Awards and Recognition

Becky Brusky Receives 2025 Outstanding Faculty Service Learning Award

Erik Zamora Receives the 2025 Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Service Learning

This award recognizes students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate service learning courses who demonstrate a thorough understanding of reflective practice techniques in coursework, provide outstanding service for a community agency, establish and maintain an excellent relationship with the community agency, and embrace the philosophy of service learning and community service.

College of Arts and Sciences

Erik Zamora is a second-year graduate student in the school psychology program. He graduated from UNO in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a concentration in mental health.

He has completed service-learning projects in Millard Public Schools, Head Start preschool program, and the Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands. Zamora has also worked as a special education educational assistant in Westside Community Schools for three years.

View information about UNO's student awards online.

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James R. Schumacher Ethics Chair

The UNO SLA accepts applications for two James R. Schumacher Chairs of Ethics. The Schumacher Chair of Ethics was established in 2008 with Dr. Joseph Brown. The James R. Schumacher Chair of Ethics is designed to recognize outstanding faculty member(s) committed to increasing knowledge, awareness, and application of the principles of ethics, tolerance, and understanding. The Schumacher Chair is awarded based on the following criteria:

• Recipients have an established record of excellence with an instructional and scholarly focus on ethics generally and/or within their discipline (e.g., business, public administration, education, etc.)
• Recipients will commit to increasing student understanding and applying ethical principles within a service learning context.

Eligibility

The Schumacher Chair is open to associate or full professors from all UNO colleges. Two recipients each teach one Schumacher Seminar each year. The students enrolled in the Schumacher Seminar (maximum of 20) are awarded scholarships (usually $500 each). This seminar and the scholarships are specifically designed to:

• Increase knowledge and application of ethical principles and systems;
• Increase awareness, appreciation, and knowledge of diverse cultures, people, and ideas and foster increased inclusion and equity;
• Engage students in their learning and community through service learning and experiential teaching and learning techniques to better understand course content.
• Recipients may not hold another professorship or chair simultaneously.

The Schumacher Chairs include an annual supplemental salary stipend (approximately $10,000) and an annual professional and program development stipend (approximately $10,000). The stipends are used by the Schumacher Chairs to support their professional teaching, scholarly, and engagement activities and promote campus programming related to the goals and criteria for the chair and seminars. Specific dollar amounts are dependent upon fund availability.

Application and Review Process

Applications are reviewed by a committee constituted by Academic Affairs and led by the Director of the UNO Service Learning Academy. The Chair serves a three-year term and may be renewed for a second term.

Applications for the James R. Schumacher Chair should consist of the following:

• Letter of nomination by the departmental chairperson or Director.
• Seconding letter from a colleague in the nominee’s department or another department at UNO.
• Letter of support from the dean.
• Three letters from outside references knowledgeable about the applicant’s instructional and/or scholarly expertise.
• Supplemental information prepared by the nominee as suggested below.
• Outline of Suggested Supplemental Application Materials for the James R. Schumacher Chair of Ethics
• Letter of application from nominee addressing teaching/instructional philosophy and focus, contextual framework for research/creative activity focused on ethics, and commitment to increasing student understanding and applying ethical principles within a service-learning context.
• Curriculum Vitae

Narrative Summary/Highlights of Instructional Activity relevant to the criteria for the James R. Schumacher Chair of Ethics such as:

• Curriculum Development, especially related to service learning
• Development of innovative instructional techniques and materials
• Achievements of present and former students
• Student evaluations of teaching
• Peer evaluations of teaching
• Funded instructional grants
• Other activities related to teaching (e.g., pedagogical presentation, publications, advising, mentoring, participation in teaching enrichment activities, etc.)
• Honors and distinctions pertaining to teaching

Narrative Summary/Highlights of Research/Creative Activity relevant to the criteria for the James R. Schumacher Chair of Ethics such as:

• Books, monographs, or parts thereof published or accepted for publication
• Articles published or accepted for publication
• Papers presented
• Other creative activities (e.g., works of art, artistic performances, shows, etc.)
• Funded research grants
• Other activities related to research/creative activity (e.g., chairing professional panels, book reviews, etc.)
• Honors and distinctions related to research/creative activity
• Relevant community engagement/service learning-related research/creative activity

Applicants should submit materials as a single package PDF to Julie Dierberger, Chief Engagement Officer and Paul Sather Distinguished Director, Office of Engagement, to jdierberger@unomaha.edu.

Current and Previous Recipients

• Dr. Amy Rodie - College of Business Administration
• Dr. Erin Bass - College of Business Administration
• Dr. Todd Richardson - College of Public Affairs and Community Service
• Dr. Joseph Brown - College of Arts and Sciences