The executive director of the Food Bank of Lincoln will deliver the address at Nebraska Wesleyan’s University’s 122nd annual commencement.
Scott Young will deliver the commencement address during ceremonies scheduled for Saturday, May 14.
After study at Nebraska Wesleyan in the early 1970s, Young left to pursue work in radio. He held a variety of positions at stations in Lincoln and Omaha, Laramie, Wyo., and Casa Grande, Ariz. Ready for a career change, Young re-enrolled at Nebraska Wesleyan in 1997 and quickly realized his passion for nonprofit work.
He became executive director of the Food Bank of Lincoln in 2001. Under his guidance, the Food Bank has quadrupled its annual food distribution rate and budget. Under Young’s leadership, the Food Bank of Lincoln launched its BackPack Program, which sends children home from school on Fridays with food-filled backpacks. The program began in 2004 with a distribution list of 50 elementary students. This year, the project distributed over 2,600 backpacks per week to students in 52 schools across southeast Nebraska.
In 2008, Young received the Nebraska Wesleyan Alumni Humanitarian Award for active engagement in promoting human and social reforms that foster the alleviation of suffering, discrimination or injustice.
In 2009 Young was elected vice-chair of the Feeding America National Affiliate Council, an advisory group for Feeding America, a national network of 202 food banks.
Young will also receive an honorary degree from Nebraska Wesleyan during commencement exercises.
Approximately 450 undergraduate and graduate students will receive their degrees on May 14. Commencement begins at 6:30 p.m. on Taylor Commons, located on the NWU campus.