ 15,300 students currently apply for financial assistance.

Nate Summerfield had a tough decision to make after his father died just before Nate was to enroll in college. In this video clip he talks about the weight of his decision.

As a National Hispanic Scholar in high school, Richard Cantril had his choice of a number of colleges. After visiting Nebraska and many others, the senior business major from Scottsbluff chose the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

In May Kristi Scott joined the ranks of graduates of the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In June she joined the ranks of the Peace Corps and headed to Tanzania. She credits the scholarship support received from University of Nebraska at Kearney donors with allowing her to accept the toughest job she’ll ever love.

A first generation student and Iraqi war veteran, Nickeya Chaney is a UNO senior majoring in social work. When she returned from Iraq a social worker had a profound affect on her life. And she wants to return the favor for others.

“With family medicine you get to know the whole family. I enjoy seeing the patients and developing a relationship with them…Learning all aspects of their health as compared to just seeing them one time for one problem.” Without a scholarship Natalie would have to rely more on her parents than she would like. If she had been offered scholarships elsewhere and none at UNMC, Natalie would still be at Nebraska due to its emphasis on primary care and rural medicine.

The generosity of those who understand the importance of a strong state university system was evident again this year, as the foundation ended its fiscal year on June 30, 2009, with more than $128 million raised on behalf of the University of Nebraska. Despite a global recession, donors made it the second best year in the foundation’s 73-year history.

Longtime university supporters Ruth and Bill Scott of Omaha certainly had fun with this gift! In addition to support for UNMC's state-of-the-art medical education building, the couple also provided funds for a student ice rink, which opens today in Omaha.

The public phase of a comprehensive fundraising campaign led by a prominent team of volunteers was announced today by the University of Nebraska and University of Nebraska Foundation. The Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities seeks to raise $1.2 billion to meet high-priority opportunities and needs for the university’s four campuses.

The University of Nebraska Foundation has announced plans for a comprehensive fundraising campaign to meet high-priority opportunities and needs for the university’s four campuses. More details, including the campaign goal and leadership, will be announced later this fall. Campaign priorities will include student scholarships, faculty recruitment and retention, research and academic program support.