Nancy Kenny Academic Business Leader Award

Award: $1000

Eligibility: Full-time faculty and staff

The Nancy Kenny Award honors an individual of integrity who has demonstrated exceptional collaborative leadership in academic business matters at the University. The award is named for Nancy Kenny, who served the University in business leadership positions across the campus. The award was established in 2013. Awardees are recognized at The Laurels annual award reception.

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Nomination Instructions

Before submitting the nomination form, compile the documents listed below in the order shown and save as one PDF file.

  • Nomination Letter: (Maximum of three pages in length.) Nomination letters should address the nominee’s requisite qualities (minimally including integrity and collaborative style) and provide evidence of at least one specific instance in which the nominee’s exceptional leadership of a business matter served to facilitate the University’s academic mission. Examples may include:
    • Designing, developing or implementing innovative approaches to academic business matters.
    • Improving business practices, strengthening organizational development, or applying technology in order to enhance effectiveness and productivity.
    • Reducing costs, increasing revenues or improving the management of existing resources.
    • Re-engineering or designing a program to improve the delivery of administrative service in response to a campus need.
  • Supporting Letter(s) (Maximum of two letters). Letters can be from current or former colleagues, supervisors, employees, or others within the university community in a position to provide an assessment of the individual’s impact.

Nomination Form

Nancy Kenny
Nancy Kenny, 2012

About the Award

Nancy Kenny, a Nebraska native, received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Kenny joined the university in 1997 and served as assistant to the dean in the College of Arts and Science, director of fiscal management services in Fiscal Affairs, associate director/chief financial officer of Husker Athletics, and assistant vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. Nancy spent her career searching for creative solutions to problems that provided significant benefits to deans, directors and fellow business professionals. Nancy had a passion for music which she shared in her daily interactions with her colleagues. Kenny retired in 2012.

Past Awardees

Year Recipient Department
2024 Jason Casey Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics
2022 Jack Dohrman Facilities Planning and Capital Programs
2021 Amanda Ganshert Bureau of Sociological Research
2021 Ben Lennander Business and Finance
2020 Haley Hamel Business and Operations Manager, College of Journalism and Mass Communications
2019 Rik Barrera College of Business, Deans Office
2018 Wendy Duerfeldt Schutte Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, Deans Office
2016 James Volkmer Academic Services and Enrollment Management
2015 Michael Zeleny Office of Research and Economic Development