Metropolitan Community College, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and UNMC have created a more closely aligned higher education model that will improve student success between and among the three institutions.
The Greater Omaha Student Success Network — referred to as the GO Network — will refine the transfer process and enhance student support, the institutions’ leaders say. Already, they said, the network has shown promising results and will continue to evolve to better support students.
“This is an innovative program that strengthens the linkages between our institutions, with student success as the focal point,” MCC President Randy Schmailzl said. “The pandemic keenly underscored how important it is for our mutual students to reach their goals. I applaud the group of leaders from MCC, UNO and UNMC who worked so diligently for more than a year to make this happen.”
The GO Network builds on longstanding partnerships between UNO and Metropolitan Community College and between UNO and UNMC. Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, chancellor at UNMC and UNO, said the GO Network is an ongoing, degree-driven partnership that already has beget early achievements. Those include:
- Developing an improved reverse transfer tracking-and-awarding process that led to 43 former MCC students, who are currently enrolled at UNO, earning their associate degrees.
- Providing integrated mental health support for students within the GO Network at all three institutions.
“These initial projects are intended to lay the groundwork for a stronger educational ecosystem in the greater Omaha area, where students can thrive,” Chancellor Gold said. “The creation of the GO Network is really exciting news.”
Other initiatives currently in the works include:
- Systematizing the successes of the spring reverse transfer project so more transfer students can readily earn and receive their MCC associate degrees while on their path towards a bachelor’s or professional degree at UNO and/or UNMC.
- Piloting an exploratory studies class at MCC, which mirrors UNO’s course, to help new and undecided students set career goals and chart their educational paths.
- Initiating a shared student success community of practice that includes staff and faculty that will focus on common professional development and process improvements on each campus.
- Developing a common system that will allow for real time case management and support of students throughout their entire academic journey.
- Exploring opportunities to enhance and more closely align enrollment processes and support systems such as financial aid, admissions, career services and registration.
Students with existing credits from Metropolitan Community College but who have not completed an associate’s degree are encouraged to reach out to Colton Janes, curriculum and transfer specialist for UNO’s Office of General Education and Dual Enrollment, via email.