Innovative Life Skills Program Continues to Set Standard in Community

In the community, Husker student-athletes reached nearly 100,000 people throughout the state of Nebraska in 2009-10. Cornerstone outreach programs included the "Read to Succeed" Book Drive, Special Olympics, Husker Connect, American Education Week and "School is Cool" assemblies.

In the fall of 2009, the Husker Life Seminar in collaboration with the College of Education and Human Sciences was implemented as a requirement for every incoming Husker student-athlete. Nearly 200 student-athletes completed the seminar, which focused on the transition to college life while learning skills to succeed as a college student.

In addition to those programs, individual student-athletes volunteered more than 3,000 hours of service, making countless appearances in classrooms and community groups statewide throughout the year. Each Husker team completed at least two service projects during the year, demonstrating NU's overall commitment to community service.

The 2009-10 season marked the seventh year of the Huskers' innovative Life Skills Award of Excellence Team Competition, which was expanded in 2009-10 to include winners from both men's and women's divisions. Coach Chuck Chmelka's men's gymnastics team captured its first award, while Coach Pablo Morales' women's swimming and diving program won the award for the second straight year. The Life Skills Award honors the teams demonstrating the strongest commitment to all phases of the life skills program, including outreach, education and leadership. The Life Skills Award was presented at the annual Nebraska's Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet in April. Thirty Husker student-athlete leaders were also recognized at the annual HERO Leadership Breakfast, honoring those who have consistently gone above and beyond establishing themselves as excellent leaders and role models. Blake Lawrence of the NU football program was named the Gerard Postgraduate Scholarship Life Skills recipient.