Graduate Program Testimonials

"As a graduate student at UNL, I was able to gain experience in several areas of student affairs which opened my eyes to my true interest and passion. This helped me bring a unique perspective and diverse experiences and made me a competitive candidate in the job market. In the office of Registration and Records I gained a better understanding of many of the behind the scenes details that help make a University operate smoothly and protects student information. I also had the chance to be a part of a grant that connected student affairs and academic affairs by trying to connect and support incoming business students after New Student Enrollment but before they stepped foot on campus. In addition, I was able to volunteer a few hours a week during the summer in the Judicial Affairs office. My final assistantship was in the Career Services office where I found my calling. Not only did I get to see students on a regular basis, but I also was able to plan my own workshop -- something that was incredibly helpful in the job search.

The support, education and access during the program was amazing. After all, not many student affairs graduate students across the country can say they were on a first name basis with the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs or most of the directors in the division. Throw that in with guaranteed assistantships and a program small enough for everyone to get to know each other well makes UNL a truly unique and special graduate program."
Jeannine Wirth
Class of 2007
Career Consultant to the College of Business
University of Tennessee

"The actual experience and knowledge you gain while going through the program, whether it's working with the student affairs staff on projects, serving on committees, or pitching ideas in meetings, provides graduates with a base to be effective student affairs professionals."
Jeff Wilson
Class of 2003
Doctoral Student; Educational Leadership
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

"I entered the Student Affairs graduate program with the intention of learning more about the field of Student Affairs. I left the program with a better understanding of what I can do personally as a member of the Student Affairs field. Through my internship experiences and the relationships I built with both professionals and students at UNL, I was extremely prepared for my first professional position. The Student Affairs program not only prepared me for the real world, it also prepared me to succeed personally and professionally."
Kara Helgeson
Class of 2002
Judicial Coordinator
Louisiana State University

"The progam at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln gave me the big picture perspective. Being able to interact one-on-one with the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs brought a complete new insight into how departments interact with one another as well as Student Affairs interacting and collaborating with the other divisions. This interaction with supervisors and directors was truly a valuable highlight in my experience."
Chandra D. Claassen
Class of 2002
Advisor, Student Organizations
Risk Management & Organizational Development, Department of Student Activities
Texas A&M University

"In the program, you are challenged to make the most of the opportunities and to dive in! The exposure to a variety of meaningful internship opportunities complemented the challenging coursework in preparing me for student affairs work. The supportive faculty, staff, and internship supervisors enriched my experience. During your time at UNL you are able to establish relationships with fellow classmates through collaborative projects and intentional reflection and I feel that piece captures the uniqueness of the program."
Keane Tarbell
Class of 2003
Coordinator of New Student Programs
Baylor University

"The UNL program prepared me to work in virtually any educational environment. After graduating from their program, I felt equally prepared to work at Stonehill College, a small private college with an enrollment of 2100 Undergraduates, as I did at the University of Connecticut-Sotorrs, a large state university with an enrollment of 12,000 undergraduates. The internship structure, with four internships in the areas of student life, academic services and auxiliary enterprises, prepared me to be not only a competent Student Activities Professional, more importantly; it prepared me to be a competent Student Affairs Professional. The UNL program gave me and my classmate's unparallel access to the inner workings of the Student Affairs Division of a Research 1 University. In our class room experience, we were challenged to theoretically confront the contemporary issues facing Higher Education, while in our internships we were able to see first hand how the division addressed these same issues, sitting side by side with seasoned professionals."
Michael E. Durkin
Class of 1993
Director of Purchasing
Merrimack College