UNO Deans Announce Next Generation Service Program
The Cross-Sector Collaborative Leadership Minor prepares students to become professionals with a sense of social responsibility and civic engagement.
Many societal problems are complicated and cannot be solved by stand-alone organizations. A new way has emerged which draws from the distinctive strengths of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This approach requires people with an understanding of the skills of collaboration, and knowledge and appreciation of each of the three sectors. True leadership in the future will call for passionate young leaders who have these abilities and the ability to develop networks and set them into motion to solve problems.
Dean John Bartle of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service and Dean Michelle Trawick of the College of Business Administration is leading a new academic program to serve this need. The Next Generation Service program will offer a minor in Cross-Sector Collaborative Leadership that will be available to all UNO undergraduates. Students will learn the techniques and tools of collaboration and then to apply them to specific projects through “hands on” service learning projects, building networks with students outside their majors and establishing relationships that will last a lifetime. It will be customizable for students depending on their background.
UNO is ideally positioned to respond to these needs. Because of its tradition of service learning and engagement, along with its national rankings in both public administration and business, UNO was selected as one of the first five universities for the NextGen Service Partnership by the New York-based Volcker Alliance, along with Indiana University, the University of Washington, the Andrew Young School at Georgia State University, and the City University of New York.
Dean Bartle said, “Omaha gets things done by working across sectors. UNO is a leader in service learning and has the framework already in place to launch this initiative through the Service Learning Academy and The Leadership Collaborative.” Dean Trawick said, “There is no better way to develop leaders of the future than having them work collaboratively, across silos, to solve real-world problems. That is what our corporate, government and non-profit leaders have to do to make our community better. Let’s train our students in the best ways of doing that.”
The minor requires six courses in both Public Administration and Business and is open to any undergraduate with 100 credits or less.
For program details or to enroll in the program, see: unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/public-administration/academic-programs/collaborative-leadership-minor.php, or contact Dr. Meagan Van Gelder, at 402.554.3480 or mvangelder@unomaha.edu.