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UNO Division of Continuing Studies Receives 2022 Malcolm Knowles Award

Division of Continuing Studies Staff

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) received the 2022 Malcolm Knowles Award for Outstanding Adult Education Program Leadership.

The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) presented the 2022 Malcolm Knowles Award for Outstanding Adult Education Program Leadership to the Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) during its annual conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The award recognizes teams or individuals for outstanding leadership to programs in accordance with andragogical processes, which demonstrate particular effectiveness, relevancy, creativity, immediacy, institutional cooperation or collaboration, and legislative impact.

Since its inception, the BMS program was intentionally designed for the diverse, multigenerational, and multidimensional learner population whom we refer to as adults."

 Christine Billings, director of the Division of Continuing Studies

The three-fold mission-based focus and curricular design of the Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies (BMS) program combined with the services and support centered around meeting students where they are, captured the attention of the awards committee. “Since its inception, the BMS program was intentionally designed for the diverse, multigenerational, and multidimensional learner population whom we refer to as adults,” says Christine Billings, director of the Division of Continuing Studies. “We recognize our learners as whole persons and rely on both theory and high impact practice to inform our approach. Receiving this award confirms we are living our guiding philosophy of meeting students where they are.”

About UNO DCS

With more than 25,000 graduates, the origin of the BMS program dates to 1950 and is realized through the collaborative efforts of the entire UNO campus. Over the past 70+ years, DCS has advocated for diverse, multigenerational learners, has been guided by learner-centered design; and champions equity through innovation to realize access and opportunity.

About AAACE

AAACE is dedicated to the belief that lifelong learning contributes to human fulfillment and positive social change. AAACE publishes the leading adult education journals in the field: Adult Education Quarterly, Adult Learning, and the Journal of Transformative Education. The Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education is published every ten years.