University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Brasil 2015
Meet the students who you will be sharing your life with while in Brasil!
Bailey Fairchild
Year: Sophomore
Major: Management with minors in Economics and Supply Chain Management
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
High School: Lincoln East
About me: I love cats, even though I can’t get a kitten for myself until after graduation. I’ve worked at Dairy Queen for three years now, which could be why I love ice cream so much. I enjoy organizing, planning, and checking things off of lists. Relaxing in a pool while listening to music is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. I have a Beta fish named Nu Nu that gets excited when he sees a human face by his bowl, which is adorable; I never thought I would get so attached to a fish. I hang out with my friends to catch up on life when our busy schedules permit. I’ve never left the country before, and have only left the Midwest once that I am old enough to remember.
About my family: My parents, Vicki and James, are still married and are wonderful role models, always supportive and loving. I have a younger brother, Jackson, who will turn 17 this summer. We’re great friends and get along well. My family is a close-knit family that enjoys spending time together. God has blessed us with a lot.
About my community: The last 12 years I’ve lived on a cul-de-sac in a nice middle class neighborhood on the south side of Lincoln. It’s a safe environment where neighbors know each other and are friends.
Interesting about me: There’s a pond in my backyard, so I’ve had cool experiences with animals that live there. I’ve watched tadpoles grow and turn into frogs, caught the same turtles multiple years in a row, and observed giant schools of coy fish swim from far away. During grade school I had four pet tree frogs that I would let sit on my nose and hop around my room. Reflecting, that was probably unsanitary, but I loved them and it didn’t bother me.
Hope to learn in Brazil: I am excited to learn about how other cultures in different parts of the world live. I’m also ready to get out of my comfort zone a bit by traveling outside of the Midwest. I can’t wait to try new things and find out more about myself!
Sarah Vonasek
Year: Freshman
Major: Family Science/ Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Holdrege, Nebraska
High School: Holdrege High School
My name is Sarah Vonasek and I always am looking out for the next spontaneous thing to do. I believe one should not live with the fear of tomorrow because we do not know the future. If you were to ask me what my favorite thing to do is, I would answer with getting to know people. The first thing I usually notice about a person is that they have a story to be told, no matter how grand or boring, it’s THEIR story and that’s interesting enough for me. Every person comes from a different background and I think that is such a beautiful thing. I love adventure and anytime I can get my hands on it, I do. I don’t want to be comfortable, but constantly challenged to be my best self and help others to reach their goals- whatever they may be. I am very active and you will rarely see me sitting down besides watching Netflix- which I might add, I’m watching some bomb shows. I strive for wanderlust, bliss, and to be a more faithful servant of Christ. Stemming from what I strive for, I believe my mission on this earth is to show love to others no matter what language, color of skin or culture a person comes from.
I have a mom, dad, and two older brothers. I am from a town of a little over 5,000 people and a little over two hours west of Lincoln. It was nice to be able to go outside my front door and see country roads and fields all around me. But, I’ve always had a little bit of the city life in me; so transitioning to a bigger city when I came to college was not very hard for me. At home, everyone knows who you are, so when something happens it seems like the whole town knows a few hours later. The close-knit community is something I will always cherish because I gained so many close relationships and connections. Holdrege, NE will always hold a special place in my heart no matter where I end up.
Something interesting about me is that I can make a sound of a dolphin.
In Brazil I hope to learn about the culture and how the family systems work there. I have only been out of the country once, so I want to get more of a diverse look at families around the world. I want to go into social work and work within immigration, so I want to see another culture different from my own, so I can learn about things that have never been relevant to me before or I simply did not know about.
Colter Meisner
Year: Senior
Major: Marketing and Management double major
Hometown: Madison Lake, Minnesota
High School: Mankato West
Hi, my name is Colter Meisner and I’m from Madison Lake, Minnesota. In my free time I enjoy playing basketball, video games and watching sports. I also enjoy fishing and hanging out with my friends. I am a big soccer fan so being able to go to a game in a world cup stadium is something I am really looking forward to. As a marketing major it is going to be really helpful to me for my future career to see how people from different countries view things differently than us.
My dad was born in Iowa but moved to Minnesota when he was a little kid. He went to college at a small Christian school in California and is very excited about my opportunity to travel to Brazil. My mom was born in Germany and moved to the United States when she was three. She speaks both English and German and she is very interested about the German town we will be spending time in. My sister is 19 and lives with my parents in Minnesota. She loves to swim and is jealous that I get to go to Brazil.
I grew up in Madison Lake, Minnesota which is a small town of about 300 people. It was right on a lake so my friends and I spent a lot of time fishing or wakeboarding. We would also go to Vikings and Wild games a lot up in the Twin Cities.
Something interesting about me is that I love trying new foods.
Something that I hope to learn in Brazil is how their business culture is different that ours. I think that international marketing would be something that I would really enjoy so I am excited to see how they do business in Brazil.
Evann Vrana
Year: Freshman
Major:Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Speical Education
Hometown: Wahoo, Nebraska
High School: Wahoo High School
I am currently doing internships with the Nebraska Department of Education and Lincoln Literacy Council. During the summers I have been a lifeguard and the coordinator of a summer camp program.
My family consists of me, my two parents, and my younger sister who is a junior in high school. My mother is a school librarian and my father does construction.
Something interesting about me is that I have never left the country before, and that I am obsessed with my dachshund!
Growing up in a small town I wasn’t exposed to very many different cultures and ideas. I’m excited to leave the United States for the first time, and I hope to learn about and embrace Brazilian culture this summer.
Shannon Ronhovde
Year: Junior
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Eagle, Nebraska
High School: Elmwood-Murdock High school
My parents are Tom and Sue. I am the youngest of two brothers and a sister. Although my family didn't technically live in Elmwood or Murdock, the towns were without a doubt one of the most supportive and generous communities in which I could have had the pleasure of growing up. I grew up alongside my peers who became my best friends. I was surrounded by families and individuals who were always rooting for our successes whether it was athletics, academics, or extra-curricular activities. In addition, we had our share of tragedies in the community and I am still amazed at the overwhelming desire to help and contribute to others when those times of need occurred. Although my community was not diversified by ethnic backgrounds, I learned from them that the capacity of kindness and compassion know no boundaries, and are key pillars to a good life. Each person carries their own crosses, but the individuals in my community take up their own and still offer to help one another with theirs.
I recently learned how to snowboard and absolutely LOVE it!
I am grateful to have been born and raised in small town Nebraska. But one area that my upbringing lacked was exposure to other cultures. We would briefly touch on historical landmarks and brush over the cultural habits of various countries, but I’m an individual who learns by experiencing and doing. Going to Brazil will offer me the chance to finally immerse myself in a different culture to learn. In addition, I am anxious to have the time to grow as an individual through the experience.
Samantha Ketteler
Year: Junior
Major: Economics
Hometown: David City, Nebraska
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas High School
I grew up in small town Nebraska and loved every minute of it. Volleyball and basketball are my favorite sports to play and I like to watch all kinds of sports. My Catholic faith is a big part of my life and I look forward to exploring it more in Brazil. I love the outdoors and exploring new places.
My parents are Kent and Denise Ketteler. I have two older siblings, Blaine and Seara, and one younger, Heath. My dad is the Vice President of a local bank and my mom works for the DHS. Blaine, Seara, Eric, and Davida all work in hospitals in Lincoln. Heath is going to be a freshman at UNL this coming fall.
I grew up in a small town with a very close knit community where people are willing to help out when they can. I was instilled with a strong work ethic from my community as well as in school for which I am very grateful.
I like to sing, play the piano, and play the saxophone. (not at the same time)
I hope to learn more about the business culture, the economy, and how they affect society. I also hope to learn from the Brazilian students about their perceptions of their culture to compare with my own observations.
José Lemus
Year: Junior
Major: Economics, global studies and mathematics triple major
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
High School: Lincoln High
My parents are both professors of Spanish and split their affection between my four-year-old basset hound Darwin and myself. My family moved around a lot when I was younger and so I have never really stayed in one place for a very long time.
I was born in Mexico City but moved to the U.S. when I was five years old. I have lived within the Mexican and the American cultures for most of my life.
I love trying new foods and playing soccer.
I am excited about this Brazil trip because it will be the first time that I will travel somewhere other than the U.S. or Mexico. Being able to travel to Brazil will allow me to see experience a new culture, traditions and customs that will shape my worldview.
Cassie Deeg
Year: Junior
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Stillwater, Minnesota
High School: Stillwater
My parents, Leonard and Katie are now retired and spending half of their time in Ft. Myers, Florida, and the other half in Emily, MN. I have an older brother, Peter, who just bought the house I grew up in and is and electrical manufacturing sales representative. I have an older sister, Amy, who is married to her husband John, and they are both family doctors who are currently finishing up their first year of residency in Wichita, Kansas. I grew up in a very family-oriented culture where family is always #1.
I love spending time outside golfing and on the lakes of Minnesota. I am on the golf team here at UNL and I cannot believe I only have one year left of collegiate golf!
I hope to learn about the Brazilian economy and more about their business culture. I cannot wait for this amazing adventure!
Stetson Heirigs
Year: Sophomore
Major: Marketing and Management
Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
High School: Aberdeen Central High School
On campus, I am involved with ASUN’s Government Liaison Committee, Dance Marathon, CBA Student Advisory Board, and my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. Following our return from Brazil, I will be interning in Omaha with ConAgra.
I am the second of four children. For a point of reference, my hometown of Aberdeen, SD is about the same size as Norfolk, NE (27,000). Therefore, I’d imagine the culture/community of both towns are pretty similar. While some consider Aberdeen a “small town,” I never really got that “small town” feel. There were plenty of opportunities for me in high school, and I appreciate where I grew up. Aberdeen’s claim to fame: Super 8 (the hotel chain) was founded here.
My parents named me after a cologne.
I really hope to take in the culture and learn outside of the classroom. My experience abroad has consisted of going to Canada twice (if you want to call that going abroad), so I’m anxious for the new experiences in Brazil. I’m looking forward to interacting with Brazilian students, visiting Brazilian businesses, and challenging myself in very different setting.
Juana Paramo Reyes
Year: Freshman (Sophomore Standing)
Major: Business Administration
Hometown: Michoacan, Mexico
High School: Grand Island
I am so passionate about learning languages, especially the Romance Languages. I will be taking French and Portuguese on my 2015 Fall semester along with Accounting. I will eventually double major and double minor in a business field and a specific language: Accounting and French with Management and Portuguese. I enjoy doing things that allow me to develop my leadership skills. I am a member of the Mexican American Student Association, UNL's Business Learning Community, Delta Sigma Pi Fraternity, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America Scholar Program and Institute of Excellence Scholar Program.
I grew up in a humble, friendly community. It was very small, but united with little technology use.
I learned English in less than 6 months and got a full-ride scholarship to UNL at the age of 14 when I was in 8th grade.
I am really looking forward to going to Brazil, because I want to learn to think like an international business woman; that is the career path I would like to pursue.
Kimberly Ruiz
Year: Sophomore
Major: Family Science
Hometown: Grand Island, NE
High School: Grand Island Senior High
I have three sisters, Wendy, Daisy, and Amy. My favorite color is blue. My favorite desserts are cookies and carrot cake. I love spending time with my dogs, Oso, Chico, and Missy
My family means everything to me. Both of my parents are from Chihuahua, Mexico. All of my family lives in Grand Island. My hometown is 88 miles west from Lincoln. It is very diverse city.
Something interesting about me is that I am only 4’11.
During our trip to Brazil, I hope to learn about the different cultures and school system. I look forward to the food and the new experience!
DeAnna Masterson
Year: Sophomore
Major: Management and Marketing
Hometown: Lincoln, NE
High School: Lincoln Southeast
My family consists of my parents, Steve and Diane, my older sister and her fiance, Catherine and Kyle, and my younger brother, Russell. My mom's side of the family is Swedish, and my dad's side is a mixture of cultures that I wish I could remember... but never can. I grew up in Lincoln, attending an Evangelical Covenant church whose main claim to fame is their proud connection to the Swedes.
During the summer, my family took an excessive number of road trips and as a result I have visited all 48 continental United States-- I just need to make it to Hawaii and Alaska. I am extremely excited to go to Brazil and immerse myself in the culture and experience both the similarities and differences between the Brazilian culture and American culture.
Alejandro Diaz
Year: Junior
Major: History and Ethnic Studies
Hometown: Grand Island, NE
High School: Grand Island Senior High
I am very active in my community, I currently hold Vice-President for my fraternity, Sigma Lambda Beta, and also for my Mexican-American Student Association club. Like I said before, I strongly believe in education, and social justice among all. So this is why, I have chosen to major in Social Sciences, with a minor in Ethnic Studies. My dream is to one day play a part in minorities live, by helping them attain a higher education. This is also why I want to travel to Brazil and to as many different countries that I can. I think diversity has many things to offer everyone, and really love learning about other cultures and people.
I come from a family of six, and I am the oldest of four children. My mother’s name is Angelita Diaz, and my father’s name is, Jose Diaz. Being that I am the oldest of four siblings, I consider myself more of the role model for my younger siblings. My siblings are: my first sister, Raquel Diaz, my brother Candelario Diaz, then my youngest sister, Sofia Diaz. My mother was born and raised in Grand Island, and my father, is from Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.Because I am the first one of my family to attend college, I fill in a way, I have to set the example for them. By continuing my education and showing them I can go to college and one day get a higher degree, I hope this will inspire them to do the same and even better. I hold my family very close to me, and everything I have accomplished is for them.
Grand Island is a small city about a third the size of Lincoln. I am full Mexican, but still claim myself to be of Mexican-American ethnicity. Honestly, I don’t know much about my culture, but I love embracing what I do have and am still learning new things daily about my heritage.
Although I am 100% Mexican, I cannot speak a word of Spanish. So it’s nothing out of the ordinary when I am approached by other Latinos and they automatically start speaking Spanish to me, and I have to stop them and tell them I don’t know what they are saying. But my dream is one day, I’ll know.
I ultimately look forward to experiencing a whole new culture and people different from what I know. I don’t know Portuguese, and don’t know much of anything about Brazil. My passion is in education, and I firmly believe that an educator should be as diversified as possible and open in general. So my hope is that, this is an opportunity to expand my knowledge thus far, about diversity, and take what Brazil’s culture has to offer with me wherever I go. nce both the similarities and differences between the Brazilian culture and American culture.
Brooke Adams
Year: Freshman
Major: Acturial Science
Hometown: Omaha, NE
High School: Elkhorn South High School
I am a student in the Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, which challenges me to through rigorous computer science and business topics. When I’m not busy with school, I really enjoy baking. I hope to start my own bakery someday. I also love reading. I am currently reading (and loving) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have a passion for sports as well. Since coming to college, I’ve played intramural flag football, volleyball, broomball, soccer, and basketball.
My mother, Deb Adams, works at the GAP in Omaha. She also enjoys playing tennis in her free time. My father, Tim Adams, works at a family trucking company called United Dispatch. He is also a huge husker fan and never misses a home game. My brother, Blake Adams, a senior at UNL, will be working at BuilderTrend in Omaha full-time starting this summer. He also enjoys singing 24/7. My sister, Savana Adams, a sophomore at Elkhorn South, stays involved in show choir and tennis. My dog, Tank Adams, is a cute, little Shih Tzu poodle mix.
I grew up in Omaha, NE. We lived in a wonderful neighborhood with a tight-knit community. One of the best parts of living there was the fact that our house was in a cul-de-sac, so my parents did not have to worry about us when we were playing outside. My siblings and I spent most of our time outside playing capture the flag in our backyard.
Something interesting about me is I can pogo stick and jump rope at the same time.
I hope to learn the key differences between American culture and Brazilian culture, as well as the major differences in business and why they exist. I also hope to learn how to talk decently enough in Portuguese.
Dakota Pitts
Year: Sophomore
Major: Business, Marketing, and Information Technology
Hometown: Malcolm, NE
High School: Malcolm High School
My family structure is not a typical one, but I have a mom and dad that support my every decision and they are always there for me when I need them. My brother is also a huge part of my family.
I grew up in Malcolm, a town of about 300 people. Most of my senior class also went to kindergarten with me, so we knew each other very well by the time we were ready to graduate. Malcolm was mostly a farm school with a couple of Lincoln residents that transferred in.
Emily Rood
Year: Sophomore
Major: Family Science and Pre-Occupational Therapy
Hometown: Meadow Grove, NE
High School: Elkhorn Valley High School
My family includes my dad, my mom, my younger sister Alyssa, and lots of animals since we live on a small farm. Most of my family lives in Midwest Nebraska. Tilden and Meadow Grove are very small communities. I loved growing up in a rural community because of how close-knit everyone is.
Something interesting about me is I ballroom dance. I've learned many different styles of ballroom dance since joining the UNL Ballroom Dance Company my freshman year!
I haven't had the chance to travel outside the country yet so I am very excited to travel to Brazil and see other parts of the world. I am most looking forward to learning about their culture, people, and history. I can't wait to explore their country and try ethnic Brazilian food!
Morgan Smith
Year: Junior
Major: Psychology and Family Studies
Hometown: Grand Island, NE
High School: Grand Island Senior High School
I would not be where I am today without my family. My family is a huge part of my life. I have always had the unconditional support of my parents and sister to be able to reach any goal I set out for myself. My parents still live in Grand Island and my younger sister is a freshman at UNL. Our family would not be complete without our adorable cat, Mittens.
I really enjoy traveling to other countries and opening my eyes to new cultural experiences. I had the opportunities to do so by traveling on a softball team to China and Japan. My favorite part about traveling out of the country is being fully emerced in to the cultures and societies and truly experiencing the inhabitants' day-by-day life firsthand. I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity to travel to Brazil. I cannot wait to learn and get started!
Justin Saegebarth
Year: Junior
Major: Marketing and Pre-Chiropractic
Hometown: Norfolk, NE
High School: Norfolk Senior High School
In my free time I enjoy playing basketball, football, soccer, golf, and watching sports. I like to hang out with friends and stay active while I am in college since you should enjoy the 4 years you get. As a Marketing/Pre-Chiropractic major
My mom was born in Kansas which is why I am a huge “Rock Chalk” Jayhawk fan. She moved to Nebraska when she was a junior in high school. She went through college at the Northeast Community College in Norfolk. My dad was born and raised in Nebraska in a small town called Pierce. He was raised as a farmer with my grandpa that still runs in the family for farming. He also went to Northeast Community College in Norfolk as well. My brother is 25 years old that graduated from Wayne State College 2 years ago and now still lives in Norfolk. He is a very active person with his sports. We are very competitive when it comes to playing each other in anything we do especially when it comes down to sports.
I grew up in Norfolk, Nebraska which has a population of about 22,000 people give or take. Compared to Lincoln it is very small, but I personally like it like that. Especially the traffic in Norfolk is very nice because I can go all the way across town in less than 10 minutes compared to here you can barely go a couple miles in 10 minutes. It’s a very lovely small town that I am proud to call home.
Something that is interesting about me is that I have never been out of the United States.
I feel like traveling to Brazil will widen my horizons of the big world we live in and put my future career into place. It will help me interact with people from other cultures and backgrounds that I have never done before.