UNO Hires Director for Women's, LGBTQIA+ Centers

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has officially filled a new position created to address the success of women and LGBTQIA students.

Jessi Hitchins, who is currently completing her doctorate at the University of Alabama, was hired in February to serve as UNO’s Common Ground Director, which oversees the UNO Women’s Resource Center and LGBTQIA+ Resource Center.

In her role, Hitchins will coordinate violence prevention events on campus as well as working with faculty, staff and students on issues of gender equality across campus.

Hitchins will also serve as an advisor to the student leadership of both the Women’s Resource Center and LGBTQIA+ Resource Center.

"It gives me great pleasure to announce the hiring of Jessi Hitchins as UNO's first Director of Common Ground, our new LGBTQIA+, Women, Gender, and Social Justice Center,” said Dan Shipp, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs “Jessi will be a game changer for our campus. She has developed a national reputation as a serious educator and inclusion champion. We are excited to welcome Jessi to both UNO and Omaha communities.”

Prior to her role at UNO, Hitchins was the assistant director for the Women’s Resource Center at the University of Alabama from 2009 to 2014; she has also served as an adjunct instructor and student teacher since 2006.

For more information on Common Ground, please contact the Office of Academic and Student Affairs at 402.554.2262.