The following awards are presented by the Chancellor during commencement ceremonies:
To nominate someone for one of the following awards, click here.
Honorary Degree
As the policy for honorary degrees indicates, the following guidelines are suggested in selecting honorary degree recipients:
- Persons who have rendered distinguished service to the University;
- Persons who have rendered distinguished service to the State of Nebraska;
- Graduates, former students, or former employees who have achieved distinction; and
- Persons of high distinction, from this country or abroad, who are not necessarily associated with the university or the State.
Honorary degrees shall not be awarded to active members of the University of Nebraska staff and may be awarded only in exceptional cases to retired faculty members or staff for career distinction achieved at the University of Nebraska. View the criteria.
Campus deadline for review by Chancellor's Office is October 31.
Please send completed nominations with information about why a nominee is being recommended for a particular honorary degree to Keristiena Dodge, kshenouda@unomaha.edu. Final campus recommendations will be forwarded to the Provost's Office by December 10 and must be approved by the Board of Regents.
Most recent Recipients:
| Year | Recipient | Honorary Degree |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Joan Squires | Doctor of Fine Arts |
| 2024 | Rick Lanoha | Doctor of Commerce |
| 2023 | Thomas D. Mangelsen | Doctor of Fine Arts |
| 2023 | Chuck Hagel | Doctor of Humane Letters |
| 2023 | Mildred Brown (posthumous) | Doctor of Humane Letters |
| 2022 | Karrin Allyson | Doctor of Fine Arts |
| 2021 | John Hyten | Doctor of Law |
| 2020 | Mort Crim | Doctor of Humane Letters |
| 2020 | Samuel Bak | Doctor of Humane Letters |
| 2019 | Cathy Hughes | Doctor of Commerce |
| 2018 | Willy Theisen | Doctor of Commerce |
| 2018 | Michael Crow | Doctor of Science |
| 2017 | Gail Walling Yanney and Michael B. Yanney | Doctors of Humane Letters |
| 2017 | Ruth and Bill Scott | Doctors of Humane Letters |
| 2017 | Barbara Holland | Doctor of Humane Letters |
| 2015 | Aldo Tesi | Doctor of Humane Letters |
| 2013 | Harold H. Saunders | Doctor of Humane Letters |
| 2012 | Richard Holland | Doctor of Humane Letters |
Read the complete list of Honorary Degree recipients.
Order of the Tower
The Order of the Tower is awarded to individuals whose exemplary service and/or financial support have advanced the mission of the University of Nebraska Omaha. As the policy for the Order of the Tower indicates, the following guidelines are suggested for nominating individuals:
- Achievements of the nominee should have contributed significantly to the development of the University of Nebraska Omaha or espouse the values of the University.
- Award can only be presented to those individuals who are not currently employed by the University of Nebraska Omaha.
View the criteria and nomination form. E-mail completed nomination form to Keristiena Dodge, kshenouda@unomaha.edu by October 31. Final campus recommendations will be forwarded to the Provost's Office by December 10 and must be approved by the Board of Regents.
Most recent Recipients:
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2024 | John K. Wilson |
| 2024 | Aileen & Thomas Warren |
| 2024 | Lisa Y. Roskens |
| 2023 | John Christensen, Ph.D. |
| 2023 | Mary & Rodrigo López |
| 2022 | Howard and Rhonda Hawks |
| 2021 | Rod Rhoden |
| 2021 | Natan and Hannah Schwalb |
| 2021 | Susan Morris |
| 2020 | Paul and Djel Ann Brown |
| 2020 | The Goldstein Family (Don and Kathy Goldstein, Gail Raznick) |
| 2019 | Richard Holland (posthumous) and the Holland Foundation |
| 2019 | Randy Schmailzl |
| 2018 | Jack and Stephanie Koraleski |
| 2018 | The Anderson Family |
| 2018 | Barbara (Barbi) Hayes |
| 2014 | Jim (posthumous) and Shirley Young |
| 2013 | George Haddix |
| 2011 | William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation |
View the complete list of Order of the Tower recipients.
UNO Chancellor's Medal
The Chancellor's Medal recognizes extraordinary service to the University of Nebraska Omaha by a faculty or staff member. The Chancellor's Office strives to select honorees who exemplify sustained excellence.
The Chancellor's Medal is a means of recognizing extraordinary service to the University of Nebraska at Omaha by a faculty or staff member who has performed with excellence in his or her chosen profession. It is an attempt by the University community to honor one of its own.
Criteria
- The awardee shall have performed with distinction in any of these fields: scholarship, research or creative arts, or university service.
- The award shall be limited to full-time members of the faculty or staff. Generally speaking, the award is reserved for active/current full-time faculty and staff members, but on rare occasions, exceptions may be made for retired full-time faculty and staff who are nominated within one year of their retirement from the university.
Nominations should be submitted using the online form below by October 31.
Most recent Recipients:
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| May 2025 | Lucy Morrison, Ph.D. |
| Dec 2024 | Gina Ligon, Ph.D. |
| May 2024 | Mike Kemp |
| May 2024 | Connie Schaffer, Ed.D. |
| Dec 2023 | Cathy Lang, J.D. |
| Dec 2023 | Marcia Adler, Ph.D. |
| May 2023 | Nancy Edick |
| Dec 2022 | David Boocker |
| Aug 2022 | Julie Dierberger |
| May 2022 | Jane Meza, Rachael Jensen, and Thomas Wawrzynkiewicz |
| Dec 2021 | Charlotte Evans |
| Aug 2021 | T. Hank Robinson |
| May 2021 | Hesham Ali and Rebecca Pasco |
| Dec 2020 | Dale Eesley |
| May 2020 | Lou Pol and Cathy Pettid |
| Dec 2019 | Bret Blackman |
| May 2019 | Kerry Beldin and Jody Neathery-Castro |
| Dec 2018 | Jerry Deichert |
| May 2018 | Lynn Harland and Jeffrey French |
| Dec 2017 | Theresa Barron-McKeagney |
| May 2017 | Kathy Krause and Nikolaos Stergiou |
| Dec 2016 | Gail Baker |
| May 2016 | Marsha Vance |
| Dec 2015 | Trev Alberts |
| May 2015 | David Nielsen |
| May 2014 | Joe Kaminski |
| May 2012 | Ethel Williams |
View the complete list of UNO Chancellor's Medal recipients.