Nebraska
NU unveils full cost of attendance scholarship, stipend for perfect ACT performance | Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska announced Monday it will pay Nebraska students who score perfectly on the ACT to obtain an NU education.
Interim NU President Chris Kabourek joined with regents, state senators, three NU chancellors and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen to outline the inaugural President’s Scholarship for in-state students who obtain a 36 on the ACT. The scholarship will cover cost of attendance — including tuition, fees, books and room and board — and provide a $5,000 annual stipend “to pursue whatever your dream in life is.”
Kabourek said NU wants Nebraska students to list the university at the top of their list of desired colleges or universities, but many are leaving the state to continue their education. Moving forward, he’s said, NU can’t lose its “best and brightest.”
“If you sign with us, we’re going to go celebrate it just like we celebrate our five-star athletes,” Kabourek said at a news conference, explaining that many student-athletes receive a stipend.
Unlike the Regents Scholarship, a top scholarship that waives the cost of tuition for qualifying students, the new scholarship will pay NU for students’ attendance. Kabourek, who concurrently serves as NU’s chief financial officer, said the new business model will help with sustainability.
The President’s Scholarship begins from a $5 million endowment with hopes to grow in a future fundraising campaign to students who score 33 or above on the ACT.
NU Scholarship to combat ‘brain drain’
Kabourek and Pillen said the President’s Scholarship is a first step of many in combating the state’s brain drain issue, which they said they want to address as many young people, including college graduates, are leaving the state.
Between fall 2020 and fall 2022, about 20% of top ACT-scoring students chose NU, according to an NU spokesperson. In fall 2023, that figure was three top-performing students.
“Candidly, I’m embarrassed at that,” Kabourek said. “I’m embarrassed that we’re getting out-competed each and every day for our own talent.”
Pillen said anecdotally that of the 31 students with perfect ACT scores he honored last summer, 20 had already chosen a non-Nebraska institution.
Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, chair of the NU Board of Regents, said that growing Nebraska is a “total team effort” and that he’s excited NU is doing more to prevent its high-caliber students from being enticed by other opportunities.
“We can settle for the status quo or we can do better and compete for every student,” he said.
Four R’s of success
Regent Rob Schafer of Beatrice, board vice chair, said it comes down to four simple words in working to fulfill NU’s mission of serving the state: recruit, retain, reward and retire.
NU must recruit, retain and reward its talent, he explained, with the hope they retire as Nebraskans.
“It’s early in the year and we’re just getting started, and we’re going to move Nebraska forward,” Schafer said.
Kabourek said even if NU can get just one student to choose Nebraska because of the scholarship, it will be a win because “who knows” their future — from farming or ranching to business to cancer research or nuclear physiology.
“Who knows what the story is or what the dreams of that student might be,” Kabourek said. “So if we can only get one student, it’s been a success in my opinion.”
Metropolitan Community College launches historic scholarship
On the same day NU launched its new scholarship, Metropolitan Community College announced its largest-ever endowed scholarship, courtesy of the Holland Foundation.
The $3 million endowed Dick and Mary Holland Scholarship will help create pathways to postsecondary education in skilled trades, health and technical sciences programs, beginning with the fall semester, a news release states. In addition to tuition, the program may provide funding for fees, books, required certifications, tools, equipment and supplies.
The fund is anticipated to provide a minimum of 24 annual scholarships and prioritizes first-generation students, according to Amy Recker, executive director of the MCC Foundation.
“The endowed scholarship continues Dick and Mary’s legacy of giving,” said Deb Love, president of the Holland Foundation. “They were such observant, giving and caring people who always had a willingness in their hearts to help others.”
Recker described the gift as “truly transformational” and said MCC is grateful to the Holland Foundation for entrusting MCC “with this unprecedented investment in our students, programs and communities.”
— By Zach Wendling
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A deeper look tonight as First Alert 6 continues to dig deeper into the state of mental health care in Nebraska and possible solutions, ever since last week’s two instances involving law enforcement.
A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy was shot responding to a domestic call. Investigators said the suspect, Brian Huggins, had a history of behavioral health issues. Huggins died by suicide.
And then Noemi Guzman, who police say kidnapped a 3-year-old from inside an Omaha Walmart and cut him in the arm and face with a stolen kitchen knife. Omaha police officers shot and killed her before she could strike again.
Guzman had been on a court-ordered mental health treatment plan since last summer for her schizophrenia. According to court records, psychiatrists determined she could live in the community. Remember, this was after she was arrested for setting her father’s house on fire and threatening a priest with a knife.
Monitoring system
We wanted to know who is part of the system monitoring those who may not be following their mental health treatment plan and are a risk to others or themselves. When that happens, the Board of Mental Health will often notify the local sheriff so a warrant can be issued and deputies can track the individual down.
Here are the numbers since 2023:
In 2023, 842 warrants were issued for those not following their treatment plans according to the Board of Mental Health. In 2024, 756. In 2025, 690. So far in 2026, 190.
But out of these 2,500 warrants, 85% of them didn’t have a second warrant, meaning deputies picked them up, got them back into treatment and the individuals continued to thrive after the one hiccup.
But in 15% of these cases, the individuals messed up again and had another warrant issued by the Board of Mental Health. Twenty-five individuals had five or more issued in Douglas County.
Sheriff Hanson said there has to be a better way, a more team approach for this.
One model to explore is the way Nebraska’s problem-solving courts work like drug court and veterans’ treatment court where experts from a variety of stakeholders help individuals who are on the fringes to do everything to make them productive citizens.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
(InvestigateTV) — Sometimes sports are about more than the final score.
For Jack Burke, a high school football player in Nebraska, a medical diagnosis at birth has never stopped him from competing — and a touchdown catch in his first play back from open heart surgery proved it.
Born with a rare heart defect
Burke was born with Scimitar syndrome, a rare heart defect in which babies are born with an underdeveloped right lung and pulmonary artery. The condition also affects blood flow to the right lung. Treatment often includes surgery, and many adults with the condition go on to live healthy lives.
“As a kid, I never really understood,” Burke said. “It was always natural for me that I had to push myself harder to keep up.”
His mother, Bridget Burke, says the condition was not initially considered dangerous for sports participation.
“His Scimitar Syndrome never really came into play as being dangerous for him to play sports,” she said.
The decision to operate
That changed in the spring of 2025, when Burke’s family and doctors decided it was time for a surgery that had been anticipated for years.
“I’ve kind of known I’ve had to get surgery my whole life,” Burke said. “Once I knew I could get the surgery sooner, I was all in. I wanted to get it so I could get back to sports.”
His father, Ryan Burke, says the timing was deliberate.
“This will be done before school gets started, and still have a chance to do almost everything you want to do,” Ryan Burke said.
Jack Burke underwent open-heart surgery, leaving a visible reminder of what he went through.
“There’s a six-inch scar in the middle of his chest that represents a pretty big thing that happened,” Ryan Burke said.
For Bridget Burke, the moment her son was taken to the operating room was difficult.
“When the rubber hits the road and your kid is being wheeled back to the OR, it is scary and emotional,” she said.
The comeback
Burke eased back into football following his cardiologist’s recommended recovery timeline. His return came in week three of the season.
“Before the Schuyler game I talked to his dad and he’s like, ‘I think we might be ready,’” said coach Jay Landstrom.
Bridget Burke says the family approached the return with caution.
“I mean, I was nervous. We didn’t really know how much he would play. It was going to be some cautious situations,” she said.
Those concerns were set aside — at least for a moment — when Burke caught a touchdown pass on his very first play back.
“All the parents were high-fiving everybody and they were like, ‘Was that really Jack?’” Bridget Burke said.
Landstrom called it a special moment.
“It was just meant to be and that was really special,” he said.
For Burke, the touchdown meant something beyond the scoreboard.
“I just remember one of my teammates came up to me and said, ‘He’s back. He’s back,’” Burke said. “It kind of shows something that tried to stop me — I hurdled that obstacle.”
Burke says the surgery has given him a new sense of freedom.
“Now I can do whatever I want. Nothing can hold me back,” he said.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 19.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
4-3-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
14-19-24-30-34
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from April 19 drawing
Red Balls: 01-02, White Balls: 09-26
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MyDay numbers from April 19 drawing
Month: 08, Day: 16, Year: 61
Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- 2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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