Modern Classroom Mirrors Work Environment

Modern Classroom Mirrors Work Environment

by Connie White

An outdated computer lab at the University of Nebraska at Omaha was recently refurbished as a modern professional technology space thanks to a generous gift and input from FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha).

Located on the second floor of the Peter Kiewit Institute Building on UNO’s Scott Campus, the FNBO Code Studio was redesigned with oval tables, docking stations and whiteboards to provide flexibility and encourage student collaboration. Renovations occurred over the spring and summer, and the refurbished space opened in fall 2023.

“This partnership with FNBO allows faculty to experiment with new pedagogical approaches while supporting student teamwork and innovation,” said Martha Garcia-Murillo, Ph.D., Lee D. and Willa Seemann Distinguished Dean of the College of Information Science & Technology (IS&T). “The FNBO Code Studio closely resembles the workspaces in technology-centric companies such as FNBO, helping to prepare students for their future careers.”

FNBO also made a gift through the University of Nebraska Foundation to create a scholarship to forever provide financial assistance to students pursuing an IS&T degree. The gift was matched by other funds to establish the FNBO Information Science & Technology Endowed Scholarship Fund. The amount of the gift was not disclosed at the donor’s request.

“FNBO Code Studio is an amazing opportunity that will allow students access to great resources throughout their education. I am excited about this partnership as it will continue to support workforce development,” said UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA.

FNBO’s investment expands on the Omaha-based company’s involvement with IS&T. FNBO participates in the college’s Learn and Earn initiative, which launched in the 2022-23 academic year to increase students’ access to professional experiences while encouraging graduates to stay in the region to pursue tech careers. The initiative connects students with local companies such as FNBO through job shadowing, class projects and paid internships.

Sammy Sufian, vice president of technology at FNBO, said it’s important for employers in the information technology sector to connect with students early and often throughout their university careers to prepare them for life post-graduation.

“We can’t afford to view academia and corporate America as two sequential, mutually exclusive entities anymore,” he said.

The company’s decision to invest in the FNBO Code Studio reflects a desire to create a hub where students can interact with industry professionals and learn in a studio environment that encourages project collaboration.

“We want to make sure students have access to modern technology and modern facilities that really mirror our own workspaces here at the bank,” Sufian said.

Brian Dorn, Ph.D., associate dean for academic and faculty affairs for IS&T, said students typically sit at their own machines in front of a lecturer for computer science and engineering classes, but that’s not how tech industry professionals operate.

“It’s collaborative, it’s centered around teams of people solving problems together,” he said.

UNO student Zaid Kakish, an undergraduate majoring in computer science and cybersecurity, believes the FNBO Code Studio is a great addition to the Peter Kiewit Institute Building.

“I have enjoyed my class in the FNBO Code Studio room a lot this semester as it provides a super fun and interactive environment to work, discuss and socialize with other students in the classroom,” he said.

FNBO’s gift was made as part of Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future. The campaign is a historic effort to engage at least 150,000 benefactors to give $3 billion to support University of Nebraska students, faculty, academic and clinical programs and research to address the needs of the state.