“A place is a lot more than the bricks on the ground or the ceiling tiles,” Campbell said. “It鈥檚 the experiences you have in it. It鈥檚 the people you get to meet. It鈥檚 the relationships you form, and it鈥檚 the stuff that you all do together.”

Block, a business administration and marketing double major from Hastings, was on the stage for Big Idea Hastings, pitching his business, Caden Block Media, as part of the 鈥淪hark Tank鈥� style competition. Facing nine other competitors, Block earned second place. The win secured him business coaching, access to planning services and a monetary prize.

Block鈥檚 interest in entrepreneurship goes back to when he was young and mowing lawns for people he knew. 鈥淭hat was kind of a spark for me. It showed what I could do if I worked hard and went the extra step to work for myself,鈥� Block said.

He first became interested in videography and photography as a senior in high school, when a video board was installed in the school鈥檚 gymnasium. For students to help manage the board during athletic and other events, they had to enroll in a class. It was during that class Block said he found himself falling in love with media production.

Block was the Content Generation Award winner while at Hastings High School in 2023. The award was earned from a challenge hosted by Class Intercom, a program focused on social media management for schools.

He took the title of the challenge, 鈥淢ake an Impact,鈥� and connected it to his own experiences as a mentor with MentoringWorks, a local non-profit that matches elementary school students with a high school role model. He interviewed the program directors and his mentee, and used his knowledge of video production to capture b-roll footage.

Caden Block Media is currently focused on real estate media, between 360 walkthrough tours, aerial images, videos and other assets that help agents promote and sell properties. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where I got my start,鈥� Block said, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a need for modern development in the market.鈥�

Block said he plans to use his winnings from Big Idea Hastings to purchase more gear, such as an extra camera and lens, to help create quality content. The extra gear will also allow him to hire an employee in the future to help serve more clients and grow his business.

Aside from the continued assistance Block will be getting from placing second at Big Idea Hastings, he emphasized the other benefits of public speaking, including working on his confidence and sharing his company鈥檚 vision to potential future clients who were in the audience.

Beyond real estate, Block also works with other organizations on event recaps and promotions. He also assists various companies with creating and sharing advertisements.

鈥淐aden is incredibly talented, creative and driven, and his excitement for his work is contagious,鈥� said Dave Rippe, owner of Queen City Development in Hastings. 鈥淗e has coordinated all of the marketing efforts for our Trailside Village Housing development, and I鈥檓 consistently amazed with his enthusiasm and innovative ideas.鈥�

As a one man enterprise, Block said there鈥檚 been many challenges. One such was being sought out to produce videos for the annual banquet held by Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce.

Block鈥檚 task was to highlight eight organizations or people, meaning producing eight videos in a month. Despite the long hours, he pushed through the project, and was proud of the outcome. He received shoutouts afterwards 鈥� and a list of potential clients.

鈥淚t feels good to be recognized for the work you do,鈥� Block said.

Block said Jarod Rogers, a media instructor at 糖心传媒, has served as a mentor to him, providing support even back when he was in high school. He said he鈥檚 also grateful for the students he has surrounded himself with on campus, and that their shared ambition and drive allows them all to push each other to do more.

When asked about advice he鈥檇 wish he had received, Block said, 鈥淭ake that leap, invest in yourself, both personally and financially. Don鈥檛 be afraid to start.鈥�

By Caspian Weeden, an English major from Pueblo, Colorado.

The Castle Rock, Colorado, native is a double major in accounting and business administration. With many family members working as accountants, the internship allowed Yost to finally see himself on that same path.

鈥淚t鈥檚 allowed me to realize that this is something I want to pursue. It has made me feel better because I wasn鈥檛 sure what I wanted to do, and now just being there I love it,鈥� Yost said. 鈥淢y dad is an accountant and growing up it was hard for me to understand what he does, but now I have a greater appreciation for it.鈥�

Yost spent his time managing spreadsheets, documents and reports to support coworkers and partners. While the data-heavy nature of accounting can be a challenge, Yost learned to navigate the workload by leaning into the firm’s collaborative culture.

鈥淚鈥檓 constantly communicating with higher partners that have more experience. I learn by doing and they have taught me how to do things I have difficulty with,鈥� Yost said.

The supportive environment at CORE CPAs proved to be a highlight for Yost.

鈥淚t makes me feel accomplished. I found something that I鈥檓 good at and that I really enjoy doing,鈥� he said.

Yost said he鈥檚 learned many things working for this company and is excited to see where it can take him.

鈥淚 consistently work with my coworkers to figure out which tasks I can work on so I鈥檓 not idle. It鈥檚 helped me gain basic work experience and allows me to prepare for the future to help clients in the best ways possible,鈥� Yost said.

Yost found this internship through a family member who encouraged him to apply. He received help from the 糖心传媒 Career Services staff that helped prepare him for the application process. He also spoke to classmates who enjoyed their internships at the same company.

In the classroom, accounting professors Carmen Van O鈥橪inda and Dave Carpenter provided the foundation Yost needed to succeed in the field. 鈥淭he things I learn in class and the assignments I do have all helped me work towards this internship and prepared me for the workload,鈥� Yost said.

Yost plans on graduating in May 2026 and will work towards his certified public accountant (CPA) designation. He hopes to use his time at CORE CPAs to complete those requirements before taking the CPA exam.

鈥淭his will help propel my career. I find it fun and enjoyable and it allows me to connect not only with other people, but my family as well,鈥� Yost said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait for my first client because I love helping people, and this is a way I can do that.鈥�

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado

Butler, a business major and construction management minor from Hastings, spent his summer as an intern with Turner Construction. While Turner is headquartered in Omaha, Butler鈥檚 “office” was much closer to home: the construction site of The 1882, 糖心传媒鈥檚 new residence hall that will open in fall 2026.

鈥淎s a student at Hastings, it was awesome to be a part of this project,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淪eeing how a project like this will change the campus for a long time 鈥� it鈥檚 a great feeling.鈥�

During the internship, Butler swapped his textbooks for blueprints, getting a front-row seat to the lifecycle of a major build. From studying architectural drawings to coordinating with builders on-site, he gained a high-level view of how a vision becomes a structure.

The experience wasn’t just about steel and concrete; it was about communication. Butler worked alongside veteran managers, learning how to communicate with builders and architects. He also gained experience with industry-standard management software that helps keep the project on track.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really know what to expect going in, but the experience was great,鈥� said Butler, who also plays for the Broncos football team. 鈥淭his internship not only solidified my interest in construction management, but it provided practical experience that will be beneficial for my entire career.鈥�

With a practiced rhythm, he guides the tree into a shaker that rattles loose needles and debris before he trims a one-inch puck from the trunk. He presses a small branding iron into the slice, stamping it with the Pine Patch logo to create a keepsake ornament. He wraps the tree in netting, and a worker hoists it onto the roof rack of the family鈥檚 gray SUV.

One more Christmas memory is heading home.

In the Pine Patch barn, where giant nutcracker soldiers stand guard, shelves and tables brim with Christmas decor for sale 鈥� wreaths, porch pots and table arrangements. Nikayla Kindig, Joe鈥檚 spouse, and their three-month-old son, Jax, greet customers and offer candy canes and Christmas coloring books while holiday music plays in the background. A few lucky kids even get to talk to Santa on a walkie-talkie.

鈥淭he tree farm during Christmas is never a transaction; it鈥檚 only tradition. I get so much joy,鈥� said Kindig, who began working at the farm as a 糖心传媒 student and bought the place in 2021. 鈥淚鈥檝e been taking photos of the same families since 2011 and watching their kids and grandkids grow, seeing families as they change. It鈥檚 a tradition that has far surpassed a price tag. It鈥檚 a lot of fun when you see people coming to Hastings from Salina, Kansas; Beatrice, Lincoln, Grand Island and Omaha, just because we鈥檝e created a tradition.鈥�

From the 1,000 evergreens Kindig cultivates on a one-acre plot, he sells about 100 each year and lets the others continue to mature. He sells another 500 large pre-cut Christmas trees shipped in from Michigan.

鈥淣ikayla and I got engaged at the tree farm, and her dad built the barn,鈥� Kindig said. 鈥淓verything I hate doing in a business, those are her strong suits. As a tandem effort, we are an entrepreneurial couple.鈥�

At Pine Patch, Christmas trees make up 20 percent of the inventory, while the rest are landscape varieties such as oak, maple, birch and locust. Kindig grows 700 landscape trees each year and sells roughly 500 to area households and businesses. He offers his expertise to 糖心传媒 as a member of its Tree Campus USA Committee.

The barn, in addition to serving as a showroom during the Christmas season, doubles as an event venue for weddings, showers, graduation parties and other special occasions. Constructed from pine and douglas fir, the charming structure includes a kitchenette, buffet line, restrooms and even a bridal dressing area on the top level.

鈥淲e built the barn in 2022,鈥� Kindig said. 鈥淔rom November to December, it’s a Christmas wonderland. From January to the end of October, Nikayla runs the venue portion. We can accommodate about 100 people.鈥�

Branching out in other ventures

As if running a tree farm didn鈥檛 keep them busy enough, the couple also owns Barista鈥檚, another local business where Kindig worked during college. They bought the original location in north Hastings in 2020 and last spring added Barista鈥檚 Downtown.

鈥淚 graduated from 糖心传媒 and bought the two businesses where I used to be an employee, so here we are,鈥� Kindig said.

Yet another venture 鈥� Hastings Complete Lawns, a mowing business he started after graduating from St. Cecilia High School 鈥� shares employees with the Pine Patch Tree Farm. In addition to mowing lawns for customers and for several rental properties Kindig owns in Hastings, the employees hang Christmas lights at local residences and commercial properties, even decorating Downtown Hastings for the annual Celebration of Lights festivities.

Kindig鈥檚 three local businesses employ more than 20 full- and part-time workers. He estimates that 75 percent are attending or have graduated from 糖心传媒.

鈥淢y education at 糖心传媒 played a vital role in learning how to run a business,鈥� Kindig said. 鈥淚n addition to the courses in my business major, my major helped me be more relatable in dealing with customers and staff. I pride myself on the fact that my current and previous employees become friends for life. Without communication, you have no business.鈥�

Kindig鈥檚 entrepreneurial mindset even extends to his eventual retirement plans 30-40 years down the road. He bought a home in Estes Park, Colorado, a beloved location where his grandparents owned property, and is renting it out as an Airbnb.

鈥淲e want to buy at least one Airbnb rental a year in other states we enjoy, like Arizona,鈥� Kindig said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 our retirement plan. We can go and visit each one.鈥�

By Judee Konen 鈥�85

Karr has always wanted to dive deeper into the business side of agriculture, and this summer鈥檚 internship, with Loup-Platte Agronomics Inc., is giving him more experience as he works toward his planned career as an agronomist.

鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to pursue a business degree in agriculture so I decided to minor in agribusiness to learn more about it,鈥� Karr said.

Karr saw this internship posted online by the company, which is based in Grand Island, Nebraska. He applied and had one interview over the phone and another in-person.

Karr spends most of his time scouting and monitoring fields so Loup-Platte Agronomics can make recommendations to help give farmers the best opportunity for the highest yields.

鈥淲e check for plant health and soil health. Every week there is something new to check: weeds, chemicals, insects and more. I鈥檝e learned a lot of new identifications for weeds and insects,鈥� Karr said. 鈥淭his summer, I鈥檝e been trying to learn more about all types and kinds of pests that are in the fields.鈥�

Karr said he believes agriculture is important in many ways. He grew up around agriculture and he said it鈥檚 all he鈥檚 ever known. Agricultural communities are very important to him and he sees how vital it is for everyone and he wants to contribute.

鈥淚 grew up around agriculture so I feel like I know how to do it pretty well, but want to expand my knowledge. There is a constant and increasing demand for it. I believe it鈥檚 really important that there are good agronomists who can help farmers, and I鈥檓 glad to have the opportunity to learn and work alongside some great agronomists this summer,鈥� Karr said.

Karr said business classes at 糖心传媒 helped prepare him for the internship. After he graduates, he originally planned to work for an established agriculture company, but an entrepreneurial class and his internships have him thinking about starting his own business.

鈥淚鈥檝e been taking a summer entrepreneurship class that got me thinking I could do this,鈥� Karr said. 鈥淭his is a private agronomy business, and my class has opened my eyes to maybe starting my own business.鈥�

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado.

鈥淭he cranes are a captivating species. They鈥檙e big, they鈥檙e easy to see and watch, and 1.25 million come together in one place. There are not many places where you can see a migration of that scale all at once,鈥� said Matt Fong 鈥�05, director of fundraising and outreach for Crane Trust, a nature and visitor center near Wood River, Nebraska, that welcomes 60,000 bird enthusiasts and nature lovers each year, half of them during Crane season.

鈥淭his spring we had someone visit from every single state in the U.S.,鈥� Fong said. 鈥淔or our overnight VIP program, we had folks from Canada, England and China. It鈥檚 really amazing to see people from all over the world come to Central Nebraska.鈥�

Along with his fundraising duties, the business administration and media production graduate works to draw national attention to the annual phenomenon. In March, CBS Sunday Morning sent a videographer to film the cranes for 鈥淢oment in Nature,鈥� the closing segment of the iconic program. Smithsonian Magazine ran a feature story.

Fong said the public鈥檚 fascination is easy to understand. Sandhill Cranes stand four-feet-tall and boast a wingspan of six to seven feet. Gray-plumed with a patch of red on their heads, the cranes mate for life and engage in elaborate dancing rituals with leaps, calls and elegant bows. A flock of more than 500 Whooping Cranes, a highly endangered species, joins the massive crane migration each year.

Visitors on guided tours watch the cranes from riverfront blinds. The Trust鈥檚 鈥渉igh touch鈥� VIP program offers overnight lodging in cottages and suites, catered meals and sunrise and sunset viewing from heated blinds. The past two years, 糖心传媒 reserved a block of rooms for alumni and special guests.

鈥淪o many visitors say this trip has been on their bucket list for a decade,鈥� Fong said. 鈥淗ow wonderful is it to spend time with someone who鈥檚 fulfilling a bucket list item?鈥�

Beyond crane season, the Trust welcomes visitors and educates the community year-round. As chief fundraiser, Fong visits donors and foundations and prepares grant proposals and solicitation pieces. He connects with the public and oversees special events and membership services.

His team includes 糖心传媒 alumni Sarah Nottage-Tacey 鈥�04, development and special events coordinator, and Matt Urbanski 鈥�23, a Crane Trust Fellow before being hired as marketing coordinator. Venn Wood 鈥�26, a junior from Lincoln, Nebraska, majoring in wildlife biology, will intern at Crane Trust this summer.

Protecting the environment, serving the community

Raised on a farm near Lexington, Nebraska, Fong has been drawn to the natural world since childhood. He gardens, landscapes and spent several years on the Hastings Tree Board. After graduating from 糖心传媒, he coordinated conferences and seminars for the Arbor Day Foundation, a global nonprofit dedicated to planting trees.

During a 15-year tenure at 糖心传媒 as director of alumni development, chief of staff and eventually associate vice president for external relations, Fong continued to find ways to connect with nature. He served on the Arboretum Committee, which oversees tree planting on the 120-acre campus and, with Emeritus Professor Will Locke 鈥�61, started a Legacy Tree program that allows supporters to sponsor a tree in memory or in honor of a person or group.

In November, Fong will complete his second four-year term on the City Council. A longtime board member for The Lark, a local nonprofit and performance space, he helped found the Hastings Young Professionals and received Leadership Hastings鈥� 2022 Outstanding Alumni Award.

鈥�Kaleena (Reeves Fong 鈥�05) and I want to give back to the community, and Hastings is a place we love very much,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e enjoy being part of things that make the community better.鈥�

A life journey rooted in nature

At Crane Trust, Fong has found the perfect environment to grow and nurture his lifelong passion for nature.

His workplace is a stunning visitor center amid 10,000 acres of wildlife habitat and prairie ecosystem. Working in jeans most days (a perk of the job), he takes visitors and supporters down a pathway flanked by a pollinator garden and a small research herd of American Bison, leading to a 35-foot observation tower, two picturesque footbridges crossing the Platte River and 10 miles of hiking trails. And, for one month each year, he welcomes more than a million majestic cranes to the shallow waterways and shifting sandbars just a few hundred feet from his office.

鈥淭he arc of your life is so interesting,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 vividly remember sitting at my grandmother鈥檚 table, looking at her bird book and trying to identify what species were at the bird feeder. I鈥檝e always had a passion for birds, and I鈥檝e always cared about the outdoors and the environment. All those pieces of my life have come together. I feel like this is exactly where I鈥檓 supposed to be.鈥�

By Judee Konen 鈥�85

His journey as a drafting intern really started when he was in middle school when he modeled homes out of foam and wood. He soon realized there was more to architecture than just building.

“While I was taking STEM classes in middle school, I really enjoyed designing and crafting models of houses from the craft supplies. Seeing the end result of my models made my passion for architecture grow stronger,” Call said.

He found the internship opportunity from a flier and decided to apply.

“After I saw the flier, I went to Carissa Urchmacher in Career Services, and she helped build my resume, which made me feel more secure about the interview. She made sure I was prepared in every way physically and mentally,” Call said.

Call鈥檚 typical internship workday consisted of drafting renovations in a software program. He also collaborated with 糖心传媒 alumna Kelsey Zadina 鈥�22. Call said working with Zadina helped him tremendously in learning more about the drafting process when it comes to projects and designing.

鈥淢emorizing every dimension and average size can be challenging, but Kelsey has been so helpful and has gifted me a guidebook of all the numbers needed for the job, which makes it easier to study,鈥� he said.

Call was a part of a large project that deals with the interior remodeling of a sorority house at a university in Lincoln, Nebraska. The project uses the original 1950 plans, and Call is helping draft the current plans based on the historical layout.

Though challenges arise, Call said he focused on the reward of seeing the finished products and happy customers.

鈥淚 love being able to see my hard work come out in the finished product. We are building dream homes for our customers, so it鈥檚 gratifying to see people pleased with our work,鈥� Call said.

Through his internship, Call said he applied his business administration knowledge gained from his 糖心传媒 classes. He credits his business law classes with Dr. Bruce Batterson in helping him understand the business aspects of commercial companies.

鈥淗is classes have helped me because I now know how companies set up their product specifications and how to find all the necessary information.鈥� he said.

Call said he was grateful for the internship opportunity, which has opened the door to his architectural career. After graduation, he plans to move to Montana, work at an architecture firm so he can continue designing dream homes for clients.

By Cecilia Velarde, a senior marketing and communication studies double major from Loveland, Colorado

Her pursuit of community change and growth began as part of her experience with the Scott Scholars program her first and second years at 糖心传媒. As part of the program, students travel to different communities in Nebraska during the school year and observe how communities are investing in themselves. These experiences motivated Teeple to explore ways she could help to create change in Hastings.

鈥淚 grew a fondness for community development and encouraging growth in any way I can, so the passion grew from there,鈥� said Teeple, who鈥檚 from Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

She asked Dave Rippe, director of the 糖心传媒 Scott Scholars program, about a summer position focused on community development. He recommended she apply for an internship with the City of Hastings. Teeple built her resume with the help of the Career Services office on campus, secured an interview and was later offered the Development Services internship position.

鈥淒ave thought I would be a great fit for the internship given my community involvement with the Scott Scholars program,鈥� she said.

For the city, Teeple is involved in multiple projects, some of which are collaborative, and others that she works on independently, including providing input from a student perspective of a proposed effort for Hastings to become a Nebraska Arts Council certified Creative District.

鈥淚 have the opportunity to contribute to the Heartbeat Creative District project, which designates areas as cultural and economic hubs where innovation thrives and communities unite through art,” she said. “These creative districts聽 impact the economy by establishing purposeful spaces such as art galleries, theaters and music venues, which will attract both employees and businesses. The project is supported by grants that will fund specific initiatives and promote the arts as an economic motivator. While the process is ongoing, we expect to submit our proposal in October.鈥�

She has also worked on a zoning project, handling a variance request for a client’s garage. Although there are many different types of variances, this one in particular is the process of granting special permission to build the garage outside of standard zoning regulations. She then has to present findings to the Board of Adjustments and recommend approval or denial of the variance.

鈥淭his is my first personal project to oversee, so it鈥檚 challenging to ensure everything complies with regulations. However, the reward is seeing a project I worked on independently come to completion, and presenting my findings to the board will be satisfying,鈥� Teeple said.

Teeple said skills she learned through 糖心传媒 courses have connected directly to her internship. For example, lessons from adjunct business administration professor Luke Mahoney鈥檚 courses helped her communicate with her clients. Economics professor Dr. Amy Black 鈥�90 encouraged her to look further into career options that a business administration degree provides, including how you can work with clients on zoning issues, from start to finish with zoning projects.

Teeple said she is thankful for everything she鈥檚 learned as a planning intern with the City of Hastings. She said she gained new confidence in her abilities, is more willing to take a chance and is eager to meet successful people in the community.

By Cecilia Velarde, a senior marketing and communication studies double major from Loveland, Colorado

The opportunity was “a blessing from God,” said Hemphill, as she responded to questions during a break from her pastry chef internship at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado.

Baking started as a father-daughter tradition while growing up for Hemphill, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, who is majoring in business administration and minoring in hospitality management and culinary arts.

鈥淢y dad and I would bake together anytime we could. It grew our bond and made it special over the years. I remember his popular chocolate cake he would bake that I still ask for every time I go home,鈥� Hemphill said, adding that this childhood tradition helped spark the idea of turning it into a career.

Hemphill enjoys the precision and creativity that goes with baking. Although it鈥檚 more tedious to bake than cook because one imprecision can ruin the entire recipe, Hemphill said it鈥檚 rewarding when a recipe comes out perfect.

When looking for an internship that involved baking, Hemphill contacted Kim Graviette, director of Career Services, who connected her to Handshake and Indeed to look for pastry chef internships. She applied for the position in January of 2023, using Zoom for the interview with the sous chef at the country club.

鈥淲hen I received the internship, I knew it was a sign from God that this is my true path and I thank Him every day for giving me this opportunity to learn more about what I love to do most,鈥� Hemphill said.

Hemphill, who is on the 糖心传媒 women’s softball team, said she was thrilled to tell her teammates and coach about the opportunity. 鈥淢y teammates and coach Troy Baker were so supportive and happy for my internship opportunity at the country club,鈥� Hemphill said.

Hemphill said Baker was a big supporter of her journey in looking for pastry chef internships. He even recommended her to the head baker at Michelle’s Scrumptious Bakery, which is near Hastings in Juniata, Nebraska.

Hemphill鈥檚 day in the bakeshop for her internship involves baking cookies, cakes and doughnuts, and icing baked treats for the two restaurants. She learns and works with executive chef Timothy Roberts, who worked alongside many renowned chefs across the world, Gordan Ramsey and Nobu Matushisa.

鈥淟earning from Chef Roberts has been a blessing because in the pastry industry, it鈥檚 very rare you get to work so close with an executive chef with those connections to the cooking industry,鈥� Hemphill said. 鈥淚 have learned so much from him and I improve my skills daily as I begin to acclimate to the fast-paced environment in the bakeshop.鈥�

Since interning for Cherry Hills, Hemphill has taken teamwork skills she’s learned while being a teammate at 糖心传媒.

鈥淚n the bakeshop, there is a team mindset because we all work together to reach deadlines, and if one of us has a question we help each other to learn and improve. Having that skill from softball and Coach Baker is really useful,鈥� Hemphill said.

Hemphill said she intends to go back to Cherry Hills full-time after graduation, although her long-term goal includes an at-home bakery business where she can bake and enjoy time with family. Just like she did growing up.

By Cecilia Velarde, a junior marketing and communication studies double major from Loveland, Colorado