University of Nebraska System interim president Chris Kabourek visited Bellevue West’s college signing day on Friday May. 3, as part of his outreach to Nebraska high school sophomores and juniors, encouraging in-state college enrollment.
The recent workforce in Nebraska has been decreasing, and Kabourek said his goal is to ensure that trend doesn’t continue. His recent visits to high schools, including Bellevue West for the first time, has targeted high achieving students in order to demonstrate the benefits of college life in Nebraska.
“For far too long, many of our best and our brightest students have been going out of state for other opportunities,” Kabourek said. “And some of that is just, we haven’t done a good job letting them know that we want them to stay here.”
Kabourek’s visit is just the beginning of his involvement with Bellevue West students.
“I’ve been absolutely blown away by my visit,” Kabourek said. “The students are amazing. Teachers are passionate about what they do. Administration, caring, and good and just an amazing school and it’s been just a great day. And as long as Bellevue West will ask us to be back, yes, we’ll be back every year, if we can.”
College signing day has been a part of Bellevue West culture for three years; college and career center counselor Randall Schultz originated the yearly celebration.
“As a way to create a college-going culture, we started doing this event a couple years ago to celebrate seniors, and especially seniors that are going on to some type of post secondary education,” Schultz said.
Schultz explained that not only is this day a celebration of college goers, but of all students moving on to trade schools, community colleges, and the military.
The celebration itself takes months of planning when the backdrops, signs, and free snacks are all factored in, yet scholarship coordinator Kathie Britten describes it as one of her favorite days.
“It’s such a great day, because we know how much work goes into it,” Britten said. “But more importantly, we know how much work the kids have done.”
Kabourek’s history in Nebraska sparked his interest in the current pre-college Bellevue West students as someone who grew up with little access to the college experience. His hope is to use his past as proof that any student’s college dreams can come true.
“If it makes a difference for one kid, it’s been all worth it.”
