Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
  • About Backback to Main menu
    • About
    • Leadership
    • Mission and Strategic Plan
    • Accreditation
    • Our City
    • Facts and Figures
    • Campus Safety
    • Buildings and Maps
    • Contact Us
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Academics
    • Majors & Programs
    • Class Search
    • Catalogs
    • Academic Calendar
    • Colleges
    • Academic Affairs
    • Online Learning
    • International
    • Library
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Admissions
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Tuition and Fees
    • Financial Aid
    • Registrar
    • Visit UNO
    • Request Info
    • Apply
  • Student Life Backback to Main menu
    • Student Life
    • Division of Student Life and Wellbeing
    • Academic & Career Development Center
    • Accessibility
    • Housing & Residence Life
    • Inclusion
    • Service
    • Student Conduct & Community Standards
    • Student Involvement
    • Student Safety
    • Wellness
  • Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Engagement
    • Office of Engagement
    • Campus Resources for Community
    • Service Learning Academy
    • Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center
    • Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs
    • Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center
    • Faculty Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Voter Engagement
    • Community Engagement Partnership Initiative
  • Research Backback to Main menu
    • Research
    • Research News
    • Centers and Institutes
  • Athletics Backback to Main menu
    • Athletics
    • Baxter Arena
    • Omaha Mavericks Website
  • Alumni Backback to Main menu
    • Alumni
    • Transcripts
    • Thompson Center
  1. UNO
  2. News
  3. 2020
  4. 01
  5. Omaha North Senior Awarded 'Maverick in the Making' Scholarship

Omaha North Senior Awarded 'Maverick in the Making' Scholarship

Desyree’ McGhee plans to pursue a degree that will help her change the conversation around seeking mental health treatment.

  • published: 2020/01/13
  • contact: Sam Peshek - University Communications
  • search keywords:
  • maverick in the making
  • scholarship
  • p-12
Desyree’ McGhee in front of her locker at  Omaha North High School.

Desyree’ McGhee was selected as a "Maverick in the Making" - earning a $4,000 scholarship to attend UNO.

Desyree’ McGhee isn’t going to wait on the world to change.

McGhee, an Omaha North High School senior, intends to be the change that she wants to see in the world by using her education to take on the stigma surrounding mental health treatment. Her passion to have a positive impact in her community and rise above challenges is why the University of Nebraska at Omaha made McGhee the latest recipient of the Maverick in the Making Scholarship.

“I want to be the first to do something different so everyone else isn’t afraid to try,” McGhee says.

Maverick in the Making recognizes high school seniors who are making a difference in their communities by awarding them a scholarship to UNO for $4,000. McGhee is the second recipient of the scholarship, which launched in 2019.

McGhee says she intends to pursue psychology as an undergraduate and pursue a master’s in marriage in family therapy, with the goal of “changing the mindset of North Omaha,” when it comes to mental health.

“I want to change that conversation because it’s something that I feel like we really struggle with,” she says.

Lajoy Green, McGhee’s nominator, and college and career counselor at Omaha North, says her curiosity and a desire to help her community will help her thrive at UNO.

“She’s one of those kids that asks why, and it’s not to be defiant or difficult, it’s to seek better understanding,” Green says. “I feel that UNO will give her those opportunities to expand and really help her develop and strengthen the things she’s really good at.”

Although she didn’t consider attending college until recently, McGhee credited the women in her family – especially her single mother – with the decision to pursue higher education. She also wants to be an example for her sisters.

“I want to be the change…and start something new for my sisters coming after me, because I’m the oldest and I want her to be proud to see that all that she has endured will benefit us in the long run,” she says.

McGhee had considered attending schools outside of Omaha or out-of-state at first, but says UNO “makes me feel at home within my home in Omaha.”

“My education has opened doors for me that wouldn’t have opened if I wasn’t so engaged, so I feel like college will open more doors for me,” she says.

Have your own future Maverick to nominate? UNO is accepting submissions for the Next Maverick in the Making year-round.

Nominate Your Maverick in the Making

A Maverick is an independent thinker—someone who isn't afraid to go against the grain and explore without the fear of failing. At UNO, our Mavericks are asking questions and making change all across the world. Nominate your Maverick in the Making today and give them the chance to start big! You can also learn about past recipients of the scholarship.

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.

Follow UNO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

  • News Sections:
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events
SHARE

News Sections

  • News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured Stories

  • Social Mobility, Experiential Learning Focus of Interview with UNO Chancellor Li
  • UNO Students Graduate as Community Engaged Scholars
  • The Semester Guide
  • More Than 4,800 UNO Students Named to Dean's, Chancellor's Lists in Fall 2022

Contact Us

If you have a story idea, news tip, or other question, please email the UNO News team at unonews@unomaha.edu.

About University Communications

  • Next Steps
  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)
  • Just For You
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List
  • Popular Services and Resources
  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • Bookstore
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Affiliates
  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • © 2023  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • Report an Incident or Concern

Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.

scroll to top of page