The Clifton Strengths Institute at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln partnered with the Ikigai Knowledge Institute (IKI) to launch the inaugural IKI Fellows program, a leadership initiative that connects entrepreneurial, purpose-driven students with senior industry leaders to foster meaningful change. This one-year program, grounded in the Japanese concept of ikigai—a sense of purpose—aims to cultivate the next generation of socially responsible leaders through mentorship, experiential learning and strengths-based development.