Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
  • About Backback to Main menu
    • About
    • Leadership
    • Mission and Strategic Plan
    • Accreditation
    • Our City
    • Facts and Figures
    • Campus Safety
    • Buildings and Maps
    • Contact Us
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Academics
    • Majors & Programs
    • Class Search
    • Catalogs
    • Academic Calendar
    • Colleges
    • Academic Affairs
    • Online Learning
    • International
    • Library
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Admissions
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Tuition and Fees
    • Financial Aid
    • Registrar
    • Visit UNO
    • Request Info
    • Apply
  • Student Life Backback to Main menu
    • Student Life
    • Division of Student Life and Wellbeing
    • Academic & Career Development Center
    • Accessibility
    • Housing & Residence Life
    • Inclusion
    • Service
    • Student Conduct & Community Standards
    • Student Involvement
    • Student Safety
    • Wellness
  • Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Engagement
    • Office of Engagement
    • Campus Resources for Community
    • Service Learning Academy
    • Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center
    • Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs
    • Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center
    • Faculty Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Voter Engagement
    • Community Engagement Partnership Initiative
  • Research Backback to Main menu
    • Research
    • Research News
    • Centers and Institutes
  • Athletics Backback to Main menu
    • Athletics
    • Baxter Arena
    • Omaha Mavericks Website
  • Alumni Backback to Main menu
    • Alumni
    • Transcripts
    • Thompson Center
  1. UNO
  2. News
  3. I am the ROI
  4. 'I Am the ROI': JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike

'I Am the ROI': JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike

  • published: 2022/10/03
  • contact: MarComm Editorial and Media Relations - Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu
  • search keywords:
  • College of Communication Fine Arts and Media
  • Goodrich Scholarship Program
  • community engagement
  • Black Studies
UNO alumna JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation

UNO alumna JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation

This profile is part of the "I Am the ROI" series featuring alumni whose return on investment from their UNO education goes far beyond career opportunities.

JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike has always had a heart for her community, and it was her time at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) that led her to develop this passion into action.

LeFlore-Ejike graduated from UNO’s College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications with an emphasis on public relations and a minor in black studies. She currently serves as the executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation.

It all started with receiving the Goodrich Scholarship. For the past 50 years, the Goodrich Scholarship Program has provided merit- and need-based students with financial support, a specialized humanities and social science core curriculum that emphasizes cultural and intellectual diversity, and support services inside and outside of the classroom.

“Truthfully, I wasn’t sure how college was going to get paid for,” she said. “Really having that opportunity to have a free education [through the Goodrich program] was the number one thing that helped me get to where I’m at now. We have a lot of opportunities in North Omaha to support young people, and I think the Goodrich Scholarship Program is one of those.”

Once she arrived at UNO, she was able to dive deep into her Black heritage. She learned about the Omaha 54, a group of UNO students who staged a sit-in protest in the office of then Omaha University president, which ultimately led to the creation of the Department of Black Studies at UNO. She explored the history of the civil rights movement in Omaha and learned about Malcolm X.

“This was my opportunity to really merge all the things that I’ve learned and shape me into the type of leader and organizer I am,” she said. “This is the opportunity when you get to college to really dig deeper into your purpose as a person. I really appreciate the professors and their intention behind making sure I can use what I’m learning in the real world.”

If anyone has adopted the idea of Omaha serving as UNO’s campus, LeFlore-Ejike would be the first to raise her hand. “That mission really speaks to how we as a community need to work together—no matter what backgrounds or education or upbringings,” she said.

After all, she said, it took a village to help her get where she is today. “I truly believe that the village is what makes everyone empowered and so that's one of our models here too, is that we are empowered through the village of Omaha, especially.”

“Going to college is an opportunity that not a lot of people get, but also having a community that you can communicate with, relate to, and come back to is a benefit that I don't take for granted.”

 JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation

LeFlore-Ejike became involved in student organizations, participating in the National Council of Negro Women and serving as the president of the African American Organization; organizations that enabled her to connect with her heritage and other students who had similar passions.

Mentors encouraged her to get involved in the community, too. Her involvement on campus gave way to working with a number of groups and organizations in the Omaha community including the Greater Omaha Chamber, Mode Shift Omaha, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Carver Bank, Amplify Arts, and Film Streams.

“Giving back is a part of how I was raised and I also have a couple of mentors throughout my life who encouraged me to do that,” she said. “Going to college is an opportunity that not a lot of people get, but also having a community that you can communicate with, relate to, and come back to is a benefit that I don't take for granted.”

She also volunteered as a board member with the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation where she recruited other volunteers and worked on events. After eight years of volunteering, she joined the staff in her current role as the organization’s first ever executive director.

The foundation was founded in 1971 by civil rights activist Rowena Moore who worked to preserve the grounds where Malcolm X was born. The foundation continues to educate the community on the civil unrest that took place in Omaha and acknowledge the legacy of Malcolm X’s ties to the area.

“I was able to get back into the community and build relationships with people who are already doing that kind of work to make sure that racial justice is positioned in a way that it can really have a deeper dialogue around equity,” she said.

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.

Follow UNO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

  • News Sections:
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events
SHARE

News Sections

  • News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured Stories

  • #NUforNE: Keeping Nebraska Communities Healthy
  • Social Mobility, Experiential Learning Focus of Interview with UNO Chancellor Li
  • The Semester Guide
  • More Than 4,800 UNO Students Named to Dean's, Chancellor's Lists in Fall 2022

Contact Us

If you have a story idea, news tip, or other question, please email the UNO News team at unonews@unomaha.edu.

About University Communications

  • Next Steps
  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)
  • Just For You
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List
  • Popular Services and Resources
  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • Bookstore
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Affiliates
  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • © 2023  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • Report an Incident or Concern

Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.

scroll to top of page