The College of Business and Technology at the University of Nebraska at Kearney strives to be a place where its students can fit in, stand out and get ahead.

It’s home to a variety of programs that lead to professional careers, including accounting, finance, marketing, management, economics, agribusiness, management information systems, family studies, interior design, aviation systems, telecommunications management, industrial distribution, construction management, and secondary business teacher education.

Experiential learning

Students learn in and out of the classroom, and the college faculty is dedicated to providing rich experiential learning opportunities.

“Our faculty are dedicated to providing students with rich experiential learning in addition to traditional classroom learning,” said Tim Burkink, dean of the college. “Experiential learning is critical because it’s hands-on and applied learning.”

This hands-on learning may include working as a consultant on real-world projects for actual businesses, which will lead to the creation of a portfolio of tangible accomplishments.

Students also have opportunities to work with faculty on original research and present the results at national conferences.

“There has been a strong emphasis at this institution on having students become involved in research with our faculty,” said Bruce Elder, professor of business law.

Another important goal of the College of Business and Technology is to encourage students to participate in a wide selection of study abroad opportunities, an experience that Ross Taylor, associate professor of marketing, said is becoming increasingly important for new graduates.

“We’re trying to teach our students the skills that are going to help them be better citizens and also help them succeed more in the global marketplace in which they are going to have to work,” he said.

Finally, all students are encouraged to earn credit and develop valuable experience through internships, which often serve as the gateway to a first career. The college has two full-time internship directors to help facilitate these experiences.

Shelbi Grimm, a recent graduate of the college who studied industrial distribution, said she was very satisfied with her education and overall experience at UNK.

“Everybody from the instructors to your advisor to the college secretaries to the internship directors—everybody does a really great job and cares about you on a personal level: whether you succeed, how you’re doing in your classes, how your job search is going,” Grimm said.

This feedback is a point of pride for the college and its professors.

“We combine a high quality program with the personal attention you would get at maybe a small private school,” said Elder.

Campaign for Nebraska

The UNK College of Business and Technology is working in partnership with the Campaign for Nebraska, a comprehensive fundraising initiative focused on key priorities.

The top priority of the campaign is financial aid for high-achieving students and for students whose family financial circumstances may prevent access to education. It seeks to enhance student experiences by offering more opportunities for global engagement through study abroad opportunities and other meaningful international exposure.

The campaign also provides focus to UNK’s need for additional endowed faculty chairs and professorships, which are needed to help recognize the teaching and research achievements of outstanding faculty members while helping to recruit top faculty from other schools.

General academic support is also sought to leverage UNK’s already strong science instruction, research and service programs.

To learn more about opportunities to invest in the College of Education and Technology, contact Phil Kozera, Director of Development, at 308-698-5278 or 800-432-3216.

Standards of excellence

Each of the UNK College of Business and Technology’s programs meets rigorous standards of excellence required by leading national and international professional accrediting organizations. Here’s a highlight of this achievement:

• UNK’s business programs are accredited by AACSB International, which has accepted only 30 percent of the business programs in the United States.
• UNK’s industrial technology programs, including industrial distribution, aviation, construction management and telecommunications management, are accredited by the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering. UNK is the only school in Nebraska to have this distinction and is one of only 55 in the nation.
• UNK’s family studies program is certified by the National Council on Family Relations, and the interior design program is one of only seven in the nation to be accredited by both the Council for Interior Design and the National Kitchen and Bath Association.