Seth Jensen, ’95, arrived at Nebraska with a plan to major in accounting, but few connections to help guide the way. Coming from the small town of Exeter, Nebraska, Jensen knew he needed to expand his network.
“Coming off a farm, I did not have tons of industry exposure and needed to get involved. I had some skills in accounting and finance, so for me it was about finding awareness, exposure and experience to make educated career choices,” said Jensen.
Jensen quickly reached out to a hometown friend and fellow Nebraska student, Mike Zeleny, now the chief of staff and associate to the chancellor. Zeleny helped him settle into his new collegiate environment.
“Mike told me about the classes to take, activities and clubs, and was a great resource. Coming from a small school, it was nice to have someone help me transition to campus,” said Jensen.
Jensen joined Beta Alpha Psi, a national organization for students in accounting, finance and information systems, of which Zeleny was a member. The two also held officer positions in the Institute of Management Accountants, under Dr. James F. Brown Jr., professor emeritus of the School of Accountancy. Jensen’s introduction to the accounting industry and the connections he made through these groups bolstered his knowledge of the field and expanded his network.
“I benefited from students older than me who shared their experiences and I learned from them to make better decisions. I found myself in the same situation with Seth,” explained Zeleny. “One of the challenges coming from a smaller town is your network may not be quite as large as students who had broader opportunities in high school.”
After graduating, Jensen thrived in the restaurant world and eventually moved to Dallas for consulting. Tom Gordon, co-founder and CEO of Slim Chickens, took note of Jensen’s work and hired him to help the growing franchise. With no desire to uproot his family, Jensen commuted five hours from Dallas to Fayetteville, Arkansas, weekly. His work earned him the Arkansas Business Journal’s 2018 Small/Medium Private Company CFO of the Year. “Seth has the ‘Nebraska work ethic.’ His award as a top CFO happened because of the hard work, perseverance and resilience exerted every day,” said Zeleny.
Slim Chickens now has more than 75 locations in the U.S., United Kingdom and Middle East. However, Jensen considers it an even greater success that his son, Grant, chose to attend Nebraska to follow his lead.
“Being here at Nebraska as an accounting major may lack originality, considering I am the second Jensen to do it,” Grant said. “But I am blessed with the opportunity to study a subject I love at a university I love in a state filled with friends and family.”