Mission & History
Nebraska Human Resources Institute (NHRI) is a leadership development program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where outstanding college leaders are paired with outstanding young leaders in Lincoln Public Schools. NHRI's objective is to discover individuals with exceptional capacity to positively influence others and develop their leadership capacity through one-to-one investment relationships. The outcome hoped for is that these leaders direct their developed leadership toward reinvestment in others.
Mission Statement
- NHRRF Basic Assumptions:
- The greatest resources is the human resource
- Establishing positive relationships is the best way to develop this human resource
- Positive human relationships are maximized when one individual with considerable human relations capital invests in another individual
- Investment in human relationships nourishes positive leadership development
- The Mission of the Nebraska Human Resources Research Foundation:
- To Discover individuals with exceptional capacity to positively influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of others
- To Explore the dimensions of human leadership and ways in which this potential can be maximized
- To Develop leadership potential through one-to-one investment relationships
- To Direct developed leadership toward reinvestment in others
- To Document positive leadership development
- And to Communicate this information
The Nebraska Human Resources Research Foundation was established in 1949 at the University of Nebraska. At that time, the field of psychology was primarily focused on the diagnosis and treatment of people with problems. Very little was known about the psychology of success, the psychology of strengths, and the benefit of the positive psychology approach.
Dr. William E. Hall and Dr. Donald O. Clifton are considered the pioneers of the study of positive psychology. Their realm of academic study centered on examining students who seemed to relate well with people. Throughout all of their years of research, they learned that these students shared a common theme: they had people in their lives ("difference makers") who identified their strengths and provided them with opportunities to develop those strengths.
The powerful outcomes of this research sparked a new idea. With the help of James Stuart, Sr. of Lincoln's National Bank of Commerce, Nebraska Human Resources Research Foundation was born. In this innovative organization, outstanding college students (counselors) were paired with equally outstanding local high school students (counselees) in one-to-one relationships. Dr. Hall and Dr. Clifton continued to see that the best way to help people grow and to build on their strengths is to be involved in positive relationships with successful people who are willing and capable of investing in others.
For a number of years, Dr. Hall and Dr. Clifton administered the programs of the Nebraska Human Resources Research Foundation (NHRRF). Eventually, Hall and Clifton saw the possibility of applying their theories to a business setting, so they left the University. Together, the two men created Selection Research, Inc.
Since the days of Dr. Hall and Dr. Clifton, NHRRF has continued its legacy of developing leadership through investment relationships much to the credit of the directors who dedicated their lives to serve this organization: Dr. Galen Dodge (1965 - 1992), Dr. Susan Fritz (1994 - 1996), Janet Kauffman (1996 - 2008), and Lindsay Hastings (2008-present). NHRRF has seen many locations and funding sources throughout its history, as well as a program name change to Nebraska Human Resources Institute (NHRI) in 1988. (The Board of Directors retains 'Nebraska Human Resources Research Foundation' as the non-profit arm responsible for providing support for NHRI.) But NHRI continues to stand proud today, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of college students and young people. With its current home in the College of Education and Human Sciences, NHRI hopes to continue its legacy for many years to come.
