An Omaha dean shares his thoughts on passion and making the most of education

D r. Louis Pol, dean of the University of Nebraska Omaha’s College of Business Administration, is an inspiring presence in Omaha. Dr. Pol is passionate about his job and the opportunities it provides him to find goodness in every day. I got the chance to talk with him recently about education and how to get a leg up in college.

What does it take for students to be competitive?

There are countless competitors in every field. Dr. Pol says that classes are great but that learning is “a 24-hour business.” The key to making the most of your education, he suggests, is to learn outside of the classroom: listen to guest speakers, seek out mentorship, and take internships to integrate both classroom theory and practical application.

Internships are crucial, he adds, as 70 percent of students at his university who take them are offered full-time employment with those companies.

Follow your bliss

Dr. Pol maintains that there will be people at every turn telling you what to major in, but it’s important to study something that you’re passionate about. After all, passion is key to making an impact, no matter what field it’s in.

Is college worth it?

In recent years, people have been wondering whether the cost of education outweighs the benefits. Student debt is skyrocketing, while some estimates say 40 percent of recent grads are underemployed. But Dr. Pol says it’s important for people to realize that “getting a degree is better than not getting a degree”; he says it’s not just about the degree, but the “degrees of freedom” it makes available.

About Dean Louis G.Pol

Louis G. Pol is the John Becker Dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). In his position as dean, he is Chief Executive Officer for the college, and is responsible for program development, outreach and fundraising. He is a demographer, and over his academic career, his research and teaching have focused on health demography, research methodology, racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance and housing, and demographic applications in business. In 2010, the business college moved into Mammel Hall – a new 120,000 square foot LEED Gold facility. The physical structure, in combination with state-of-the-art information technology and program additions, have significantly changed the learning culture of the college.

What’s the most valuable thing you learned in college? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments—and if you haven’t yet, I encourage you to check out our full interview. here