Developing Leaders in Kearney, NE

Local programs help develop new community leaders.

By Rebecca Deurlein on January 17, 2024

Leadership Kearney Board of Directors

Sometimes, leaders are born, but in most cases, leaders are made. Kearney, NE, recognizes this truism and begins working with aspiring leaders at a young age, offering growth opportunities and resources as early as high school and continuing into college and beyond. Three leadership programs – Youth Leadership Kearney, NEXT and Leadership Kearney – all under the auspice of the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce – are producing leaders who go on to bring out the best in their community. 

Identifying Future Leaders in Kearney, NE

Working with high school students, Youth Leadership Kearney is an approximately 10-month program that hones participants’ leadership skills and introduces them to the larger community. During the program, they learn how and where they can make a difference. 

Accepted students begin their junior year with a teamwork and leadership-focused retreat. Each month, they learn about the inner workings of their community, from how their city and state function to what human services are available. They also form business and nonprofit connections and take part in hands-on sessions with community leaders. 

“I’d use one word to describe Youth Leadership: advantageous,” says Cody Krull, who was selected as youth chair after his first year in the program. “The knowledge and resources you gain by participating in the monthly sessions are invaluable, and it’s very rewarding knowing that you are helping to shape the future of students going through the program.” 

UNK Communications

Extending Learning Outside of the Classroom in Kearney, NE

When students get to college, they spend a lot of time learning from books. But it’s often when they are able to apply what they’ve learned in the real world that they are able to polish their skills. At the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), NEXT serves as a formal program that facilitates and encourages networking with community leaders and business owners. 

“We partnered with the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce so students could learn about all the chamber does, while also getting an education on the economic ecosystem of Kearney,” says Dustin Favinger, director of UNK’s College of Business & Technology Career Center. “We want to make sure students know what makes Kearney one of the best places to go to school, to live, to work and to play.” 

Favinger says the college years are an important time for leadership development. 

“Our students are going to be business leaders of the future, and they need to understand how our current leaders got their start,” he says. “Meeting and talking with business and community leaders in Kearney creates a different perspective in the eyes of the students as it relates to figuring out what they want to do for the rest of their lives and how they can make it happen.” 

During the 2021-2022 school year, 13 students with majors in business administration, marketing, accounting, construction management, computer science and family studies graduated from this program – all one step closer to becoming future leaders. 

UNK Communications

Supporting Aspiring and Emerging Leaders in Kearney, NE

“Since 1991, Leadership Kearney has been committed to connecting and developing leaders who inspire growth within our community,” says Bergan Schumacher, Leadership Kearney past board president. 

When creating a new class (which runs for two years), the organization first identifies a group of individuals who represent a cross-section of the Kearney community, choosing members from various professional, educational, political, social and cultural backgrounds. Those participants learn from top leaders in the region, get an in-depth look into the community and develop their personal leadership skills. 

“Participants walk away with increased self-awareness, leadership acumen, community connections, and involvement,” Schumacher says. 

When program graduate Brenda Jensen went through Leadership Kearney, she had only lived in the area for a couple of years. 

“Leadership Kearney helped me fall in love with Kearney, even more than I already was,” says Jensen, Kearney assistant city manager. “I met some amazing people, learned how unique and special this community is and discovered a lot about my leadership and areas for personal growth.”