University of Nebraska President Ted Carter Declares 2022 'Year of the Internship' with New Strategy

June 8, 2022, 5 p.m. ·

President Carter and Ameritas Interns
University of Nebraska President Ted Carter poses with several Ameritas interns at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce luncheon (Photo by Tanner Dykstra, Nebraska Public Media)

University of Nebraska President Ted Carter declared 2022 ‘The Year of the Internship’ at Lincoln Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday. Carter presented a strategy to make Nebraska’s higher education more accessible and effective, singling out internships as a key pillar.

Carter said a requirement for all students in the university system to have an experiential opportunity sometime in their four years will soon be in place.

“Something that will show them that there is something out there bigger than themselves,” he said.

Carter said a requirement like this is already in place at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and he is working internally with the universities in Omaha and Kearney. Carter also said that this part of the strategy will not need approval from the Board of Regents.

“This is all internal, this is all our own work. I don’t need an authority to put that in place,” he said.

Other proposals Carter listed include a four year graduation guarantee and increasing the number of young Nebraskans with a secondary education degree.

President Carter said the new strategy will go before the University Board of Regents in the coming weeks.