Our Purpose

Uphold the integrity of graduate education. Advocate for meaningful and attractive graduate offerings. Foster an excellent graduate student experience. Champion partnerships that ensure the success of graduate programs.

The Office of Graduate Studies is the administrative home for graduate education at UNL. We work closely with individual graduate students and each program’s faculty and staff to provide support at all stages of graduate education. Student success depends on a strong partnership between the Office of Graduate Studies and the academic programs that deliver the curriculum, training and, in many cases, financial support.

Graduate Studies at UNL is part of the University of Nebraska Graduate College and is therefore governed by system-wide Graduate College policies. Each campus in the University of Nebraska system offers graduate programs that are established under the umbrella of the Graduate College. Consequently, graduate students at each University of Nebraska campus are admitted to and receive diplomas from the Graduate College. The Office of Graduate Studies at UNL manages the admission, enrollment, and each step of a student’s progress toward degree completion.

The UNL Dean for Graduate Studies is responsible for administering all UNL graduate programs. This includes maintaining the UNL Graduate Catalog; managing policies and procedures; supporting the development of new graduate programs; providing professional development opportunities; facilitating communication and fostering community; and supporting the educational infrastructure for a diverse population of graduate students in an inclusive environment. The Dean for Graduate Studies also acts as liaison officer between the UNL Chancellor and the system-wide Dean of the Graduate College.

Organizational Chart of the Graduate College:

graduate college organizational chart

Directory

Administration

Debra A. Hope, Ph.D.

Assoc. Vice Chancellor and Dean of Graduate Education

Jennifer Wood, Ph.D.

Associate Dean

Alisha Hanshaw, Ph.D. picture

Alisha Hanshaw, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean of Graduate Enrollment

Recruitment and Admissions

Mary Ashbury picture

Mary Ashbury

Senior Domestic Admissions Evaluator

Nathan Bruss, M.S. picture

Nathan Bruss, M.S.

CRM Communications Specialist

Nicole Graham picture

Nicole Graham

Admissions Evaluator

Bryan Ottoson picture

Bryan Ottoson

Admissions Evaluator

Pat Shrader picture

Pat Shrader

Senior International Admissions Evaluator

Edith Reza-Martinez

Assistant Director, Graduate Education Engagement

Student Services and Development

Eva Bachman, Ph.D. picture

Eva Bachman, Ph.D.

Director, Graduate Student Support & Associate Registrar

Carol Boehler picture

Carol Boehler

Program Coordinator, McNair Scholars & Grad Student Dev

Casey Coleman, M.S.Ed. picture

Casey Coleman, M.S.Ed.

Assistant Director of Programs and Events

Terri Eastin picture

Terri Eastin

Master's Programs Coordinator

Caroline Knuth picture

Caroline Knuth

Operations Manager

Lisa Rohde, Ph.D. picture

Lisa Rohde, Ph.D.

Associate Director – Teaching & Research Development

Deanne Sparks, Ph.D. picture

Deanne Sparks, Ph.D.

Asst. Director - Professional Development

Systems

Kyle Burke picture

Kyle Burke

Graduate Admission Systems Specialist

Erin Paseka picture

Erin Paseka

Registrar Information Systems Developer

Administrative Support

Lisa Cordonier picture

Lisa Cordonier

Administrative Coordinator

Contact Graduate Studies

See program summaries for details like application deadlines and requirements.