By Ronica Stromberg
David Gosselin will retire as an Earth science professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln February 7 after almost 36 years in the School of Natural Resources. He stated plans before his retirement reception in Hardin Hall on January 23 to continue work as a coach and consultant building effective teams.
"If you look at the business of teaching, the business of coaching and the business of leading, it's all about the same thing," he said. "It's about helping people get from where they are now to someplace new."
Besides earning recognition for his university work teaching and leading teams, Gosselin has won several awards for coaching local soccer teams for 27 years. He has received accolades for enhancing teams' culture and said he plans to continue such work with soccer teams and others.
In one of his many university achievements, he spearheaded the redesign of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies program in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and in the College of Arts and Sciences. When he took over as the director 16 years ago, he led a team in expanding the curriculum offerings and taking a student-centered approach in classes.
"We created a curriculum that brings the students in and helps them develop into people that can get jobs and go to graduate schools," he said. "You know, people ask me, 'Well, what can you do with this degree?' My answer anymore is, 'What can't you do with this degree?'"
He pointed out that students with a bachelor's degree in environmental and sustainability studies now go on to positions in fields as varied as public policy, medicine, state government, renewable energy and private industry. From sites like LinkedIn and surveys of the 400-or-so students completing the program since its overhaul, Gosselin said the university knows where the vast majority of these students are.
"What I'm really proud of is the quality of our students, and where they are and that we've got some real difference makers out in the community that are making significant contributions to the field, which is very broad," he said.
Read the rest of the story at https://snr.unl.edu/aboutus/what/newstory.aspx?fid=1216