Alumni Spotlight - Lane Swedberg

Hey everyone! My name is Lane Swedberg and FCCLA has had a huge impact on my life! I know it sounds cliché, but that statement could not be any truer. First, I better start by introducing myself.

As I said, my name is Lane and I am from a small town in southwest Nebraska known as Wallace. I grew up on my family’s farm just north of town with my four brothers, sister, and my parents. I graduated in May of 2011 in a small class of just eighteen students, and now I currently attend Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. I am a Secondary Math Education major with a minor in Music. Here at Chadron, I work as a Student Ambassador giving tours to prospective students and as a math tutor for the college helping other students with their College Algebra homework. I am also a Resident Advisor in my residence hall where I put on programs throughout the semester to get students out of their dorm rooms and involved on campus. On top of that, I am involved in EVERYTHING, including student government, numerous clubs, and the CSC Campus Activities Board. My involvement in all of these extra programs is all thanks to the leadership skills that I have gained through FCCLA.

When I was a freshman in high school, I was looking for ways to get involved to build up my résumé. I signed up for FCCLA because my siblings had been involved and it looked like a fun organization. Little did I know that this “fun organization” would grab my life and turn me into the leader that I am today. My first year involved, I was elected as the Wallace FCCLA Chapter Treasurer. Being elected to a leadership position my first year was a thrilling experience. I was so determined to complete my duties to the best of my ability. I began to think of ways to build our chapter leadership and get our chapter more involved. I competed in STAR all four years on high school and was fortunate to win two gold medals at nationals in Parliamentary Procedure my freshman and sophomore year. This ambition only grew when I became the District 13 Vice-President and then the Vice-President of Career Student Organizations for the Nebraska FCCLA State Association in 2010.

As a state association, we strived not only to increase the number of FCCLA members but also to build a firm foundation of positive leaders with the members we already had. During my term, I headed the first ever Go Green project and the Nebraska FCCLA Knowledge Bowl. All of this has led up to me being selected to work at FCCLA national headquarters in Reston, Virginia this summer as the Competitive Events Intern. I am extremely excited to see where this adventure takes me. FCCLA has given me so much and I can’t wait to give back in anyway possible. I have been very blessed to have had success in this organization and there are many people to thank that helped me along the way, including my chapter, district, and state advisors, state officer team, friends, family, and most importantly God.

So as you can see, FCCLA has been always been a major part of my life. When I graduated, it was a tough realization that I wouldn’t be able to be as involved in FCCLA, but I had no intention of completely ridding FCCLA from my life. I try to help out in anyway that I can whether it is phone calls with my chapter Parliamentary Procedure team or speaking to students about my experiences in FCCLA. In college, I am using skills that I learned from FCCLA every day when I am organizing my schedule or talking with students. FCCLA has helped me in my character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal communications, practical knowledge, and most importantly in my career preparation. Competing in STAR helped me develop public speaking skills and the courage to stand up and take part in a student government meeting by making a motion. The program Student Body has helped me make right decisions when it comes to personal health by eating right and staying fit. The benefits go on and on and all of this was through FCCLA.

Now, to you, the readers. What can you take from my life experiences? 

Students – I encourage you to get involved with an organization whether it be FCCLA or another Career and Technical Student Organization. Do not just sit back and let others lead – step up and do your part! Take on a community service project in your school or run for a chapter office. Don’t let it stop there! Continue on and reach out to large groups of students and encourage them to get involved, run for a state office! The sky is the limit when you become a part of FCCLA!

            Alumni – Stay involved in organizations. Just because you are not in high school anymore does not mean there are not any opportunities out there for you to be a leader. Instead of being a part of a club as a “resume stuffer,” get involved and see where you end up. You would be surprised the joy and satisfaction you receive from seeing other students succeed because of your hard work and dedication. Make a difference by helping out clubs like FCCLA by evaluating STAR projects or being a member of the Alumni and Associates.

In all of this, I hope that my story has impacted you in some way to become a better leader. I am looking forward to being involved in FCCLA again this summer and who knows? I might run into some of you at National Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN this upcoming July!

Lane Swedberg

Photo by Bubblegum Pop Photography