Dozens of students and local professionals gathered in Willa Cather Dining Center for the Nebraska NEXT: Collegiate Talent Forum. The forum, which was a collaboration between the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Nebraska Honors and the Foundry, drew in partners who employ people throughout Nebraska.
The event was created to connect college students with Nebraska’s professional landscape and to convey the benefits of living in Nebraska post-graduation.
Amber Pape, workforce attraction consultant for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, said that employers need to be proactive in combating brain drain, the pattern of employable Nebraskans moving out of the state.
Tyler White, faculty director for the Honors Program, said that Nebraska Honors is the “number one destination” employers should look at during recruitment.
“We have some amazing high-flyers,” White said. “When I teach Honors classes and I ask a question, I get back an answer that is oftentimes so surprising and complex and wonderful. I can’t wait to see what my students do.”
The event featured a panel of recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates who now work in Nebraska. Panelists spoke about how the strong sense of community and low cost of living in Nebraska have benefited them in their professional careers.
Panelist and Honors graduate Audrey Ellis said that the Honors Program helped her establish connections for the future.
“There’s lots of unique experiences that I wouldn’t have had if I wasn’t in Honors,” Ellis said. “The connections I made through Honors were fun, but also beneficial to me now.”
Peyton Schoone, a fourth-year Honors student and senior internship coordinator at the Foundry, said that she landed her role at through Honors. That first internship turned into a multi-year engagement with the Intern Foundry program, and Schoone now helps make similar internship opportunities available to other students.
Schoone said the courses she’s taken through Honors have helped her develop soft skills that she uses at work on a daily basis.
"I got a lot of great professional development skills and learned all about Honors competencies,” Schoone said. “I feel like all our students are very high-achieving and want those experiences.”
Schoone is currently applying to law schools across the country, including Nebraska, but said she hopes to return to rural Nebraska to practice, as that’s where her passion for law began.
Overall, the program connected students with professionals in the community, an important first step towards employment. Through hosting events like this in the future, the goal is to encourage talented students to stay in-state and connect students with valuable employment opportunities.
