Lookin’ at U – Brenda Nickol

Each Thursday, we randomly feature a medical center employee.
This week, we learn more about Brenda Nickol, director of Career Services at the College of Public Health.

• Name: Brenda Nickol
• Hometown: Enumclaw, Wash. (a small town south of Seattle, in the foothills of Mt. Rainier)
• No. of years at UNMC: Six.

Tell us a bit about what you do here at UNMC.

I am the director of career services at the College of Public Health (COPH). In any given week I will review student and alumni resumes and cover letters, do a mock interview, meet with a new or prospective student to explore different careers, post job openings, host a professional development session and more. I have been fortunate to work in public health at the local, state and federal levels in a number of capacities, so I can help students sift through all of those options in a very personal way.

Being a trusted resource is one of UNMC’s brand values. Tell us of a time you witnessed a person or group being a trusted resource at UNMC.

While at the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting, I staffed our COPH booth in the exhibit hall. It was wonderful to see so many of our alumni now working at public health organizations and schools nationwide. The highlight was when a representative from the Fulbright program sought out our booth because she wanted to express her appreciation of UNMC and COPH. She said that every Fellow they have placed with us has had a wonderful experience and received excellent training – a testament to the expertise in research and teaching here, and our dedication to an exceptional student experience. I felt proud to hear we are a trusted placement site for such a prestigious program.

What is your favorite winter activity?

I love all things holidays — the decor, food, family time, traditions, music, etc. My favorite activity is the baking, although that has drastically decreased with a baby/toddler in the house.

List three things people may not know about you.

• Related to the above, there is no holiday movie too cheesy for me to watch, even on the Hallmark Channel (and my husband is amazingly understanding of this guilty pleasure).
• I attended the launch of the Dalai Lama’s World Festival of Sacred Music in Cape Town, South Africa in 1999 – an amazing experience, to say the least.
• I learned how to cross-country ski in Norway, how to crochet in Mexico, how to whitewater raft in Zimbabwe. I definitely love to travel and apparently pick up new hobbies!