2006.02.22

A service learning class brought high tech help to small businesses in South Omaha last semester. A professor and a student recruiter from the UNO College of Information Science and Technology explain.

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A SERVICE LEARNING CLASS OFFERED LAST FALL ORGANIZED BY A UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND STUDENT RECRUITER TOOK STUDENTS WITH HIGH TECHNOLOGY SKILLS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM AND INTO OMAHA'S HISPANIC COMMUNITY.  THE RESULTS?  SOME EXCELLENT ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN SOUTH OMAHA AND REAL-WORLD CONSULTING EXPERIENCE FOR THE STUDENTS.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DONNA DUFNER EXPLAINS THE THINKING BEHIND THE COURSE.

DUFNER: "People in South Omaha work very hard, don't have time to learn about computers, don't have the options available to them that we have.  And they are also going to need assistance with technology.  So I thought if we could get some of our bright students down to help them with technology and introduce technology in places that could help them run their businesses I thought we'd be able to provide a service."

ELEVEN STUDENTS WORKED WITH THREE SOUTH OMAHA BUSINESSES-A BAKERY, A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO, AND A STUDIO OF LATINA ARTISTS.

STUDENT RECRUITER JUDITH MONARREZ DIAZ-KELSEY SAID TWO OF THE THREE BUSINESS OWNERS WERE MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH SKILLS.  LANGUAGE, HOWEVER, NEVER BECAME A PROBLEM

DIAZ-KELSEY: "We were lucky enough to have at least one student per team that spoke Spanish, and so that seemed to just work out very well."

ALL OF THE BUSINES OWNERS UNDERSTOOD THAT COMPUTERS, WEBSITES, AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY COULD HELP GROW THEIR CLIENT BASE AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY, DUFNER SAID.

DUFNER: "The entrepreneurs we worked with knew that.  They just didn't know how to put the pieces together, which is understandable because they work a lot of hours."

THE STUDENTS DEVELOPED A MUCH BETTER IDEA OF HOW SMALL BUSINESS WORK DURING THE COURSE, SHE ADDED.

DUFFNER:  "Our students came away appreciating how bright the entrepreneurs are in south Omaha, how hard working they are, how creative.  And that's really what we wanted to accomplish also in addition to the technology sharing."

NONE OF THE UNO STUDENTS HAD SPENT MUCH TIME IN SOUTH OMAHA PRIOR TO TAKING THE CLASS, DIAZ-KELSEY SAID.

DIAZ-KELSEY: "So I think they left with just much more understanding about its history, its people, its movement, its liveliness.  And I think they left quite impressed and with a change of heart as far as how they felt about being in south Omaha and going to south Omaha."

WORKING WITH A CLIENT AT THEIR BUSINESS INSTEAD OF IN A CLASSROOM IS IMPORTANT, TOO.

DUFNER: "One of the students even said 'I'm really glad that I go to do something real and something helpful for someone.'"

DUFNER AND DIAZ-KELSEY ARE OFFERING ANOTHER SERVICE LEARNING COURSE THIS SPRING SEMESTER, TOO. 

2006.08.22
While high school seniors should be enjoying their final year, it's never too early to start thinking about college. Jason Blohm, assistant director for UNO Rescruitment Services, offers a great deal of practical advice for high school students and their parents in this podcast interview. NOTE: This is a true podcast file. This interview is more than eight minutes long.
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2006.07.31
UNO's Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) has just release a new report on state population trends. David Drozd, a CPAR researcher, says that the 2005 Nebraska Population Report points to a continuing and expanding divide between urban and rural counties. Drozd also describes the state's "population fishhook." NOTE: This is a true podcast file. This interview is more than eight minutes long.
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2006.06.14
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is helping keep our state on the cutting edge of the global economy by making connections aroudn the world. A new and growing relationship with the Indian Institutes of Technology brought dozens of students from half way around the world to Omaha to learn from UNO faculty and meet area business leaders, including Warren Buffett. Dr. Deepak Khazanchi, from the UNO College of Information Science and Technology explains. NOTE: This is a true podcast file. This interview is less than 13 minutes long.
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2006.05.12
Nebraska's primary election results are now final. Loree Bykerk, the chair of the UNO Polticial Science Department, in this interview breaks down what happened in the races for Nebraska's U.S. Senate seat and for governer. Bykerk, who has closely followed state politics for years, says the primary results for governor were espeically interesting. NOTE: This is a true podcast file. This information packed interview is just a little over seven minutes.
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2006.05.03
Spring graduation not only is a time for university and college students to celebrate, it is also the season they look for full-time jobs in career areas they are (hopefully) interested in. Bill Swanson, the director UNO's Office of Career Exploration and Outreach, talks about the employment outlook for graduates in Nebraska, preparing for interviews, and common sense job hunting advice. NOTE: This is a true podcast file. This information packed interview is just a little over 11 minutes.
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2006.04.14
Methamphetamine drug abuse continues to be a issue that especially concerns rural states. Nebraska is no exception. Hank Robinson, the director of UNO's Juvenile Justice Institute, has extensively researched the topic. In this interview he explains how meth comes to Nebraska and what are the best practices to address meth addiction.
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2006.04.03
The 16th annual Airline Quality Ratings are out today, April 3. Click on the link below to listen to Dr. Brent Bowen, director of UNO's Aviation Institute. He talks about which airline is top ranked and industry trends. PLEASE NOTE A VIDEO LINK IS ALSO AVAILABLE BELOW.
Link to AQR information page | mp3 audio News Line feed | Video interview feed-dsl | Video link-56K (Both video links use Windows Media Player)

2006.02.22
A service learning class brought high tech help to small businesses in South Omaha last semester. A professor and a student recruiter from the UNO College of Information Science and Technology explain.
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2006.02.01
The Fifth Annual Malcolm X Festival will be held Feb. 15 and 16 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. This year's festival will focus on "The Black Woman: Past, Present and Future." Professor Peggy Jones explains.
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2006.01.06
The University of Nebraska at Omaha's Neighborhood Center for Greater Omaha teaches and empowers individuals and area neighborhood associations. Ron Abdouch, the center's director, explains how this unique program operates.
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