Ryan Newsham developed a strong interest in mechanical engineering in high school when he learned how to use computer-aided design programs. He enrolled at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the College of Engineering, and as he progressed through his freshman and sophomore years, he discovered a business minor would make him more marketable.
 
“I want to go into project management rather than be a designer,” Newsham said. “I like the idea of being the facilitator of projects and overseeing the entire process.”
 
He was already taking the maximum number of engineering course hours possible, so he looked into other program options and decided to choose between a double major in math or a business minor.
 
“Ultimately, the business minor was more applicable to the job I want,” he said. “It will look good on my resume and give me the business knowledge I need for the workplace.”
 
The new business minor was revamped a year ago to offer a flexible path of six three-hour courses that can be taken on campus or online. Newsham saw how it would fit easily into his class schedule.
 
“I took the Accounting 200 course this past semester and will be in Econ 200 in the fall. When I’ve completed all the courses, I’ll have the basic knowledge to communicate with businesses whether it’s accounting principles, business law or management. That will help me when I’m competing with other college graduates for the same jobs.”
 
Newsham, who went to Lincoln Southwest High School, also consulted with his family when choosing the business minor, and they endorsed it.
 
“My grandmother knew of an architect that had to go back to school years later to get more education in order to find work. I didn’t want that to happen to me, so I decided to get a solid business education during my undergraduate studies,”he said.
 
He is a member of Beta Theta Pi, one of the top academic fraternities on campus, and participates in intramurals, social activities and community service. Published: July 9, 2013