Before most students even step into Career Services, they’ve already seen Sammy Konecky’s work. From campuswide career fair campaigns to the friendly face of Cornelius, her designs have shaped how students connect with career resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
This May, Sammy will conclude her position as graphic design intern for University Career Services and graduate with a major in graphic design and minors in advertising and public relations, and art history and criticism.
“My main responsibilities in this role were maintaining the UNL brand across all forms of marketing for the University Career Services fairs and events,” Sammy said. “I was responsible for the printed posters and flyers, digital signs and various headers used for both student-facing platforms as well as employer-facing.”
Beyond her daily tasks, Sammy also contributed to several department projects, including the Job and Internship Search Guide, career fair T-shirts and new student enrollment stickers. Her favorite and most notable was the creation of a campuswide persona.
“My favorite project I worked on was the Cornelius character and its development from the beginning,” Sammy said. “I created a corn wearing a red Herbie Husker hat for New Student Enrollment stickers to help incoming freshmen become familiar with Career Services and the resources we provide. Later, I was asked to turn that design into Cornelius, the face of UNL’s student chatbot.”
Watching Cornelius go from sketches to finalized digital designs gave her a new perspective on the design process. She noted how impactful it was to make something, watch it come to life and see how it was used across campus. Not only did this position develop her design skills, but it also offered her a behind-the-scenes look into the professional world. Through her time with Career Services, she learned important lessons about job hunting, interviews and what recruiters truly value in applicants.
“I've learned a lot more about the job application and interview processes, especially by speaking to a variety of company recruiters. Connecting with people who actually conduct interviews gives you insight into what truly matters to a company or department,” said Sammy. “I also learned that your attitude and intentionality play such a huge role in standing out as an applicant. Finding new ways to be creative in your work rarely goes unnoticed, and I encourage others to do the same.”
Her biggest piece of advice to students is to take advantage of what the university has to offer. She emphasized the importance of trying new things and connecting with the campus community.
“A college campus has more opportunities to learn than just sitting in a classroom,” Sammy said. “Join clubs, attend speakers and take the time to go somewhere you’ve never been. Some things might seem incredibly boring, but new experiences will always have something to learn from. Most people spend four years on campus and become routine to the college lifestyle. Find new ways to make the most of where you are and this time in your life, because you won’t experience it again.”
Following her own guidance, Sammy was involved in many ways across campus. She is currently concluding her term as president of the UNL Design Club, after serving as treasurer the previous school year. She spent two semesters in Jacht, a student-run advertising agency, as a graphic designer in spring 2025 and the art director in fall 2025. She also served on the Fine Arts Undergraduate Student Advisory Board to provide faculty with a student's perspective on the curriculum, social environment and other issues.
After graduation, Sammy hopes to continue her creative challenges and leadership roles. She is excited to apply her design skills and strategic thinking she developed at her internship in a professional work environment.
"My post-graduation goals are to find a graphic design position that allows me to continue to be creative in my work. I strive to work for a company that expects change and encourages me to continue to improve," Sammy said. "I dream of leading a design team someday. I really enjoy guiding others and finding the strengths of each individual and how to harness that and create really good work."
Inspired by Sammy’s advice? Career Services offers a variety of ways to get involved, build your skills and explore new paths.
