Governor's Column by Dave Heineman

A New Century Begins at UNO

Oct. 19, 2009 Dear Fellow Nebraskans: The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) this year marked 100 years of academic excellence in our largest city.

As UNO completes a year-long centennial celebration honoring its past, the campus continues to build and plan for the future. The largest of several projects currently underway include the creation of a new $30 million College of Business Administration building on the old Aksarben racetrack property. Known as Mammel Hall, it will be a cutting-edge and environmentally-friendly building ready for students next September.

UNO officials expect this and other new campus buildings, including a renovated recreation facility, to help attract even more students in 2010.

More than 15,300 students chose to become Mavericks. While 90 percent of UNO’s students are from Nebraska, students from around the world also come to Omaha. More than 1,300 of UNO’s students are from 117 countries, with international students and scholars contributing more than $29 million to the local economy each year.

Other facts and figures on the current student body indicate that more than half of all UNO students are the first in their families to pursue higher education. To help make the transition from high school to college more comfortable, UNO leaders have developed learning communities, such as the Goodrich, Honors and the Thompson Scholarship Program, that provide a support system to help students new to the college environment. These support systems have been shown to increase the likelihood of student success.

Since the 1999-2000 school year students receiving degrees from UNO are up 25 percent. In 2008, 2,735 students received a UNO diploma. Statistics show that most of these graduates have made career and life choices that keep them in Nebraska. Of the 70,000 living UNO alumni, nearly 60 percent currently live in Nebraska with more than 50 percent of these residing in the Omaha area. The university’s annual total economic impact for the state is calculated to be more than $2 billion.

UNO’s impact extends beyond dollars to include partnerships with non-profit organizations, governments and businesses that help improve the quality of life for UNO students and Omaha residents. These partnerships provide students with real-world experiences through internships and a wide variety of service projects. Some of Omaha’s largest corporations have enjoyed having UNO students in their organizations for years. UNO’s Nebraska Business Development Centers have helped more than 375 rural Nebraska communities create or save more than 2,400 jobs.

I’m very proud of the work being done under the leadership of UNO Chancellor John Christensen and his team. Each of the four University of Nebraska campuses has a unique mission and UNO has committed to providing a dynamic and diverse higher education experience for students. With the majority of UNO graduates remaining in Nebraska and contributing to our state’s economic vitality, it’s clear that UNO students are mastering the academic skills needed to be successful in their future careers.