Michelle Meyer of Seward received the Annual Clark Kolterman Seward Rotary Club Service Above Self Award for 2026. She was honored at the club’s annual Service Above Self Dinner April 26.
Meyer was born and raised in Hampton and graduated from Hampton High School.
She graduated from Doane University in 2008 with bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Business with an emphasis in Finance. She later attended Concordia University where she obtained her Master’s of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Risk Management.
She married Kellen Meyer in 2008 and has four children - Kinslee (16), Emalyn (13), Reese (10) and Hayes (7).
They lived on an acreage northwest of Lincoln after they were married but decided to move closer to Seward before their oldest started kindergarten at St. John. She worked as an internal auditor and Executive Risk Officer in Lincoln for 14 years.
A few years after their youngest son was born, she decided to transition being a stay-at-home mom and now fills her time with supporting her husband and children and being involved in the community as much as she can. As she spent more time at home and in the Seward community, she realized she had some time on her hands, so she dove into volunteering.
She has enjoyed serving at St. John Lutheran School and has served on the education board for two terms, helped as a classroom parent, field trip chaperone and whatever else is needed. She taught Sunday School classes for nine years and has been the Sunday School Superintendent since 2019. She enjoyed serving on the Trivia Night committee at St John for almost 10 years.
She’s in her second year of coordinating the Summer Horizons enrichment program at St. John, serving hundreds of students during the summer months.
In 2020, while stuck at home during Covid, she decided to start training to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate. She was sworn in as a volunteer advocate in November of 2020 and has worked with 10 children coming from six families. She loves her work with CASA. She said children in the foster care system work with so many different professionals, and she felt it has been an honor to hear their stories, be a support, advocate for them in court and ensure that they are receiving the services and support they need.
She said it’s been fulfilling to be able to stay in contact with some of the families she served. She feels that there is nothing better than hearing about milestones the children are reaching.
She joined the Legacy Fund for Seward County board in 2025 and is looking forward to working with this amazing group of people to ensure a strong future for Seward County.
Meyer joined the Kiwanis Club of Seward in 2021 and loved getting to know all of the amazing Kiwanis members. She said this is such a kind group of people who really love giving back to the Seward community in so many ways, just like Rotary. The Kiwanis meeting is at noon on Mondays and feels it is a highlight of her week and she feels honored to serve as their president this year.
She also chairs the Empty Bowl Soup Luncheon committee which provides funding for the Backpack Program. She said her fellow Kiwanians have taught her that people from all different professions and stages of life can come together for a common goal- serving the youth of Seward and have fun along the way.
She feels Seward really is just such a special place to raise a family. She said it feels like a joy—and a privilege—to give back and be part of helping our community stay strong for future generations. For her, the most important aspect is leading by example for her children. She wants them to grow up understanding that serving others is simply a part of everyday life.
As a family, they try to serve together—whether that’s ushering at church or participating in other community activities. Her hope is that they develop a deep appreciation for the many ways people contribute to this community and feel inspired to give back in their own way in the future.
