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Odessa Nicole Carter always pictured herself going to school at UNO. "Every time I came to campus, I felt comfortable," she says. "UNO's always felt like a small community to me — just like Omaha feels like a small community."

An Omaha native, Nicole grew up understanding the importance of community. Her parents own a small nonprofit business that helps provide services for the elderly. She considered a lot of majors, but always remembered her interest in watching her father work. Now she's a sophomore business major, planning to graduate in 2010. Nicole says she's glad she chose UNO, in large part because of the faculty.

"The teachers care. The advisers care. That's what I'm most proud of when I say I go to UNO. The campus is small enough that people say hello, but it's big enough to have a lot of resources that students can use."

It's still early in her college life, but she's found lots of ways to make the most of her experience. In addition to classes, Nicole works 20 hours a week in the College of Business Administration and volunteers another four or five hours a week. She's also involved in the Asian-American Cultural Society and participates in the M.A.S.T.E.R. Success program in UNO's Multicultural Affairs Office.

"I pretty much live on campus," she says. "I go home to sleep. Sometimes it can get a little stressful, but it's all OK. I still plan to do a lot—and I think I've gotten a good start."