{{Short description|Public university in Kearney, Nebraska, US}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox university | name = University of Nebraska at Kearney | image = Seal of the University of Nebraska.svg | image_upright = 0.8 | former_names = Kearney State Normal School (1905–1921)<br/>Kearney State Teachers College (1921–1963)<br/>Kearney State College (1963–1991) | motto = Be Blue. Be Gold. BE BOLD. | established = {{start date|1905}} | type = Public university | academic_affiliations = Space-grant | parent = University of Nebraska system | budget = | president = Jeffrey P. Gold | chancellor = Neal Schnoor | vice_chancellor = Julie Shaffer | academic_staff = | students = 5,699 (fall 2025)<ref>{{cite web |title=Headcount Enrollment Fall Semester |url=https://www.unk.edu/factbook/_files/fallenr_classstanding.pdf |publisher=University of Nebraska at Kearney}}</ref> | undergrad = 4,056 (fall 2025) | postgrad = 1,643 (fall 2025) | city = Kearney, Nebraska | state = | country = United States | coor = {{Coord|40|42|02|N|99|06|03|W|format=dms|display=inline, title|type:edu_region:US-NE}} | campus = Rural, {{convert|235|acre|ha}} | colors = {{college color list|team=Nebraska–Kearney Lopers}} | athletics_nickname = Lopers | mascot = Louie the Loper | sporting_affiliations = NCAA Division II – The MIAA | website = {{url|www.unk.edu}} | logo = University of Nebraska at Kearney logo.svg | logo_size = 150 }}
The '''University of Nebraska at Kearney''' ('''UNK''') is a public university in Kearney, Nebraska, United States. It is a part of the University of Nebraska system. The university was formed in 1903 by the Nebraska State Legislature as '''Kearney State Normal School'''. The school would later join the University of Nebraska system in 1989 and would re-brand to its current name in 1991.
==History== The University of Nebraska at Kearney was originally formed in 1903 as the Kearney State Normal School. It was formed by the Nebraska State Legislature after $50,000 was appropriated to build the normal school. The school was originally a part of the Nebraska State College System.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1903-09-10 |title=KEARNEY GETS THE NORMAL |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-bend-eagle-kearney-gets-the-normal/183767855/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |work=North Bend Eagle |pages=6}}</ref> The school was originally located in different public facilities until the completion of its first building in October 1905.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1905-10-05 |title=NEBRASKA STATE NEWS |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sutton-register-nebraska-state-news/183768101/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |work=The Sutton Register |pages=2}}</ref> The first president was Augustus O. Thomas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Augustus Orloff Thomas |url=https://nebraskaauthors.org/authors/augustus-orloff-thomas |website=nebraskaauthors.org |publisher=Nebraska Authors}}</ref>
In 1921, the state legislature changed all normal schools, including Kearney State, to being teachers colleges. This also allowed for the college to offer four-year degrees. Additionally, it changed its name to Kearney State Teachers College.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1921-04-14 |title=KEARNEY STATE NORMAL NOW RATED A TEACHERS COLLEGE |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kearney-weekly-hub-kearney-state-nor/183768699/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |work=The Kearney Weekly Hub |pages=5}}</ref> In 1963, the legislature again changed the name of the college, this time to Kearney State College.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1963-01-23 |title=Normal Board OK's Name Change Bill |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kearney-hub-normal-board-oks-name-chang/183769088/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |work=Kearney Hub |pages=1}}</ref> In 1967, the first building on campus was condemned by the state fire marshal. The auditorium wing of the building was demolished the following year.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1968-05-20 |title=Demolition of Wing Starts at Kearney State |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-island-independent-demolition/196996929/ |access-date=2026-05-06 |work=The Grand Island Independent |pages=9}}</ref> The rest of the building was demolished in 1984.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1984-07-14 |title=College loses oldest campus building; Administration Building is demolished |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kearney-hub-college-loses-oldest-campus/196996704/ |access-date=2026-05-06 |work=Kearney Hub |pages=3}}</ref>
In 1989, it was announced that Kearney State College would be transferred from the Nebraska State College System to the University of Nebraska system. Said decision was blocked by then-Nebraska Attorney General Robert Spire.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1989-07-11 |title=Omaha Firm to Defend Merger |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-omaha-firm-to-defend/183769350/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |work=Omaha World-Herald |pages=17}}</ref> The lawsuit was then brought to the Nebraska Supreme Court where it was later cleared the following year. Kearney State College officially re-branded to the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1991.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1990-05-18 |title=Court Lets Kearney Join the N.U. System |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-court-lets-kearney-jo/183769902/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |work=Omaha World-Herald |pages=14}}</ref>
In common with other campuses in the NU system, the university faced financial distress in the early 2020s, necessitating schoolwide job and program cuts. In 2023, university leaders planned to eliminate over 24 faculty positions and nine degree programs to begin to mitigate the university's $4.3 million budgetary shortfall.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.highereddive.com/news/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney-to-cut-2-dozen-faculty-positions/700538/ |title=University of Nebraska at Kearney to cut around 2 dozen faculty positions |first=Laura |last=Spitalniak |publisher=Higher Ed Dive |date=November 22, 2023 |accessdate=November 22, 2023}}</ref>
==Campus== The University of Nebraska at Kearney's campus is located in Kearney, Nebraska, United States. The campus includes 58 buildings and Foster Field. The oldest building on campus is the Alumni House, which was built in 1907.<ref>{{Cite web |title=University of Nebraska at Kearney Campus Map |url=https://seniorcollegene.org/Portals/0/UNK%20Campus%20Map.pdf}}</ref>
The university also has an eCampus, offering online undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as a blended-learning (online and face-to-face) driver education endorsement program.<ref>{{cite web |title=UNK eCampus |url=http://www.unk.edu/academics/ecampus |access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>
Also located on the campus is KLPR, an alternative rock station operated by the University of Nebraska at Kearney.<ref>{{Cite web |title=KLPR 91.1 FM Loper Radio {{!}} Communication {{!}} University of Nebraska at Kearney |url=https://www.unk.edu/academics/communications/klpr-radio-station.php |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=www.unk.edu}}</ref>
=== Museums === The Museum of Nebraska Art, founded by the state legislature and located in Kearney since 1986, is administered as a department of the university.<ref name="Buildings">[http://aaunk.unk.edu/catalogs/current/gen/genfac.asp UNK Buildings]</ref> The G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture is a Richardsonian Romanesque mansion on the western edge of campus, formerly the residence of the administrator of the Nebraska State Tubercular Hospital. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture is open to the public, as well as being used for university functions.<ref name="Buildings" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frankhouse.org|title=G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture|work=frankhouse.org}}</ref>
== Academics == {| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible" ; text-align:right; font-size:80%;" |+ style="font-size:90%" |Undergraduate demographics as of fall 2023<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title= College Scorecard: University of Nebraska at Kearney|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school?181215-University-of-Nebraska-at-Kearney|website=College Scorecard |publisher=United States Department of Education |access-date=June 23, 2025 }}</ref> |- ! Race and ethnicity ! colspan="2" data-sort-type="number" |Total |- | White |align=right| {{bartable|73|%|2||background:cyan}} |- | Hispanic |align=right| {{bartable|15|%|2||background:green}} |- | International student |align=right| {{bartable|4|%|2||background:#008080}} |- | Black |align=right| {{bartable|3|%|2||background:purple}} |- | Two or more races |align=right| {{bartable|3|%|2||background:violet}} |- | Asian |align=right| {{bartable|1|%|2||background:orange}} |- ! colspan="4" data-sort-type="number" |Economic diversity |- | Low-income{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.}} |align=right| {{bartable|35|%|2||background:red}} |- | Affluent{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.}} |align=right| {{bartable|65|%|2||background:black}} |} The University of Nebraska at Kearney is a public university operated by the University of Nebraska system. As of 2025, the university enrolls 4,130 undergraduate students. The university includes 39 undergraduate fields of study. Major fields of study include Business Administration, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Family Cand Consumer Economics and Related Studies.<ref name=":0" />
=== Structure === The University of Nebraska at Kearney has three colleges for undergraduate degrees. These include the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Technology, and the College of Education.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colleges < University of Nebraska at Kearney |url=https://catalog.unk.edu/undergraduate/academics/colleges/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |website=catalog.unk.edu}}</ref> Additionally, through a partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the university offers nursing and allied health programs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kearney Expansion |url=https://www.unmc.edu/education/kearney.html |access-date=2025-10-28 |website=www.unmc.edu |language=en}}</ref>
==Athletics== {{Main|Nebraska–Kearney Lopers}} thumb|200px|Nebraska–Kearney Athletics wordmark
The Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) athletic teams are called the Lopers. The university is a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) for most of its sports since the 2012–13 academic year.<ref>{{cite news|last=Corbitt|first=Ken|publisher=The Topeka Capital-Journal|title=Newcomers add strength to rugged MIAA|url=http://cjonline.com/sports/2012-08-23/newcomers-add-strength-rugged-miaa|date=August 23, 2012|access-date=September 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Toppmeyer |first=Blake |url=http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/homepage/x84678274/MIAA-adds-2-more-on-horizon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714043950/http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/homepage/x84678274/MIAA-adds-2-more-on-horizon |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |title=MIAA adds 2, more on horizon – Maryville, MO |publisher=Maryville Daily Forum |access-date=August 2, 2010 }}</ref>
UNK competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, cross country, football, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and wrestling; Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.
==Notable alumni== *Emily Balcetis – professor of psychology *Jon Bokenkamp – television writer and producer *Joba Chamberlain – New York Yankees pitcher<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=107702 |title=Joba Chamberlain – Huskers.com – Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site |publisher=Huskers.com |date=September 23, 1985 |access-date=August 13, 2010}}</ref> *Richard Davenport – president of Minnesota State University, Mankato *Tervel Dlagnev – wrestler, bronze medal at 2012 Olympics *Gary Dop – poet *Bob Green – football coach *Marg Helgenberger – actress *Arthur Hobbs – football player *Jack Hoffman – football player *Bart Kofoed – basketball player *Richard G. Kopf – judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska *Tom Kropp – basketball player *Stephen Lawhead – science-fiction author *Ira J. McDonald – Los Angeles City Council member, 1941–45 *Bill Milldyke – broadcast journalist *Harry Northup – actor *Larry L. Peterson – computer scientist *Mahabir Pun – Ramon Magsaysay Award winning Nepalese philanthropist *Randy Rasmussen – former New York Jets player *Tim Schlattmann – co-executive producer of ''Dexter'' *Raufeon Stots – two-time NCAA Division II Wrestling champion, current Bellator mixed martial artist *Tauese Sunia – former governor of American Samoa *Kamaru Usman – wrestler <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ufc.com/athlete/kamaru-usman|title = Kamaru Usman|date = September 14, 2018}}</ref> *Tyrus – professional wrestler *Don Welch – poet<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2016-08-08 |title=Don Welch remembered for poetry, inspiring UNK students |url=https://unknews.unk.edu/2016/08/08/don-welch-remembered-for-poetry-inspiring-unk-students/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=UNK News |language=en-US}}</ref> *Ty Danielson – college basketball coach
==Notable faculty== *Allison Hedge Coke – English professor *Don Welch – English professor
== Notes == {{noteslist}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons cat}} * {{Official website}} * [https://lopers.com/ Athletics website] * {{College-navigator|181215}}
{{University of Nebraska at Kearney}} {{Navboxes |titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Nebraska–Kearney Lopers|color=white}} |list = {{University of Nebraska}} {{Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association navbox}} {{Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference navbox}} {{Colleges and universities in Nebraska}} }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nebraska At Kearney, University Of}} Category:University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska at Kearney Category:Universities and colleges established in 1905 Category:Buildings and structures in Kearney, Nebraska Category:Education in Buffalo County, Nebraska Category:Tourist attractions in Buffalo County, Nebraska Category:1905 establishments in Nebraska Kearney