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Inaugural Catalyst Conversation Sparks Bold Ideas for UNO’s Future

A panel of national higher education experts discussed how UNO can deliver faster, more impactful pathways from classroom to career.

  • published: 2026/04/08
  • contact: Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu

If you attended the Catalyst Conversation, please share your feedback.


The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) decided to do something universities rarely do: stop moving and take stock.


➡️ What’s new: At its first Catalyst Conversation, campus leaders and a slate of national experts in higher education gathered to dig into the big questions facing UNO and higher education as a whole: about who UNO serves, what it delivers, and whether it’s keeping pace with the world its learners are walking into.


💡 Why it matters: Higher education is undergoing a rapid transformation. Students want clear value, employers want proven skills, and public universities like UNO are positioned to deliver both. Bringing in outside perspectives helped spark new ideas, bring sharper focus on how UNO can lead in an era of change, and better serve students.


🔎 Zoom in: The group’s discussion focused on three key themes.

  • Access: Removing barriers to entry and degree completion

  • Completion: Helping students finish faster and with less debt

  • Value: Ensuring degrees lead to meaningful careers


🎤 What they’re saying: Key themes that emerged from the conversation between panelists moderated by UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success Sammi Kaiser, Ph.D., included:

  • Jon Furr, Strada Education Foundation: Higher education must shift from static degrees to dynamic, skills-based records that clearly translate learning into workforce value.

  • Barbara Gellman-Danley, Higher Learning Commission: The future of the degree lies in shorter, competency-based models that prioritize demonstrated learning over time.

  • Luis Maldonado, AASCU: Regional public universities succeed when they align tightly with workforce needs and serve as engines of economic mobility.

  • Lisa Larson, Education Design Lab: Learners need portable, stackable credentials that give them ownership of their skills and how they communicate them.

  • Matt Hastings, NSWERs: Keeping talent in Nebraska depends less on education alone and more on building strong personal and community connections.


📅 Attend the Strategy Forum: Learn more about UNO’s strategic pillars of educating all learners, research, discovery, community engagement, and workforce development, at the Strategy Forum on April 27 at the Thompson Alumni Center.


⚡️ What’s next: If you attended the Catalyst Conversation, please share your feedback.

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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