Safeguarding the Everyday: UNO Grad Student Takes on Event Security

Concerts thrum with energy, rallies roar with passion, conferences buzz with ideas. Each day, thousands of events unfold across the world. But amid the excitement, who is working to secure these gatherings and keep everyone safe?

At the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), one graduate student is turning that question into her mission.

Sarah Schappert, a graduate research assistant at UNO’s National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE), spends her days delving into how to protect the public from potential threats at events big and small.

A second-year master’s student in criminology and criminal justice, Schappert spends her days analyzing patterns in terrorist plots against public events and exploring ways to prevent attacks before they happen.

Finding Her Path to Counterterrorism

Schappert didn’t always know she would be on this path. Originally, she was set to start college in Florida, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and her family relocated to Omaha, UNO emerged as a reliable, affordable option with the flexibility she needed. The university’s hybrid classes allowed her to juggle school while working nearly full-time, on top of an internship at a law firm.

“I liked the idea of having hybrid classes where I could go to campus if I wanted to, but I could also join on Zoom if I needed to,” said Schappert. “The flexibility in UNO’s class schedules made it possible to do it all.”

Once at UNO, Schappert stumbled upon an unexpected passion.

“I had no idea that terrorism was something that I would be interested in, but a counterterrorism class really opened up my eyes to a path that I hadn’t seen myself on in the past,” she said, crediting an undergraduate course taught by Erin Kearns, Ph.D. for sparking her interest in counterterrorism.

Motivated by this new calling, Schappert decided to stay at UNO for graduate school to further explore the counterterrorism field. Kearns, the professor who first introduced Schappert to the subject, soon became a mentor to her and helped connect her with an opportunity at NCITE.

“I had a connection with Dr. Erin Kearns, and she had an open position doing research at NCITE. Once I did my own research on NCITE’s values and their mission, I was hooked,” Schappert said.

After learning more about NCITE, Schappert knew it was the perfect place to gain hands-on experience in counterterrorism research. Her curiosity and drive quickly caught the attention of her professor and now mentor, Erin Kearns, Ph.D., who recognized Schappert’s potential early on.

“I met Sarah in Spring of 22 when she was an inquisitive undergraduate in my Terrorism class who would often stay after to chat and asking more follow up questions. I’m so pleased that she decided to pursue a master’s degree and work on multiple of my federally funded projects related to behavioral threat assessment and management as well as event security,” said Kearns.

A Mission at NCITE: Protecting Events from Attack

At NCITE, Schappert is focused on a question most people don’t stop to consider: what makes the difference between a terrorist plot that fails and one that’s prevented?

Her research examines decades of data on attacks targeting public events, identifying patterns that could help authorities prevent future threats. By studying both the incidents and the individuals behind them, Schappert hopes to uncover what makes certain events more vulnerable, and how to keep them safer.

“My work contributes to NCITE’s overall mission by focusing on the targets that groups and individuals who perpetrate terrorism choose to attack. We’re also focusing on the actors who perpetrate these attacks,” said Schappert.

For Schappert, the mission is clear: terrorism and crime will always exist, but research like hers helps build tangible strategies for prevention, resilience, and safety, turning data into tools that protect communities.

Mentorship and Growth on the Front Lines

From her first day at NCITE, Schappert found herself surrounded by mentors who helped her grow in the work. Her initial project, researching guidance for behavioral threat assessment and management teams, paired her with an experienced graduate student who showed her the ropes and introduced her to the rhythm of academic research.

She soon began working closely with Kearns, the professor who first inspired her passion for counterterrorism, and Tin Nguyen, Ph.D., an industrial-organizational psychologist.

With mentors from two different disciplines, Schappert quickly learned the value of collaboration.

“One of my mentors is from criminology, and one of my mentors is from I/O, so I’m in an interdisciplinary work group. We all approach it differently, and you can create solutions in ways that wouldn’t have been traditionally thought of,” she said.

Balancing graduate coursework with hands-on research has taught her time management, teamwork, and how to translate data into actionable insights. She’s also learned to manage the emotional weight of studying terrorism.

“The work is hard, and developing coping mechanisms is important,” she said. “My mentors create a safe space and prioritize student well-being at every step.”

Now in her final semester, Schappert is preparing to graduate with a clear vision for the future.

“This experience has strengthened my want to create a career in this field,” she said. “It has opened my eyes and opened doors I never thought existed.”

Whether her path leads to government or private research, she’s ready to help build a safer world, just as NCITE has helped her build the skills to do it.

“Sarah has such a positive, “can do” attitude that brings levity to the difficult subjects that we study. She’s been a joy to work with, and I can’t wait to see what she does next,” said Kearns.