Associate Resource Groups, or ARGs, are part of Nelnet’s Better Together Program that were developed during 2020. The vision for our ARGs is to help create an even better Nelnet, where associates can live authentically, thrive professionally, and give back to the community wholeheartedly. Their mission is to create communities where associates are free to express themselves – and their differences are embraced.
In the midst of social unrest sparked in 2020, a mission-driven organization like Nelnet already had its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council busy at work forming the Better Together Program. We knew that we needed to provide associates with a way to relate to one another – and Associate Resource Groups were an effective solution for Nelnet to provide organic support for associates.
We launched our first ARG, Young Associates Community (YAC) in February of 2021, followed by Prism a few months later in June. Black Engaged Associates Connecting Nelnet (BEACON) launched in September, followed by NelVets in November. By providing ways for associates with common interests, concerns, and shared experiences to connect, we’re raising appreciation for our company’s diversity and creating awareness within our organization of the diverse needs of our associates.
“We believe that our diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences are what makes Nelnet great. We are excited to offer Associate Resource Groups (ARGs) that are inspirational, welcoming, and provide associates with the skills to build their future at Nelnet!”
– Richelle Anhalt, DEI Council member
In the future, we hope to launch one new ARG each quarter, with the following groups currently slated for 2022:
- Women Engaged in Computing at Nelnet (WE CAN), planned for first quarter.
- Hispanic/Latinx group (name TBD), planned for second quarter.
- Nelnet Disabilities, Access, Neurodiversity & Caregiver Empowerment (DANCE), planned for fourth quarter.
To gain an understanding of what groups may be of interest to associates in the future, we rely on the responses in this form. We encourage associates to weigh in and provide information about the groups they’d like to see – and to let us know if they’d to be part of the group or even help lead it.
Associates interested in learning more about ARGs, how they work, and our future plans for them can watch this recording of an October 28 panel on the topic.
