Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

Students Faculty Staff Community
University of Nebraska Omaha logo
Academic Affairs
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
Students Faculty Staff Community
  • About Us Backback to Main menu
    • Meet our Team
    • Annual Report
    • Accreditation
    • Colleges
    • Centers and Institutes
    • Research and Creative Activity
    • Licensure
    • Communications
  • Curriculum & Programs Backback to Main menu
    • Course Development
    • Program and Unit Development
    • Course, Laboratory, Miscellaneous Fee Proposals
    • Education Policy Advisory Committee
    • General Education and Dual Enrollment
  • Assessment & Review Backback to Main menu
    • Student Learning Outcomes
    • Assessment Committee
    • Assessment Resources
    • Academic Program Review
    • Academic Planning Council
    • General Education Assessment
  • Faculty Life and Retention Backback to Main menu
    • Center for Faculty Excellence
    • Faculty Senate
    • Faculty Advisory Committee
    • Faculty Development Fellowships
    • Leadership Opportunities
    • Fulbright Program
    • Faculty Evaluation and Advancement
    • Faculty Credentials
    • Faculty Workload Policy
    • Faculty Searches and Recruitment
    • Collective Bargaining Agreement 2023-25
    • Documents and Resources
  • Honors & Awards Backback to Main menu
    • Honors & Awards
    • President's Excellence Awards
    • Chancellor's Awards
    • Campus-wide Faculty Awards
    • Staff Awards
    • Student Honors Convocation
    • UNO Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi
  • Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Global Engagement
    • Community Engagement
    • Academic Communities
    • Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships
  • Initiatives
  • Weitz Innovation and Excellence Fund Projects
  1. UNO
  2. Academic Affairs

HeartBeats

Using Music to Build Community and Contribute to Well-Being

  • published: 2025/03/24
  • contact: Academic Affairs
  • email: academic.affairs@unomaha.edu
A collection of colorful percussion instruments displayed on a round, marble-patterned drum. The set includes a green egg shaker, two purple maracas, a black-handled mallet with a foam head, a blue wrist jingle bell strap, and a pair of yellow castanets.

🎯 Project Focus: For centuries, music has served as a powerful tool for connection, healing, and engagement. HeartBeats builds on this rich history by providing a safe space to engage and socialize through music-making experiences that encourage sharing and connection. Developed by School of Music faculty, this initiative gives students the opportunity to engage as "citizen artists" with individuals who have developmental disabilities. UNO students serve as citizen artists as they move beyond the concert stage to connect with their community in non-traditional spaces.


💡 Why It Matters

  • Music improves well-being: Research shows that music engagement enhances emotional regulation, reduces loneliness, and improves cognitive function.
  • Community access to the arts is imbalanced: Communities that have historically faced barriers, such as the disability community, often have limited access to culturally relevant resources and support.
  • Experiential learning strengthens student’s skill set: HeartBeats empowers students through education and experience beyond the walls of the classroom and allows them to apply theoretical learning to practical applications.

🚀 Key Initiatives

  • Student-Centered Music Residencies
    • UNO School of Music students and faculty lead five nine-month residencies at Duet and UNMC’s Munroe-Meyer Institute.
    • Programming is adapted for individuals with developmental disabilities.
  • Community Partnerships
    • Duet and UNMC’s Munroe-Meyer Institute support individuals with developmental disabilities and special needs. UNO faculty, students and community partners work in tandem to support participants through music engagement.
    • WhyArts provides access to inclusive arts education and serves as a resource and model to HeartBeats.
  • Training and Professional Development
    • HeartBeats leverages student knowledge and experience with partner training and feedback.
    • HeartBeats prepares students to adapt and engage with a variety of listeners and participants, an essential skill in today’s evolving musical ecosystem

📈 Impact Goals

  • Expand music engagement opportunities for individuals with disabilities
  • Give over 200 School of Music students the tools and opportunity to engage with the disability community through interactive music-making.
  • Develop an online HeartBeats toolkit to share curriculum resources, music libraries, and best practices.
  • Enhance UNO’s reputation as a leader in the Arts in Health field, music education, and community engagement.

News Sections

  • Academic Affairs News Center
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured

  • Mavericks Recognized at UNO's 2025 Student Honors Convocation
  • David Richards to Step Down as Dean of Criss Library
  • Weitz Innovation and Excellence Fund: Second Round of Proposals Funded
  • 8 UNO Programs Listed Among Nation's Best in 2025 U.S. News Grad School Rankings

Academic Affairs

Contact Us
  • Academic Affairs
  • 202 Eppley Administration Building
  • 6001 Dodge Street
  • Omaha, NE 68182   map
  • 402.554.2262
  • academic.affairs@unomaha.edu
Social media
Resources
  • For Faculty and Staff
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Service Learning Academy
  • Information Technology Services
  • Catalogs
  • Academic Calendar

Next Steps

  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)

Just For You

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List

Popular Services and Resources

  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • The Maverick Store
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence

Affiliates

  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • ©  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • MavsReport

Social Media


Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.