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CPACS Celebrates 50 Years

Remarkable faculty and staff; distinguished alumni; national rankings; and excellence top the charts as the College of Public Affairs and Community Service begins celebrating the last 50 years.

CPACS 50th Anniversary logo

As we nod to the accomplishments and accolades of the past, we look toward 2022 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS).

“Fifty years ago, CPACS was created to ‘attack community problems’ and harness the intellectual power of the university to be part of the solution,” said John Bartle, CPACS Dean. “We have educated generations of students, but more notably, are directly involved in solving many complex social problems both in the Omaha area, and statewide. The Omaha community is stronger and more humane because of CPACS.”

CPACS plan was built on three UNO goals

1. Place students at the center of the educational enterprise.

2. Achieve academic excellence consistent with being a metropolitan university of high distinction considered among the nation’s premier state-supported institutions located in an urban setting.

3. Actively engage with the community.

Today, CPACS continues to be a nationally recognized college of inspirational teaching, innovative research and transformative service striving to create an equitable and just society.

CPACS 50th Anniversary Events

Festivities in honor of the CPACS 50th Anniversary will kick off with events throughout the year commemorating the history of the College. Each unit within the College will also hold celebrations. Check back here for full details moving forward.

Collegewide events:

  • Thursday, March 10, 2022: CPACS Alumni Awards Event

  • Closing Event | Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, 2:05 P.M. | Men's Basketball vs. Idaho, at Baxter Arena. Followed by a reception at DJ's Dugout in Aksarben Village from 4-7:30 P.M.. We will offer a discount on tickets. More information coming soon!

The Schools and Departments within CPACS will have their own events:

  • School of Criminology and Criminal Justice: Awards Luncheon | April 8

  • Aviation Institute: Durham Lecture and Honors Convocation | Tuesday, April 12

  • William Brennan Institute of Labor Studies: Nebraska Works! Conference | April 8

  • Grace Abbott School of Social Work: Wine and Cheese event | May 11, 5-7 P.M.

  • Department of Gerontology: Chuck Powell Memorial Lecture Series with Dr. Kenneth Rockwood | Wednesday, September 21, 1:00 PM | Thompson Alumni Center. This lecture is in coordination with Mark Gilbert’s symposium and exhibit Memory Serves: Drawing Others Close

  • School of Public Administration: Alumni Event | September 9, 6-9 P.M. | Thompson Alumni Center

  • Goodrich Scholarship Program: Alumni weekend | September 23-24

  • Juvenile Justice Institute: 20th Anniversary Celebration, featuring those instrumental in creating the Institute | September 29, 4-7 P.M., Thompson Alumni Center

Enjoy just a few fast facts about CPACS

CPACS was established in 1972, comprised of eight units and departments today.

Enrollment is the highest in the history of the College. Last fall it went up 11.4%, and in the last decade, 43%, the largest increase among the six colleges at UNO.

Seven of our academic programs are ranked in the top 30 in the nation.

The UNO School of Public Administration within CPACS houses the NextGen Leadership Corps, and is one of just four universities in the United States to house such a program.

Twelve alumni were recognized as CPACS alumni awardees in 2021, including the College’s exclusive Hubert Locke Award.


About the UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service

The College of Public Affairs and Community Service comprises 8 units and several subunits. Our programs are interdisciplinary and work with countless local, national, and international organizations to make a difference in communities in Nebraska and around the world. As our state's highest ranked college, we have eight programs ranked in the top 25 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.