Joe Conner is one of 28 students graduating from Nebraska this year who scored a perfect 36 on the ACT, giving him his choice of colleges.
The Gross Catholic High School freshman considered competitive offers from schools like Tulsa and Maine, as well as the University of Nebraska, where his sister, Amy, is studying meteorology at 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 offers a full tuition scholarship plus a $5,000 annual stipend to University of Nebraska students with an ACT score of 36. Joe applied to visit the University of Nebraska campus.
“The people, the facilities, everybody is excited to be here. It's a very well-run, attractive campus,” he recalled.
Joe was sold.
Joe is already busy this summer working for the United States Air Force on a Scott Scholars internship, but he will begin his UNO journey this fall studying chemistry and possibly physics with dreams of pursuing a career in nuclear chemistry.
At Gross Catholic High School, Joe participated in activities such as Academic Decathlon, Student Council, Trap Shooting, Robotics, Drama and Engineering Team.
He is part of the first group of at least 17 Presidential Scholars to enroll at the University of Nebraska since Interim President Chris Kaborek, in collaboration with Gov. Jim Pillen, launched the Presidential Scholars Program in February. The goal of the program is to make Nebraska a more competitive university for high-achieving students.
Kaborek met with Joe and his parents, Mark and Shari Conner, on the UNO campus today to celebrate his achievement and his decision to study at Nebraska.
“Joe is a great young man from a great family and is exactly the kind of five-star student that Nebraska should keep in its hometown,” Kaborek said. “Joe has accomplished so much already and we know he will achieve even greater things in the future. As Maverick's father myself, I couldn't be more proud that Joe chose UNO to pursue his dreams.”
“The Nebraska team is getting better every day and Joe is a great addition to the team. We're excited to have him on campus.”
“Joe is a true maverick, and we are thrilled and honored to welcome such a talented individual from the Omaha community to the UNO family,” said UNO Chancellor Dr. Joan Lee, CFA. “With the support of the Presidential Scholars Program, we couldn't be more excited to see the positive impact Joe will have on our campus and the Omaha community.”
The President's Scholarship provides a $5,000 stipend to Nebraska students who earn a perfect score of 36 on the ACT or the equivalent SAT score of 1570 or higher, in addition to the full cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, books, housing and all other expenses. The scholarship can be used for undergraduate study at any University of Nebraska campus.
Governor Pillen this week recognized 28 Nebraska students who earned a score of 36 points, noting that many of them chose the University of Nebraska.
Kaborek plans to build on the program's early momentum by investing an additional $1.5 million starting in the 2024-25 school year to offer additional scholarships to Nebraska students who score 32-35 on the ACT, with the goal of producing 50 Presidential Scholars each year. Details of how students can apply for the additional scholarships have yet to be finalized.
A big welcome to Joe Conner, a Presidential Scholar and Team Nebraska commit! Joe achieved outstanding results in the ACT. translator To pursue his dream of a career in nuclear chemistry. translator And I'm excited that this five-star academic recruit is staying here at Nebraska. pic.twitter.com/JjdIdG0tqC
— Chris Kaborek (@ckabourek) June 14, 2024
