UNO Project Connects MBA Students and Alumni to Empower Foster Youth

In Nebraska, more than 4,000 adolescents navigate life without the stability of a permanent home. Caught in a system that often overlooks their needs, these young individuals risk missing out on crucial milestones and the essential skills required for adulthood.

In response, University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Master of Business Administration (MBA) students have transformed their capstone projects into vital support systems for local foster youth. Through the MBA Capstone Course, students engage in integrative applied projects, collaborating with local organizations to address pressing community needs.

UNO students Isabella Kloppel, Jeremy Halliburton, Lane Harding, and Shaena Peart partnered with Foster Heart & Hope, a nonprofit co-founded by two UNO alumni, to develop a life skills training program for teens aging out of the foster care system. The collaboration sharpened the students' business acumen and created a program to help foster youth confidently transition into the workplace and adulthood.

The project centered on designing “Launch Pad,” a curriculum to teach critical life and job skills. Over the semester, the MBA team researched best practices, consulted child welfare experts, and crafted workshops on budgeting, résumé building, interviewing, and other essentials.

"We were tasked with approaching this project as consultants, applying what we have learned throughout the MBA program," said Kloppel, who led the team’s coordination with Foster Heart & Hope. “Turning this knowledge into action allowed our team to meet a real community need."

Student Growth Through Service

Working on the Foster Heart & Hope capstone challenged the students to grow personally and professionally. Halliburton, an MBA student with a concentration in business technology, said the experience pushed him beyond his comfort zone.

“Developing a full program from scratch required us to think creatively and collaboratively,” Halliburton said. “I learned how to analyze problems from multiple angles and gained confidence in my project management skills. More importantly, I learned the power of business skills when used for good.”

For Harding, who brought an engineering mindset to the team, the project highlighted the value of adaptability and empathy.

“In business school you focus on efficiency and results, but this project taught us to put people first,” Harding explained.

“It was rewarding to see how much our work meant to the Foster Heart & Hope team. We’re MBA students, but in that moment, we felt like we truly became professionals ready to make a difference.” Halliburton said.

Each student also discovered personal growth through service-learning. Kloppel shared that working on a project that helps local foster youth inspired her to remain involved in the community beyond graduation.

Halliburton, who had no prior exposure to the foster system, said the project “opened my eyes to the challenges these young adults face.” He aspires to continue volunteering as a mentor because “this capstone showed me the kind of leader and citizen I want to be.”

Alumni Connection Strengthens the Mission

Foster Heart & Hope was co-founded by UNO alumna Amber Richardson and a fellow graduate, Tricia Nikiforuk, in 2020. The nonprofit’s mission is “to provide basic needs and opportunities for children and families impacted by foster care so they feel confident, empowered, and valued.”

The students often met with the nonprofit’s founders to align on goals, learning firsthand how the alumni turned their passion into a sustainable venture. This mentorship aspect gave the MBA team insight into nonprofit leadership and affirmed the strength of the UNO network.

Impact on Workforce Development and Community

The ripple effects of the capstone project are already being felt. Foster Heart & Hope is implementing the Launch Pad life skills program early next year, and dozens of Omaha-area foster youths are expected to participate in its first sessions.

The curriculum covers practical workforce readiness topics like financial literacy, career planning, communication, and time management, which are tools that will help participants thrive as independent adults. The program also pairs youths with volunteer mentors for ongoing guidance, many of whom are recruited from UNO’s alumni and student community.

By focusing on youth aging out of care, the project addresses a critical need. About 200 young people age out of foster care in Nebraska each year, often without a strong support system. Many are at risk of homelessness or underemployment if they lack guidance after they leave state care. Foster Heart & Hope’s new program aims to change that trajectory.

“Launch Pad is going to help bridge the gap for our youth,” Richardson said. “Completing foster care shouldn’t mean entering adulthood alone. We want to set these young people up to succeed in the workforce and in life.”

This community impact is a point of pride for UNO’s College of Business Administration (CBA). Professor of Management and Executive Director for UNO’s Competencies, Skills, and Workforce Development Hub, Erin Bass, teaches the MBA capstone and was the faculty member who led this project. For her, such projects embody UNO’s metropolitan mission.

“Our MBA students are not only honing their business expertise, but they’re also contributing to workforce development in our community,” said Bass. “It’s a win-win. The students gain real consulting experience, and nonprofits like Foster Heart & Hope gain valuable strategic solutions.”

The Foster Heart & Hope board estimates that with the UNO designed training, participants will be more likely to secure jobs or pursue higher education within a year of aging out. That kind of outcome demonstrates how university partnerships can uplift the broader community.

Building a Foundation for Future Generations

This capstone project has created a foundation that will benefit future generations of Mavericks and foster youth alike. The three students have now graduated into the next phase of their careers, armed with new skills, confidence, and a deeper understanding of servant leadership.

“The opportunity to collaborate with a mission-driven organization like Foster Heart & Hope reflects UNO’s commitment to community engagement and preparing students with practical, real-world skills,” said Halliburton. “While our focus was on helping the nonprofit create a framework for their life skills program, the experience also reinforced our own development as students. It challenged us to think critically, work as a team, and deliver something with lasting value. It was a reminder that the work we do in the classroom is meant to prepare us to contribute meaningfully beyond it.”

Each student expressed that the project has inspired them to remain involved in community service.

Meanwhile, Foster Heart & Hope’s team is eager to keep the partnership going. The success of the life skills initiative has opened the door for future UNO MBA cohorts to build on the work.

The forward-looking approach ensures that what began as one class project will evolve into an ongoing effort. Future MBA students will have the opportunity to tackle new challenges with Foster Heart & Hope, from expanding services to perhaps creating a job placement pipeline for program graduates.

"This project has encompassed the best of what Omaha has to offer, collaboration between nonprofits, local businesses, and higher education,” Kloppel said. "Doing work that has the potential to positively influence someone else's life has been the most rewarding part."