Engler

Shoutout to Libby Macklin and incoming freshmen Preston Beattie for serving on the National 4-H Conference Leadership Team!

Nebraska 4-H members serve on national conference leadership team Dawson County’s Preston Beattie and Webster County’s Libby Macklin recently served on the leadership team at the National 4-H Conference in Arlington, Virginia — a first for Nebraska youth participating in the conference.

"Your most important work is always in front of you" - Stephen Covey
For the past 14 years, the Engler community has had the privilege of watching Dave Lambe live those words.
Whether in the classroom, around a conference table, over coffee with a student, or behind the scenes helping others succeed, Dave has consistently chosen to invest in people. He has challenged students to think bigger, encouraged them through obstacles, celebrated their victories, and helped shape the culture of the Engler Program from the very beginning.
His impact cannot be measured by titles or years of service alone. It lives on in the students he mentored, the conversations he led, the opportunities he helped create, and the countless people emboldened to pursue their purpose because he took the time to care.
As Dave retires from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, we do not simply celebrate a career. We celebrate a legacy of service, leadership, and steadfast commitment to making people and programs better than they were the day before.
While this chapter is coming to a close, Dave's place in the Engler community remains unchanged. Just as entrepreneurship is a lifelong journey, so too are the relationships built along the way.
Thank you, Dave, for answering the call to embolden people on the courageous pursuit of their purpose through the art and practice of entrepreneurship. We are grateful for your impact and excited to watch the next chapter unfold!

Lambe retires after 40-year career at Nebraska David Lambe, professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture and the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program, retires June 30 after a 40-year career at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Empower your students to launch their own company! Applications for Launch! 2026 are now open!

Launch! is a year-long program that teaches a team of high-school students and their teacher to plan, create, and launch a real-world company from the school. We bring the entrepreneurial mindset and process to the classroom and give permission for students and teachers to become entrepreneurs.

Apply and learn more here!

Launch - Engler Launch! DB+ “I’m not blowing smoke… I loved every minute of this thing and think it was deployed so well.” – Seth Heinert, Ogallala High School Empower your students to launch their own company. What is Launch? Launch! is a year-long program that takes high school students and teachers thr...

Curious. Kind. Consistent.

Caden Connelly's gallery photo represents an unbridled curiosity, a commitment to new perspectives and experiences, and a hope to give back to the communities that have served him.

In his right hand, Caden holds a camera, a tool he realized was integral to new experiences in college. Throughout his life, Caden has admired storytellers. A consistent curiosity has led Caden to pursue a multitude of personal projects behind the lens and eventually start Living Wild Media. His work has found him face-to-face with elephants, filming on the back of a boat, or sleeping in the desert sands of Namibia. He pursued photography with a desire to meet people, understand their passions and pursuits, and share their stories with a wider audience.

On his leg rests a tapestry called a Kikoi. Caden acquired this handwoven cloth during a summer he spent in South Africa. Above its practical uses, Caden says the kikoi is a metaphor for life. Each person represents a thread in the greater tapestry that is his life. A Zulu proverb he found while studying in Africa shaped this perspective. "Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu" translates into English as "a person is a person because of other people" and helps create a community mindset rather than a self-centered one.

Finally, in his left hand, Caden holds a poster board gifted to him by children involved with the Nebraska-based non-profit Angels Among Us. In the fall of 2023, Caden started a fundraiser and hosted a philanthropic event called Chasing a Cure. With the help of the Engler program, Angels Among Us, and the UNL community, Caden raised over $9,000 to support pediatric cancer patients and their families. This money was distributed to families struggling with the financial burdens of pediatric cancer, an overlooked issue in our state that Caden saw firsthand when he himself was diagnosed at 17.

When Caden looks at his gallery photo, he sees a reflection of time well spent, a wonderful community, and continuous aspirations. As he looks towards the future, he hopes to continue a life full of curiosity, new experiences, and never-ending aspirations.

Reflective. Involved. Intentional.

Abby Hodges’ gallery photo represents more than her business, Hodges Cookies. While she holds a tray of decorated sugar cookies, each one tells a deeper story about the experiences and people who shaped her into who she is today. Every cookie represents a meaningful part of her journey, showing that her business is not just about baking, but about the life and community behind it.

Each design on the cookies reflects a different influence. The Engler logo represents the organization that helped her business grow and introduced her to lifelong friendships. The FFA emblem reflects a path that continues into her future as an agricultural educator. Hodges Family Berkshires ties back to her upbringing on the farm, where she developed her work ethic and foundation. NAYC represents her passion for investing in the next generation of agricultural leaders. SALT reflects the faith community that strengthened her relationship with God. Sigma Alpha represents a sisterhood that showed her what it means to love and be loved. And her Great Grandma Hodges reminds her of the roots of it all, the memories in the kitchen, the lessons in life, and the woman who helped shape who she is today.

This image is a reflection of how those experiences come together. Abby sees her life as a culmination of moments, relationships, and opportunities that have all played a role in shaping her path. Just like a cookie can be created, shared, and enjoyed, those experiences continue to grow and evolve over time. Each one has added something meaningful to her story and continues to influence who she is becoming.

When Abby looks at this photo, she sees gratitude. She hopes others are reminded that the life they want is built by showing up, getting involved, and being willing to take a seat at the table. By putting yourself out there and investing in others, you create something far greater than yourself, a life filled with purpose, connection, and meaning.

Legacy Driven. Grounded. Forward Thinking.

Sarah Treffer’s gallery photo represents a commitment to honoring a legacy while carrying it forward. Growing up on Treffer Ranch, a registered Black Angus cattle and American Quarter and Paint horse operation founded in 1957, she was shaped by more than just the work. Through her experiences, she developed a deep appreciation for the values that define the operation, including grit, kindness, and respect. Those values continue to guide how she lives and leads today.

The image reflects both tradition and growth. Being raised in a multi-generational operation taught Sarah what it takes to sustain something meaningful over time. It instilled a respect for the people, the livestock, and the legacy that came before her. At the same time, her experience in the Engler program challenged her to think differently. She began to see that entrepreneurship does not always mean starting something new, but can mean adding value, bringing innovation, and strengthening what already exists.

The wild rag in the photo represents Out N’ About Rags, the business she built through Engler, where she developed skills in creativity, marketing, and strategy. Her horse, Toast, represents the future of the ranch, a ranch-bred horse she hopes to train and develop for the next generation. Together, these elements reflect her ability to blend tradition with new ideas, honoring the past while building toward what is ahead.

When Sarah looks at this photo, she sees both where she comes from and where she is going. She sees responsibility, opportunity, and purpose. For her, success is not just measured by growth, but by her ability to protect what has been built and thoughtfully carry it forward for generations to come.