Vice President for University Affairs

Sharon Stephan serves as vice president for university affairs, a position she has held since September 2011. University Affairs is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with internal and external constituents including state and federal policymakers, news media, employees, donors, grassroots supporters and Nebraskans, and for ensuring that information about the University of Nebraska is provided in an accurate, transparent and timely way. University Affairs also provides marketing and communications support for university-wide initiatives such as Collegebound Nebraska, manages the NU brand and supports the communications activities of the four campuses.

Stephan has been at the University of Nebraska since 2001 serving as director of marketing, assistant vice president and associate vice president for communications and marketing and as an adjunct professor in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at UNL. Previously she was vice president and senior account manager at Colle + McVoy Marketing Communications in Minneapolis, director of public relations for Norden Laboratories/SmithKline Beecham Animal Health, owner of Stephan Public Relations, and director of public relations for the Nebraska State Bar Association. She earned both her bachelor’s and masters degrees at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Stephan serves on the board of the Sheldon Art Association, and is past chair of the board of directors of the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools, and past president of the Delta Gamma House Corporation Board. She is a member of Cather Circle and the Leadership Lincoln Alumni Association. A native of Lexington, Nebraska, Stephan and her husband Ken have three children and six grandchildren.