2025 Recipient
In recognition of her lifelong dedication to gender equity, scholarship, and advocacy at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) and beyond, the Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Gender Equity (CCSGE) recognizes Mary Ann Lamanna as the 2025 UNO Legendary Leader. A changemaker on our campus, she has shaped generations of students and colleagues through her commitment to social justice, academic excellence, and institutional change.
Dr. Lamanna’s path toward leadership and advocacy began with a Fulbright Scholarship in 1958 in Strasbourg, France. After returning to the U.S., she became active in the Civil Rights Movement in Chapel Hill, joining demonstrations and sit-ins to protest segregation. As a graduate student, she worked alongside fellow activists to challenge racial discrimination, reinforcing her commitment to equity and inclusion. After earning her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame in 1977, she joined UNO’s faculty as the only woman in the Department of Sociology.
Throughout her tenure at UNO, Dr. Lamanna played a key role in strengthening faculty representation and rights. From 1977 to 1983, she was instrumental in developing UNO’s faculty union, pushing for fair policies and increased support for educators. She also chaired the first Ad Hoc Women’s Studies Advisory Committee from 1985 to 1987, helping establish Women’s Studies as a recognized academic field at UNO. From 1995 to 2001, she spearheaded the proposal to create a Women’s Studies major, leading to its final approval in 2001.
Her scholarship has also had a lasting impact. In 1979, she co-authored Transition to Nowhere: Vietnamese Refugees in America with William T. Liu and Alice K. Murata, a study sponsored by the Asian American Health Center. In 1981, she published the first edition of Marriages and Families: Making Choices Throughout the Life Cycle, now in its 14th edition. Her 2003 book, Émile Durkheim on the Family, was named an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice, further cementing her influence in sociological research.
Beyond academia, Dr. Lamanna has been a strong advocate for reproductive rights and women’s health. In 1989, she joined the board of Planned Parenthood Omaha-Council Bluffs, reinforcing her dedication to gender equity beyond the classroom. Her contributions were recognized in 1987 when she received the Outstanding Achievement Award from UNO’s Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women.
In recognition of her impact on our campus, UNO established the Mary Ann Lamanna Award for Excellence in Women’s Studies in 2004, honoring students who demonstrate a commitment to feminist scholarship and activism. She has also served on key university committees, including the Institutional Review Board, the University Committee on Research, and the Arts & Sciences Advisory Committee.