UNO First Nebraska School in Global Research Network

From left: Sister Rosemary Arrah, Benadette Ngamelue, Larisa Akah

Omaha – Starting this year, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has joined the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) network, a select consortium of colleges and universities from across the world, as Nebraska’s only member school.

The CGI U network is designed to support, mentor and provide seed funding to student leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs who are developing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. UNO is one of only approximately 50 member universities from across the world, stretching from Rhode Island’s Brown University to Ireland’s University College Dublin and the American University at Dubai.

As a member, UNO has dedicated $10,000 in funding that will be used to help selected students pursue projects at this year’s CGI U Conference, which takes place at Arizona State University from Friday, March 21, through Sunday, March 23.

“This is an incredible opportunity for UNO students who are looking to make a difference,” said Kathe Olson-Lyons, UNO’s director of Civic and Social Responsibility. “Being a member of the CGI U network connects our students with thousands and students from across world and allows them to develop their skills as social innovators and leaders thanks to mentoring provided by faculty and staff from both UNO and CGI U.”

Otherwise known as “Commitments to Action,” CGI U projects are designed to address global challenges across five focus areas:

- Education
- Environment and Climate Change
- Peace and Human Rights
- Poverty Alleviation
- Public Health

In 2013, three UNO students attended the CGI U conference to present their idea of building public libraries in their home country of Cameroon. Now simply called “Readingdrive,” the project has collected over 13,000 books that have been sent to two libraries in Cameroon with the hope of four additional libraries being constructed in the near future. 

Leading the project is Sister Rosemarry Arrah, who will once again be submitting a Commitment to Action for this year’s conference. 

“Books are very expensive; parents would rather buy food for their children than books,” Arrah explained. “We believe that the children are willing to read, they only in access to books and opportunity.”

Since 2008, CGI U has brought together more than 5,500 student leaders from 135 countries and more than 800 schools.

For more information, please contact Charley Reed, UNO media relations coordinator, at unonews@unomaha.edu or by phone at 402.554.2129. 

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

 Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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