Jacob Daberkow
I chose to attend UNL due to the many opportunities it provides to its students. Growing up in a household where neither of my parents attended a four-year university, I always had the motivation to do what they had not, to not only reach my full potential, but also to make my parents proud. They always told me growing up to go to college and use the skills they had helped me obtain to do what they had not. As I approach my graduation date, I already see how proud my parents are of what I have accomplished. This in itself is more than enough motivation to make sure I reach my goal of graduating from UNL and fulfilling my potential.
One opportunity I found particularly valuable was getting to hear Dr. Tom Osborne talk about ethics and character. As one of the most respected men in Nebraska, Dr. Osborne reassured me that a small town Nebraska boy can be successful by maintaining a solid character.
I was also able to serve as an instructor's assistant for the business communications course for two semesters. This opportunity allowed me to learn more about communication and also how beneficial solid communication skills are in the business world. I discovered that I possess strong communication skills and need to emphasize that in my professional career.
Having attended at UNL for three years, my advice to incoming students would be to take the time to learn about all of the opportunities UNL provides. There are numerous benefits, such as discounted Microsoft Works suite, free resume critiquing and many more. These are benefits that the average person will never get to experience and taking full advantage of these benefits will assist a student in reaching his or her full potential.
If I could go back to high school knowing what I know now, I would take four years of Spanish in high school. I took two years at Madison High School, but being fluent in Spanish in the business world would be extremely beneficial. As our nation becomes more and more diverse, knowing a second language gives a person an advantage in the business world.
Being from a small town, I feel that I have a larger sense of caring for others and enjoy meeting new people. Because of this, I have made many friends and helped those from larger communities meet new people as well. I look at me helping students connect as my way of giving back to UNL.
After graduation I plan to get a job for a business that utilizes my communications skills, ideally in the marketing field. My goal is to provide friendly, trustworthy service for clients. I learned at UNL that being successful is all about building solid relationships.
Published: July 1, 2011