Investment in Programs

LOCAL COLLEGES ADD HEALTH CARE, TECH PROGRAMS

Creighton will open the $85 million CL Werner Center for Health Sciences Education this fall.

The center will enhance the pipeline of health care service providers across Nebraska in a variety of fields using cutting-edge technology and next-generation learning spaces that provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that will get Creighton graduates into practice quicker and with more clinic-ready skills.

With the state-of-the-art learning tools in the CL Werner Center, Creighton plans to add 3,800 new professionals by 2040 to join the other 6,500 health practitioners in Nebraska with Creighton degrees.

College of Saint Mary

Over the past six years, College of Saint Mary (CSM) has worked to build a master’s degree in physician assistant studies and doctoral degrees in occupational and physical therapy, according to Dr. Kimberly Allen, vice president of academic and student affairs.

“With each program fully accredited by its respective accreditation bodies, our attention has now shifted to refreshing the undergraduate prehealth pathway programs,” she said. “Our pre-health programs serve as a critical foundation for our graduate health programs education.”

CSM offers several pre-health programs that provide a strong science foundation and prepare students to excel in the entrance exams for their chosen fields. For example, undergraduates seeking an OTD or DPT degree will select exercise science, psychology or human biology. Early in their academic careers, pre-health students will participate in fieldwork experiences in social service agencies, public schools, hospitals, nursing homes, community outreach centers or mental health treatment centers.

Working across all health-related programs, faculty have made significant changes to increase opportunities to practice care for a diverse patient population. Partnering with Inclusive Communities faculty, students have engaged in work to identify their own biases while learning to confront prejudice and discrimination in health care settings.

“The Division of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Studies has engaged in smaller curricular changes that hopefully provide a bigger impact, such as making courses more inclusive and recognizing the diversity of perspectives in topics in readings, authors [and] course content,” Allen said. “Collectively, the goal is to meet students where they are in their learning journey and provide high-impact learning experiences steeped in women’s perspectives and rich cultural contexts.”

While managing significant programmatic changes, CSM’s core faculty remains strong. There have been no retirements this year, but a few faculty members have left the classroom to return to the clinical setting.

Metropolitan Community College

Metropolitan Community College (MCC) will add several new programs at the start of the 2023 fall quarter, according to Tom

McDonnell, vice president for academic affairs.

These will include four new certificates in the architectural design technology program all focused on building information modeling [BIM], a basic and an advanced firefighter operations certificate, a facilities operations and maintenance certificate, a powersports and outdoor power technology degree — with specialty certificates in ATV/ snowmobile, marine technician, motorcycle technician and outdoor power equipment technician.

New specialty certificates in information technology include cybersecurity, Cisco advanced networking, cloud/server administration, game developer, IT support, computer programming, and digital technology.

“We’ve had a handful of retirements this year, although no more than usual,” McDonnell said. “We’ve also hired on new faculty to support our new programs, most notably in powersports and in BIM.”

MCC announced the opening of Digital Express, located inside Building 10 on the Fort Omaha Campus in North Omaha. In addition to MCC students, the state-of-the-art facility is open to the public and offers free access to technology, meeting spaces, digital library and learning opportunities.

“Digital Express is a place where multiple generations can feel comfortable connecting, learning and creating,” Director Beverly Lahlum Taylor said in a press release.

A key feature of Digital Express is “Reboot Central powered by iFix Omaha.” The technology service desk offers low-cost technology repair provided by industry experts and MCC students pursuing careers in information technology. No membership fee is required to use Digital Express.

“We know the importance of creating an environment that promotes a sense of belonging,” Lahlum Taylor said. “Our goal is for everyone who comes through our doors to experience the community asset Digital Express is intended to be. It is a space that is designed for people to just go and be in. Not many spaces like this exist anymore.”