More than 150 students to graduate from University of Nebraska High School

More than 150 students representing 31 countries and 31 states will graduate from the University of Nebraska High School (UNHS), the University’s fully online, accredited high school, on Friday, June 15, 2018. The graduating class includes 27 Nebraska students.

The graduation ceremony is at 2 p.m. Friday in the City Campus Student Union Ballroom on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus. The event will be live-streamed. Nearly 20 graduates, including students from Colombia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are expected to attend.

“We are so pleased to celebrate our graduates,” said Barbara Wolf Shousha, director of the University of Nebraska High School. “We are confident that their education through UNHS has prepared them for success in the workforce and in college. Each year, we look forward to the ceremony and the chance to congratulate them on their accomplishments and to wish them well for the future.”

The University of Nebraska High School, established in 1929, offers more than 100 online core, elective, Advanced Placement^®, NCAA-approved, and dual enrollment courses to students in Nebraska and around the world. UNHS was one of the first accredited online high schools to offer a full diploma sequence online. UNHS students may complete their entire high school education online or take courses for transfer. Graduates have been accepted into colleges and universities worldwide, such as the University of Nebraska, Harvard, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins.

“The diversity of the 2018 UNHS graduating class demonstrates the strength of our program,” said Hugh McDermott, principal of the University of Nebraska High School. “We are very pleased to be assisting students all over the globe to obtain their high school diplomas from UNHS.”

UNHS has served more than 3,100 students in the past year, nearly 600 of whom are Nebraskans. Growing resident enrollment is a key goal for the high school as the University works to contribute to higher graduation and college-going rates in the state. Students can enroll in UNHS courses at any time and courses may be completed on a self-paced schedule. UNHS also provides teachers, academic advisers, and administrative assistance for students and schools.

The University of Nebraska High School attracts students from diverse backgrounds. Many have demanding extracurricular activities that make a traditional high school schedule too restrictive, including students who participate in highly competitive traveling athletic or performing arts programs. Some students are home schooled and find that UNHS courses offer the breadth and rigor they desire in a curriculum. Others take online courses because certain subjects and staff resources are not available at their local high school.

One of this year’s graduates, Conner Loken of Bennet, Neb., chose UNHS because it was convenient, and because the program is so well regarded.

“The best part of the University of Nebraska High School program was the content of the courses,” said Loken. “They were very well put together, easy to follow, challenging, and I really think I learned more than I thought I would.”

Another 2018 graduate, Odon Sanchez of Lubango, Angola, is undecided on which college he will attend but has plans to study business management and ultimately get an MBA. Sanchez chose UNHS because his dad had to travel frequently for his job and they wanted to stay together as a family. UNHS offered Sanchez the ability to avoid interrupting his progress in school because of his dad’s mobility.

“I can say that during my UNHS experience, I have learned the most significant lessons of my life,” said Sanchez. “This program helped me become a more responsible and disciplined person. While providing me more time for my hobbies and interests, my experience at UNHS taught me to create a balance between my activities and my studies.”

The University of Nebraska High School is part of University of Nebraska Online, the University’s collaborative distance education initiative focused on providing greater access for more students to the high-quality courses and programs offered online by the four campuses of the University system. By coordinating efforts among the campuses, the University of Nebraska offers more than 125 degree, certificate, and endorsement programs in 16 subject areas, including certificate, bachelor, master’s and doctoral programs.