CEC Grand Opening Today

On Thursday, April 17, the UNO Community Engagement Center (CEC) will celebrate its grand opening.

The purpose of the CEC is to mirror Goal 3 of the UNO strategic plan which states, “UNO will be recognized for its outstanding engagement with the urban, regional, national, and global communities.”

The CEC will expand UNO’s current outreach programs, and give rise to broad expanse of new collaborations involving the community, faculty, staff and students from the full range of academic disciplines.

WATCH THE GRAND OPENING LIVE AT 4:30 P.M. ON THURSDAY, APRIL 17

A note from Chancellor Christensen

The Community Engagement Center (CEC) will serve as both the front door to the campus and as the university's signature outreach venue. The CEC will support expansion of university-community partnerships, help meet growing demands for community meeting and planning space and extend the campus' logistical resources to its community partners. UNO is among a vanguard of universities throughout the nation committed to a dynamic civic engagement agenda, and, accordingly, the CEC will play a vital role in UNO achieving its significant community outreach goals. UNO will be one of the few civically engaged universities to have a dedicated facility for this endeavor.

-Dr. John Christensen

Upcoming Tours

Tours of the new CEC for students, faculty and staff are on the following dates:

• 4/14 at 4 p.m.
• 4/15 at 2 p.m.
• 4/16 at 11 a.m.
• 4/17 at 11 a.m.
• 4/18 at noon

About the CEC

UNO’s Community Engagement Center will house both external community organizations and internal UNO organizations with the goal to increase collaboration between university faculty, students and area non-profits. As partners in the Center, the organizations will have access to UNO resources such as the nationally-recognized Service Learning Academy, UNO’s Office of Civic and Social Responsibility and other students leadership programs.

The selection process consisted of an initial written application, followed by interviews with committee composed of community and university representatives. The committee made formal recommendations to senior leadership at UNO, who made the final decision for the first round of residents

The organizations chosen for space in the Center are:

A Time To Heal

A nonprofit organization dedicated to holistic wellness and recovery for cancer survivors and their caregivers.

Buffett Early Childhood Institute (BECI)

An institute combining teaching and research faculty from the University of Nebraska’s four campuses to work collaboratively to improve the lives of children from birth through age 8.

The Collaborative

Opportunities abound for UNO students and others to become involved in action projects and programs which create positive social change in our community and beyond. Student-directed service and volunteer transformations are happening every day through The Collaborative.

Inclusive Communities

A human relations organization confronting prejudice, bigotry and discrimination through education programs which raise awareness, foster leadership and encourage advocacy for a just and inclusive society.

MaverickPR

A UNO student-run public relations firm devoted to serving clients by offering innovative and creative solutions to help them achieve their public relations goals.

Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (MACCH)

A nonprofit organization committed to end homelessness in the Douglas and Sarpy Counties in Nebraska and Pottawattamie County in Iowa.

Nebraska Shakespeare

A nonprofit organization utilizing Shakespeare’s life-affirming works to broadening the cultural and educational environments of the community.

Nebraska Watershed Network

A UNO organization acting as a focal point for research, teaching and community outreach regarding surface water quality in eastern Nebraska and throughout the state and region. It will collaborate with the Daugherty Water for Food Institute and the UNMC College of Public Health, as well as the Omaha Public Schools, the local Natural Resource Districts, and other community organizations.

Nebraskans for Civic Reform

Nebraskans for Civic Reform (NCR) is a group of dedicated and politically diverse young Nebraskan professionals who are committed to making our civic institutions more inclusive among youth and historically disadvantaged and disengaged populations.

Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS)

A UNO organization aimed to advance the understanding of Chicano/Latino/Latin American peoples and the critical issues affecting these populations.

Omaha by Design

A nonprofit urban design and environmental nonprofit devoted to improving the way Omaha looks, functions and feels.

The Omaha Community Foundation (OCF)

One of the country’s largest community foundations, OCF connects people who care about the community with the people and nonprofits who are doing the most good here. In addition to supporting Omaha’s philanthropic community, OCF works to determine the Omaha community’s greatest needs; to build up its nonprofits; and to find new ways for people to come together to give. The OCF will occupy one office in the CEC to improve their proximity and outreach among local nonprofits and UNO students, faculty and staff.

Omaha Public Library

OPL strengthens our communities by connecting people with ideas, information, and innovative services, a mission that will be better achieved by working collaboratively with other organizations. In 2012 OPL was awarded a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS) towards its project "Creating a Collaborative Culture through Community Engagement." Working with UNO and the CEC will help bring the project to a new level of success, ultimately better serving Omaha and Douglas County residents.

Queer Nebraska Youth Networks

A peer-led group of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) Nebraskan youth age 15-24, committed to combating isolation by building healthy, supportive, and intentional communities that promote intracommunity friendships and cultivate hope.

Service Learning Academy (SLA)

The UNO Service Learning Academy creates university-community partnerships by integrating academic scholarship and civic engagement. These partnerships enhance student learning, advance community development, and foster engaged citizenship.

Sigma Phi Epsilon

UNO’s second largest fraternity aiming to work towards the ideal of the “Balanced Man” by challenging their members to get involved in other organizations, leadership roles and in the community.

The Social Media Lab for Research and Engagement

This UNO-based organization represents a collaboration between the College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media (CFAM); the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) School of Communication; the College of Information Science and Technology (IS&T) and others across campus. The Social Media Lab will provide consultation services to scholars, students and community partners on projects across disciplines when they involve forms of socialized computer-mediated communication; events and educational courses and workshops to serve both UNO faculty, staff, students and extended community partners; and cutting edge research related to the use of social media and spans across issues and disciplines.

Spirituality, Public Health and Religious Studies (SPHRS)

SPHRS is a project of Religious Studies that supports, or helps to coordinate, a variety of partnerships, initiatives and activities related to the areas of Spirituality, Public Health and Religious Studies at UNO, UNMC and in local and global communities.

Support and Training for the Evaluation of Programs (STEPS)

An UNO organization aimed to provide participatory, utilization-focused program evaluation to programs organizations serving children, youth, and families in poverty.

Sustainability Organizations

A group of UNO organizations promoting and integrating sustainability by engaging in dialogue, identifying sustainability opportunities and developing recommended action plans.

Volunteer Program Assessment – University of Nebraska at Omaha

A UNO organization devoted to providing quantitative and qualitative data and feedback to non-profit organizations from the perspective of their volunteers with the goal of improving volunteer and organizational outcomes.

Wellness Council of the Midlands (WELCOM)

A nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting organizations of all sizes and industry to develop a workplace culture that supports their employees’ efforts in maintaining a healthy lifestyle both at work and at home.

William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies

A UNO institute dedicated to fostering creative and critical thinking among labor leaders, potential leaders, and interested members by providing relevant information and training in the skills needed in today’s changing economy and workplace.

WhyArts? Inc.

A community organization that partners with professional artists and area organizations serving at-risk youth, people with physical, mental or developmental disabilities and seniors to create interactive arts experiences.

For further inquiries, please contact Sara Woods at swoods@unomaha.edu or 402.554.3914 or visit the UNO CEC website.

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