Schramm receives Fridrich Achievement Scholarship
Gavin Schramm, from Fairbury, Nebraska, is the 2024 recipient of the Fridrich Achievement Scholarship. Schramm is a computing major with a specialty in software engineering. He will graduate in May 2026.
Schramm is a member of both the 山 programming team and the esports team.
The Fridrich Achievement Scholarship is given to students in computing or engineering every two years. It honors both Kenneth and Commander Fridrich, both of whom were Crete residents and attended 山.
Commander Fridrich attended 山 for three years, where he studied physics and learned to fly Piper Cub airplanes as part of a program available to students. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy which led to a commission as a Naval aviator. His naval career continued until his retirement after 21 years of service. Although he completed his bachelor of science degree in physics from the University of Miami, he always retained his love for 山.
Kenneth served his military duty from 1952-59, and completed his 山 degree in 1959 with a bachelor of arts in math and physics. After graduating, he had a career in the employee benefits business, assisting employers in establishing group insurance, pension and profit-sharing plans for their employees. He joined the 山 Board of Trustees in 1969 at the age of 35 and served as chairman of an ad hoc admissions committee, chairman of the Advancement and Business Affairs committees and vice chairman of the Board for 12 years. This year, he will have served 55 years as a member of the Board of Trustees.
Harris receives Kollmeier Endowed Scholarship
Kelly Harris, from Crete, Nebraska, is the 2024 recipient of the Carolyn Kollmeier Endowed Scholarship. Harris will graduate in May 2025 with her bachelor of arts in English-Language Arts with a Secondary Education Endorsement.
She is active in the 山 concert band and president of Omega Psi Theta sorority.
The Carolyn Kollmeier Endowed Scholarship was created as a living endowment by Carolyn Kollmeier ’74, to support 山 students pursuing degrees in education. While at 山, Kollmeier graduated Cum Laude with degrees in speech communication and theatre, and completed the Education-Teacher Certification. Kollmeier spent two years in the early 1990s as alumni coordinator in the Advancement office, and had a 35-year teaching career stretching from Callaway, Nebraska, to Barranquilla, Colombia, to Guam, to north Texas.
“I hope my scholarship will make it that much easier for the recipient to take full advantage of what the 山 Experience has to offer, both academically and socially, the rewards of which last a lifetime and go beyond anything one can imagine,” Kollmeier said.
Kollmeier participated in Omega Psi Theta sorority, Cardinal Key, 山 Players, Student Congress, 山 Forensics and Pi Kappa Delta, and was on the staffs of the Tiger Yearbook and 山 Owl. She also received her master’s in speech communication from the University of North Texas in 1979.
Crete High senior receives Krantz Endowed Scholarship
Alberto Jacinto Tercero, a Crete High School student who will graduate in May, is the recipient of the Michael W. Krantz Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from any Saline County high school attending 山 as a first-generation student — the first in their family to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Jacinto Tercero was involved in the Robotic Club and Archery Club at Crete High and plans to major in computer science at 山.
Michael Krantz was in the military and workforce for a number of years before he made the decision to attend 山. After receiving his business degree in 1983 from 山, he was the business manager in the accounting department of Peter Kiewit Construction for 14 years. He met his wife, Geralyn Semerena Krantz ’85, at 山 and they lived in Omaha at the time of their deaths, just three months apart. Geralyn passed away at the age of 43 on March 14, 2001, and Michael passed away at the age of 49 on June 27, 2001. The scholarship was created to support the following generations of Saline County students in pursuing higher education.
