It was amazing to see Baxter Arena full of Mavericks, their family and friends, and our community leaders during May 2023 Commencement.
Earlier this month we packed Baxter Arena not once but twice between UNO’s May 2023 commencement ceremonies as 1,657 Mavericks crossed the stage. Cheered on by the more than 5,000 friends and family attending each ceremony, these graduates joined the more than 120,000 alumni living around the world.
To see Baxter Arena full of students, all eager to change the world, is truly inspiring.
That's because Mavericks care. Did you know that during this past year more than 3,300 students gave more than 300,000 hours of service back to our community? Knowing that our current students and this newest class of Maverick alumni have a passion for serve their community fills me with pride and confidence for our future.
This school year has seen the expansion of so many things that will help build up from UNO’s strong foundation. OUR Tuition will bring more talented students into Nebraska. UNO’s cutting-edge technology like the new flight simulator ensure UNO’s Mavericks are industry leaders from the start. We’re connecting leaders from a wide variety of industries to discuss the challenges facing our workforce in the Future of Work Symposium.
By fostering the relationships between our university and employers in the Omaha area, we connect our students directly to work and service opportunities where they can make a positive impact. UNO has a strong foundation as we look ahead toward a new academic year.
Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA UNO Chancellor
UNO Celebrates Our Newest Alumni
Baxter Arena was full of excitement as we celebrated the hard work that our students put into their studies. This spring, an impressive 664 students graduated with honors. We also enjoyed keynote addresses from some truly impressive names: General Anthony J. Cotton of USSTRATCOM and Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who also received an honorary Doctor of Law degree in the morning ceremony.
We also celebrated our community leaders, Mary and Rodrigo López for their ongoing service to the Omaha community and support of UNO, as well as Nancy Edick's outstanding career with UNO for the past 30 years, especially her 14 years as the Lois G. Roskens Dean in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences which has seen tremendous growth under her leadership.
It’s never too late to start your journey, and DérNecia Phillips’ story is inspiring. After putting her studies on hold due to family tragedies, she came back to finish her education degree years later and has been determined and focused. Altogether she has two masters degrees through UNO’s College of Education, and now holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership after successfully defending her dissertation this semester! The support from UNO, her family, and friends has been truly important, and her son DaTeus has been with her every step of the way.
Felipe Blanco’s research as a doctoral student in public administration into issues surrounding equity, identity, and representation has been widely recognized and celebrated for its innovative methods in building a comprehensive data set in an area where previously there had been none. After successfully defending his dissertation this semester, Dr. Blanco is poised to lead in his field.
Maysaa Kalei Found Her Calling in Business and Community Engagement
Maysaa Kalei will gain her degree in business administration from UNO’s College of Business Administration this August, and her story is one of determination, purpose, and engagement. With support from family, friends, and UNO’s Thompson Learning Community, this Buffett Scholar and first-generation soon-to-be graduate found a passion for business and desire to give back to the community.
KETV and WOWT reported on the Learn and Earn program offered by UNO’s College of Information Science & Technology and how the program is impacting interest in STEM careers and providing students with opportunities to secure job shadows, yearlong paid internships, and even employment before they graduate. It also exposes students to different tech jobs in Nebraska and emerging technologies like ChatGPT. Dean Martha Garcia-Murillo and several students spoke with media about the program.
WOWT reported on how artificial intelligence and automation will impact the workplace, which was discussed in-depth at the Future of Work Symposium hosted at UNO’s Strauss Performing Arts Center. Shonna Dorsey, executive director of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, and Todd Murphy, president of Truescope North America, spoke with WOWT after the event.
KMTV reported on how a team of researchers from UNO’s National Counterterrorism, Innovation, Technology, and Education (NCITE) Center are studying how terrorists may use emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse for possible attacks.
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.
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182, United States, 402.554.2800
