Feb. 13, 2003

GPN leader remembered

Paul Hafer Schupbach of Lincoln, founding director of the Great Plains National Instructional Television Library at UNL, died Jan. 27. He was 79.

Schupbach taught speech and radio classes at Creighton University and UNL and was a TV director and announcer with KOLN-TV. He also had worked as director of public relations for the Nebraska State Education Association.

He was founding director of the Great Plains National Instructional Television Library, which provides educational media. GPN produces and distributes the award-winning children's educational series Reading Rainbow. Schupbach retired in1986.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; sons and daughters-in-law, Rob and Kay, Paul and Nancy, all from Lincoln, Phillip and Mi Young, South Korea, and Neal, Tampa, Fla.; and several grandchildren.

Extension employees win national, area awards

Several University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension employees were recognized with national and regional awards for their work with the 4-H program as part of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents awards.

National winners were Lisa Kaslon, extension assistant in Platte County; Amy Peterson, extension educator in Polk County; Amy Topp, extension educator in Wayne and Dixon counties; Colleen Pallas, extension associate in Polk County; Doug Swanson, state 4-H project coordinator in Lincoln; and Keith Martikainen, 4-H youth extension at College Park in Grand Island.

North Central regional winners were Mary Loftis, extension associate in Burt County, and Tracy Behnken, extension educator in Dodge County. The Educational Technology and Youth Audience award went to the Cyber Fair team of Swanson: Patricia Fairchild, 4-H curriculum specialist; Trish Spencer, 4-H communications associate; Diane Vigna, textiles, clothing and design specialist; Bob Meduna, extension educator in Saunders County; Gale Hamilton, 4-H technician; Paul Andrews, a UNL engineering student from Aurora and Jamie Fasset, a UNL graduate student of Lincoln.

Gary Heusel, state 4-H program leader and state leader representative, Vern Waldren, unit leader in Douglas and Sarpy counties and past president, and Allan Vyhnalek, unit leader in Platte County and vice president for marketing and outreach, finished their terms on the national board.

Aumni Magazine earns honor

Contacts Magazine, the alumni magazine for the UNL College of Engineering and Technology, has been awarded a Paper Anvil Award of Excellence by the Public Relations Society of America, Nebraska Chapter. The magazine is a collaborative effort by Deborah Derrick and Constance Walter of the College of Engineering & Technology and Amy Hensley of Publications and Photography.