Engineering alumna Jessie Huisinga (BSE 2004, MS 2007, PhD 2010 biomedical engineering) has received the Distinguished Promising Professional Award from the College of Education at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

She currently is assistant professor for the Human Performance Laboratory in the Landon Center on Aging at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

While studying at the University of Iowa College of Engineering, Huizinga was a Student Ambassador.

Huisinga was one of six alumni honored for outstanding contributions to their communities and professions at the 29th Annual Hollie Bethel Distinguished Alumni Luncheon.

The luncheon began in 1988 and is named for the first female department chair on the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s campus—then known as Omaha University. Dr. Hollie Bethel served as the Department Chair of Elementary Education from 1951 to 1975 and had a profound effect for future educators and fellow peers. Since its inception, over 180 alumni have been honored.