Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., is a heart surgeon and first-generation college student who began his term as the ninth president of the University of Nebraska system on July 1, 2024. The product of public K-12 schooling became the first in his family to go to college, relying on financial aid to help him through. Education truly opened doors for him that otherwise would not have been possible.
During his interview with Mike Hogan on KIOS-FM’s “Live & Local” program, Dr. Gold discussed his journey to the helm of this educational system that has an enormous impact on the lives of Nebraskans across the state. In addition to the educational opportunities provided, the Nebraska University system, including the medical arm consisting of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, has a multi-billion dollar per year impact on the state’s economy.
Dr. Gold also talked about the NU system’s commitment to providing education to families that may not otherwise have the means to achieve those goals through the “Nebraska Promise” program. He also talked about the “Odyssey to the Extraordinary” which he introduced during his State of the University address in Lincoln.
In this extended interview, Dr. Gold also spoke about the financial cuts that have been made to budgets across the system, how the decisions were made, and what the future looks like.
For a look at the University of Nebraska System strategic plan, as well as other information about the schools and programs, one can use the website https://nebraska.edu/.
NOTE: The two-part broadcast interview is posted at the top of this page.The full length podcast version of this discussion is below.
