Nebraska Alumni Turn Unexpected Paths Into Shared Purpose Through Food
For Adam and Hannah Guenther, life rarely went according to plan. Yet today, the Nebraska alumni operate at the center of the state’s food supply, connecting agricultural production with rural health and nutrition education across the state.
Hannah works as a rural health educator, helping Nebraskans across all 93 counties adopt better diets and cancer prevention. Across the food supply chain, Adam operates his family farm in West Point, plans each annual harvest, and emerges as a local agriculture leader. Long before their current roles, however, both faced uncertain starts on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus.
Finding Footing and Mentorship on Campus
During his first year on campus, college did not feel right for Adam. He told his parents he wanted to return home to work on the farm immediately. Instead, his parents encouraged him to stay and earn a degree to discover his own path.
“I think college is an experience that allows you to figure out a little bit more about what kind of person you want to be,” Adam said. A meeting with an academic advisor changed his trajectory when the advisor suggested construction management. The shift engaged him, helping him learn how to study and overcome adversity.
Hannah experienced a similar pivot. After starting her studies with clear expectations, she realized her initial major was not the right fit. She sat down with her advisor, Judy Hofeldt, and discussed her passion for food. Hofeldt introduced her to the dietetics major. An assignment in one of her courses asked her to map out a dream career. That assignment became a road map for her work as a rural health educator for Nebraska Extension.
Soon after switching majors, Hannah faced another major life shift when she became pregnant with her daughter, Charlotte. With the support of her professors and her advisor, she mapped out a plan to finish her degree. She graduated, moved back home to Oakland, and began working as a classroom teacher.
From Family Farms to Statewide Health Initiatives
Adam returned to work on the family farm, Ulrich Farms Inc., in 2015 after spending several years working in Texas. A year into their marriage, Adam’s father tragically passed away. Adam suddenly had to draw on the management skills and problem-solving abilities he learned during his construction management studies to take over the family business.
“I think it took a little bit of everything to get me to this point,” Adam said. “I don’t know what I could have skipped that wouldn’t have adversely affected the outcome.”
He leaned on local producers for insights and stayed connected to agricultural research from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, following innovations at facilities like the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center in Mead to make informed production decisions.
Meanwhile, Hannah transitioned into her role at Nebraska Extension, focusing on rural health and nutrition. Observing how farmers often neglected their own diets to feed others, she devoted her work to helping Nebraskans make more nutritious, science-backed choices about their diets.
Connecting Communities Through the Cuming County Beef Day
Adam also channels his experience into his role on the Cuming County Feeders board.
One notable outreach effort is the Beef in Schools program, which has local producers donate fresh beef to county-area schools for a monthly lunch known as Cuming County Beef Day. Producers often cook the meals for the students themselves.
The program draws positive feedback from students, including a memorable remark from Adam and Hannah’s daughter, Charlotte. After eating a fresh burger grilled by local farmers, she told her parents that nothing beats a fresh grilled hamburger from the farm.
