UNO and Opendorse Announce Strategic Partnership for Holistic Student-Athlete Education Model

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and Opendorse, the NIL leader and TIME100 Most Influential Company, today announced a strategic partnership to revolutionize student-athlete education and success. Holistic Athlete™ combines UNO’s long-standing commitment to innovative education with Opendorse’s expertise in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), athlete-focused financial literacy, and other elements of the student-athlete experience.

“UNO has been at the forefront of digital education for 25 years, and this partnership with Opendorse allows us to continue that tradition of innovation,” said UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D. “Our goal is to provide student-athletes with the best possible resources to ensure a well-rounded educational experience. We’re proud that our Holistic Athlete program will serve athletes all across the country.”

Through Holistic Athlete, UNO and Opendorse have created a comprehensive digital education program for all schools, designed to fulfill the NCAA’s Holistic Student-Athlete Model in one platform. This program, part of UNO’s Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives, offers flexible, engaging, and future-proof educational content that can be easily accessed any time, anywhere.

“The program we designed at UNO is an innovative way for student athletes to not only fulfill requirements, but also learn durable life skills in a way that fits their busy schedules,” said Jaci Lindburg, PhD., Associate Vice Chancellor of UNO’s Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives. “Our goal is set learners up for success not only as college student athletes but for their future careers and lifetimes, and we are thrilled to partner with Opendorse to expand this exciting opportunity for students.”

Highlights of the Product:

• Holistic Development: Fulfills NCAA requirements to deliver nine key elements of the Holistic Student-Athlete Model, which will be mandated for institutions which sponsor Division I sport(s) beginning August 1.

• Flexible and Efficient: The program’s modules can be completed in less than an hour, fitting seamlessly into the busy schedules of student-athletes in a way that’s easy for administrators.

• Badges: Upon completion of modules, student-athletes will earn digital badges to enhance their resume and showcase their achievements.

• Innovative Learning Platform: Built on Canvas, the platform offers a seamless experience familiar to many student-athletes and institutions.

• Customizable Content: Institutions can choose to use existing content or customize it by to develop tailored educational materials.

• Comprehensive Support: Available 24/7 through Canvas, with additional backup support from UNO’s success team and athletic department facilitators.

“At Opendorse, we have always put athletes at the center of everything we do,” said Opendorse President and Co-Founder Adi Kunalic. “Holistic Athlete and our partnership with UNO is a natural fit, as we share the same vision of empowering athletes through education. Together, we’re creating a program that is not only engaging and effective, but also incredibly accessible.”

What They’re Saying

Adrian Dowell

Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics

"If you are a Division I AD navigating this landscape with limited time and personnel resources, this is a productive play call. Holistic AthleteTM is an effective, time and cost-efficient solution to adhere to the recently required educational programming from the NCAA DI Transformational Committee. Even better, as the NCAA inevitably rolls out more elevated requirements in the future, this program has the capability to evolve module products to meet whatever comes next with a limited impact on your resources."

Matt Maher

UNO Executive Associate Athletic Director – Internal Affairs

“To be able to meet the NCAA Division I holistic requirements for our student-athletes in a cost-effective manner was critically important. The fact that Holistic Athlete™ allows our student-athletes to access the educational modules from their computer or phone, is the ingenuity they have been asking for related to their time demands. The ability to update, add, or replace modules in real-time ensures our athletics department will meet future NCAA holistic requirements without undue financial burden.”

Lindsey Ekwerekwu

UNO Executive Associate Athletic Director – Student Athlete Success / Senior Woman’s Administrator

“To be able to holistically develop and educate our student-athletes in this way has been game-changing for our department. This platform is efficient, effective, and innovative. Holistic Athlete™ allows us to honor and acknowledge the time demands placed upon student-athletes, while still providing them with an exceptional educational experience to serve them in their daily environment.”