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UNO Earns Prestigious Carnegie Community Engagement Designation

The Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement continues two decades of excellence in public service and partnership.

  • published: 2026/01/14
  • contact: Sam Peshek - Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu
The official seal of the Carnegie Foundation Elective Classifications for Community Engagement.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has once again been awarded the prestigious Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, a national recognition of the university’s deep commitment to public service, partnership, and impact.


➡️ What’s new: UNO is one of just 277 institutions nationwide to have the designation, awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.


💡 Why it matters: This marks UNO’s third consecutive classification since first receiving the honor in 2006, when UNO was one of just 66 institutions to have the designation.


📊 By the numbers: Since 2015, UNO has contributed to:

  • 5,353 community-engaged courses

  • 31,157 distinct students gaining hands-on experience

  • 1,481 unique organizations served through the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center

  • $3.9M awarded for public service projects in 2024–25

  • $1.2M annually in community value through CEC space and support services

  • 86,334 CEC visitors in 2024-2025 alone


🎤 What they’re saying:

  • Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, UNO Chancellor: “This Carnegie designation affirms something we have believed and practiced for two decades: the true measure of a university’s success is how it improves the quality of life for the people it serves. Community engagement is not a box we check or a program we run. It is how we teach, how we learn, and how we apply knowledge in partnership with our neighbors to solve real problems. This recognition belongs to our students, faculty, and staff who show up every day with purpose and a deep commitment to the public good.”

  • Julie Dierberger, Ph.D., UNO Chief Engagement Officer: “This designation reflects the strength of our partnerships and the intentional way community engagement is embedded across the university. From community-engaged courses to applied research and shared spaces like the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, this work is built on reciprocity. Our community partners are not recipients, they are co-creators, and together we are generating knowledge, opportunity, and impact that extends far beyond campus.”


⚡️ What’s next: The classification is valid through 2032.


🤝 Get involved: Learn more about engaged research, engaged teaching and learning, volunteerism, and more through the Office of Engagement.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university, committed to innovating for the public good, advancing social mobility, powering workforce development, and serving as a hub for community engagement. Nearly 15,000 Mavericks choose UNO for its hands-on education experiences, nationally ranked online and graduate programs, military-connected student support, and innovative approaches to supporting lifelong learning. UNO holds the Carnegie Research Activity “R2” designation, securing more than $40 million annually in external research funding and counts its faculty among the world’s most cited scholars. Sixteen Omaha Athletics programs compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Summit League and National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). 

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