Story and photo by Seanica Reineke, NewsNetNebraska

As a little girl, Kate Veik dreamed of being either a ballerina or a marine biologist, but now her dreams have taken a different direction.

Veik, an Omaha native, came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to pursue a degree in news-editorial. Her high school English teacher, the newspaper and yearbook adviser, read an essay of hers freshman year and told her she had the potential to be a really good writer, encouraging her to try the newspaper when she became a junior.

“It was encouraging,” Veik said. “I had never really gotten praise for one quality of mine, so from that point on, I always had it in the back of my mind to do the paper.”

Through her work on the school newspaper, she said she felt she accomplished something and got to know people through the process.

Now as a UNL student, Veik has gone on many trips for photojournalism, trips to Kosovo, South Africa, Zambia and Bolivia among other countries. She said they have helped her develop skills in photography and also given her real-world experience.

Before graduation in May, Veik is trying to decide where to go next because she is passionate about many things in and out of the journalism field. Becoming a part of a Public Relations team for an organization or company she cares about and supports is something she thinks would be really great.

“I’m happy and fulfilled in many areas,” she said. “Now I’m just trying to decide which area will be the best fit.”