Pender Graduate Caleb Kelly First to Sign On as Presidential Scholar
By Maddie Pospisil
Family is at the center of Caleb Kelly’s life. So, when he heard about the Presidential Scholars Program at the University of Nebraska, he picked up the phone to see if his perfect ACT score would help him receive a top-tier education while staying close to home.
Kelly, who lives near Pender, Nebraska, learned about the new program when his aunt sent a news article to his mother. He knew he would qualify based on his ACT score, but he wasn’t sure if the program would be up and running in time for his freshman year.
“But then I called and asked if it would apply to me,” Kelly said. “And when they said yes, I was super excited.”
Kelly was the first student to sign with Team Nebraska after the launch earlier this year of the Presidential Scholars Program. The scholarship covers the full cost of undergraduate university attendance — including tuition, fees, books, housing and all other costs — plus a $5,000 annual stipend for any Nebraska student who scores a perfect 36 on the ACT or the SAT equivalent of 1,570 or above. Kelly graduated this year from Pender Public Schools.
The oldest of seven children, Kelly is grateful he had the freedom to choose a university based on his interests and dreams, without worrying about potential debt. He says the scholarship relieved pressure on his parents, who were concerned about college finances.
Then-University of Nebraska Interim President Chris Kabourek and Gov. Jim Pillen jointly launched the scholarship to make Nebraska more competitive for its homegrown talent — students like Kelly. In middle school, Kelly taught himself computer programming languages and calculus. After finding a physics textbook at the Wayne State College library, he dove into physics. He plans to continue pursuing his interest in STEM fields by majoring in computer science and physics.
“I haven’t decided which field I want to go into,” Kelly said. “But wherever I go, it has to have meaning. I need to find something that is meaningful.”
Kelly hopes to find that meaning as part of the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management. The Raikes School was the motivating factor for Kelly’s choice to attend the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He plans to minor in business and believes that the school’s focus on innovation could jump-start an entrepreneurial career.
With Nebraska facing serious brain drain challenges, Kabourek and the governor knew they needed to act urgently in standing up the Presidential Scholars Program to retain more of Nebraska’s best and brightest so they can shape the state’s future. They will help move their chosen university forward, and after graduation, they will help move their communities forward. In the face of urgent workforce needs, it is more important than ever to show these students that there is no place like Nebraska.
This year, 28 Nebraska high school seniors graduated with a perfect ACT score. In all, at least 17 Presidential Scholars will attend college next fall at a University of Nebraska campus. This represents a significant increase from last year, when it’s believed that just nine of the 31 perfect scorers enrolled at a University of Nebraska campus. Building on that momentum, the university now plans to expand the program with the ultimate vision of enrolling an annual cohort of 50 Presidential Scholars.
The Presidential Scholars Program is part of Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, a historic initiative to engage 150,000 unique benefactors to raise $3 billion and build the future Nebraska needs right now. A top priority of the campaign is students. The Presidential Scholars Program scholarship is renewable for up to four years (or the completion of a bachelor’s degree) at any University of Nebraska campus.
As for Kelly, he is trying not to make too many plans. He is keeping his summer open and waiting to see what the fall will bring. He is excited about the independence that will come with going to college, but he’s glad he isn’t going too far away.
“Home is where the heart is,” Kelly said. “I’m just really grateful for this scholarship. It means a lot to me.”
Donors can support the Presidential Scholars Program by making a gift online.
