Cultivate Access Nebraska

Cultivate Access Nebraska A virtual mentoring program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cultivating ACCESS to Agricultural Career Communities to empower students in STEM.

Did you know that impactful community projects often begin with a simple question and the right data?Recently, our Culti...
03/09/2026

Did you know that impactful community projects often begin with a simple question and the right data?

Recently, our Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska ambassadors learned about developing meaningful Community Action Projects from Crayton Koranda, a Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska ambassador and student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who shared insights from his experience serving as an ambassador last year.

During the session, ambassadors explored how strong projects begin with identifying real problems in communities and using data to better understand them.

The discussion highlighted how projects can connect to agriculture and natural resources while focusing on practical solutions that benefit individuals, families, and communities.

Crayton also shared practical tips and examples from his previous experience mentoring high school students through the brainstorming, research, and data collection stages of their projects.

As our ambassadors continue mentoring students across Nebraska, they are now better prepared to guide them in developing meaningful, data-driven projects that address real agricultural and community challenges.

We thank Crayton Koranda for sharing his time and experience with our Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska 2025–2026 ambassadors.

Meet our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassador, Kodi Timanus!Kodi Timanus is a senior at the University of Nebr...
01/12/2026

Meet our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassador, Kodi Timanus!

Kodi Timanus is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in Environmental Engineering.

Originally from Gregory, South Dakota, Kodi is building a strong foundation in science, problem-solving, and environmental impact.

Kodi has a deep interest in sustainability, community service, and education. She is especially passionate about helping young people discover opportunities in science and engineering.

Through her involvement with Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska, Kodi is committed to supporting high school students who are curious about STEM fields and encouraging them to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, and innovators.

Her passion for creating cleaner, healthier communities goes hand in hand with her dedication to mentoring and outreach. Kodi believes that access to education and guidance can change lives, and she works to make STEM more welcoming and achievable for students from all backgrounds.

We are proud to have Kodi as a 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassador!

Are you excited to explore how cameras, AI, and storytelling support scientific discovery and environmental communicatio...
12/19/2025

Are you excited to explore how cameras, AI, and storytelling support scientific discovery and environmental communication?

We would like to invite you to PEP2026, a hands-on workshop at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on March 7–8, 2026, bringing together researchers, educators and students

📅 March 7–8, 2026 | ⏰ 9:00 AM

Learn more and register: grime.unl.edu/pep2026

12/01/2025

Meet our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassador — Kashish Syed!

Kashish Syed is a Computer Science major at the University of Nebraska-LincolnUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln in Nebraska School of Computing.

She is from Madhya Pradesh, India, and brings a blend of technical skill and artistic creativity to everything she does.

Kashish loves crocheting and designing clothes, creating pieces that range from small keychains to full sweaters. Fashion design has become her outlet for self-expression, allowing her to transform imagination into something real and wearable.

What makes Kashish unique is how she sees the connection between her creative interests and her academic goals. She is exploring ways to combine fashion design with software engineering, a space where technology can enhance creativity and bring new ideas to life.

For her, the intersection of design and code is where she feels a deeper sense of accomplishment.

Kashish is excited to serve as a Cultivate ACCESS Ambassador and looks forward to connecting with highschool students who are discovering their own passions and unique paths in STEM.

We are proud to have Kashish as part of the 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Ambassador team!

Meet our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassador — Julie Slattery!Julie Slattery is a second-year veterinary stud...
11/25/2025

Meet our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassador — Julie Slattery!

Julie Slattery is a second-year veterinary student in the Pre-Professional Veterinary Medicine program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State University.

She is from North Platte, Nebraska, and has always been passionate about working with animals.

Her interest in veterinary medicine is tied to her love for animal care and her desire to support both pets and the people who care about them.

Julie’s interests extend beyond the clinic and classroom. She enjoys Husker Men’s Basketball, Marvel movies, and Country Music.

Whether she’s watching a game, catching a new movie release, or listening to her favorite songs, she loves activities that bring excitement and energy into her week.

Outside of academics, Julie stays active and balanced through her hobbies. She enjoys running, lifting, and baking, finding joy in pushing herself physically and slowing down to create something from scratch in the kitchen.

Julie brings passion, focus, and strong leadership to the Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassador team, and she is excited to connect with students and help them explore the many possibilities within STEM.

We are proud to welcome Julie as a 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Ambassador!

We are proud to introduce our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassadors.These outstanding students from the Univer...
11/17/2025

We are proud to introduce our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska Ambassadors.

These outstanding students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln represent diverse majors, backgrounds and interests. Each brings leadership, curiosity and a passion for supporting the next generation of high school students from Nebraska State exploring STEM pathways.

Meet our ambassadors:

1. Julie Slattery
Hometown: North Platte, Nebraska, USA
Major: Pre-Professional Veterinary Medicine

2. Crayton Koranda
Hometown: Seward, Nebraska, USA
Major: Agronomy

3. Harinisree Sharavanan
Hometown: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Major: Chemical Engineering

4. Emily Welter
Hometown: Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA
Major: Forensic Science

5. Callie Hendershot
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Major: Animal Science (Pre-Veterinary)

6. Kaydence Jones
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Major: Fisheries and Wildlife (Minor: Urban Forestry)

7. Max Ramirez Cortes
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Major: Psychology (Pre-Med)

8. Cody Nieratko
Hometown: Mansfield, Massachusetts, USA
Major: Agricultural Engineering

9. Kashish Syed
Hometown: Madhya Pradesh, India
Major: Computer Science

10. Ella Bristol
Hometown: Woodbury, Minnesota, USA
Major: Forensic Science

Cultivate ACCESS is a University of Nebraska-Lincoln initiative that aims to engage youth, empower change agents, and elevate dialogue to develop a new generation of agricultural, natural resources, and STEM leaders.

Our exceptional ambassadors will mentor high school students exploring STEM careers, share their academic journeys, participate in virtual learning and outreach, represent Cultivate ACCESS at campus events and support STEM engagement activities.

They will also contribute to data science, resilience and leadership-focused initiatives that prepare youth for the future of work. Their leadership will inspire curiosity, confidence and meaningful growth among high school students across Nebraska State.

We will introduce each ambassador one by one so you can get to know more about this exceptional team.

Stay tuned.

This year, Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska celebrated the achievements of the 2024–2025 cohort of students, teachers, and ment...
11/13/2025

This year, Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska celebrated the achievements of the 2024–2025 cohort of students, teachers, and mentors from across Nebraska.

High school scholars, teachers, mentors, and staff from across Nebraska gathered at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on April 25 to celebrate the conclusion of the 2024–2025 Cultivate ACCESS program.

The event recognized student-led community action projects, academic mentorship, and efforts to broaden participation in agriculture, natural resources, and STEM careers.

Cultivate ACCESS Nebraska continues to empower youth by connecting high school scholars with hands-on learning in agriculture, science, and technology.

Its mission is to engage youth, empower change agents, and elevate dialogue that prepares the next generation of STEM leaders.

Throughout the academic year, scholars collaborated with University of Nebraska-Lincoln undergraduate mentors to build skills, explore STEM opportunities, and complete community action projects grounded in real needs within their communities.

Teachers also participated in professional development to strengthen how STEM learning is delivered in their schools.

The 2024–2025 cohort included students and educators from: Grand Island High School, Kearney Catholic High School, Loup City High School, Madison High School, Norfolk Senior High School, Omaha Bryan High School, and Omaha Westview High School.

Their dedication, curiosity, and creativity highlight the growing potential of Nebraska’s future STEM leaders.

These accomplishments were recognized during a program celebration held on University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus in April.

In the next few days, we will begin introducing our 2025–2026 Cultivate ACCESS Ambassadors.

Stay tuned

Address

Chase Hall
Lincoln, NE
68583

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5am
Wednesday 9am - 5am
Thursday 9am - 5am
Friday 9am - 5am

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