Since 1908, the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) has considered engagement and outreach to the Omaha community a cornerstone of the university. UNO uses outreach to enhance teaching and research through service learning, internships, practica, and research.
Place Matters
The Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC) is a nationally unique and innovative facility that ensures improved community access to the UNO campus and its full array of services, events, and human capital.
Additionally, the CEC facilitates robust community through a broad range of resources and activities for UNO students, faculty and staff.
The CEC represents UNO’s deep commitment to be a metropolitan institution of distinction and its intention to be open, accessible, and available to the communities it serves.
The CEC is not intended, however, to detract or reduce the extensive outreach activities already occurring on and off-campus. Rather, the CEC enhances UNO’s capacity to be more responsive and effective in all of its engagement activities, as it supports the aims of UNO’s Service Learning Academy, Service, Leadership, and Innovation Collaborative and other engagement activities occurring at UNO
National Recognition for Engagement Efforts
2006: Among the first universities to receive "Community Engagement Classification" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
2006: Listed in the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll
2009: "Honorable Mention," Washington Center's Higher Education Civic Engagement Award
2010: Finalists for the President's Award, a top award in the general service category of the Presidents Honor Roll
2011: Listed among 141 institutions recognized "with distinction" and on the Presidents Honor Roll
2014: Recipient of the Presidential Award for the Economic Opportunity category of the 2014 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll
2015: Awarded continuing classification as a Community Engaged institution by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Top 25 "Best Neighbor" colleges and universities among 125 institutions who participated in the survey "Saviors of Our Cities: A Survey of Best College and University Civic Partnerships"
UNO's Service Learning Program recognized as an "Academic Program to Look For" among 42 programs listed nationally by U.S. News & World Report.