Nebraska LEAD Program - Overview

Kurtis Harms Author

06/24/2025 Added

7 Plays

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Discover how the Nebraska LEAD Program is shaping the future of agriculture through leadership. Since 1981, the Nebraska LEAD Program has developed men and women from across the state into informed, engaged leaders in agriculture and beyond. This two-year experience takes participants on a journey across Nebraska, the U.S. and the world—equipping them with the tools, network and confidence to lead their communities forward. Hear directly from recent Nebraska LEAD Fellows about how the program transformed their perspectives, built lifelong connections and inspired bold action. Learn more or apply at https://lead.unl.edu

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[00:00:11.000]Since its earliest days, Nebraska's strength has come
[00:00:14.000]from its land and its people.
[00:00:16.000]Agriculture is not just our heritage -
[00:00:19.000]It's our future.
[00:00:20.000]And the Nebraska LEAD Program is helping shape that future through leadership.
[00:00:28.000]Founded in 1981 by the Nebraska Agricultural
[00:00:32.000]Leadership Council in conjunction with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's
[00:00:35.000]Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Nebraska LEAD Program -
[00:00:40.000]Leadership Education, Action Development - was created with one goal in mind:
[00:00:45.000]"To prepare and motivate men and women in agriculture for more effective leadership."
[00:00:53.000]Supported by a network of public and private sector sponsors,
[00:00:56.000]the Nebraska LEAD Program brings together individuals from all
[00:00:59.000]facets of agriculture: farmers, ranchers and agribusiness professionals.
[00:01:05.000]Each year, up to 30 fellows are selected
[00:01:07.000]for a transformative, two-year journey, rooted in leadership
[00:01:11.000]development, education and real world experience.
[00:01:17.000]In the first year, Fellows explore key issues affecting
[00:01:20.000]Nebraska and our nation.
[00:01:22.000]Through six in state, three-day seminars,
[00:01:25.000]A 10-day national study tour, and visits with policymakers,
[00:01:29.000]experts, and thought leaders, Fellows expand their perspectives and
[00:01:33.000]grow as communicators and advocates.
[00:01:36.000]I think growing my confidence in LEAD led
[00:01:39.000]me to the decision to return to the family farm.
[00:01:41.000]So, that's something my fiancée and I plan to do, hopefully about a year from now.
[00:01:45.000]And through that process, I've also learned how
[00:01:48.000]important it is to have conversations with the family, you know,
[00:01:51.000]people that will be partners and maintaining those relationships.
[00:01:55.000]I'm very thankful that LEAD helped me kind
[00:01:59.000]of find that direction in life and what I really want in life.
[00:02:02.000]So, I'm always going to be very thankful for the program.
[00:02:04.000]In the second year, the learning goes global.
[00:02:08.000]In addition to another round of six seminars, Fellows will travel abroad.
[00:02:12.000]Through this international study, travel seminar, Fellows
[00:02:15.000]experience agriculture, trade and policy on a world stage,
[00:02:20.000]gaining the tools to lead not just in their communities, but in a globalized world.
[00:02:26.000]Nebraska LEAD Fellows have traveled to
[00:02:28.000]more than 90 countries across five continents, returning
[00:02:31.000]with a renewed passion to lead, serve and shape the
[00:02:35.000]future of agriculture in Nebraska.
[00:02:37.000]Participating in the LEAD Program has really been a transformative experience for me.
[00:02:42.000]I have never really participated in
[00:02:46.000]leadership positions such as school boards or committees and things like that.
[00:02:51.000]And certainly I think I'll be more willing to say
[00:02:55.000]"yes" to those opportunities in the future.
[00:02:57.000]One thing that
[00:02:58.000]the LEAD Program has taught me is
[00:03:00.000]when you're faced with opposition or you're maybe disagreeing with
[00:03:03.000]someone, it's important to stand next to them and look at the problem and try and solve it together rather than
[00:03:09.000]a bunch of rebuttal back and forth
[00:03:11.000]especially in rural Nebraska, the only way we're gonna survive
[00:03:15.000]and move forward is if we find a way to do that together.
[00:03:17.000]And so, that's something I'm going to be passionate about moving forward, really trying to build up others in leadership roles as well.
[00:03:23.000]The Nebraska LEAD Program isn't just about learning,
[00:03:26.000]it's about connecting.
[00:03:27.000]With a growing network of more than 1,200 alumni,
[00:03:30.000]Nebraska LEAD builds bridges across communities, generations and ideas.
[00:03:36.000]Living in Lincoln being from a small town, I feel the
[00:03:39.000]call to hopefully bridge the gap between rural and urban
[00:03:44.000]You know, the other area would be
[00:03:46.000]in the political system.
[00:03:47.000]It's something that previously has overwhelmed me.
[00:03:50.000]I generally haven't had an interest to learn more about it, but through the seminar, I've
[00:03:54.000]learned that the leaders in our state are normal people that have
[00:03:59.000]been called to serve others and responded to the call.
[00:04:02.000]So, I do feel that call in the future, whether it be a Regent's role
[00:04:08.000]or something similar, but
[00:04:09.000]I enjoy leadership and it's
[00:04:11.000]ignited the fire for more advanced leadership.
[00:04:15.000]The leadership journey challenges Fellows to step outside
[00:04:18.000]their comfort zones, to lead with humility, empathy and courage.
[00:04:23.000]Day one, I'm scared to death.
[00:04:25.000]I don't know what to do.
[00:04:26.000]I don't feel like I belong in the room.
[00:04:28.000]And I think that's really what I've gotten from LEAD, is that confidence and
[00:04:31.000]that courage to say yes, to go out there and try
[00:04:35.000]things, and to believe in myself and try to make a difference.
[00:04:39.000]I thought I knew about Nebraska agriculture... man, was I wrong!
[00:04:43.000]You know, you go out to Scottsbluff, the diversity out there
[00:04:46.000]to Chadron, back to the eastern part of the state and the issues there.
[00:04:49.000]I learned so much more about this state of Nebraska.
[00:04:51.000]that I grew up in and that I thought I knew.
[00:04:54.000]Nebraska LEAD alumni serve on school boards,
[00:04:57.000]commodity groups, nonprofit boards and in public office.
[00:05:01.000]They are shaping policy, communities and the future of agriculture.
[00:05:06.000]The real reason why I joined the LEAD Program
[00:05:09.000]initially was I just kind of felt lost.
[00:05:12.000]About a week after we
[00:05:13.000]returned from our international seminar,
[00:05:16.000]It finally dawned on me that, you know, LEAD isn't
[00:05:18.000]meant to find that next opportunity for us.
[00:05:21.000]It's meant to prepare us for when that next opportunity finds us.
[00:05:26.000]The Nebraska LEAD Program is more than just a leadership course.
[00:05:30.000]It's a catalyst for transformation.
[00:05:32.000]It's an investment in people, in agriculture and in Nebraska's future.
[00:05:37.000]The Nebraska LEAD Program. Join the journey. Discover your voice.
[00:05:43.000]and lead Nebraska forward.
[00:06:05.000]Since its earliest days, Nebraska's strength has come from its land and its people
[00:06:11.000]Agriculture is not just our heritage, it's our future.
[00:06:14.000]And the Nebraska lead program is helping shape that future through leadership.
[00:06:20.000]Founded
[00:06:24.000]in 1981 by the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council
[00:06:27.000]in conjunction with the University of Nebraska Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture
[00:06:31.000]and Natural Resources, the Nebraska Lead Program,
[00:06:34.000]Leadership Education, Action Development, was created with one goal in mind
[00:06:39.000]To prepare and motivate men and women in agriculture
[00:06:43.000]for more effective leadership.
[00:06:47.000]Supported by a network of public and private sector
[00:06:50.000]sponsors, the Nebraska lead Pri brings together individuals from all
[00:06:54.000]facets of agriculture, farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness professionals.
[00:06:59.000]Each year, up to 30 fellows are selected for a
[00:07:02.000]transformative $ year journey, rooted in leadership development, education
[00:07:07.000]and real world experience.
[00:07:12.000]fellows explore key issues affecting Nebraska and our nation.
[00:07:16.000]Through six in state, three day seminars,
[00:07:19.000]a 10 day national study tour, and visits with policymakers,
[00:07:23.000]experts, and thought leaders, fellows expand their perspectives and
[00:07:27.000]grow as communicators and advocates.
[00:07:30.000]I think growing my confidence in lead led
[00:07:33.000]me to the decision to return to the family farms.
[00:07:36.000]That's something my fiancée and I planned to do, hopefully about a year from now.
[00:07:39.000]And through that process, I've also learned
[00:07:42.000]how important it is to have conversations with the family,
[00:07:45.000]you know, people that will be partners and maintaining those relationships.
[00:07:49.000]I'm very thankful that
[00:07:56.000]So I'm always going to be very thankful for the program.
[00:07:58.000]In the second year, learning goes global.
[00:08:02.000]In addition to another round of six seminars, fellows will travel abroad.
[00:08:07.000]Through this international study, travel seminar, fellows experience agriculture, trade
[00:08:12.000]and policy on a world stage, gaining
[00:08:15.000]the tools to lead not just in their communities, but in a globalized world.
[00:08:21.000]Nebraska lead fellows have traveled to more than 90 countries across five
[00:08:24.000]continents, returning with a renewed passion to lead, serve,
[00:08:28.000]and shape the future of agriculture in Nebraska.
[00:08:31.000]Participating in the lead program has really been
[00:08:34.000]a transformative experience for me.
[00:08:36.000]I
[00:08:41.000]positions, such as school boards or committees and things like that,
[00:08:45.000]and certainly, I think I'll be more willing to say yes
[00:08:49.000]to those opportunities in the future.
[00:08:51.000]One thing that the lead program has taught me is when
[00:08:55.000]you're faced with opposition or you're maybe disagreeing with someone
[00:08:58.000]it's important to stand next to them and look at the problem
[00:09:01.000]and try and solve it together rather than a bunch of rebuttal back and
[00:09:05.000]forth, especially in rural Nebraska.
[00:09:07.000]The only way we' gonna survive and move forward is if we find a way to do that together.
[00:09:11.000]And so that's something I'm going to be passionate about moving forward, really trying
[00:09:14.000]to build up others in leadership roles as well.
[00:09:17.000]The Nebraska lead program isn't just about learning.
[00:09:20.000]It's about connecting.
[00:09:25.000]Nebraska lead builds bridges across communities, generations, and ideas.
[00:09:30.000]Living in Lincoln being from a small town, I feel
[00:09:33.000]the call to hopefully bridge the gap between rural
[00:09:36.000]and urban.
[00:09:41.000]It's something that previously has overwhelmed me.
[00:09:44.000]I generally haven't had an interest to learn more about it, but through
[00:09:48.000]the seminar, I've learned that the leaders in our state are normal people
[00:09:52.000]that have been called to serve others and responded to the call.
[00:09:56.000]So I do feel that call.
[00:09:59.000]In the future, whether it be a Regent's role
[00:10:02.000]or something similar, but I enjoy leadership and it's ignited the fire for
[00:10:07.000]more advanced leadership.
[00:10:12.000]their comfort zones, to lead with humility, empathy, and courage.
[00:10:17.000]In day one, I'm scared to to death.
[00:10:20.000]I don't know what to do.
[00:10:22.000]And I think that's really what I've gotten from lead, is that confidence and that courage
[00:10:27.000]to say yes, to go out there and try things,
[00:10:30.000]and and to believe in myself and try to make a difference.
[00:10:33.000]I thought I knew about Nebraska agriculture, man, was I wrong?
[00:10:37.000]You know, you go out to Scott's Bluff, the diversity out there
[00:10:40.000]to Sadron back to the eastern part of the state and the issues there.
[00:10:43.000]I learned so much more about the state of Nebraska that I grew up in
[00:10:47.000]and that I thought I knew.
[00:10:51.000]commodity groups, nonprofit boards, and in public office.
[00:10:55.000]They are shaping policy, communities, and the future of agriculture.
[00:11:00.000]The real reason why I joined the lead program initially
[00:11:04.000]was I just kind of felt lost.
[00:11:06.000]About a week after we returned from our international seminar,
[00:11:10.000]it finally dawned on me that, you know, lead isn't meant
[00:11:13.000]to find that next opportunity for us.
[00:11:16.000]It's meant to prepare us for one that next opportunity finds us.
[00:11:19.000]The Nebraska lead program is more than just a leadership course.
[00:11:24.000]It's a catalyst for transformation.
[00:11:26.000]It's an investment in people, in agriculture, and in Nebraska's future.
[00:11:32.000]The Nebraska lead program, join the journey, discover your voice
[00:11:37.000]and lead Nebraska forward.

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Nebraska LEAD Program - Overview

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