Undergraduates and Museum are Glow Big Red Recipients

Entomology Hall is featured with its red glow during a previous "Glow Big Red" campaign. This year's campaign is Feb. 14-15, 2024, with donations going to the undergraduate Insect Science students and club, and the University of Nebraska State Museum.

Dr. John Ruberson

The Insect Science undergraduate students and the University of Nebraska State Museum will be the beneficiaries of the 2024 Glow Big Red campaign at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Department of Entomology. The "Glow Big Red" 24-hour match challenge at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is officially scheduled for Feb. 14-15, 2024; however, donation opportunities are open now.

According to Dr. John Ruberson, professor and department head for the Entomology Department, this campaign supports worthy causes across campus and the Entomology Department wants to boost three areas of focus:

1. Insect Science Scholarship Fund - Dr. Short and Nancy Heinrichs have very generously agreed to add $1,000 to the fund if the department is able to have at least 25 different donors to this fund. This fund provides an annual scholarship to an undergraduate Insect Science student. Ruberson said he is hoping to eventually establish this as an endowed scholarship fund.
2. Insect Science Club Fund - Donations to this fund support the various activities and opportunities of the undergraduate Insect Science Club. They are a very active bunch, and support for the club stretches a long way in helping the students, according to Ruberson. 
3. University of Nebraska State Museum (Morrill Hall) - For nearly 100 years Morrill Hall has been a treasured campus gem. A  gift will enable visitors to continue enjoying world-class exhibits and programs, as well as support the museum in developing new programs, internship opportunities, and exhibit upgrades for future generations. Dr. Susan Weller, professor of entomology, is the director of the museum. 

"For Entomology, we are seeking to continue growing our Insect Science Scholarship so it can become an endowed fund awarding scholarships to undergraduates in perpetuity," Ruberson said. "We do want students to be able to afford their education, so this scholarship is an important tool in helping students."

"Glow Big Red is a great opportunity to strengthen the support for our Insect Science majors," Ruberson said. "Thanks for your support of the department in so many ways!"

The Department of Entomology has been a part of UNL since 1895, and has trained many exceptional scientists for more than 120 years, Ruberson said. Entomology is a remarkably diverse science that interfaces with many other fields. Students have opportunities for broad education and experiences, and can take their training into a variety of professional directions to impact the world.

The department trains students in much more than just insect identification and collecting, he said.

"We help prepare students to manage the many insect pests that get into our crops, livestock, feed, stored food, and fiber, as well as our homes and yards, and to recognize and benefit from the many good arthropods."

Ruberson explained that the department also teaches students how to care for pollinators for commercial and conservation purposes. Other students learn to help solve big medical issues, like malaria that still kills close to a million people and sickens another quarter of a billion annually around the globe, or Lyme disease that is found in Nebraska and around the Midwest. Additionally, Ruberson said, faculty members train students to use the latest molecular tools to address a wide range of issues impacting arthropods, plants, and humans.

There are 3 ways to assist with this campaign: