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Nebraska’s Dick and Peg Herman
Family Student Life Complex (left page)
opened after receiving an $8.7 million
expansion and renovation in 2010.
The complex tripled the size of NU’s
previous academic support area for
student-athletes. The Nebraska Life
Skills program helps Husker studentathletes experience the benefits of
service to others while learning to
expand their own leadership skills.
The Abbott Life Skills Center (below)
is located within the Herman Family
Student Life Complex.
In 2014, men’s tennis player Court Clark
(left) earned a prestigious Nebraska
Student-Athlete HERO Leadership
Award for his commitment to NU’s
award-winning Life Skills program.
Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst
presented the award.
NEBRASKA LIFE SKILLS - SERVING LEADERS
The Nebraska Life Skills program is committed to providing proactive education,
resources and support throughout college and beyond, best preparing Husker
student-athletes for life after sports. Services foster transition, retention,
responsible decision-making, leadership, volunteerism and career development.
Nebraska has long been considered a pioneer in life skills support and
programming. In 1998, Nebraska was one of five Division I schools nationally to win
the prestigious Program of Excellence Award recognizing a strong commitment to
total person development. In 2005, Keith Zimmer, Associate A.D. for Life Skills, was
the recipient of the Dr. Gene Hooks Award recognizing him as the top life skills
administrator in the country.
Life Skills Components
Proactive Education
Husker Life Seminar – All incoming student-athletes complete a 13-week fall
semester seminar addressing a variety of life skills topics ranging from leadership
to money to relationships and study skills. Team Workshops – Campus and
community experts facilitate team-specific life skills education workshops.
Student-Athlete Assemblies – Meetings featuring remarks from nationally
recognized life skills trainers.
Personalized Support/Individual Sessions
Resume Development – Each student-athlete is assigned a Life Skills counselor
who assists in the creation of a personalized resume for the student-athlete.
Periodic follow-up meetings will take place through graduation to ensure a wellrounded college experience and marketability to realize career goals.
Community Outreach
Nebraska student-athletes combine to impact over 100,000 people statewide on
an annual basis. Team Service Requirement – Each team participates in a minimum
of two service projects per year. School Outreach – Individuals participate in
numerous school outreach campaigns in both classroom and assembly settings.
Hospital Visits – Huskers are frequent hospital visitors providing cheer and
encouragement to a variety of patients. Miscellaneous Outreach – Outreach
requests are received daily from the entire state requesting involvement from
Husker student-athletes. Mentoring Programs – Typically requires one hour of
service per week serving as a youth mentor.
Leadership/Citizenship
Life Skills promotes leadership development and provides recognition
opportunities for extraordinary citizenship. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
– Elected team representatives from each of the 24 sports serve as the “voice”
of the entire student-athlete population discussing student-athlete welfare,
legislation and service events. HERO Leadership Award – Individual recognition
to Huskers who have consistently gone above and beyond serving as an exemplary
role-model. Heart and Soul Award – Presented annually to the top senior studentathlete leaders for extraordinary service throughout their college careers. Tom
Osborne Citizenship Team – Individual recognition to Huskers across all sports who
have completed at least six service projects during the academic year. Nebraska
Football Uplifting Athletes - A recognized student organization initiated in 2012,
Nebraska football players and UNL student leaders collaborate to raise funds and
awareness for those with rare diseases. Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead was
named the 2012 recipient of the National Rare Disease Champion Award and C.J.
Zimmerer won the award in 2014. Life Skills Award of Excellence – Recognizes
team services and leadership with the top men’s and women’s programs being
honored on an annual basis.
Career Commitment
In addition to the creation of a personalized resume and game plan, the following
career resources are available to every Husker. Student-Athlete Career Fair –
Attended by approximately 25 companies. Networking Night – Former Husker
student-athletes and other professionals thriving in their chosen career fields
share valuable insights with sophomore student-athletes. Assessments – Online assessments to help individuals discover talents and match with a major
and career. Practical Experience – Programs in place to facilitate shadowing and
internship placements. Job Preparation – Expert advice on cover letter writing,
interviewing skills and evaluating the job offer.
Postgraduate Assistance
Commitment to helping student-athletes pursue postgraduate plans and
scholarships. Career Nights – Learn from the experts to gain valuable insight on
timelines, application procedures, entrance requirements, personal essays and
more. Scholarships – Seniors in their final season of athletic eligibility can apply
for numerous postgraduate awards.
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