JONATHAN KIPER
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Emergency Management Graduate
Jonathan Kiper has plans.
Whether it’s a fire, a severe weather event, or other emergency, Kiper is ready with a plan to help people in the Omaha metro area respond to or recover from disaster when it strikes. But it wasn’t always like this for Kiper, an Omaha North High School graduate who today serves as a disaster program specialist for the Omaha Red Cross.
After graduating from high school in 2008, Kiper was lost, working uninspired for a steel company and in telecommunications and other odd jobs for nearly six years.
“I just didn’t really know what I wanted to do, like any other early 20-year-old. I was just kind of confused and going through the motions,” Kiper said. “I wanted to do something more fulfilling, take more pride in, and better my future as well.”
At 23 years old, Kiper made the decision to enlist in the military with the ultimate goal of using military benefits to go to college.
After four years in the Marine Corps as a logistics coordinator, Kiper started his college search still uncertain of which career path to pursue. He considered multiple options for school in the Omaha area, but the University of Nebraska at Omaha stood out because of the personal connections he made with admissions team members.
“It was more personal,” he said. “They were wanting to connect with me and stay connected compared to the other colleges.”
UNO’s Military Connected Resource Center, which provides support for UNO’s more than 1,700 military-affiliated students, became a major selling point for Kiper during the recruitment process. It provided a built-in network of support when he needed it most.
“It’s one of the main reasons I chose to go here because honestly I was lost,” Kiper said. “I never really did stuff. With school and I was a little paranoid because I had been out of school for so long.”
Kiper enrolled in UNO still undecided what to pursue as a major, but after taking classes and meeting with an advisor, his interest shifted to emergency management because of the parallels between his Marine Corps duties and potential career opportunities made possible with a degree in the field.
During his freshman year at UNO, Kiper participated in a mock emergency exercise at Eppley Airfield. Kiper reflects on the day of interacting with volunteers and emergency responders as a pivotal experience.
“I’ve used that experience in my interviews,” Kiper said. “It was a really eye-opening experience getting to work with people, and I wouldn’t have had that experience if it wasn’t for UNO.”
“It was a really eye-opening experience getting to work with people, and I wouldn’t have had that experience if it wasn’t for UNO.”
— Jonathan Kiper, emergency management graduate and Marine Corps vet
Kiper didn’t just take on coursework while enrolled at UNO. As he progressed through his academic journey, he also took on a full-time job. Needing to gain more real-world experience in the emergency management field, in 2022 he connected with Nicki Allen, an internship coordinator in the UNO Career Development Center. She immediately recognized Kiper’s potential to excel with the right employer.
“When Jonathan and I started to plan for his internship, I noticed he was ambitious to graduate early and self-disciplined to manage remote work while remaining accountable,” Allen said. “Not only was Jonathan a full-time student, but he was also working full-time and determined to fit an internship into his schedule.”
Allen presented a handful of opportunities to Kiper, one of which was the Red Cross. As long as Kiper could bring his effort, the Red Cross could work within his busy schedule with hybrid working options.
“They’re willing to work around [your schedule] as long as you’re there for them,” Kiper said. Enthusiasm goes a long way. As long as you’re there and you’re willing to get the job done, everything is fine.”
Sarah Wollerman — Kiper’s internship advisor with the Red Cross — saw Kiper’s potential to fill a full-time role early on.
“When he began his internship, he was proactive and organized,” Wollerman said. “Throughout his internship, Jonathan showed that he had a heart for the mission and the work that we do. He had great compassion and patience while working with clients and volunteers. All of these traits made him an excellent fit for the Red Cross.”
It wasn’t long after Kiper began his internship that he landed a full-time position with the Red Cross in November 2022 before he was slated to graduate in December. The learning curve was reduced because of his experiences in the Marines and UNO.
“There is a lot to this job,” he said. “It can take a year for me to understand my role. Thankfully I do have the advantage of prior military training.”
Kiper’s day-to-day in his role revolves around emergency preparedness, recovery, and response efforts. He also works with volunteers and helps manages inventory in a large warehouse so the Red Cross is able to connect with people impacted by disasters so they can provide support. Taking care of a community is a major responsibility, but it’s a responsibility he is well-prepared for.
“Anybody who takes on these roles need to know you need to be 100% ready to step up,” he said. “Anything can happen.”