Yeutter Student Fellows | Yeutter Institute

Program Details & Application

What makes the program unique?

It is interdisciplinary; the cohort includes students from several different majors and colleges across campus who will work together around the common theme of international trade while learning to see trade issues from different perspectives. International trade is inherently interdisciplinary; your preparation to succeed in the field should be, too.

What to expect

Tap into the Yeutter Institute network and meet University guests, Yeutter Advisory Council members, and Nebraska business leaders

Research and produce a written professional deliverable

Advance your understanding of international trade policy

Develop community with your peers

Explore career paths in international trade

Time commitment

Required biweekly meet-ups for 1 hour with cohort peers and Yeutter Institute leadership, ranging from social to professional. Other opportunities may be scheduled as well.

How do I know if this is for me?

If you are a self-starter who is curious about international trade and finance, motivated to learn more, seeking more exposure to possible career paths in this area, excited by the idea of building professional skills through interdisciplinary teamwork, and willing to commit the time to meet the objectives, then this is a fit for you. We are looking for students who are purposeful, intentional, and resourceful. Students must also be willing to commit; the cohort will only be as valuable as your engagement.

Credit

All Yeutter Student Fellows will enroll in a 0-credit course section on MyRed; this provides acknowledgement of the experience on your transcript. There are no fees associated with the 0-credit option. All Yeutter Student Fellows are encouraged, but not required, to enroll in INTF 320 International Trade Policy and Politics in the fall semester. INTF 320 is taught by Yeutter Institute director Jill O'Donnell.

Eligibility

Must have read, “How do I know if this is for me?” and said, yes!
Must be a University of Nebraska-Lincoln rising junior or senior and enrolled and in Lincoln for the full 2025-2026 academic year. Any student studying abroad during the upcoming academic year is encouraged to wait and apply the following year.
The program is available to students of all majors

To apply:

Applicants should email their resume to yeutterinstitute@unl.edu by April 18, 2025 and attach a 1-2 page document with short responses to the following:

Describe possible career goals (250 words or less)
Describe a current trade issue that you are particularly interested in, and why (250 words or less)
List commitments for the 2025-2026 academic year in order of priority, including Yeutter Student Fellows if selected
List classes previously taken or enrolled in for Fall 2025 related to international trade

One recommendation from a University of Nebraska-Lincoln instructor should also be submitted. Instructors may make recommendations by responding to this form.

Overview

The institute’s namesake, Clayton Yeutter, was passionate about students and preparing them for our changing world. During a 1989 commencement speech he said,

"[I]f you are prepared to be broad and creative and global in your thinking, you should have a very productive and rewarding career indeed.”

We're to committed to that same mindset.

The Yeutter Student Fellows is a student-focused and professional development program for a student who is seeking a margin of excellence in their career preparation. By connecting knowledge gained in the classroom with professional development opportunities, the Yeutter Student Fellows will meet with the core faculty members who are chaired in the College of Business, College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, and the College of Law, as well as professionals who are experts in their career fields. The Student Fellows consist of a cohort up to four students for one academic year. This cohort will interact with each other and with professionals who specialize in a wide range of fields, committing to regular meet-ups that focus on networking, skill building, and learning about international trade.

Students will produce one deliverable—one that will give you an edge as you prepare for the next step in your educational or professional journey. Past deliverables have included individual briefing papers (primers on trade policy issues of interest) and a team project (the spring 2023 project focused on a potential overseas investment for a corporate client).