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Crossing Borders: Foreign Relations Research in the Hagel Archives Exhibit Opens

The exhibit "Crossing Borders: Foreign Relations Research in the Hagel Archives" runs through August 17, 2026, on the first floor of Criss Library.  

  • published: 2026/02/12
  • contact: Lori Schwartz - Archives and Special Collections
  • email: lschwartz@unomaha.edu
Built in wooden display shelves with documents and artifacts related to Chuck Hagel and foreign relations from 1997-2008.

Crossing Borders is the latest exhibit from the U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives in Archives and Special Collections. This exhibit highlights records available for research in foreign relations from 1997 to 2008. Hagel’s records are particularly rich in this area because of his service on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Records cover events of international prominence, including the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, conflict in the Balkans, and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Visitors can also explore broad issues of international prominence including immigration, climate change, arms control, foreign aid, human rights, trade, and international finance. The exhibit curator selected documents to display from across these events and issues, among others.

Hagel represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2008. In addition to his service on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he also served on the Banking Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence, both of which also gave him influence over broad foreign relations issues.

The exhibit was curated by Hagel and Technical Services Archivist Lori Schwartz with assistance from Bryan Yumul, a graduate history student and intern in Archives and Special Collections.

Records Available for Research  

The documents on display are a tiny portion of the records in the Hagel Archives. To see more of this material, see the collection description and folder list, view selected material online, and visit us in Archives and Special Collections. Hours are Monday-Friday 9am – 5pm. Researchers may contact archivists in advance for help in navigating this large collection, but we also welcome walk-in researchers.