December Commencement at Baxter Arena

View the commencement website 

December 14, 2018 Schedule

9:00 A.M. at Baxter Arena

All colleges

UNO’s December commencement ceremony recognizes the accomplishments of graduating students from December and August. In addition to UNO's newest class of alumni, the ceremony will feature five guest honorees.

Jump to section:

• Honorary Degree: Willy Theisen
• Order of the Tower: Jack & Stephanie Koraleski
• Chancellor’s Medal: Jerry Deichert
• Alumni Achievement Award: Janice Gilmore

Honorary Degree: Willy Theisen

Revolutionizing the restaurant business since 1973, William "Willy" Theisen is an entrepreneur whose impressive résumé includes Godfather’s Pizza and Pitch Pizzeria, among others.

Godfather’s was Theisen’s first success, becoming the fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country from 1977-1979. GB Foods Corporation blossomed under Theisen’s visionary dual-concept strategy in the 1990s while the 2000s saw Theisen’s Barbecue Ventures, LLC, expand the Famous Dave’s franchise across the Midwest. Theisen created Pitch Pizzeria, a successful Omaha-based venture since 2009.

All of Theisen’s successes are a result of identifying a high-growth category and developing it using evolutionary techniques. This approach has even inspired some of Theisen’s own employees to become entrepreneurs, which Theisen believes is his greatest success.

Theisen has been a three-time Hall of Fame inductee. In 2001, Theisen was inducted into the Omaha Restaurant Association Hospitality Hall of Fame.

In 2013, Theisen was inducted into the Omaha Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was inducted into the Nebraska Business and Commerce Hall of Fame.

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Order of the Tower: Jack & Stephanie Koraleski

Dr. Stephanie Koraleski is a counseling psychologist in Omaha working with cancer patients and their families to promote optimum coping and healing. She is the co-founder and current board president of A Time to Heal — a wellness rehabilitation program for cancer survivors and caregivers that has been used in 10 states. She received a bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, a master's degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and her doctorate at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Stephanie currently serves on the Institutional Review Board at Methodist Hospital; the boards of Nebraska Methodist College and the College of St. Mary; and the advisory boards of the Nebraska Breast Cancer Control Plan, NC2 (The NE Cancer Coalition), and the Methodist Hospital Foundation.

Jack Koraleski was named executive chairman of Union Pacific Corporation in February 2015. He retired in September 2015 after over 43 years at Union Pacific, having served as chairman, president, and CEO. He received an undergraduate business degree and a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Jack is a member of the Board of Directors of Martin Marietta, Inc. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Heritage Services, Omaha Performing Arts, Omaha Performing Arts Foundation, and the Board of Trustees of Lauritzen Gardens. A member of the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Business National Advisory Board, he is also a trustee of the Business Ethics Alliance.

Jack and Stephanie have been married for 46 years and have four children: Andy, Chris, Jeff, and Catie. The Koraleskis are trustees of the University of Nebraska Foundation and have been active in the community throughout the years, chairing and co-chairing a variety of charitable events. They were honored as UNO Lucas Society members and also received the Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Award.

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Chancellor’s Medal: Jerry Deichert

Jerome “Jerry” Deichert worked for the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) from 1987 until his retirement in July 2018. He was the director of CPAR from 1999 until his retirement. Prior to UNO, he worked at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for 10 years. During his time at UNO he established the Nebraska State Data Center, taught graduate and undergraduate classes in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, and was a mentor to many students.

Deichert is an expert on small-area data for the state, and through his leadership, CPAR became the authoritative source in the state for objective information about census and other demographic topics, regularly consulted by the news media, public and private organizations, and researchers. Each year he made numerous presentations to groups and organizations across Nebraska.

He began an annual data users conference in 1990 with attendance regularly exceeding 250 people representing organizations throughout Nebraska. It has become recognized as a leader in the nation and is emulated by similar organizations throughout the U.S.

Deichert has numerous articles and reports in academic journals and other outlets that analyze data for the nation and state. Many community development efforts throughout Nebraska have relied on data provided and analyzed by Deichert for planning efforts.

Deichert has been a member of the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board since 1988 and currently serves as the chair. He also led the university’s efforts to assist the Nebraska Legislature’s Planning Committee since its inception in 2009.

He has a bachelor's and master's degree in economics from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Although not a native Nebraskan, he has lived in the state since junior high school. He has two daughters and twin three-year old grandchildren who also live in Nebraska. 

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Alumni Achievement Award: Janice Gilmore

Janice Robinson Gilmore, an Omaha native, is a longtime Omaha educator, writer, and motivational speaker. She received both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in education from UNO.

Gilmore was a teacher with Omaha Public Schools (OPS), starting at Franklin Elementary in 1966. While teaching, she earned her master’s degree in educational administration, then became assistant principal at Central Park Elementary in 1972. She became principal at Clifton Hill Elementary in 1978. In 1988, Clifton Hill faculty, staff, and students moved to King Junior High, (later Martin Luther King Primary Center). She remained principal there until 1999, retiring after 31 years with OPS.

Gilmore was a columnist at the Omaha World-Herald, author, and motivational speaker. She still writes for the paper today, as well as the African-American lifestyle empowerment magazine, "Revive!" Gilmore wrote the inspirational children’s book, "Cool Kids Live in Omaha," and a book about grief, "When Someone You Love Dies."

She is an active volunteer in the community, a consultant for Innocent Classroom, a member of Concerned and Caring Educators, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Urban League, Project Hope, African American Empowerment, Inc., the Bright Futures Foundation and the NAACP. She attends Salem Baptist Church, where she serves as a greeter, ministry leader of a women’s prayer group, and the church’s bereavement coordinator.

She has received numerous awards for her work, including the Viking of Distinction from Omaha North High, the UNO College of Education Distinguished Alumni Award, the YWCA Tribute to Women Award, the Omaha Schools Foundation Award, the Urban League African American Leadership Award, an Omaha School Administration Award, the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center Legacy Award, among others. She is married to Alvin Gilmore and they have three married sons and seven grandchildren.

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May 3, 2019 Schedule

Morning Ceremony | 9:00 A.M. at Baxter Arena

Participating colleges:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Engineering (UNL)
• College of Education

Afternoon Ceremony | 3:00 P.M. at Baxter Arena

Participating colleges:

• College of Business Administration
• College of Public Affairs and Community Service
• College of Information Science & Technology
• College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media

• News Sections:
• UNO News Center
• Maverick Daily
• The Bullseye
• Campus Events