UNO's Mike Connolly Receives KUDOS Award
On March 18, 2016, the Board of Regents presented a KUDOS Award to Mike Connolly, Director of UNO’s nationally recognized Office of Military and Veteran Services.
Mike oversees a team of five staff members and more than a dozen student workers. Under Mike’s direction, the team has furthered UNO’s three strategic goals: being student centered, academically excellent, and engaged with the community.
Here’s how:
Student Centered
Mike’s office works with 1,600 military-affiliated students to ensure they stay on path to graduate. About 500 calls are made each week to check in on students. Mike says interacting with students is his favorite part of his job.
Some of the students we work with have a lot on their plates, and I enjoy seeing what happens when things work out well for those students.
Academically Excellent
About two years ago, Mike’s team surveyed all military, veteran and dependent students at UNO. The survey revealed some students struggled in specific math classes. To address this concern, the office began offering a tutoring program. Pass rates have since increased by 25 percent.
Engaged with the Community
Recently, Mike created a proposal for UNO to partner with Omaha-based companies on hiring service men and women in technology-related fields. His team launched a new Learning Community known as Vets in Tech. Three companies have joined Vets in Tech: Union Pacific, Northrop Grumman, and First Data.