As a transfer student, Lucas Schliesman is originally from Rochester, Minnesota, the birthplace of the renowned healthcare organization the Mayo Clinic. After graduating from Century High School, he traveled about 5 hours north to attend Bemidji State University. What was initially a good business program – with the added benefit of a great fishing spot – ended up being derailed by a small-town culture exacerbated by pandemic shutdowns. The need to grow and experience diversity drove Lucas to seek out other options.
It was a friend from high school who was attending Creighton that drew Lucas’s attention to the University of Nebraska. Having a positive recommendation of the college, he decided to take the leap and move to Omaha. The city offered its share of pleasant surprises as generally out-of-towners tend to paint a very distinct picture of Nebraska, fields of corn and not much else. The small town feel with big city options, particularly with food, quickly altered his opinion. “I’ve tried [authentic] ramen noodles for the first time,” Lucas jokes. “That’s my new favorite food.”
It is that level of accessibility within the university and Omaha that opens experiences for non-resident students. Even with the variety withing the city, it still carries the Midwest charm.
The College of Business Administration was the logical landing point for Lucas at UNO. He spent the prior two years at Bemidji attending their business school and the desire to finish the degree carried over to the CBA. “My dad owns a business back home,” he says. “I’ve worked there just to help out, so I understand it really well and it’s close to home. It’s just kind of the family business.” Eventually he wants to run it.
Lucas is an intern at Loup, a logistics and supply chain transportation company operating in conjunction with Union Pacific. Operating on a team of 6-8 people, he helps organize the rail-to-truck logistics in the western markets. Lucas applied for the internship through the CBA using Handshake, a robust tool used by the Career Center to assist students in getting internships and job opportunities.
“The opportunities that I’m able to get through UNO have been so vastly different,” he says. “It’s just hard to articulate how big of a difference it is. I would have never been able to get an internship like this at Bemidji.”
Navigating the different internship prospects proved a small challenge as a finance discipline seemed the more attractive trait for employers. However, the broad stroke of the Management & Leadership concentration allows an easy fit into a team with the basic knowledge of all aspects of business. “I know a little bit about everything, is how I explain it,” Lucas says when asked the benefits of the concentration.
Lucas mentions the CBA Career Fair as a valuable activity for students to participate in. The fair allows students exposure to the different companies not only locally around Omaha, but nationally. The faculty have impacted his education as well. Particularly Dr. Nick Arreola and the Organization Change and Design class giving him a taste of what “true” management is in the real world. “It’s about people,” he explains. “But it’s more what I envisioned.”
Being a transfer student has its own challenges. The curriculum between colleges doesn’t always align, forcing a game of catch-up. Additionally, coming into college as a junior while many of the other students began as freshmen and have had two years of interaction, can lead to difficulty in making friends. “That has been my biggest struggle,” Lucas says. But he is networking and growing relationships with his peers and coworkers.
Being the true-blooded Minnesotan, Lucas enjoys the outdoors – fishing especially – and hockey. His favorite professional team is the Minnesota Wild and, of course, the UNO Mavericks his favorite college team.
Lucas doesn’t intend to go back to Minnesota right after graduation to start in the family business, wanting to stay in Omaha to expand his knowledge. Though open to learning more in the corporate world, ideally Lucas would like to work for a local small business, getting the opportunity to be in a position where he can wear many hats and experience the “ins and outs” of an entire organization.
When asked for some useful advice for incoming students, Lucas says this with a smile; “Don’t sit in the back of class. Front three rows at least. Second row is the best. First row you’re going to get called on a lot. Pay attention is all. Don’t skip class. Showing up to class and doing the work is a big part of success.”