Freshmen Discover Strengths, Develop Leadership Skills in CASNR Seminar

August 25, 2015

Lincoln, Neb. — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus is buzzing this week with the return of students for the fall semester. While freshmen in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources try to navigate their way around campus, they’re also experiencing their first college courses and trying to find activities to participate in. CASNR recognizes that this can be a very overwhelming time for new students and offers the Dean’s Scholars in Experiential Leadership (DSEL) seminar to help freshmen hit the ground running.

DSEL is a weekly, non-credit seminar available to CASNR freshmen at no cost. The goal of the seminar is to help students by providing them with opportunities to develop their leadership skills, become active in the community and meet fellow students. Students also participate in the Gallup StrengthsQuest™ program, and develop skills for career planning and decision making. CASNR Dean Steven Waller leads each seminar.

“College is no longer about going from the residence hall to class each day,” said CASNR Student Development Coordinator Nicole Smith. “The growth that a student sees outside of the classroom really shapes who they are, and DSEL can help guide them through that journey.”

To get students involved in the community, DSEL participants partner with second grade students from Lincoln’s Hartley Elementary School and become pen pals for the semester. This has become a very positive experience for everyone involved and often times the relationships continue following the end of the semester. In many cases, this is the first opportunity the college students have had to be a role model.

“As much as the second grade students get out of the pen pal experience, I think our CASNR students get just as much, if not more out of it,” said Smith.

CASNR knows that it’s important for incoming students to feel welcome, and a part of the campus community. DSEL provides the avenue for students to thrive both academically and personally during their important first year in college. For more information regarding the seminar, contact Nicole Smith at 402-472-0609 or nicole.smith@unl.edu.