Janet Kruse Sellon's spirit of service has been a constant thread woven throughout her life, from her days as a volleyball player at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to her current career as a physician. In 1988, Janet was introduced to the Nebraska Human Resources Institute (NHRI) by a sorority sister who thought she'd be a great fit. Janet saw NHRI as an opportunity to expand her horizons: "I really like the idea of having something outside of sports and something that really gave me that person-to-person, one-on-one, and group interaction."

Janet received numerous athletic and academic awards including becoming Nebraska’s first three-time All American and NCAA Woman Athlete of the Year. Balancing athletics, academics, and NHRI was challenging, but rewarding. Janet likened athletics to a job, noting: "I had study hours for athletics and for my sorority, so there was a lot of structure, which helped me keep that balance." Janet cherished the unique experiences NHRI provided, including a memorable trip with her mentee. When the volleyball team was set to have their final four match in Hawaii, her mentee’s parents called and asked, “Hey, do you … care if we sent Julie with your family to Hawaii?” This came after being paired during the previous semester, but didn’t feel strange at all. This might be the best NHRI one-on-one to-date! 

After college, Janet's commitment to serving others led her to a career in medicine. As a physician specializing in family and sports medicine, as well as a part-time team physician for female athletes at UNL, she applies the listening and empathy skills honed through NHRI daily in her interactions with patients. Janet takes pride in her ability to truly hear her patients, often spending extra time to ensure they feel understood and cared for. Her daughter Addy highlighted Janet's exceptional empathy: "She has such a superpower for empathy and relating to people. She's really good at making people feel like they're the only person in the room. She's very just intentional, and one-on-one with people, which I think is really hard to do." 

Janet has remained connected to NHRI, serving on its board and witnessing the program's evolution. One of her proudest moments on the board came when she helped transform the Fall Kickoff event. Janet explains: “Initially, Fall Kickoff was a small-scale effort during football Fridays, where we would set up a booth near the university union with flyers, candy, and balloons to promote NHRI.” Janet took pride in seeing the event expand, eventually becoming a standalone celebration that brings together mentees, mentors, and their families. 

Janet exemplified pure joy when speaking of the impact that NHRI has had across generations, from her own participation to her daughter Addy's involvement. Addy followed in her mother's footsteps, progressing through various NHRI roles. Janet recalls the moment Addy was invited to Preteen Leadership Institute (PLI) fondly: "I got a phone call from her fifth grade teacher. She said, 'Hey, you know, I've noticed some leadership qualities in Addison and I really think that she'd benefit from going to this camp called PLI. 'I was ecstatic because I knew exactly what that was." Addy went on to serve as the Formal Development Program (FDP) chair in college and later ran the PLI program as a graduate student. This full-circle journey highlights the program's multigenerational impact on the Sellon family.

Addy and Janet at 2019 Fall Kick-Off

When asked to encapsulate NHRI in a single word, Janet chose "reinvestment," explaining: "I feel like anytime that you're having a one-on-one conversation or a group conversation with someone within the program, you can feel the ripple effect." Addy selected "impact," noting: "No matter how you slice it, whether it's your time as a mentee, at PLI, on the board, doing research...there's so much being :poured into that person. And it's something that's just ongoing."

These chosen words - "reinvestment" and "impact" - encapsulate the Sellon family's NHRI experience. From Janet's early days as a student-athlete to her board service and Addy's comprehensive journey through the program, NHRI has left an undeniable mark on their lives, shaping their approach to relationships, careers, and service to others.