About Angela:
I was born and raised in Nebraska. I am from Gurley, Neb., which is located in the Panhandle. My parents still own and operate the family farm. I obtained my B.S. from the College of Education and Human Sciences. I married my high school sweetheart, Brooks. We have made our home in Lincoln for the past 20 years. We have two sons, two dogs and a few fish. I am an avid gardener, crafter and more!
What is your position at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln?
Project and instructional technologist with Nebraska Extension. I get to assist and create ways for connecting our programming within and outside of the university. We utilize many tools to accomplish helping people learn and grow in their knowledge and skill sets. Some of the tools we are utilizing include Qualtrics, ZOOM, Google Drive, Adobe, apps and so much more. I tend to think outside of the box, challenge myself and others to constantly make improvements in our programming and outreach. We currently are doing once a month learning sessions on different topics (Tech Time with Angie, third Tuesday of each month). I originally started a very long time ago as a 4-H extension assistant in Seward County, then worked on curriculum with Nebraska 4-H and then with the Co-Parenting program.
What drew you to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln?
I have always had a passion for learning and helping others learn and grow. I knew I wanted to be a Husker early in high school. I have always appreciated the research being applied to improve our everyday lifestyles, agriculture and communities. I have always supported Nebraska Extension through 4-H, college and sharing with friends and families. Another draw to the University of Nebraska is the colleagues I work with and how we are making an impact in their communities and lives.
What aspect of working in an educational setting do you enjoy the most?
I absolutely love working with the people! Whether it is a colleague, student or community member, I enjoy seeing the “aha” moment occur. It also is very rewarding for an idea for programming or product actually being used by people to grow in their skills or improve their business/lifestyles. I also greatly appreciate the expectation that we are constantly learning, growing and further developing.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Picking just one achievement is tough! I have been very fortunate, from being the Outstanding Senior in the College of Education and Human Sciences in 1995 to achieving Qualtrics Certification in 2017. I have been honored with volunteering for different organizations and more. However, I think what I consider my greatest achievement is having the ability to have a challenge but find solutions in extraordinary ways. It is like taking a huge puzzle but finding ways to make the picture come together even though you may have one piece of the puzzle missing. It is challenging but so rewarding in the end.
What is something that most people don't know about you?
I am an avid counted cross-stitch enthusiast; however, I give most of the pieces away to others. My parents taught me to operate large farm machinery as well as basic vehicles. I also have a very large affection with the Muppets, Snoopy and Disney.
What is your life like outside of work?
BUSY! Not only do I work, but I also volunteer for many organizations. If we are not doing a family activity, the free time is filled with 4-H, church, scouts and athletics. We also have a very large garden and fruit trees, which also means we do a lot of canning. We enjoy the great outdoors by biking, hiking, camping and more!