You can support students like Theo at the College of Business by making a contribution to the N Fund - Business Scholarships. A gift to this fund provides much-needed scholarship support to students within UNL's College of Business.
Most four-year-olds dread the thought of the dentist’s chair.
For Theo Krieger, it was his favorite day of the year.
Krieger, an Arlington, Texas native and alumnus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said those trips to the dentist as a child sparked his interest in pursuing a career in dentistry. He said the care and attention his dentist showed toward him and his family made each visit special.
“He would always let me be my mom’s dental assistant,” Krieger said. “It wasn’t a crazy impact that I was having, but I felt like I was doing something productive.”
As he grew, Krieger saw firsthand how impactful a smile can be. Kreiger’s grandmother began experiencing tooth decay because of medication. After receiving dentures, her smile returned for the first time in years.
“Now, she smiles all the time.”
“Now, she smiles all the time,” Krieger said. “The impact of a smile is almost immeasurable because there are so many mental aspects that go along with it. It is so impactful.”
Krieger received his bachelor’s degree in management from UNL last May and is currently studying dentistry at Texas A&M. Thanks to the scholarship he received through the College of Business as an undergraduate student, Krieger is combining his degree with his passion for dentistry to open his own practice.
There, he hopes to fight the mental stigma associated with visiting the dentist.
“If kids have a negative first-time experience that sort of formats how they view the dentist for the rest of their life,” Krieger said. “A dentist is a vital doctor you still need to go to and visit each year.”
Through to the scholarship through the College of Business, Krieger said he was given the freedom to pursue his passions and focus on being a successful student at UNL.
“I want to be financially stable in my future,” he said. “This scholarship has been super beneficial because I’m actually able to pursue what I like and experience things that I enjoy rather than having to sacrifice that so I can afford to pay my bills.”
“This scholarship has been super beneficial because I’m actually able to pursue what I like and experience things that I enjoy rather than having to sacrifice that so I can afford to pay my bills.”
These experiences wouldn’t be possible without the support of generous donors who continue to support the College of Business and its students during Glow Big Red and beyond.
The impact of their gifts can be seen just by looking at the smile on Krieger’s face as he moves closer to achieving his dreams.
“The value of your gift is almost immeasurable because you’re furthering my education farther than I ever expected,” Krieger said. “…You’re providing students like me with the opportunity to pursue our passions and grow to be the best individuals and professionals we can be.”
