From the Nominator

Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. began his term as the ninth president of the University of Nebraska System in July 2024, following a decade serving as the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Chancellor. After he transitioned into his new role, the Office of the President team chose to continue the tradition of a yearly holiday video started during President Gold's time at UNMC. Planning for the holiday video commenced shortly after his investiture ceremony, themed "Excellent to Extraordinary," and the beginning planning stages of the NU System's new "Odyssey to Extraordinary" strategic plan. As we reflected on President Gold's vision and the beginning of a new journey for our university, our team was inspired by the classic holiday book and film, "The Polar Express." In our holiday video, "The NU Express," President Gold serves as a conductor—preparing our train for the journey to the extraordinary and inviting all members of the university community to come aboard. The video was shot at the historic Omaha Union Station and Durham Museum in Omaha—a tie to our state and its railroad history—with filming, effects, and editing by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's Office of University Communication and Marketing. Members of the Office of the President team scripted the video, organized props (including creation of a custom ticket and stop list), and assisted with production. The video was released on social media, via email, and at holiday events, with nearly 17,000 views, 89 hours of watch time, 68,983 impressions and 42,963 engagements across all NU channels.

From the Judges

We liked the way the University of Nebraska leveraged internal resources to create a professional, high-quality video that served not simply to provide holiday cheer, but also as a call to join in on a new president’s vision. Other organizations can expand upon this clever idea by strategically incorporating specific talking points relevant to their own leadership’s plans.