“Momentum: An MCC & UNO Partnership” to Transform the Transfer Student Experience

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and Metropolitan Community College (MCC) celebrated the launch of their “Momentum: An MCC & UNO Partnership” on Aug. 19, 2025, at UNO’s Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC). The event kicked off a strategic partnership designed to build a frictionless, omnidirectional transfer pipeline for students across the two institutions.

The afternoon celebration featured remarks by UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, and MCC President Randy Schmailzl, who highlighted the project’s mission and early successes. Campus leaders and collaborators were recognized for laying the groundwork for this new partnership.

💡 Why It matters: This partnership addresses a critical need to streamline college transfer pathways for Omaha-area students.

• The Momentum Project aims to eliminate barriers in the transfer process so students can move between MCC’s two-year programs and UNO’s four-year degrees without losing time or credits.
• Garrett Gassman, who most recently served as UNO’s associate director of career services, was introduced as executive director of MCC and UNO Transfer Excellence to lead the project.

🎤 What they said:

• Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, UNO Chancellor: “So many students transfer from MCC to UNO, and now thanks to this project, we’re seeing record transfers between MCC and UNO as well as from UNO to MCC. This partnership is truly transforming the transfer experience for students, making it omnidirectional.”
• MCC President Randy Schmailzl: “This frictionless transfer pipeline will enable students to complete their degrees faster and make it easier to get plugged in on both campuses. When students increase their on-campus commitments, that leads to retention and ultimately increases in degree completion rates.”

✅ How it works: By aligning curricula and support systems, the initiative ensures students maintain momentum toward graduation:

• Frictionless pathways: A coordinated MCC-UNO system makes transferring supportive and simple for all students, enabling them to continue their education at any point without disruption.
• Dual-direction transfers: UNO is now seeing record numbers of students transferring in both directions – from MCC to UNO, and from UNO to MCC. This two-way flow means more learners can find the right academic fit at the right time.
• Proven results: Many MCC students who transfer to UNO are already graduating from MCC first, indicating stronger preparation. For example, of 24 “MetroMavs” students transferring from MCC to UNO this fall, 79% earned an associate degree at MCC before making the move.

⚡️ What’s Next: With the Momentum Project officially underway, both institutions are turning their focus to implementation and long-term impact.

• Project leaders, including Sammi Kaiser, Ph.D., Cathy Pettid, LMPH, and Jason Browning, Ph.D., at UNO, and Chris Swanson, Ed.S., and Maria Vazquez, Ph.D., at MCC, have laid a strong foundation to expand upon.
• Leaders from UNO and MCC note that this launch is “just the beginning.” They plan to share progress updates on a dedicated website and via joint council meetings as the Momentum Project continues to build on early successes.