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UNO Taught Omaha Mayor John Ewing to Embrace

How UNO, and a little guidance from the universe, helped Ewing navigate careers and life in public service.

A man sits on the edge of his desk, looking away from the camera.

Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. poses at his desk in downtown Omaha on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (UNO/Ryan Soderlin)

In the first year and three months of his term as the 52nd Mayor of the City of Omaha, John Ewing estimates that he’s given more than 1,500 public speeches.

The thought makes Ewing laugh, especially when he thinks back to his time as a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).

“I did not ever want to have to give speeches,” he says.

Ewing had stepped away from his college studies after two years to go through the Omaha Police Academy and police training. Once he was a sworn officer, finishing his degree was important. And so was avoiding one thing.

“I scoured the catalog with one goal in mind: be able to get a degree without taking speech class. Only one place you could do that at the time, and that was the [Division] of Continuing Studies,” he says.

In 1983, Ewing successfully graduated with two majors and two minors. Not a single speech was given.

Read the full story and view more photos here: Exposure: UNO Taught Omaha Mayor John Ewing to Embrace

RELATED: More from UNO on Exposure

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university, committed to innovating for the public good, advancing social mobility, powering workforce development, and serving as a hub for community engagement. Nearly 15,000 Mavericks choose UNO for its hands-on education experiences, nationally ranked online and graduate programs, military-connected student support, and innovative approaches to supporting lifelong learning. UNO holds the Carnegie Research Activity “R2” designation, securing more than $40 million annually in external research funding and counts its faculty among the world’s most cited scholars. Sixteen Omaha Athletics programs compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Summit League and National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). 

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