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UNO Celebrates

The University of Nebraska at Omaha marked its centennial with a year-long celebration of its rich history and a look toward the future.

Recognizing the partnerships between Omaha, its citizens and UNO to build a vibrant and dynamic community, the centennial theme was “UNO: Central To Our City Since 1908.”

Centennial events began in October 2008 with the dedication of the new College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) building, and recognition that UNO’s Criss Library will receive the congressional papers of former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. Hagel graduated from UNO’s CPACS in 1972.

The university’s future includes a new building for the College of Business Administration (CBA) on UNO’s Pacific Street campus to be completed in time for the fall 2010 semester. Mammel Hall, named for Carl and Joyce Mammel, is the largest single philanthropic gift to UNO in the university’s 100 years.

The 120,000-square-foot facility, designed by Holland Basham Architects and Gensler and Associates, will feature more classrooms; expanded facilities for the Center for Collaboration Science; a virtual stock market trading room; meeting areas; and a new headquarters for the Nebraska Business Development Center. The building will accommodate a projected 10 to 15 percent enrollment growth in the business college in coming years.

The $41.5 million project includes $7.5 million directed toward an endowment to enhance CBA programs and benefit students and faculty.

CBA Dean Louis Pol said Mammel Hall’s location is almost as important as the structure itself. It will be a few steps away from the Peter Kiewit Institute, the Scott Conference Center, the Scott Technology Center and the new Aksarben Village development.

“The mix of entities that surround the new building is going to change the college significantly,” said Pol.

UNO Grads Central to Our City

Along with my husband, Paul, I co-founded Omaha-based Home Instead, the largest senior care company in the world. By giving me tools to care for seniors across the globe, UNO made me central to our city. – Lori Hogan, UNO class of 1984

I broke new ground by founding Lingo Docs, Omaha’s only bilingual marketing company serving the real estate community and beyond. By helping me bridge differences of language and culture, UNO made me central to our city! – Armando Salgado, UNO class of 2003

Today I coordinate Mutual of Omaha’s 100 Days of Caring Project that teams hundreds of employee volunteers with nonprofits across the city. By opening my eyes to the importance of giving back to the community, UNO made me central to our city! – Cassie Loseke, UNO December 2008 grad

While a UNO student, I won Microsoft’s first-ever international Imagine Cup. I later co-founded an Omaha company that provides innovative technology solutions to businesses. By fostering my passion and skills for innovation, UNO made me central to our city! – Tu Nguyen

I was Omaha’s first African-American police chief. Today I’m president of the Urban League of Nebraska. By helping me protect our citizens, empower communities and change lives, UNO made me central to our city. – Tom Warren, UNO class of 1989

Variety of Choices for Higher Education

Omaha offers educational choices from large universities to small colleges to fit the individual needs of all types of students.

Bellevue University seeks to meet the needs of adult students with flexible class schedules and career-relevant degree programs working hard to help lifelong learners earn credit for their experience and knowledge. Classes are available at the main campus, a few miles south of Omaha, at satellite locations at the Lozier Professional Center in west Omaha, in Lincoln and online, to allow students to study and learn when their schedule permits. The university’s accelerated degree programs also allow earning a degree in less time than traditional colleges. With over 8,000 students worldwide, Bellevue University is the largest private university in Nebraska.

A unique chance to learn and grow in a women’s environment is the appeal of the College of Saint Mary, a private Catholic college in Omaha’s Aksarben neighborhood. The school offers a combination of professional and career preparation with its variety of study in liberal arts.

Students who prefer a small nurturing environment have options including Grace University, in one of Omaha’s oldest neighborhoods, and Nebraska Christian College at their new campus in Papillion. Both offer biblically-based education and curriculum to prepare students for the world.

Dana College in Blair, about 20 miles north of Omaha, presents a grounding in liberal arts for around 550 students from 35 states, combining small class sizes with academic programs in business, education and social work, among others. The school’s honors program pushes outstanding students to develop initiative, independence and commitment.

Metropolitan Community College is a comprehensive, full-service public community college with three campuses. Its purpose is to provide high quality educational programs and services, primarily in career preparation and general education, to people of all ages and educational backgrounds.

ITT Technical Institute, one of the area’s trade schools, teaches skills and knowledge that can be used to begin careers in our global technology-driven culture.

Kaplan University is part of Kaplan Higher Education, which serves 80,000 students through more than 70 campus-based schools across the United States and in Europe.

Programs at Vatterott College include business, medical, technical, trades, court reporting and culinary arts.

Another chance to enjoy small class sizes along with participation in more than 50 student organizations can be found at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, about 35 miles from Omaha. Midland offers majors in the humanities, physical and life sciences, and social and behavioral sciences.

Working for a Brighter Future

Sophomore Destiny Gamble and her schoolmates at Omaha’s St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey Catholic High School are working to ensure brighter futures for themselves— literally.

One day a week, she and every other Cristo Rey student trades school assignments for office work, teachers for bosses and contemporaries for co-workers. In return, the students gain valuable, real-work experience and a salary that pays about 75 percent of their annual tuition. St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey’s Web site calls it a “new and innovative model” for high school in Omaha, a gateway to a college preparatory education for “students and families who desire it the most but can afford it the least.”

“We reach into communities that have a substantial population of economically-challenged families. These children are the ones who are dropping out at historically high rates. We work with students who want to break out of that cycle and do great things. They just need some opportunities,” said Jim Pogge, director of Hire4ED, a school-based company that matches students with dozens of partner organizations.

First National Bank, Gallup, Methodist Health System and Mutual of Omaha are among those benefiting from Cristo Rey’s work-study program, relying on those young staffers to handle entry-level clerical jobs.

St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey is part of a national network of 24 Cristo Rey Catholic High Schools. Founded in Chicago 14 years ago, the network boasts a 99 percent graduation rate and 96 percent college acceptance rate.

Omaha’s Cristo Rey high school welcomed its first freshmen class in 2007. Enrollment doubled from 50 to 100 in 2008. The school’s goal is to eventually serve up to 500 freshmen through senior students.