College of Arts and Sciences seniors know they’ve reached a milestone in their Creighton careers when they meet with Gerry Kuhlman. The assistant dean conducts senior checks for every one of the college’s seniors, making sure they are ready to graduate.  

The College of Arts and Sciences is the biggest undergraduate college on Creighton’s campus, leaving almost half of the Creighton senior body to meet with Kuhlman before walking in May.  

“In just half of a semester, Gerry meets with around 500 students, meticulously looking at their records and guiding them through their final months at Creighton,” Jodi Jones, senior administrative assistant in the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, said. “He is incredibly busy during this time but enjoys hearing the journey of every student he encounters.”  

Kuhlman’s secret to success? Self-care and organization. Kuhlman often keeps 30 minutes at the beginning and the end of his workday to prepare himself for the back-to-back meetings.  

“The most important thing about senior checks is making sure to give full attention to the students I am sitting down with without fully neglecting my other tasks,” Kuhlman said. “I have my own RSP advisees as well as other administrative duties that unfortunately don’t stop when I meet with seniors regarding graduation.”   

Just like many Creighton students, Kuhlman stays up late catching up with emails and reminding himself that this is just the nature of his job somedays.   

A graduation check could be a scary moment for some seniors, but Kuhlman is experienced in helping those in less than ideal situations.   

“It’s never fun to deliver bad news but I try and make sure students know that I am not here to put up any unnecessary roadblocks – rather I am the person that can help them the most. Often times, I am able to provide a solution to these seniors and make them feel much better about the situation than when they first walked in,” he said. “I am a problem solver who is looking to become a part of their support system and success here in their final days at Creighton.”  

His work embodying the Ignatian values such as “Cura Personalis” and “Magis” has been recognized by Creighton’s Saint Ignatius Award, which honors service and dedication to the Jesuit values.  

“Not only was Mr. Kuhlman extremely helpful in showing me that I had fulfilled all my academic requirements, but he genuinely took the time to learn more about the person behind the grades and the classes,” College of Arts and Sciences senior Marisa Anderson said.  

Another College of Arts and Sciences student, Aidan Herrera, also found their conversation to be very beneficial.  

“When I met with Gerry, he made me feel instantly at ease with his humor and compassion,” said Aidan. “He sincerely cares about us students and wants to learn more about our Creighton journey.”   

For the past 21 years, Kuhlman has had his fair share of being a part of many Creighton journeys, but has also experienced his own.  

“I have been in your shoes. I came to Creighton as an undergraduate and graduated with a major in psychology. Some of my fondest memories were made here at Creighton,” Kuhlman said. “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have returned back to my old stomping ground and help current Creighton students make their own Creighton memories.”