alumni & engagement
From award-winning artists to industry professionals, our alumni have built renowned careers that span the worlds of art and entertainment.
spotlight on alumni
Trent Claus (BFA, 2006)
Claus is a visual effects supervisor and senior compositor at Lola VFX, whose credits include Barbie, numerous Marvel and Star Wars projects and many other popular titles. Claus and Lola VFX maintain a close connection to UNL, employing many current students and recent graduates.
Emma Nishimura (MFA, 2013)
Working with a range of media across printmaking, photography, sculpture and installation, Nishiamua’s work has been widely exhibited internationally at venues including the Royal Academy of Arts in London, New York’s Print Center and the Taimiao Art Gallery in Beijing.
Karen Blessen (BFA, 1973)
Blessen is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and artist. In 1989, she was the first graphic artist to be named as a Pulitzer winner. Originally from Columbus, Nebraska, Blessen graduated from UNL in 1973 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Kate Bingaman-Burt (MFA, 2004)
Kate Bingaman-Burt is an illustrator, educator, and maker of things. She has been making work about consumption since 2002, teaching since 2004 and drawing until her hand cramps since 2006. Her first book, Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?, was published by Princeton Architectural Press in 2010
Aaron Douglas (BFA in Art, 1922)
Educator, Painter, Muralist. Born in Kansas, Aaron Douglas received a B.F.A. in art from the University of Nebraska. His artistic insight is a lasting influence and a testament to the themes of African heritage and racial pride.
Marcia B. Goldenstein (B.F.A. 1970, M.F.A. 1973)
Goldenstein is Professor Emerita at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where she taught painting and drawing for 38 years. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including recent exhibitions in Beijing, Chengdu and Fuzhou, China, as well as Bratislava, Slovakia.
recent achievements
Cobb, MFA ‘23, Earns Fulbright
Laura Cobb, who earned a Master of Fine Arts in May 2023, earned a 2024-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to work on a photography project in Germany.
Read Laura's Story
Ceramic Alum Buller Garners Awards, Accolades
Larry Buller (ME 2006; MFA 2017) was recently awarded a McKnight Artist Fellowship and was named a Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist for 2024.
Read Larry's Story
Schicke Wins National ADDY Award
Ava Schicke, a Dec ‘23 with a BA in Graphic Design, received a National American Advertising Award (ADDY) for her senior capstone project, “Scrolling is the New Smoking.”
Read Ava's Storyshare your story
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Share your professional and creative milestones, career updates, or personal stories with us. Your experiences can inspire others and help us build a stronger alumni network.
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