The College of Business Career Center celebrated outstanding collaborators in student career development at the annual Employer Partners Day on July 29. Two individuals and an employer partner were recognized at the event, which fosters connections between employer partners and Nebraska Business faculty and staff.

"For nearly 10 years, the BCC has formally celebrated the people who work closely with us to advance career opportunities for our students, and the College of Business is fortunate to have many employers, faculty and staff who play active roles in students' career development. We were excited to honor Emily Krupicka as the first-ever Intern of the Year, Rob Simon as Sue Vagts Faculty/Staff Partner of the Year and Lutz as the Employer of the Year," said Chris Timm, director of the Business Career Center.

The new Intern of the Year award recognizes a student or recent graduate's exceptional intern experience where they showed great personal and professional growth, significantly contributed to the organization and utilized what they learned in their College of Business coursework.

"We had many great nominations, which just reinforced how our students leverage their strengths to impact organizations positively," said Timm. "Our inaugural recipient significantly exceeded all of the award's criteria, and the internship experience has positively impacted her career exploration and development."

Emily Krupicka Chosen as Intern of the Year

The newly introduced Intern of the Year award went to Emily Krupicka, a human resources pathway intern at Nelnet. Tyler Randazzo, a senior campus recruiter at Nelnet, nominated and accepted the award on her behalf. He lauded the junior management (human resources) major for her outstanding performance.

"Emily is a highly deserving candidate for Intern of the Year," Randazzo said. "Her exceptional performance, adaptability and significant growth throughout her internship have been remarkable. In addition to her hands-on HR work, she undertook a comprehensive research project on intern pay trends that provided valuable insights that could inform our internship compensation strategies. Her proactive approach to research on intern pay trends showcases her dedication and ability to excel in various HR functions."

The Nelnet Pathway Program enabled Krupicka to rotate working with different areas within human resources during the academic year. She interned in benefits and wellness, global training and development, and campus recruiting.

"This rotation has challenged my thinking and prompted me to develop new, innovative solutions that affect Nelnet's most valuable asset: the people. I am so grateful to everyone at Nelnet, especially Lisa Meyer, Tyler Randazzo, Jordan Paul and Anna Reeves," said Krupicka, who is from Grand Island, Nebraska. "I can't wait to return as a campus recruiting intern this fall after having such an impactful experience with the Pathways Program last year."

Intern of the Year nominees also included Evan Detina, Workforce Science Associates; Malaki Mileg, Northwestern Mutual; Eva Richter, Hudl; Lindsay Rickers, Hudl; Campbell Werner, Scoular; Olivia Whalen, Fiserv; and Joshua Wiemers, Dana F. Cole & Company, LLP.

Rob Simon Selected as the Sue Vagts Faculty/Staff Partner of the Year

Rob Simon, associate professor of practice in marketing, was honored as the Sue Vagts Faculty/Staff Partner of the Year. Simon was chosen for his efforts to collaborate to build relationships with employers and enhance career education and opportunities for business students.

"Rob is such a great supporter of career development," Timm said. "He truly makes a difference in students' career development through his work in the College of Business but also through his collaboration with us. He regularly attends Employer Partners Day, connects students with employers and was a key participant in our Career Champions program, which prepared faculty and staff to have enhanced career conversations with students and employers. His continued dedication to students and the Business Career Center exemplifies the spirit of this award."

Simon began teaching for the college more than 10 years ago and formerly served as the president and CEO of a retail apparel company. Known for consistently partnering with employers for class projects and partnerships, he teaches classes in marketing principles, marketing management, retailing and a special topics class in partnership with Union Pacific and Ameritas in which students are presented a case study and prepare a presentation based on that case to some of the company’s managers. Known as experiential learning, classes such as these marketing courses give students a taste of real-world business experience.

“Experiential learning is an excellent way for our students to learn. They are in an environment where they can make a mistake and not lose a job or a career. Students can test themselves against each other and learn how to give and receive feedback,” Simon said. “Experiential learning gives students a means to practice and use the tools they are learning and developing.”

Earlier that day, he presented the breakout session, "Employer Collaborations for Experiential Learning in the Classroom," to discuss how businesses and faculty can work together to integrate information on their organizations into the classroom and student experience.

Lutz Named Employer of the Year

The Employer of the Year award was presented to Lutz, a firm recognized for its extensive commitment to student career development and collaboration with the Business Career Center.

"Lutz excelled in areas such as job and internship recruitment of our business students, participation in career events, involvement in the Professional Enhancement Program courses and more," said Bethany Meyers, career coach of the Business Career Center. "They've made a significant impact on business students' academic and professional journeys, and we deeply appreciate their collaboration."

Sydney Holzworth, a recruiting specialist at Lutz, nominated the business solutions firm and accepted the award on behalf of the Omaha, Nebraska-based company.

"Lutz demonstrates a strong commitment to developing UNL business students through various initiatives," Holzworth said. "We actively engage with students through the Professional Enhancement Program and its networking events and mock interviews, internships, among other contributions. We are honored to receive this recognition and look forward to continuing our strong partnership with the UNL College of Business."

Lutz's support of career development at the college includes sponsoring the Beta Alpha Psi business fraternity, participating in the School of Accountancy's Professional Development Days, presenting in classrooms and judging entrepreneurship competitions. In Holzworth's nomination, she included how Lutz hosted 31 interns from Nebraska in 2023 and 27 in 2024 so far. The firm also employs several Nebraska Business graduates, who were hired in recent years, demonstrating how ongoing investment in student success cultivates its talent pipeline.