Bill Pickett joined the University of Nebraska Omaha and Omaha Athletics as the director of spirit, tradition, and signature events in June 2023. Pickett oversees large scale campus events, such as, Durango Days, Homecoming, De-Stress Fest, and student spirit trips. Bill specifically works with Omaha Athletics to create engagement opportunities for university students and increase involvement and awareness of the Maverick Maniacs and student attendance at athletic games. Previously, Pickett worked at UNO from 2008-2021 in various roles with campus housing, student involvement, the Milo Bail Student Center, and spirit and tradition. Most recently, Pickett worked as the Director for Events and Programs at the Gene Leahy Mall, downtown Omaha.
A native of Indiana, Pickett went to Ball State University for a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications and Journalism in 2000. He continued his education at Ball State University with a master’s degree in student affairs administration in 2002. Much of his professional career has been higher education, which led him to employment at various campuses from the span of 2000-2023 (Ball State University, North Carolina State University, Duke University, Georgia Southern University, and University of Nebraska Omaha) working in campus housing, student involvement, student life, athletics, and spirit and tradition.
Bill’s most memorable experience was taking four charter buses full of UNO students to the Frozen Four in Boston, MA to support the Mavericks hockey team. During his tenure at UNO, Pickett hit a threshold of 50 student spirit trips supporting UNO athletes, won University of Nebraska Omaha Employee of the Year for 2013, and led the Maverick Maniacs to win the nation’s best student section in 2017 (National Collegiate Student Section Association).
Pickett and his wife, Kellie, have two teenage boys, Brayden and Tanner, both actively involved in sports and their respective Omaha Public School.
