from the director.

Welcome to the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) School of Social Work website! Here you will find information on the School of Social Work’s mission and vision, academic degree programs, faculty and staff, activities and accomplishments, and alumni.

The School of Social Work is part of the UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS), which also offers programs in criminal justice, gerontology, public administration, urban studies, and aviation. As one of the fastest growing professions, social work continues to expand its values and historic role in meeting the social challenges of a changing society, and addressing the diverse needs of individuals, families and communities everywhere. Established in 1908, the UNO School of Social Work has gleaned local, regional and national recognition for our excellence in teaching, leadership in research, and commitment to service. In less than three years, the UNO School of Social Work will proudly celebrate 100 years of social work education in the state of Nebraska, maintaining our tradition of graduating the top social work students in the Midwest. Our fully accredited bachelor (BSSW) and master’s level (MSW and MSW/MPA) social work degree programs seek to foster students’ growth, cultural competence, and academic preparation for the professional challenges and career opportunities that lie ahead.

Throughout the course of their education and professional development, our students enjoy a warm, welcoming learning environment. Most remarkably, students benefit from the challenge and support of our outstanding faculty, representing an accomplished diversity of scholarship, practice, service and research, embedded within a strong, collective commitment to the values and profession of social work.

Our BSSW and MSW alumni are practicing social work—in the Midwest and beyond—in a diverse array of settings, from the administration of social service agencies to private practice, from public service and organizational consultation to community organizing, advocacy, and sociopolitical activism. As social work educators, we continue to be inspired by our students and alumni as they embrace the mission of social work—on both personal and professional levels, and bravely lead the way toward socioeconomic justice and the betterment of our society.

The UNO School of Social Work is dedicated to exemplary leadership and an ever-expanding commitment to research and culturally competent service within our local and global communities. Through our nationally-recognized service learning curriculum and collaborative developments in child welfare, gerontology, mental health, and school and international social work, our students have opportunities for experiential learning and direct engagement. Our BSSW and MSW students have collaborated with one other, with faculty and alumni, and with community agencies in conducting research, developing programs, and presenting both locally and nationally on a variety of social welfare issues.

If the mission of social work appeals to your senses of personal and professional purpose in life, I welcome and invite you to explore the UNO School of Social Work. To learn more about us, please get in touch!

Sincerely,
Dr. Theresa Barron-McKeagney
Director, UNO School of Social Work

“How Can You Hold the World on One Foot?”

For those who know her, Director Theresa Barron-McKeagney is a staunch and fierce advocate for change—particularly micro and macro level changes related to racism and sexism. She is a proponent of self-reflection as a means to identify the internal biases we all carry that we may move onward to eradicate institutional “isms”. It is her belief that no one person or group of people can accomplish this alone. We simply cannot ‘hold the world on one foot.’ We must work with those who are marginalized and oppressed to create lasting, effective changes.

To hear more of her thoughts regarding racism, sexism, institutionalized oppression and what the School is doing to overcome these obstacles, listen to her interview on Community Forum with A'Jamal Byndon.