Every fall, first-year students in the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln identify their strengths and integrate into the CBA community by taking the required Professional Enhancement I (BSAD 111) course. They  use the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment to identify their strengths, participate in group activities and learn from guest speakers who explain how their strengths help them in their respective fields.
 
Throughout the semester, students meet individually and in groups with strengths coaches. These coaches are UNL students who have been trained to help others develop their strengths to their maximum potential. With better knowledge of their Clifton strengths, students learn to leverage themselves in academics and career awareness, as well as engagement and well-being in college.
 
The coaches are selected in the spring through an application and interview process. Once selected, they participate in six-hour Strengths Coach Training followed by weekly training during the eight-week BSAD 111 course. They are trained to initiate and maintain strong relationships with their students and to develop knowledge on the 34 themes of the Gallup StrengthsFinder.
 
“I can’t think of a better way to help our students be successful and reach their potential than by starting their college career with a program that helps them identify their natural talents and strengths and then provides them with individualized coaching to apply those strengths towards their goals,” said Mark Pogue, assistant professor of practice in management and executive director of the Clifton Strengths Institute.
 
Strengths Coaches facilitate their strengths teams of 10 students to help them collaborate cohesively based on their respective strengths. The teams complete a five-week project focused on creating a meaningful college experience to improve their future career engagement and overall well-being.
 
Each student will also attend two individual coaching sessions with a Strengths Coach, who will personally assist the student in making the transition to university life and help him or her to prepare for the future.
 
The Strengths Coaches for the 2015–2016 school year are:
 
NEBRASKA
 
Alliance: Brianna Ridenour, junior management
Bellevue: Beth Alexander, sophomore psychology and English/pre-law
Bennington: Michaela Mapes, sophomore economics and finance
Bridgeport: Payton Rice, senior management-entrepreneurship and innovation
Butte: Kristen Mohr, sophomore business administration
Cedar Rapids: Trey Mogensen, senior agricultural education
Colon: Anna Meduna, senior agribusiness
Columbus: Phil Levos, junior economics and international business
Dodge: Marissa Semerad, junior business administration
Falls City: Clinton Bartek, graduate business administration
Grand Island: Angelica Carlini, junior marketing and management; Erik Raber, junior economics and finance; Jessica Rios-Alvarado, junior marketing and accounting
Henderson: Colton Siebert, sophomore business administration
Holdrege: Jody Skallberg, junior family science
Kearney: Kailee Schmitt, senior agriculture education and leadership studies;
Lincoln: Caitlin Goin, junior business administration; Holly Pham, junior international business; Isabel Cheesman, sophomore psychology and pre-law; Jason Ahl, senior actuarial science and music; Jordan Barnes, senior finance; Margaret Gies, sophomore civil engineering; Patty jane Edwards, graduate integrated studies; Phat Trong Nguyen, sophomore management-entrepreneurship and innovation; Tanner Quy Ngoc Nguyen, junior management
Norfolk: Taylor Scheuth, senior dietetics
Omaha: Caleb Salter, sophomore marketing; Dillon Whittier, junior management and entrepreneurship; Ellen Beerman, senior marketing; Ethan Stuchwisch, sophomore marketing and management; James R Glover, junior economics; Kelsey Elisabeth Anderson, senior criminology and criminal justice; Lake Cutler, sophomore business administration; Max Sealer, sophomore pre-secondary education social sciences; Nicole Russell, sophomore management; Rahel Pettid, senior hospitality, restaurant and tourism management and agricultural education; Stephanie Brummond, senior management and leadership; Taylor Lofdahl, sophomore leadership; Tope Banwo, senior dietetics; Zachary Leners, junior biological science
Papillion: Ryan Evers, senior management
Saint Paul: Snaina Short, senior marketing and Spanish
Scottsbluff: Colton Flower, senior leadership
Seward: Jared Hain, junior business administration
 
ELSEWHERE
 
Adel, Iowa: Haley Schepers, junior management
Arlington Heights, Illinois: Emily Manos, senior accounting
Auburn, California: Ellie Feis, junior advertising/public relations and English
Brookfield, Wisconsin: Patty Altenbach, sophomore accounting
Centennial, Colorado: Madeleine Adams, junior elementary education
Chanhassen, Minnesota: Paige Pogue, sophomore marketing
Colorado Springs, Colorado: Jordan Bloesser, MAIAA; Kathryn Upton, senior international business
Columbia, Maryland: Jayde McWilliams, graduate educational administration
Erie, Colorado: Caela Freeburg, sophomore business administration
Fort Collins, Colorado: Regan Burnham, sophomore business administration
Highland Village, Texas: Maddie Gaber, sophomore management
Holly, Michigan: Ashely Hurt, graduate educational administration
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Ananth Perumal, senior actuarial science
Leawood, Kansas: Melanie Powell, junior computer science
Marshall, Minnesota: Sydney Hey, sophomore communication studies and history
Muscat, Oman: Qais Alhabsi, sophomore international business
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Simon Wang, junior supply chain management
Richland, Washington: Sophie Podhaisky, junior marketing and management
Saline, Michigan: David Strobbe, sophomore finance
Sultanate, Oman: Shivang Vaidya, sophomore finance and economics
Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Isaac Hlebichuk, junior management
Thornton, Colorado: Brendan Thurman, sophomore business administration and marketing
Urbandale, Iowa: Taylor Gehring, junior accounting
Yunnan Kunming, China:  Ge (Grace) Chai Published: September 14, 2016