Student Spotlight - Katelyn Ziebarth

Katelyn Ziebarth is a senior at UNK studying business administration and health care management. Ziebarth has held an instrumental role as a leader in Enactus, presented at competition, and chaired her own project--all in the same year. Here Ziebarth shares about her experiences.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Originally from Wilcox, Nebraska a small town 30 miles south of Kearney. I am studying business administration with a minor in Health care management. I have been at UNK since fall of 2014 and will graduate December 2017! I have loved UNK and the atmosphere.

How has your involvement with Enactus influenced you as an entrepreneurial professional?

I now have my own photography business KMarie Images and Enactus has taught me the importance of being confident in yourself and being comfortable with taking a few risks and stepping out of your comfort zone.

You were instrumental in hosting Enactus's recent Cupcake Extravaganza at UNK! Explain one thing you learned through this experience.

I learned how to step out of my comfort zone. I was featured on NTV multiple times, which is something I had never done before and wasn’t really looking forward to. However, afterwards I received compliments on how well I did.

This year you also served as a leader in Enactus, chaired a project and were part of the competition presentation team. What did you learn from these experiences?

These experiences have taught me management skills. Learning how to delegate and work with everyone on your teams different skills. Also, it taught me that if I do get to many tasks on my plate it is ok to ask for help, that is what your team is there for.

Why did you choose UNK?

One of the biggest factors in choosing UNK was the small class sizes. I graduated with a high school class of around 20 students so it is definitely something I am more comfortable with. Also, a lot of your professors know your name and will be willing to do anything to help you out.

Tell us about your area of study and what careers it can lead to.

I am studying Business Administration with a minor in Health Care management. With that I plan on finding a career at a health care facility in administration.

Which UNK class has been your favorite and why?

Oh tough, my top favorite class has been Health Care Management 1 with Dr. Michelle Fleig-Palmer. I enjoyed this because this is the class that really sealed the deal with my minor. Fleig-Palmer made the class fun and was also available constantly for help.

How has your experience at UNK prepared you for your future?

UNK, and especially Enactus, have provided me with so many opportunities and experiences I don’t know if I would have gotten elsewhere. I have presented in front of a panel of corporate judges, received an internship through the help of UNK, and created my own project. All of this I have added to my resume and it has helped make me more of a desirable candidate. Also, being involved in Brewed Awakening has allowed me to implement some of the skills I learn in the classroom.

What is your dream job?

My dream job would be as an administrator of a smaller rural hospital that is innovative in their health care technology and procedures, and be able to help grow the hospital through outreach programs.

Name one place you would like to travel to and why.

Europe! I want to see everything I can there. I’m very interested in history and want to visualize all the stories I’ve read at the locations they were set in.