University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds visits Sidney High School

University of Nebraska (UNL) President Hank Bounds visited Sidney High School on his week long tour across the state to talk about the university's "Commit to Complete" campaign.

"Commit to Complete" is a campaign created by the UNL to help college students graduate sooner and with less student debt. The campaign lays out steps to help students succeed in their college careers.

In his presentation Wednesday, Bounds said, "In the next decade tens of millions of jobs will be created, what we don't know is what those jobs will be because they haven't been created yet.What we do know is that these jobs will require some education beyond high school."

The "Commit to Complete" campaign is comprised of four steps: visiting an advisor to discuss course needs, making a plan that fits the students needs, staying on track, and graduating sooner.

Bounds said that, on average, a student who gradates from college will make a million dollars more then a student just out of high school, citing the benefits of staying focused and graduating in the four-year time frame.

"The choices you make will affect the life you will lead," Bounds said.

Originating from the Mississippi, Bounds was appointed as the seventh president of the UNL on Jan. 12, last year.

Bounds outlined his agenda earlier this year stating that "the University of Nebraska will be the best place in the nation to be a student."

Bounds' trip includes stops in Ogallala, Alliance, Bayard, Scottsbluff, Kimball, Sidney, Grant, North Platte, Curtis and Kearney, stopping at various locations across Nebraska including high schools, rotary clubs and research centers.

Bounds said that it was very important to spend time in all parts of the state, because UNL is a "people's university."