The fourth annual Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium will be held November 4-6 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Animal Science Department. The symposium is a dynamic, interactive program designed for high school juniors, but sophomores and seniors can also participate. We want to help students become “corner posts for tomorrow’s beef industry”!

Participants further their discussion with Chef Jay McCarthy, on international marketing and culinology of beef products.

The overall NYBLS goal is to increase awareness and commitment of Nebraska high school students to seek careers in the beef industry. This is accomplished through engaging in leadership development activities, obtaining new knowledge about innovative production practices and changes in the beef industry, and through personal interactions with those successfully involved in many segments of the beef industry.

The symposium includes presentations on setting and achieving personal goals, defining career paths, marketing, product development, animal health and human nutrition information, all focused on the beef industry. Students interact with industry representatives, a professional chef, Nebraska Cattlemen and Nebraska Beef Council representatives, other invited speakers and UNL faculty and students working on beef issues. Students learn through problem solving, team decision-making exercises and presentation of their group projects. Their degree and quality of participation are used to select recipients of six College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources new student scholarships for attending UNL.

The symposium begins with registration at the Animal Science Building on East Campus at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 4. Students then get a chance to try their hand at using innovative production strategies or technologies. Jill Brown, CASNR Career Services, next talks about personal interaction skills and professionalism. Everyone then heads to the East Campus Union for a steak banquet and career panel discussion and interaction. A short session on team building activities will conclude the evening’s activities before participants are taken to the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel.

Sunday, November 5, begins with breakfast with a motivational speaker. We will travel to the Agricultural Research and Development Center at Ithaca to tour the Animal Science beef feedlot, cow-calf and dairy production units. Interactions on marketing and visual communication skills will follow, and then students will participate in a taste-panel exercise to learn about important factors affecting beef quality or eating satisfaction. Students will have a fun tour of Memorial Stadium and the Heisman room, and then work on their group projects. Supper will be followed by recreational activities in the Animal Science Arena before ending up back at the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel.

Monday morning after breakfast, Michael Kelsey will address the group. Students will set up their projects for presentation and vote on them to select the top three. Projects will be presented to parents and friends. The symposium wraps up with an awards luncheon and slide show. Scholarship winners will be announced and the symposium will conclude by 1:30 p.m.

Former participants commented that participation helped them make acquaintances and network among themselves, beef industry leaders, and producers to better understand the diversity of career opportunities and the value of pursuing a degree in animal science or related fields. They were impressed by the quality of the experience and the mixture of activities and learning opportunities. Over 90 percent recommend the symposium to others.

Registration forms can be printed from the Web site http://animalscience.unl.edu/youth/beefsymp.htm. Registrations are due October 15, 2006. We will accept up to 40 participants. Please send completed registration form with a check for $50 to Don Beermann, C203 Animal Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, PO Box 830908, Lincoln, NE 68583-0908. We hope students will join us for a fun-filled, career-oriented, educational symposium. We suggest participants contact Nebraska Cattlemen affiliates and ask that they consider sponsoring students to help defray travel costs. Room, meals and speaker costs are covered through donations from the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Research and Education Foundation, from the Nebraska Beef Council, the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Nebraska Corn Board, allied businesses and many individuals.  

Panelists field questions from participants.