Alumni Spotlight: Ben Nelson

Ben Nelson
Meet Ben Nelson, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln alumna who graduated in 2010 with a degree in mechanized systems management.
September 26, 2022

Graduation Date: 2010 

Major: Mechanized Systems Management  

What is your current position? 

I am currently a foreman for Rob May Builders in Cambridge, New Zealand.  

How did your time in CASNR shape your career path? 

Without CASNR, I definitely would not be where I am today. Without my time at UNL, I never would have been able to see most of the United States and I definitely would not have had the opportunities I had working in Australia, France and now here in New Zealand.  

What is the most fulfilling aspect of your job? 

The most fulfilling aspect of my job is seeing the job completed in its entirety and having built something that will be there and appreciated by people for decades to come.  

What activities were you involved in during your time at UNL? 

I played rugby my first year at UNL. Then I played basketball under Doc Sadler for the next four years. When basketball finished, I went back to play rugby.  

What is your best memory of your time in CASNR? 

The best memory of my time in CASNR was meeting the wonderful friends I still have today. Even though I live half a world away and it has been over a decade, I still feel connected to them. 

How did CASNR prepare you for your life outside of work? 

So far, I have been able to utilize every skill I learned at CASNR at one point or another in my life after UNL.  

What do you think IANR and CASNR contribute to Nebraska, the United States and the world? 

IANR and CASNR contribute problem-solvers. My time at CASNR not only gave me the knowledge I needed to be successful, it taught me how to be successful.  

What is your one piece of advice for current CASNR students? 

Just because something is done a certain way does not necessarily make it the right way or the only way. Anything can be improved.