The Undergraduate and Graduate Student Advisory Boards meet monthly during the academic year. In addition to serving as liaisons between the Dean’s Office and the student body, they also review the Hixson-Lied student grants.

If you are interested in serving on either the Undergraduate or Graduate Student Advisory Board, please contact Emily Griffin Overocker.

If you are interested in serving on the Undergraduate Student Advisory Board, please fill out this Questionnaire* and return it to Emily Griffin Overocker. *Please note: It is recommended that you download the PDF form first before filling it out.

Undergraduate Board   |   Graduate Board

Undergraduate Board Members

School of Art, Art History & Design

Landon Jhonson
Landon Johnson

Hello! My name is Landon Johnson, and I was born and raised in Shickley, Nebraska. I am currently a freshman here at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, working to earn a BFA in Graphic Design. I fell in love with designing during my junior and senior years of high school and have loved it ever since. Not only do I enjoy designing, but I also enjoy acting and theatre. Acting has always been a huge interest of mine, and I hope to continue it here in the future. I am excited about the many new opportunities and experiences I will gain here, and I am honored to be a member of the Student Advisory Board!

YasmineMerida
Yasmine Merida

Hello! My name is Yasmine Merida. I was born in Grand Island, Nebraska, but raised in Lincoln. I am a graphic design major, and I am very passionate about the arts. As soon as I learned how to write, I began drawing and doodling on any piece of paper I could find. I enjoy painting, photography and design and have taken an interest in tattooing. A few things I like to do are listen to music, read, write poetry and go on nature walks. I am honored to serve on the Student Advisory Board and to represent my fellow classmates.

Istar Quintero
Istar Quintero

Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Istar is currently a Bachelor of Fine Arts student with a photography emphasis in the School of Art, Art History & Design. Her special interest is to transform photographs into three-dimensional sculptures. Playing with kinesthetics and optical illusions, her ideas are concerned with the intangible nuances of childhood and adulthood. Her awards and honors include a Digital Photography Student Award at Lincoln High School and nominations for the Undergraduate Elgas Promise Award and the Howard & Vreeland Award in the School of Art, Art History & Design. Through volunteering, participating in the UNL Photo Club, serving on the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Student Advisory Board, and working at the Sheldon Museum of Art and Lux Center for the Arts, Istar is an active member in Lincoln’s art community. Her future goals include making art accessible to immigrants and refugee communities in Lincoln.

Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film

Jacob Jeng
Jacob Jeng

Hello, I'm Jacob Jeng, and I'm currently a sophomore emerging media arts major from Leawood, Kansas. I am dedicated to film, in general, but mostly within the post-production, motion graphics, and animation side of film. Film and animation has always been fascinating to me as it is a medium where possibilities are boundless and every single person can use it to express themselves and what makes them special. It has always been my goal to use art and creativity as a medium to change the world, no matter how big or small the impact is. And I want to push myself to keep improving to share my own and everyone else's stories better and better. I hope to be a part of bringing everyone's dreams and aspirations into reality and help make everyone's college experience and beyond the best it can possibly be. I am excited to accomplish this serving as a part of the Student Advisory Board to ensure the best environment for everyone in the UNL Community.

Olli Jenkins
Olli Jenkins

Storytelling is everything to Olli Jenkins. The junior Emerging Media Arts student is hyper-focused on the fashion world (digitally and physically), speculative design, experience design, worldbuilding, and human-centric creation. Their purpose as an artist is to spread joy and increase empathy, using her skills ranging from creative writing to 3D clothing simulation to shape her inner and outer worlds.

Olli Jenkins
Kaitlin Myrant

Originally from the Chicago suburb of Mundelein, Illinois, Katie is a first-generation student in their sophomore year at UNL. They are pursuing the Theatre Arts BA at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film, as well as minors in musical theatre and advertising and public relations. As someone who’s been pursuing the arts for well over a decade, they have dedicated themself to performance in acting and singing. In addition to serving as the publicity liaison on the representative board, they are the assistant managing director for Theatrix and a college ambassador advocate for their high school. Their intent is to be the voice for not only the students in their program, but for those allowing their art to inspire their own life.

Hannah Pedersen
Hannah Pedersen

Hannah Pedersen is a third-year emerging media arts student from Phillips, Nebraska, who is passionate about screenwriting and producing film. Since entering the program, she has also become more curious about how technology and various mediums can be merged to create more sustainable materials in both fashion and in the home. Outside of the Student Advisory Board, Hannah is the Primary Programmer of VR Club and participates in the Theme Park Design Group. In her free time, Hannah enjoys reading fictional and science fiction novels, traveling, and eating ice cream. She hopes to contribute to the Student Advisory Board by advocating for the development of new programs and connections across the schools' creatives.

Glenn Korff School of Music

Tori Cocannouer
Tori Cocannouer

Tori is a junior music education major with an emphasis in voice from Wichita, Kansas. Here in the Glenn Korff School of Music, she is involved with the University Singers, the National Association for Music Education, American Choral Directors Association, and Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity. Some of her other involvement includes Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority, ASUN, New Student Enrollment, and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. She is very passionate about advocating for the arts in schools and wants to continue her work with issues similar to these in her future career. She is currently planning on teaching secondary choral music, but wants to explore other areas such as film composition and administration later. She cannot wait to continue working with the advisory board to create the best environment possible for all students in FPA.

Ealynn Hsu
Ealynn Hsu

Ealynn Hsu is a junior music and computer science major in the Glenn Korff School of Music and Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management. She is currently involved in Initialize UNL, a computer science volunteer organization on campus. In high school, Ealynn was a member of Lincoln East's Varsity Orchestra and the Lincoln Youth Symphony as a pianist and violinist. She hopes to explore the intersection between the arts and technology throughout her time in college and is excited to work as a member of the Student Advisory Board and help make sure every student's voice is heard.

Jaedyn Powers
Jaedyn Powers

Jaedyn Powers is currently a junior dance major from Omaha, Nebraska. She is grateful to pursue her passion for dance in the Glenn Korff School of Music after studying at the American Midwest Ballet School throughout her middle-school and high school years. At Nebraska, Jaedyn is also pursuing an exercise degree to further develop her knowledge of the mind-body connection. Jaedyn is excited to help represent the dance program and make a difference for the arts in Lincoln.

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Talia Markussen

Talia is a freshman dance major in the Glenn Korff School of Music from Omaha, Nebraska.

Undergraduate Board   |   Graduate Board

Graduate Board Members

School of Art, Art History & Design

Jewelya Coffey
Jewelya Coffey

Jewelya Coffey is a multidisciplinary artist who makes drawing, painting, ceramic, and installation-based work. Her colorful, highly symbolic pieces play with themes of memory, religion, rural life, and lamentation, and explore the many ways people connect with and understand each other. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design and is a current third year MFA candidate in painting and drawing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Charlotte Middleton
Charlotte Middleton

Charlotte Middleton is a ceramic artist from rural Maine. She is currently a second year MFA candidate at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Middleton uses narrative arrangements of objects to bring attention to the overlooked but essential acts of our daily lives; drinking, sharing, nourishing. She has participated in both group and solo shows internationally. She has completed an apprenticeship in rural Virginia, and a residency with the University of Georgia in Cortona, Italy. She earned her BA in sculpture from Wheaton College, MA.

Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film

Ashley Faulkner
Ashley Faulkner

Ashley Faulkner is a 2nd year Technical Direction MFA Candidate at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. Originally from Florida, she fell in love with technical theatre in high school and has been pursuing it ever since. She earned her BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Central Florida before moving to Nebraska to continue her education. Ashley looks forward to representing JCSTF on the Graduate Student Advisory Board.

Caroline Nowak
Caroline Nowak

Caroline Nowak is a second-year Lighting Design MFA Candidate the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying under Michelle Harvey. She received a BA in theatre arts from Birmingham-Southern College. She has worked as a freelance lighting designer, programmer, and electrician across the country at theatres such as Hangar Theatre, Bay Street Theatre, Lincoln Community Playhouse and more.

Glenn Korff School of Music

Ellie Johnson
Ellie Johnson

Elizabeth (Ellie) Johnson has been a music educator in Nebraska since 2015. She received her B.A. in vocal music education from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and her M.M. in music education from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Ellie has her Orff Level 1 and 2 certifications through UNL and is eager to pursue further certification to complete Orff and Kodaly training through Nebraska universities. In her time teaching in the public school system, Ellie has worked primarily with middle school students in both general music and choral settings. She has directed youth musical theater productions, provided small group and solo instruction, and directed and choreographed competitive show choir. Ellie has been a staff member at SNJ Studios in Millard, and sings as a mezzo with Omaha's professional chorus, Resonance, under the direction of Barron Breland and in frequent collaboration with the Omaha Symphony. She previously served as soprano/alto section leader and librarian for Resonance. Ellie is excited to continue her work at UNL as a Ph.D. student focusing on music education and is pursuing research related to the undergraduate aural skills experience.

Rebekah Stiles
Rebekah Stiles

Rebekah Stiles is a second-year D.M.A. student in piano performance, studying with Dr. Paul Barnes. Originally from the Philadelphia area, she holds a B.Mus. in Piano Performance and B.S. in Bible from Cairn University, as well as a M.M. in Piano Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

As a performer and scholar, Rebekah's passions include the intersection of worldview and art and the power of beauty in a postmodern culture. Since coming to UNL, she has enjoyed a wealth of opportunities to teach, learn from, and collaborate with musicians from the undergraduate to doctoral level. Rebekah is grateful to be serving on the Advisory Board as an extension of this outreach.