Nebraska LEAD 32 Travels to Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic

Feb. 3, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. — Twenty-five Nebraska LEAD 32 Fellows recently returned from the 2014 International Study/Travel Seminar to Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic.

"Our international study is designed to provide firsthand appreciation and understanding of our international community and the potential for people of all nations to work together," said Terry Hejny, Nebraska LEAD Program Director and group leader.

During the Jan. 11-24 seminar, LEAD Fellows participated in briefings with U.S. Embassy officials in Bratislava, Slovakia and Prague, Czech Republic, including visits with the U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia, Theodore Sedgwick; Michael Henney, Agricultural Attaché from Warsaw, Poland; and Steve Butler, Senior Economic Officer in Prague, Czech Republic. The LEAD Fellows also met with American business, agricultural trade, and commodity groups, and visited several farm operations. Additionally, LEAD Fellows were able to meet with officials at the Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia and the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland.

"The people-to-people encounters provided the members of Nebraska LEAD Group 32 an opportunity to view characteristics, conditions and trends of Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic and determine relationships to issues and situations in our country," Hejny said. "Through this experience participants develop techniques in identifying comparisons and contrasts of the countries we recently studied in areas such as politics, economics, religion, culture and history as well as technology, trade, food, art and philosophy."

LEAD 32 Fellows that participated in alphabetical order are: Matt Boos, Kearney; Aaron Broz, Hayes Center; Bryan Buskirk, Alliance; Chris Cornelius, Madrid; Warren Coulter, Ravenna; Jessi Doke, Norfolk; Bonnie Downing, Dunning; Christine Erquiaga, Rushville; Omaha; Brian James, Nebraska City; Mackenzie Johnston, Milburn; Andrew Kabes, Grant; Darrell Kahler, David City; Kurt Kircher, Kearney; Jeff Larson, Axtell; Brett Mueller, Columbus; Miles Mundorf, Cozad; Stephanie Perry, Omaha; Tyson Schimmer, Grand Island; Leslie Smith, Mitchell; Alyssa Smola, Lincoln; Steve Stroup, Benkelman; Jeff Swenson, Morrill; Justin Troudt, Kearney; Sam Vakhidov, Lincoln; and Shanna Waterman, Osmond.

The Nebraska LEAD Program includes men and women, currently active in production agriculture and agribusiness and is a two-year leadership development program under the direction of the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, in cooperation with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

For more information, or to request an application for Nebraska LEAD 34, contact the Nebraska LEAD Program, 318 Biochemistry Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0763, telephone 402-472-6810 or email Shana at sgerdes2@unl.edu. The application deadline is June 15.