BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
Initially conceived and supported by representatives of Nebraska agriculture, the Agricultural Builders of Nebraska, Inc. and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with partial funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Nebraska LEAD (Leadership Education/Action Development) Program was officially organized in 1981 under the direction of the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, Inc. The Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, Inc. is a non-profit corporation whose only responsibility is to provide overall direction and oversight for the Nebraska LEAD Program. The Nebraska LEAD Program has always been made possible through the cooperation of the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, Inc. and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It is a statewide agricultural leadership development program. The purpose of the Nebraska LEAD Program is to provide Nebraska's most promising adult men and women agriculturalists an opportunity to participate in an intensive two-year educational program designed to enhance leadership development, essential for long-term future of farming/ranching, agribusiness, Nebraska and the nation. The mission of the program  is "to prepare and motivate men and women in agriculture for more effective leadership. 

PROGRAM:
The Nebraska LEAD Program is Nebraska's only comprehensive  state-wide agricultural leadership development  program. Participants are selected each year for a two-year fellowship. Over the two-year period, Nebraska LEAD fellows participate in 12 three-day in-state seminars, including spouses on four occasions. Seminars are conducted at 11 cooperating public and private colleges and universities from across Nebraska. Presenters represent a wide range of disciplines from various college and university levels, government and the private sector, including corporate executives, entrepreneuers, organizational interest and prominent community leaders. Educational content addresses interpersonal skill development, communications, sociology, education, public policy issues, macro economics, community development, natural resources, cultural understanding and leadership. Although the program attempts to present as many sides to current issues as possible to the participants, the program itself is both non-political and nonpartisan by design.

In the first year seminar program, participants study local, state and national issues which culminates in a ten-day national study/travel seminar to three major U.S. cities. Meetings with representatives from government, industry and national organizations complement the year's seminar study and provide participants with practical first-hand exposure to the varied social, political and economic conditions that exist in this country.

 

The second year seminar curriculum continues to build on the first year topics with added global perspectives. Emphasis is placed on international trade, foreign policy, cross-cultural understanding and geopolitics. The capstone of the second year's study is a 16-20 day international study/travel seminar to several selected countries in the world. Considering that many of the worlds most critical problems tie directly with agriculture--population expansion, increasing food deficiencies, global trade dependencies, energy concerns--the international seminar provides immeasurable learning opportunities for heightened global understanding for more effective agricultural leadership and perspectives.

Program participants are from every sector of agriculture and every part of Nebraska. Annually up to 30 fellows are selected in each class with preference given to applicants between the ages of 25-50. Applicants provide extensive information about themselves, business and organization affiliations. They must establish sound reason for involvement in the Nebraska LEAD Program and how they will use their knowledge, skills, and abilities received through the program to benefit their community, business and/or organizations.

Contact: Terry Hejny, Director
Nebraska LEAD Program
318 Biochemistry Hall
University of Nebraska
Lincoln NE 68583-0763
THEJNY1@UNL.EDU
Telephone: (402) 472-6810
FAX: (402) 472-6799
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