College Wayne State

President’s Message
Dr. Richard Collings
This will come as no surprise, but I don’t have a MySpace
page. Nor do I have a page on Facebook. There’s no profile
online anywhere that will tell you my favorite movies, favorite
books or favorite songs. If you want to know these things you will
have to ask me in person. Or maybe scan the shelves in my study.
You can tell a lot about people if you know these things. They are
cultural cues to who they are and what they value. In that same
vein, you can tell a lot about a college by its students, whether
they’re still on campus in the midst of earning a degree or out in the
world making a living (and probably a difference) doing what they
learned to do at Wayne State.
When I look at the achievements of Wayne State students and
faculty each year there’s no mistaking the profile that emerges.
From community service in our region and top awards at skills
competitions to prestigious conferences and departmental honors,
you can see the hands-on quality of a Wayne State education, the
work of our professors and their dedication to the Wayne State ideal
of going beyond the typical hour in the classroom.
Wayne State’s professors encourage students from many
backgrounds and interests to put their knowledge to the test at
events around the U.S. You will not find a commitment on this scale
at larger universities. But it’s built into an education here at Wayne
State. And it would not be possible without your generous support.
Your support helps us cover the educational costs of students who
otherwise might not have the means to afford an education. Your
support allows us to send students to competitions, conferences
and seminars. Your support gives us the flexibility to make
education more than time spent at a desk. Most importantly, your
support encourages creativity and innovation in our programs.
The past year included many examples of student and faculty
success. Seven construction management students earned first-
place honors at a state leadership and skills conference. Two of
our honors students presented at the national honors conference.
They were the only two students chosen from the entire state of
Nebraska. Professor Tami Worner received the George Rebensdorf
Teaching Excellence Award from the Nebraska State College
System. A volleyball star earned the college’s first All-American
honor in her sport. And the women’s cross country team earned its
first conference championship.
The college also expanded several successful programs. Wayne
State was granted approval by the Higher Learning Commission
to offer its Master of Business Administration degree completely
online in the fall of 2007. The college also extended its highly
successful learning community format to Grand Island for the
fall 2007 semester, expanding the college’s innovative Masters
of Science in Education: Curriculum and Instruction program
to the western edge of its 46-county service area. Wayne State
began its learning community format in 2003 in Fremont and
Sioux City/South Sioux City. From an initial group of 127 students,
the program has grown to more than 640 students who have
completed or are currently completing program requirements.
This is hardly the extent of our profile of success, but a solid
picture should be coming into focus. Wayne State differentiates
itself from other colleges by virtue of the personal education
it provides and the opportunities for enrichment built into the
college’s curriculum. Your donations, large and small, help make
success part of the Wayne State College culture.
And for the record, my favorite movies are Godfather (and
Godfather II), Last of the Mohicans and Dr. Strangelove. My
favorite songs are “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” (Crosby, Stills, Nash
& Young), “Yesterday” (The Beatles) and “Heart of Gold” (Neil
Young). And my favorite books are The Magus (John Fowles), A
Confederacy of Dunces (John K. O'Toole) and The Ginger Man
(J.P. Donleavy).