From Childhood Tradition to Dream Job: UNK grad Courtney Glock comes full circle at the Nebraska State Fair
GRAND ISLAND – The Nebraska State Fair is in full swing, filling the grounds at Fonner Park in Grand Island with the familiar sights, sounds and activities that bring hundreds of thousands of people together each summer.
It’s a tradition that dates back generations. And for many attendees, including Courtney Glock, it’s the best time of the year.
A Grand Island native, Glock fondly recalls her family’s annual trips to the State Fair in Lincoln, where the event was held through 2009. Those weekends were the highlight of her summer, the kind of experiences that shaped her childhood and created memories she still treasures.
“I’ve always loved the State Fair,” she said. “We went every year. It was a tradition for us. We would go to Lincoln and make a full day or weekend of it. Most of the time we didn’t leave the state for a summer vacation – it was the State Fair.”
Today, Glock doesn’t just attend the State Fair. She’s one of the people responsible for bringing it to life.
The University of Nebraska at Kearney graduate is in her second year as marketing director for the Nebraska State Fair, overseeing everything from billboards, commercials and social media content to the theme and signage that set the tone each year. It’s a role she once declared as her dream job during a classroom exercise at UNK.
“I remember telling (senior lecturer) Michelle Widger, ‘I want to be the marketing director at the Nebraska State Fair.’ I had no idea what that entailed, but I loved the State Fair so much that I knew it’s what I wanted to do,” she recalled with a smile.
Building a Career in Grand Island
Her path to that position started more than a decade ago, when she was still a student at Northwest Public Schools.
With the State Fair now located in Grand Island, Glock was able to volunteer on “Planting Day,” helping prepare the grounds for visitors, as well as during cleanup events. That led to seasonal work scanning tickets at the gates, a job she enjoyed because it put her face-to-face with the people who came to experience the fair.
“I’ve always been a people person, so I loved the idea of getting to welcome people to the fair,” she said. “It felt like Disney. I got to see all of these kids coming through the gates. They’re so excited and they have stars in their eyes, and I got to be the first person to greet them. I thought that was the coolest thing.”
By the time Glock arrived at UNK – the same school her mother, brother and sister attended – her love for the fair was already part of her identity. She majored in advertising and public relations with a minor in marketing, joined the Ad/PR Club, worked at the Child Development Center on campus and spent time on the staff at The Antelope student newspaper.
She found a strong sense of belonging in the close-knit program.
“I immediately felt so connected to my professors, even in my freshman-level classes,” Glock said. “If I had a question, I could go directly to them. If I had an issue with an assignment, they were willing to work with me. If I didn’t understand something, they were willing to stay late to help me understand it. I don’t think you get that level of support at every school.”
“I’m so grateful for the experience that I had at UNK in the ad/PR program,” she added. “I felt incredibly well-rounded when I got out of school. I’m a huge advocate for hiring any ad/PR student who comes out of UNK because I believe the professors get you ready to enter the workforce.”
Glock completed an internship with the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce before graduating in 2018. Just three days into that role, she was offered a full-time marketing and communications position that kept her with the chamber for more than six years. She rose through the ranks quickly, eventually becoming the youngest vice president in the chamber’s history at age 25.
During her time with the chamber, Glock led the Young Professionals program, assisted with community initiatives, presented in front of the city council and testified before the Nebraska Legislature.
“It was seriously instrumental to my success,” she said. “Working at the chamber of commerce pushed me outside my comfort zone and probably prepared me the best for stepping into a role like this where you have things being fired at you at all times and you have to be able to pivot, keep your composure and keep working toward your goal.”
The chamber also gave her another way to stay connected to the State Fair. Glock spent five years coordinating the roughly 900 people who volunteer at the event each year, including some UNK students.
“That truly got my foot in door,” she said. “Getting to coordinate 900 different personalities was incredibly difficult, but it taught me a lot about communication, organization and how important relationships are.”
She laughs about the time someone gave her a nameplate that read “chaos coordinator,” but the experience gave her a deeper appreciation for the people who make the fair possible.
“I thought I loved the fair before, but I loved it so much more after serving as volunteer coordinator,” Glock said. “That showed me how connected Nebraska really is.”
Her leadership and community involvement didn’t go unnoticed. In 2023, she was named Young Professional of the Year at the Inspire Awards, and she received the Community Involvement and Impact Award from Connecting Young Nebraskans. She was also honored as the Nebraska State Fair’s grand marshal.
The accolades reflect her commitment to giving back. Glock jokes that her only hobby is volunteering.
“I love to give back to my community, to be involved and to be part of the success,” she said. “I love central Nebraska and all that we have to offer. I think we are underrated. Any chance I can get to improve central Nebraska as a whole, I’m all about it.”
Currently, Glock is part of the Grand Island Young Professionals program, Connecting Young Nebraskans and International Association of Fairs and Expos. She’s vice president of the Northwest Education Foundation Board, chair of the GRACE Cancer Foundation Board, a wish granter for Make-A-Wish and a steering committee member and Leadership Cluster coordinator for SkillsUSA.
Sharing the State’s Stories
When Glock was asked to join the Nebraska State Fair staff in June 2024, she had to say yes.
“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” she said. “I think I was made for this position in a sense, and I’m glad that door opened for me.”
It’s a year-round job that keeps her on her toes. Working with other staff members and an outside agency, Glock oversees all the advertising and promotional materials for the State Fair, from logos, apparel, signage and graphics to commercials, social media campaigns, website design and email blasts. She also coordinates media coverage and event promotions during the fair’s 11-day run, which ends each year on Labor Day.
“I don’t like to sit still. And I don’t like to be bored,” she said with a laugh. “I’m not sure I can say I’ve been bored since I started working at the State Fair. There’s so much that changes with technology and new ways of thinking and doing things. I’m constantly looking for improvement in every area.”
This year’s theme – Showcase Your Fair Face – was designed to highlight the emotions the event evokes. Glock describes the pride of a child winning a purple ribbon, the determination of a young exhibitor entering the show ring for the first time, the thrill of a carnival ride and the joy of a vendor greeting a returning customer.
What she loves most are the stories behind it all – the 95-year-old exhibitor, the man who grew the state’s largest pumpkin, the 300,000-plus people who come together to make the fair a one-of-a-kind experience.
“Every Nebraskan who is out here at the State Fair has a story to tell that relates them back to our state, back to agriculture and tradition and heritage,” said Glock, who delights in sharing those stories on social media, with reporters and in conversations on the fairgrounds.
“When the State Fair comes to life on this campus, there’s so much magic that unfolds. As soon as you smell a funnel cake and the sun is shining down and you hear the State Fair slogan over the loudspeaker, it just triggers all of your senses. I feel like the people specifically make it what it is. And I feel like that’s true about our state, too.”
As she helps shape the future of the fair, Glock hasn’t forgotten where her journey began. She remains a proud UNK alumna, mentoring current students who intern or work at the fair.
“It’s the best feeling,” she said. “Getting to work alongside and mentor students for years to come is going to be one of the most special parts of what I do here.”
And when she passes another Loper on the fairgrounds, there’s always time to “throw the Lopes” – a small reminder that her path from UNK to the Nebraska State Fair was no accident. It was, in many ways, meant to be.