Nearly 100 University of Nebraska–Lincoln students gathered with business and community leaders Sept. 11 for the third annual Trailblazer’s Breakfast, an event designed to build connections between students and the Nebraska workforce.
Organized by The Foundry, a Lincoln nonprofit hub, in collaboration with the University Honors Program and the College of Business, the breakfast brought students and professionals together for networking, discussion and learning.
This year’s event focused on how advances in understanding the brain can help improve team performance, resilience and workplace satisfaction.
Kylie Ensrud, co-founder, president and chief human resource officer of Humanized HR, delivered the keynote address. She discussed how performance, engagement and behavior are influenced by the relationship between leadership and the nervous system.
Haley Walts, a coordinator for The Foundry, said the event plays an important role in developing Nebraska’s workforce.
“I’ve seen firsthand how students blossom when they’re given the space to engage with professionals in their community,” Walts said. “This event really centers on student voices, giving them a literal seat at the table for conversations about how to make Nebraska a better place to work and live.”
For Adam Gotschall, a second-year political science and psychology major on the pre-law track, the breakfast provided an opportunity to connect with two attorneys from Nebraska law firms.
“It’s important to attend events like these in order to get the most out of all Honors offers,” Gotschall said. “They give you unique opportunities. In this case, I got to network with professionals who are eager to help.”
Aidan Ballard, a third-year marketing major and member of both the University Honors Program and the Nebraska Business Honors Academy, said the event reinforced the investment Nebraska’s business and community leaders make in students.
One lesson that stood out to Ballard was the importance of confidence.
“I heard someone say, ‘Others might have more experience, but they don’t have your experience,’” Ballard said. “That philosophy serves as a powerful reminder that every individual brings a unique perspective that can add value to the conversation.”
By bringing students and community leaders to the same table, the Trailblazer’s Breakfast sought to strengthen connections between Nebraska’s emerging workforce and the state’s business community — and to remind students that there is a place for them in Nebraska’s future.
