As one of 28 graduating seniors in Nebraska this year to score a perfect 36 on the ACT, Joe Conner had his choice of colleges.
The new Gross Catholic High School alum weighed competitive offers from schools like Tulsa and Maine, as well as the University of Nebraska, where his older sister Amy studies meteorology on the Lincoln campus and where he had been selected for the prestigious Scott Scholars program.
Then Joe learned about the University of Nebraska’s new Presidential Scholars Program, which provides a full cost of attendance scholarship plus a $5,000 annual stipend to Nebraska students with a 36 ACT. And he signed up for a campus visit to UNO.
“The people, the facilities – everyone’s excited to be here. It’s a very well-run and engaging campus,” he remembered.
Joe was sold.
Already busy this summer with a Scott Scholars internship doing work for the U.S. Air Force, Joe will begin his UNO journey this fall, studying chemistry and likely physics with dreams of pursuing a career in nuclear chemistry.
At Gross Catholic, Joe was involved in Academic Decathlon, student council, trap shooting, robotics, drama and the engineering team, among other activities.
He is part of an inaugural cohort of at least 17 Presidential Scholars to enroll at the University of Nebraska since Interim President Chris Kabourek joined with Gov. Jim Pillen to launch the Presidential Scholars Program in February. The program’s goal is to make Nebraska more competitive for its top academic performers.
Kabourek met Joe and his parents, Mark and Shari Conner, on the UNO campus today to celebrate his achievements and decision to study in Nebraska.
“Joe is an incredible young man from a great family – exactly the kind of 5-star student Nebraska needs to keep right here at home,” Kabourek said. “Joe has accomplished so much already and we know he will do even more big things in the future. As the dad of a Maverick myself, I couldn’t be more proud that Joe has chosen UNO to chase his dreams.
“Team Nebraska is growing by the day and Joe is a fantastic addition. We are so excited to have him on campus.”
UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, said: “Joe is a true Maverick, and we are thrilled and honored to have such a talented individual from our Omaha community join the UNO family. I couldn’t be more excited to see the positive impact Joe will have on our campus and Omaha communities with support from the Presidential Scholars Program.”
The President’s Scholarship covers the total cost of attendance – tuition, fees, books, housing and all other costs – plus the $5,000 stipend to Nebraska students who score a perfect 36 on the ACT or an equivalent SAT score of 1570 or above. The scholarship may be used for undergraduate study at any University of Nebraska campus.
Governor Pillen this week recognized the 28 Nebraska students who scored a 36, noting that many of them have chosen the University of Nebraska.
Building on the early momentum of the program, Kabourek has proposed investing an additional $1.5 million starting in 2024-25 to support additional scholarships for Nebraska students who score a 32-35 on the ACT, with the goal of building an annual cohort of 50 Presidential Scholars. Details on how students can apply for the additional scholarships are still to be determined.