Lincoln, Neb. —Jill O’Donnell, who leads the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been named the Haggart-Work Director of the institute. Her new title is effective July 1.
O’Donnell joined the Yeutter Institute as its inaugural director in 2018. Under her leadership, the institute has established a biennial conference on international trade; launched a podcast and webinar series featuring leaders, analysts, and trade officials who help illuminate how goods and services move around the globe; and developed a wide array of opportunities for UNL students interested in international trade. Among these student opportunities are: the expansion of internship opportunities related to international trade, including two new student awards to increase access to internship experiences in Washington, DC; a new trade policy course developed and taught by O’Donnell; the launch of the Husker Trade Club, a career exploration and policy discussion series featuring guest experts; and development of the Yeutter Student Fellows program, in which a selective cohort of students focus on networking, skill-building, and learning about international trade. Student fellows cap off the experience by writing a brief on a trade policy issue.
In 2021, the Yeutter Institute worked with the University of Nebraska Press to publish a biography of Clayton Yeutter, “Rhymes with Fighter: Clayton Yeutter, American Statesman” by university journalism professor Joseph Weber. In 2019 and 2020, the Yeutter Institute worked with UNL’s Bureau of Business Research, the Nebraska Public Policy Center and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to interview Nebraskans across the state in order to better understand their perceptions of the impact of U.S. foreign policy on Nebraska’s middle class.
“The Yeutter Institute, under Jill O’Donnell’s leadership, has done a remarkable job of helping Nebraskans understand the impact of international trade on their lives, and helping students envision themselves making trade-related decisions,” said Ron Yoder, senior associate vice chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Nebraska exports its commodities and other agricultural products all over the world, and thanks to the Yeutter Institute, Nebraskans have more resources than ever before to understand how international trade policy affects their lives.”
O'Donnell's honorary title is accompanied by a stipend to support and expand educational opportunities and other programming at the Yeutter Institute. O'Donnell's title and the accompanying stipend were made possible by a generous gift from Veronica A. Haggart and Charles R. Work.