The future of business is being written right now in our classrooms, through our research and in partnership with business leaders and alumni across Nebraska and beyond. At the College of Business, we prepare students for careers that didn’t exist a generation ago while strengthening the industries that drive our state and nation forward. What sets Nebraska Business apart is not only what we teach, but how we connect ideas to action and people to possibility.
One exciting example is our new minor in sports management and business. Huskers have always had a natural connection to athletics, but the impact goes far beyond the field or court. Through this program, students gain real-world experience in marketing, analytics, finance and management and by blending business fundamentals with the fast-paced world of sports, we equip graduates to thrive in a competitive, data-driven marketplace.
Recent research from Natalie Chisam, assistant professor of marketing, demonstrates how organizations can gain a competitive advantage by prioritizing customer privacy. Trust is currency. Companies that protect data and communicate transparently do more than mitigate risk, they build loyalty and long-term value. Scholarship like this ensures our students learn from faculty who are not only teaching best practices but actively shaping conversations that define the future of business.
Learning also extends outside of the classroom. Students from the Nebraska Business Honors Academy recently earned top honors at the Big Ten Case Competition. Competing against some of the most talented students in the conference, they analyzed complex, real-time business challenges and delivered solutions under pressure. Their success proves what we know to be true: Nebraska students can compete and win on the biggest stages.
Our commitment to professional growth does not end at graduation. This year, we partnered once again with the University of Nebraska College of Law to host Women Lead: The Power of We, and for the fourth time, the conference sold out. Attendees gathered for a day of insight and connection with keynote speakers Jewel Rodgers, ’19, Nebraska State Poet, and Marilyn Moore, ’71, ’74 and ’80, retired president of Bryan College of Health Sciences and former associate superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools. We are grateful to the sponsors, vendors, speakers and attendees who make this signature program possible and who continue to strengthen our professional community.
Just as important as developing today’s professionals is inspiring tomorrow’s, and WE NEED YOUR HELP. This summer, due to generous sponsorships, we host three free high school programs designed to introduce students to careers in business: Discover Business: DREAMBIG Academy, June 22-24; Discover Accounting, May 27-29; and Discover Actuarial Science, June 8-10. Students selected for these programs work with faculty, connect with current students and alumni, and begin to see themselves as future business leaders. For many, it is the first step toward college and a career they may never have imagined. Applications are due Friday, April 10.
I encourage you to help expand that pathway. Encourage a high school student to apply for a one of these summer programs or invite them to visit campus. Share your own Nebraska Business story, as a single conversation can change the trajectory of a life.
None of this momentum happens by accident. It is fueled by alumni and friends, like Kris Grosshans,' 85, who believe in our mission and invest in it. Your support opens doors for students, advances research that shapes industries and creates competitions, conferences and camps that build confidence and competence in the next generation.
The future of Nebraska Business is not something we wait for. It is something we build together. Every opportunity we create, every student we inspire and every partnership we form moves us closer to that future. Thank you for being part of this work and for taking the next step with us.
Together, we are Nebraska Business.
Dean Kathy Farrell
