Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management

This summer Lily Rippeteau and Riddhi Munjewar interned at Conagra Brands. Read below to learn more about their experiences!

Lily: I worked as a Data Management Intern, meaning I managed all the data about Conagra’s products for online retail. This meant working with Amazon, Walmart, etc. to ensure their websites have accurate product information, as well as managing Conagra’s internal database. I also developed a tool to analyze the health of our database and flagged issues for faster fixes. Conagra’s internship was well-structured and provided ample opportunities for mentorship. I was also satisfied with Conagra’s commitment to inclusivity and good company culture, which went beyond buzzwords into genuine actions.

Riddhi: This summer I worked as an IT Analytics Intern in the Enterprise Reporting Team. Specifically, I worked with Streamlit developing applications using Python to help visualize data from Snowflake (one of Conagra’s data warehouses). Conagra has such a unique culture, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds and skill sets to help you learn and succeed in your areas of interest. One thing that really stood out to me was how approachable everyone was, regardless of their department. Throughout the summer, there were plenty of intern events that not only helped us build strong friendships but also gave us a deeper understanding of the company as a whole.

The Dyslexico team is in its second year of the Raikes School Design Studio program where they are continuing development of their platform and beta testing in the hands of real dyslexic users. Read below to learn more.

Tristan Curd: “I'm really excited about the team this year because we've got a ton of skills we can rely on. Everyone's also really passionate to see us succeed, so there are a ton of ideas floating around on how to improve Dyslexico.”

Bridget Peterkin: “Dyslexico began when my co-founder and Raikes alumna Grace Clausen observed first-hand the lack of tools available for herself and loved ones with dyslexia. Existing tools don’t meet the needs of dyslexic writers leading to difficulties communicating and a lack of confidence around writing. We knew we could leverage the power of AI to offer a better solution and empower people with dyslexia to navigate a world not made for them. We pitched Dyslexico to the Raikes School Startup Studio and spent a year in the incubator building Dyslexico. This year, we are continuing to grow Dyslexico as a startup studio team and work to get our product in the hands of real dyslexic users!

Kevin Tran “I love that I get to work on such an impactful project with such a dedicated and talented team. Everyone brings unique insights to the team and a spirit of collaboration. It is fun to work with such a dedicated team at the intersection of business and computer science on a project that has the potential to help a lot of people.”

We're so proud of our sophomores Ava Hollingsworth, Harley Paprocki, Allan Muinov, and Carly Kendeigh, who have been tapped for membership in this year's class of Omicron Delta Kappa at UNL (ODK)! Additionally, congratulations to Allan Muinov on his initiation into Order of Omega!

ODK is a junior and senior national leadership honors society at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, recognizing campus leadership across "five phases of campus life: scholarship, athletics, Campus/Community Service, Journalism, and Creative/Performing Arts."

Order of Omega is a honor society for students who are members of Greek-lettered organizations. Its purpose is to recognize the top 3% of the Greek community for their scholarship, leadership, and service.

concluded their marketing presentations last week, capping off a long semester of learning to think like a marketer. Within the Marketing course, eight teams of five students spent the semester developing a comprehensive marketing plan for a completely new product or company.

Throughout the course, students gained valuable knowledge from Dr. Robert Mackalski, and a variety of guest speakers, learning key topics within the field of marketing. Congratulations to every team, you really knocked it out of the park!

junior Bethany Barnwell and sophomore Lena Lankas interned at Speedway this summer! Read below to learn more.

Lena Lankas: “This summer, I had the opportunity to work with Speedway as a software engineering intern! Most of my time was spent working on the personalized section of the homepage. Not only did this endeavor provide me with great technical experience, but it also gave me insights into the business side of development. I ran multiple experiments to help better understand the customer and develop accordingly. I can’t thank my team enough for making my time at Speedway such an awesome experience!”

senior Jayden Rocha interned at Gallup this summer! Read below to learn more.

Jayden Rocha: “Over the summer, I served as a digital marketing intern at Gallup, focusing primarily on the marketing analytics sector within Gallup's extensive marketing framework. On a daily basis, I utilized Excel and Tableau to craft insightful dashboards tailored for marketing and sales executives. Additionally, I successfully obtained certifications in Google Analytics 4 and Tableau. I found great satisfaction in Gallup's commitment to harnessing strengths and prioritizing the holistic development of individuals in the workplace.”

sophomore Nathan Ray interned at DMSi this summer! Read below to learn more.

Nathan Ray: “I had the opportunity to spend my summer with DMSi Software in Omaha, NE this past summer. Working as a Supply Chain intern, I had the opportunity to work on many different projects. I learned so much about Enterprise Resource Planning software and had the opportunity to work on the rollout of a new DMSi software product. The company culture is truly second to none, and I’m so thankful for the employees and management who took the time to invest in my experience throughout the summer!”

High school seniors—have you applied for the Raikes School yet? Applications for Cohort 2024 officially close ONE DAY from today. If you’re interested in setting yourself up for a successful career at the intersection of business and technology, this is the community for YOU!

Design your future at the Raikes School. Applications are due November 15, apply at raikes.unl.edu/apply-online 💻📝

senior Hannah Pokharel interned at Cboe this summer! Read below to learn more.

Hannah Pokharel: “This summer I was a Software Engineering Intern on the web development team at Cboe Global Markets. I spent my summer developing a test order entry tool alongside talented interns and full-time engineers! I learned a ton about full stack development and about the US options and equities markets. My favorite part of the summer was visiting Cboe headquarters in Chicago and presenting our intern project to the CEO!”

High school seniors—have you applied for the Raikes School yet? Applications for Cohort 2024 officially close TWO DAYS from today. If you’re interested in setting yourself up for a successful career at the intersection of business and technology, this is the community for YOU!

Design your future at the Raikes School. Applications are due November 15, apply at raikes.unl.edu/apply-online 💻📝

High school seniors—have you applied for the Raikes School yet? Applications for Cohort 2024 officially close ONE WEEK from today. If you're interested in setting yourself up for a successful career at the intersection of business and technology, this is the community for YOU!

Design your future at the Raikes School. Applications are due November 15, apply at raikes.unl.edu/apply-online 💻 📝

juniors Gowrav Ghatamaneni and Jay Selzer, and sophomores Allan Muinov and Arjun Ramesh interned at First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) this summer! Read below to learn more.

Allan Muinov: “Working at FNBO this summer was an awesome experience! I worked as a Technology Intern on the IT Business Management team, and my role involved managing all of the IT department's technology contracts, entering requisitions for new technologies, and engaging with the business side of information technology. FNBO was a great company and had a very well-developed intern program, with tons of opportunities for us to get to know each other and a unique summer-long project with other interns that helped us learn a lot about the company.”

Arjun Ramesh: “As a Technology Intern on FNBO’s Operational Data Store team, I was responsible for enhancing microservices for the collection of databases containing the Bank’s customer account information! Throughout the summer, I implemented several programming best practices that I learned at the Raikes School, upgraded technology stacks, and progressed cloud migration tasks. I gained experience collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver efficient and resilient solutions both for software development and the intern pitch competition! My summer at FNBO was very enjoyable, and I am grateful to my colleagues for sharing their expertise as I embark upon my journey in this field.”

Jay Selzer: “I was a Technology Intern in FNBO's WorkHub Integration team. I configured server dashboards, monitors, and alerting systems to ensure that the bank's internal systems remained online and functioning properly at all times! I learned a lot about server management, automation, and internal software systems during my time at the bank.”

High school seniors—have you applied for the Raikes School yet? Applications for Cohort 2024 officially close TWO WEEKS from today. If you're interested in setting yourself up for a successful career at the intersection of business and technology, this is the community for YOU!

Design your future at the Raikes School. Applications are due November 15, apply at raikes.unl.edu/apply-online 💻 📝

seniors Evan Melchior and Max Radlicz, juniors Ellenna Divingnzzo, Zach Hamman and Jace Ruth, and sophomores Caiya Khammaly, Harley Paprocki, Peyton Peck and Minh Vu interned at Kiewit this summer! Read below to learn more.

Evan Melchior: “This summer I interned at Kiewit, joining a team in their data science group. During my time, whether seeing a project from beginning to end (cleaning, modeling, visualization), creating tools and interfaces for real engineers to use in the field, or presenting to executives, I had a myriad of opportunities to grow technically and professionally!”

Max Radlicz: “This summer I was a software engineering intern for Kiewit in Ingleside, TX. I had the opportunity to meet and learn from a diverse group of experienced engineers and technology experts, which really made my internship valuable and rewarding!”

Zach Hamman: “I had a wonderful experience working as a software engineering intern within Kiewit Technology Group in Omaha. I had great opportunities to work on several different technologies and processes, including server automation, and data scripting, analysis, and visualization.”

Jace Ruth: “I worked at the offshore district this summer and helped automate and facilitate fabrication processes around our site. My main project involved helping the piping department classify and collect data surrounding foreign parts. I gained experience in product development, customer interaction and a deeper understanding of web development.”

Harley Paprocki: “I was an innovation intern at Kiewit Corporate Headquarters! I had the chance to explore a diverse set of areas, spanning from 3D printing and drone operations to collaborating with an exceptionally talented team. I was lucky to have had amazing mentors and peers; I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”

Peyton Peck: “Kiewit provided an awesome internship experience for me. I got to work in a team of very experienced developers and project managers. I was primarily assigned to maintain a large time entry web application where I used Angular and .NET to fix user issues. I always found myself busy with work and enjoyed my time at Kiewit!"

seniors Clare Kramper and Cooper Sheets, juniors Landry Geiger, Chase Kling, Jack Smiley, and Zach Wallenburg and sophomores Sophia Heinrich, Carly Kendeigh, and Amir Tarkian interned at Hudl this summer! Read below to learn more.

Clare Kramper: “This summer, I was the Content Design Intern on the hardware team. I had the opportunity to work with and learn from brilliant people who helped me realize my love for content design, the impact of supportive mentors, and grow my confidence in myself and my skills. It was my favorite summer yet!”

Cooper Sheets: “I was a software engineer intern on the Business Operations Product Team. A lot of my work was focused on developing tools to make the Hudl Support team's jobs easier, such as making it easy to give schools access to the new Focus Flex camera. I gained a lot of experience with new technologies, and had the opportunity to lead meetings and other intern events like the Hudl Founder Q&A!”

Carly Kendeigh: “I have loved working as a QA Analyst Intern for Hudl! For my role, I run manual tests on code changes before they release to the website, and automation tests in the codebase to ensure the site stays running correctly. Working with such a dedicated and inspiring team has been a great opportunity for growth in the software development field, I learn more from my team every day!”

Jack Smiley: "This summer, I was lucky enough to intern at Hudl as a Software Engineering Intern on the Hudl Ticketing team! From the first day, I was accepted as a full fledged member of the team and worked on real, client-facing code. I was surrounded by an incredibly talented team that cared a lot about my growth as a developer and a person!"

Chase Kling: “This summer I worked as a software development intern for a machine learning squad at Hudl. Some of the projects I worked on included writing scripts for launching training and evaluation, experimenting with the model architecture, and creating output visualizations. I had a really amazing time and I’m excited for round 3 next year!”

Luke Farritor, a senior at the Raikes School, is making headlines around the world. Luke used AI to find words on ancient, burned unopened Herculaneum papyrus scrolls to win the Vesuvius Challenge and earn a $40,000 prize. Congratulations Luke!

Scrolls That Survived Vesuvius Divulge Their First Word Experts hope that the techniques used to retrieve hidden text on delicate papyrus could lead to the recovery of lost classic works.

student Cooper Sheets and students Anna Krueger and Bryce Janke had the privilege of presenting a parting gift to Chancellor Ronnie Green in appreciation of his immense support of the Raikes School throughout his time at Nebraska. We wish Chancellor Green and his wife Jane only the best of luck in retirement!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Jayden Boesch, Nathan Gentry, & Ciara Baumert

We asked these seniors: what is an accomplishment you are most proud of from your time in college?

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Jayden said:

“I am most proud of the work I have put into a startup company called Tapp Sports. Working on this company and the software behind it has taught me countless lessons, like how to build a software solution that meets customer needs, manage a development project, draft and deliver a pitch, and mentor younger students in the local community. This experience also introduced me to the Nebraska startup community, and I have made many valuable connections (including my next job) through this network.”

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Nathan said:

“I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve formed in my time here and how they’ve shaped me into the person I am today. Coming into college, I remember being worried about my ability to find friends. The community here has truly been a blessing to me, as I’ve been able to connect and form close friendships with so many great individuals. The people here have helped me become more confident in myself and have brought me lots of joy over the years. Thank you to all my fellow cohort-mates, as well as all the underclassmen I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with!”

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Ciara said:

“Throughout my four years at UNL, I’m most proud of my work at Girls Code Lincoln. I started volunteering at Girls Code Lincoln as a freshman, and I joined its leadership team as the Director of Volunteers during my sophomore year. This position has allowed me to directly help to grow a local nonprofit and take part in mission-oriented work aiming to close the gender gap in STEM. Growing up, I had very few female role models that could encourage me in mathematics or computer science, and I was repeatedly told that I’d have to get used to it being a “boys’ club.” Being able to change that norm for future generations means so much to me, and I’m extremely proud of the contributions I’ve been able to make at Girls Code Lincoln.”

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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Liam Seper, Anna Krueger, & Grace Clausen

We asked these seniors: what is an accomplishment you are most proud of from your time in college?

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Liam said:

“Either pushing production code to a codebase that 3.2 billion unique users use every month, or making a full-fledged video game in 24 hours for a hackathon with my friends, with all of us having minimal game programming experience.

The former was a great milestone of how far I’ve come from being a high school senior looking up ‘hello world in python tutorials’ and makes me excited of what I’m capable of in the future. The latter was what spurred my initial interest in computer science, so I was very happy and proud to have finally done it.”

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Anna said:

“I am really proud of how much I've grown and learned since my freshman year. Since freshman year, I've learned how to code, lift, and embroider, I've also been learning German (my Duolingo streak is at 1238 days and counting 👀) and how to play piano. I am also really proud of the friends I've made (love you guys).”

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Grace said:

“Founding my company Dyslexico. Seeing my vision become a reality that has the ability to help the people I care about has been amazing, and I am beyond grateful for all the folks in Design Studio that helped us make it happen.”

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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Kieran McWilliams, Vivian Jacobitz, & Nicole

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When asked about his favorite Raikes School memory, Kieran said:

“There are a lot of enjoyable memories from my time in the Raikes School, but if I had to pick from all the lounge vibes, sushi outings, cohort events, cribbage games, Mario Kart tournaments, and more, I would probably pick our cohort's Christmas parties. Every year in December or January we would get together and do a white elephant and Secret Santa gift exchange. It was such a good time together with everybody, especially the first one we did, and I will never forget the good times!”

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When asked about the accomplishment she’s most proud of from college, Vivian said:

“The accomplishment I’m most proud of during my time here at Nebraska is the work that I’ve been able to do in support young women who are interested in STEM and coding. Through my work with Girls Code Lincoln, I’ve been able to introduce new curriculum to girls in the local Lincoln area who have a passion for computer science and may want to pursue it in the future. I’ve had the privilege of frequently teaching the club sessions and it is always gratifying to see the joy in their eyes when they figure out a difficult problem. As a woman in computer science, I’ve always pushed myself to be a role model for other girls who want to pursue a career in this otherwise male dominated industry.”

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When asked about her favorite Raikes School memory, Nicole said:

“I’m not sure I can pick just one, but my favorite memories are all of time spent hanging out with the friends I’ve made. From throwing birthday and Halloween parties with themed charcuterie boards to lounging with friends on California beaches and losing money at craps in Las Vegas, we’ve had a ton of fun these last few years! I am just so lucky to have friends that are down for anything, and who I know will help me with a homework problem just as readily as they will hunt through Disney World in search of soft pretzels.”

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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!

Congratulations to students Bridget Peterkin, Lizzy Kenes, Shivani Mudhelli, and Sophie Hill on being recognized as part of Mortar Board Class of 2023!
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Mortar Board recognizes college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership and service. Mortar Board is UNL’s only national senior honor society!
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The Raikes School is beyond proud of our students and their amazing accomplishments!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Andy Zhang, Praveen Rao, & Sophie Hellebusch

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When asked about his post-grad plans, Andy said he’s looking forward to:

“Backpacking through Europe and then working at SeatGeek in NYC as a Software Engineer.”

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When asked about his favorite internship experience, Praveen said:

“Working at Amazon this summer was very fulfilling. I was able to learn a lot and work with really smart engineers. I am excited to continue working with them full-time.”

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When asked the accomplishment she’s most proud of from college, Sophie said:

“The accomplishment I am most proud of is who I’ve grown to be leaving college. Thanks to my involvements in college, I’ve been pushed to become better in all aspects. A lot of emphasis is put on growing academically in college, but I’ve also grown so much as a person.”

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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!

CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS!

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Are you ready to have the best two weeks of your life from July 16-29?! Applications for the Raikes School Summer Camp are due by April 14!

The Raikes School Summer Camp provides a unique opportunity to learn basic programming skills and innovation concepts through a project-based curriculum. Camp participants have the opportunity to receive instruction from Raikes School faculty, visit campus research labs and local businesses, and explore Lincoln’s campus. No previous computer science experience is required!

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis after April 14 if space is available!

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Learn more at raikes.unl.edu/summercamp - we’d love to see you there!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Leah Olson, Brysen Reeser, & Isabelle Schmidt

We asked these seniors: what is an accomplishment you are most proud of from your time in college?

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Leah said: “I am most proud of my time working as a dance teacher throughout college. Dancing was a huge part of my life growing up, and I love being able to teach and encourage students in my classes. Seeing my students perform a dance I choreographed on stage is incredibly rewarding, and I am so proud of how much I have seen them grow and improve over the years.”

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Brysen said: “I am most proud of the relationships I have built during my four years in Nebraska. I have learned and grown so much as a person because of the incredible people surrounding me. I am incredibly excited to continue to develop those relationships and see all the great things everyone is going to accomplish in the years coming!”

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Isabelle said: “I am most proud of landing an internship the summer after my junior year after having been a legal runner for the first two summers of college. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get an internship since I didn’t have much prior experience, but I was thrilled when I got my offer! I am also proud of myself for moving to a completely new city this past summer without knowing anyone there—it was a great learning experience.”

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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!

From snowmobiles to sandy beaches, our students took some fun adventures over spring break!

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We’re so glad to be back on campus to finish the year strong!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Emily Kraai, Justin Morrow, & Emily Dalton
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When asked about her favorite on-campus service or leadership experience, Emily K. said:

“I have had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant for the Raikes School and a learning assistant for the College of Business. As a TA for the Raikes accounting course, I loved being a resource for students in Cohort 2020, 2021, and 2022. I am grateful for the impact many of the Raikes TAs had on my freshman year. So starting my sophomore year, I wanted to do what I could to help incoming freshman students. During my senior year, I also had the opportunity to assist a college of business professor by providing feedback on the curriculum for two emerging entrepreneurship classes.”
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When asked about his favorite internship experience, Justin said:

“My second summer [at Kiewit], I was in charge of a team of interns that were essentially doing a Design Studio project over the course of a summer. When we had our final presentation, our end users were asking when our application would be able to be used and in production. Our boss said as soon as the team changed what data base our application was connected to. It made me really proud that something I helped build was in production right after we finished building it.”
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When asked about her favorite Raikes School memory, Emily D. said:

“My favorite memory is the week I went to the Grace Hopper conference my senior year. Everything about it was amazing. I was able to take a week off of school without worrying about homework and visit Orlando with some of my best friends. While we were there for the conference, we also got to spend a lot of time at the Universal and Disney parks which I had never been to. At the conference itself, talking to different recruiters at the job fair made me realize just how far I had come from having practically zero coding experience my freshman year. Being able to confidently talk to all these different companies made me realize I had become an incredibly competent and skilled developer.”
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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Bryce Janke & Alexis Delos Reyes
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When asked about an accomplishment he’s most proud of, Bryce said:

“I am lucky enough to have several accomplishments in my 4 years at Nebraska. I came into school with zero software experience and now am entering my career as a developer. I pursued several leadership opportunities that have helped prepare me to be a leader in my career moving forward. I also completed a 30-mile ultramarathon to raise money for survivors of s*x trafficking. Above all these, easily my proudest moment in my college career was getting married this last winter break.”
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When asked about why prospective students should consider the Raikes School, Alexis said:

“The Raikes School is truly a unique experience. You get to solve challenges every day with your best friends and accomplish things you never thought you were capable of. The Raikes School has introduced me to the some of the best people and has helped me develop so much as a person. My senior self wouldn’t even be able to recognize the freshman version of me; I recommend the Raikes school to anyone who is excited to learn and grow.”
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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS 2023: Ariel Levi & Zac Streich
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When asked about her favorite internship experience, Ariel said:

“During my summer at Zoom in 2020, one of my technical support calls involved working with two school administrators to figure out how they could best use Zoom to support hybrid learning for their students during the upcoming semester. I got to help them design their Zoom setup, envision their hybrid classrooms, and plan their technology operations. It felt so rewarding to know that I got to play a small part in helping students and teachers stay connected during the challenging early months of the pandemic.”
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When asked about an accomplishment he’s most proud of, Zac said:

“I grew so much throughout my four years at Nebraska, so it’s difficult to pick just one accomplishment. I’m proud of my friends, internships, academic accomplishments, and personal growth. However, if I had to pick just one thing, I’d say I’m most proud of running a half marathon in the fall of 2022. I love setting big goals and slowly chipping away at them, but if I’m being honest, completing a half marathon was never something I thought I’d accomplish. Five months before the race, I could barely run a mile, so I had to truly commit myself to this goal. I had to wake up early, put in the miles, eat right, and recover properly. The only way to make progress was to show up every day, and I believe that mentality carries over to all other aspects of life. While I didn’t quite hit my goal of running the half in under two hours (my final time was 2 hours and 37 seconds), I’m proud that I went the distance. Who knows? I might just run another one to shave off those 37 seconds…”
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We’ve loved having these seniors around the past four years, and we’re so excited to see all that they are able to accomplish in the next phase of their journeys!