Inner Circle Launches 2016-2017 Year

Above: Inner Circle members Bri Zabierek, Jordan Ehly, Joel Sneed, Brooke Smith, Caroline Flynn, Reka Czuth and Regan Bye sing a parody they wrote to Kesha's Tik Tok about a day in the life of a Nebraska student-athlete. 

On Monday, Sept. 19th, Inner Circle, one of Nebraska’s most popular and prestigious student leadership organizations, welcomed 43 members to its first meeting of the academic year. As depicted above, the meeting was filled with laughter, love and learning as 12 returning and 31 new members came together to learn about each other individually and collectively through unique and memorable team-building activities and heard from Athlete Network, an athlete-specific networking and professional development organization out of Lenexa, Kan.

Since Inner Circle’s inception in 2014, the focus and mission of the group has been simple: assist student-athletes in leadership, personal and professional development, while connecting them to prominent letterwinner alumni to better help them understand and leverage the following topics: leadership principles and strategies, career insights, life experiences, transferable skills, transition issues, networking, and being a Husker for life.

While the focus of the group has remained the same, the formula behind achieving the above-mentioned goals for this year has changed, thanks to the active and forward-thinking advice of former members. Enhancements included reducing the membership size to allow for a more meaningful, collective experience; lengthening meetings to include time for additional student-athlete interactions and team bonding/development activities; and expanding strategic partnerships outside of athletics to capitalize on additional areas of learning.

These changes have greatly enhanced the organization, which received a record-high 86 applications, as well as its intention behind building the below schedule for the year. Each event is intended to serve as a foundation and steppingstone for the next meeting, building upon learning and experience outcomes each month.

• Monday, Sept. 19th: Career Preparation (Athlete Network)
• Wednesday, Oct. 19th: Student-Athlete Identity (Gallup Strengths Institute)
• Monday, Nov. 14th: Leadership/Transferrable Skills
• Wednesday, Dec. 7th: Networking (Nebraska's Young Alumni Academy)
• Monday, January 23rd: Mentoring (National Mentor Month)
• Monday, Feb. 13th: Black History Month Panel
• Monday, March 13th: Women's History Month Panel
• Sunday, April 2nd: Link N Leaders
• Monday, April 3rd: Inner Circle / SAAC Function

In addition to these events, Inner Circle members will participate in community outreach events together and campus and athletic department initiatives, including student-athlete development facilitation, N Club events and Alumni Masters Week.

2016-2017 Inner Circle Members:  

• Freedom Akinmoladun | Jr. Psychology Major | Football | Grandview, Mo.
• Ryan Bates | Soph. Engineering Major | Cross Country | Lincoln, Neb.
• Danielle Breen | Jr. Actuarial Science Major | Gymnastics | Ames, Iowa
• Regan Bye | Soph. Child, Youth & Family Studies Major | Wrestling | Vermillion, S.D.
• Eric Coufal | Graduate Agribusiness Major | Wrestling | Howells, Neb.
• Reka Czuth | Jr.Marketing Major | Track & Field | Pécs, Hungary
• Kristen Dowell | Jr. Hospitality & Restaurant Major | Track & Field | Edwardsville, Ill.
• Jordan Ehly | Jr. Advertising & PR Major | Swimming & Diving | Las Cruces, N.M.
• Austin Epperson | Sr. Criminal Justice Major | Gymnastics | Allen, Texas
• Josh Everitt | Jr. Criminal Justice Major | Gymnastics | Tucson, Ariz.
• Anna Filipcic | Sr. Music & Psychology Majors | Swimming & Diving | Omaha, Neb.
• Nate Fisher | Jr. Finance Major | Baseball | Yutan, Neb.
• Caroline Flynn | Sr. Communication Studies Major | Soccer | Lincoln, Neb.
• Christian Gaylord | Soph. Undeclared Major | Football | Baldwin City, Kan.
• Emily Gillman | Jr. Marketing Major | Golf | Austin, Texas
• Travis Gollott | Sr. Criminal Justice Major | Gymnastics | Livermore, Calif.
• Haley Hanson | Jr. Communication Studies Major | Soccer | Overland Park, Kan.
• Haley Harsin | Jr. Biology Major | Cross Country | Syracuse, Neb.
• Alex Henwood | Soph. Textiles & Fashion Design Major | Baseball | Appleton, Wis.
• Kaylan Jablonski | Jr. Child, Youth & Family Studies Major | Softball | Omaha, Neb.
• MJ Knighten | Sr. Broadcasting Major | Softball | Buena Park, Calif.
• Jennie Laeng | Sr. Psychology Major | Gymnastics | West Middlesex, Pa.
• Katerina Matysova | Sr. Psychology Major | Tennis | Erding, Germany
• Gina Metzler | Jr.Nutrition & Dietetics Major | Softball | Omaha, Neb.
• Sydney Miramontez | Sr. Advertising & PR Major | Soccer | Lenexa, Kan.
• Ty Moss | Soph.Marketing Major | Track & Field | Naperville, Ill.
• Peyton Newell | Jr. Business Management Major | Football | Hiawatha, Kan.
• Erin Oeltjen | Sr. Biochemistry Major | Swimming & Diving | Omaha, Neb.
• Austin Post | Jr. Biology Major | Cross Country | Omaha, Neb.
• Esther Ramacieri | Sr. Marketing Major | Basketball | Quebec, Canada
• Kadie Rolfzen | Sr. Advertising & PR Major | Volleyball | Papillion, Neb.
• Julia Roller | Sr. Nutrition & Dietetics Major | Swimming & Diving | Naperville, Ill.
• Jake Schleppenbach | Sr. Criminal Justice Major | Baseball | Lincoln, Neb.
• Maddie Simon | Soph. Business Administration Major | Basketball | Lincoln, Neb.
• Lotte Sjulin | Sr. Biology Major | Softball | Omaha, Neb.
• Brooke Smith | Soph. Biology/Pre-Health Major | Volleyball | Weatherford, Texas
• Bonnie Smith | Sr. Elementary Education Major | Cross Country | Omaha, Neb.
• Joel Sneed | Soph. Business Management Major | Golf | Leland, Mich.
• Haley Thiele | Soph. Nutrition & Dietetics Major | Golf | Wahoo, Neb.
• Sydney Townsend | Jr. Biochemistry Major | Volleyball | Lincoln, Neb.
• Emily Wood | Jr. Business Management Major | Basketball | Salina, Kan.
• Rachel Yager | Soph. Speech-Language Pathology Major | Rifle | Bozeman, Mont.
• Briana Zabierek | Sr. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science Major | Bowling | Lockport, Ill.