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  • About the Chancellor Backback to Main menu
    • Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA
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    • UNO Chancellor Li Appointed to KC Federal Reserve Omaha Branch Board of Directors
    • Banking Conditions Update | Jan 2023
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University Awards

  1. UNO
  2. Office of the Chancellor
  3. About the Chancellor
  4. University Awards

  • Additional Resources

  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • Named Professorships and Chairs

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

  1. The awardee shall have performed with distinction in any of these fields: scholarship, research or creative arts, or university service.
  2. 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.


Contact Us

  • Office of the Chancellor
  • 201 Eppley Administration Building
  • Email: unochancellor@unomaha.edu
  • Phone: 402.554.2419

Additional Resources

  • Excellence in Teaching Award
  • Named Professorships and Chairs

Office of the Chancellor

Contact Information
  • 201 Eppley Administration Building
  • 6001 Dodge Street
  • Omaha, NE 68182
  • 402.554.2419
  • unochancellor@unomaha.edu

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