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Dear Friends:
As we approach metroMAGAZINE's 35th anniversary in 2025, I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your unwavering support. Since 1990, our mission has been to shine a light on the incredible work of nonprofits in the Omaha metro, the dedicated individuals who volunteer their time, and the positive impact both have on our community.
Over the past 35 years, we have been honored to share countless stories of compassion, generosity and resilience. We have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of philanthropy and the unwavering spirit of our community.
Your readership and engagement have been instrumental in our success. Whether you are a longtime subscriber, an occasional reader or a new friend, your support has allowed us to amplify the voices of those who are making a difference.
As we look ahead to our anniversary year, we are filled with excitement for what the future holds. In addition to celebrating our 35th anniversary, we are also thrilled to announce that our next issue will be a new beginning. We will unveil a new look and feel, and Metro Magazine is also now operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This is an exciting time for us, and we look forward to the good work we can do together in the years to come.
We remain committed to our mission of celebrating the philanthropic spirit of the Omaha metro and inspiring others to get involved. We invite you to join us on this journey as we continue to tell the stories that matter. Together, we can make a positive impact on our community and create a brighter future for all.
Thank you for being a part of the metroMAGAZINE family.
With
Gratitude,
Andrea ‘Andee’ Hoig Publisher
BACK IN ITS EARLY DAYS, Metropolitan Community College—known fondly at the time as “Metro Tech”—had a catchy jingle that played on television and radio. It went, “Metro Tech Community College—doing it all for you!”
Even as the College has evolved over its first 50 years, the spirit of that jingle remains.
While no one institution can ever be all things to all people, MCC works hard to be responsive to the diverse needs of our students and the communities we serve. Our enduring mission makes education affordable and accessible to learners of all ages, whether they are exploring their career interests, brushing up on core academic skills, pursuing career education, preparing for a four-year degree or simply learning for the sake of learning.
We’re grateful to have grown up with Douglas, Dodge, Sarpy and Washington counties. As we prepare for the future and help our students prepare for theirs, we recognize our work today is a continuation of foundational moments, connected by a mission that has stood the test of time.
From humble beginnings to world-class instructional facilities, the MCC story is bound by a commitment to student success over time, a history of meeting learners where they are today to get them to where they want to be next. In putting students at the center of the educational experience, the College’s positive impact has been transformative for those who learn with us, those who partner with us and all whose lives are touched as a result.
By design, MCC is truly many things to many people. Although the buildings and people inside them—and their clothing and hairstyles!—may have changed over the decades, our commitment to affordable, accessible education never will.
We stand today, as we have since 1974, ready to serve and to be a catalyst for positive change across our entire service area.
Randy Schmailzl, College President
STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS
From a simple technical community college in 1974, Metropolitan Community College (MCC) now celebrates a half-century this year. It's the largest public two-year college in Nebraska, serving 40,000 students in a four-county area and providing a broad range of programs to meet the diverse needs of students, businesses and the community.
The origins of Metropolitan Community College—known to most locals today as “MCC”—go back more than half a century.
In 1971, the Nebraska legislature created eight technical community college areas across the state, with the Eastern Nebraska Technical Community College Area serving Douglas, Sarpy, Washington and Dodge counties. When the eight college areas were consolidated to six in 1974, the entity was redubbed Metropolitan Technical Community College Area. It quickly became known as Metro Tech, but in 1992, the word “Technical” was officially dropped from the name as a reflection of programming that had expanded beyond the trades.
MCC started with around 1,000 students in 1974. Today, it serves more than 40,000 students through multiple campuses and offers over a hundred career programs in many different areas. MCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the accrediting bodies of various professional associations approve many MCC educational programs; others are certified, registered or recommended. MCC is the largest, most diverse public two-year college in Nebraska, serving students during all stages of their lives.
Pat Crisler, Ed.D., Chief of Staff, President’s Office, said that as much as MCC has grown in 50 years, it has also respected and maintained its fundamental purpose.
“The Legislature took care to define the purposes of the different types of higher education institutions in the state. For us, for community colleges, open access and affordability are two of our most important characteristics—so much that these are core to our mission.”
She added that in her 25-plus years with MCC, she’s seen impressive changes.
“Small seeds that are planted and nourished in the right way truly do grow into beautiful things,” she said. “MCC stayed true to its mission and it stayed true to its values, and over time…doing that consistently and for the right reasons, it’s turned into something we could never have even imagined.”
WE LOOK AT job MARKET trend DATA AND JOB OUTLOOK DATA AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE PLUGGED INTO HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-SKILL, high-demand KINDS OF opportunities FOR OUR STUDENTS.
~ TOM MCDONNELL, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Kay Friesen, Vice President for Planning and Operations, has been with MCC close to 40 years and has similarly witnessed decades of institutional success.
“I think it starts at the very beginning (when) the Nebraska legislature established local control for each of the community college areas. Local control has given MCC the ability to respond quickly and uniquely to offer the programs and services that meet the needs of our community,” she said. “I think the other thing that has served us well is that we have brought others like employers and business and industry to the table from the start, which has given us an edge to get it right the first time. Even more important is that in the early years we established a pioneering spirit, a culture of inventiveness that we still have today.”
Vice President for Academic Affairs Tom McDonnell, Ed.D., joined MCC more recently, in 2008. From the perspective of 30 years of total community college experience at two institutions, McDonnell said he’s seen important growth at MCC.
“Even in the 15 years that I’ve been here, the change has been dramatic. (In 2008) we didn’t have a Construction Education Center. When I first started here, the culinary arts building was in its final phases of construction, and the automotive building was not even a thought,” he recalled. “We’ve come a long, long way for higher education in a relatively short time in terms of our ability to enhance our learning spaces so that we’re providing education in state-of-the-art facilities.”
Stan Horrell, Director of Campus Planning and Sustainability, joined MCC in 1999. His role necessitates a focus on both immediate and longrange facilities strategic planning and execution, so he’s seen multiple campus expansions and renovations over 25 years. Each location, he said, maintains a unique identity that connects with its surrounding environment.
“The College has always been both opportunistic and deliberate about where learning is delivered,” he explained. “Campus locations have been developed with continuous community input and support, so it’s only natural they would reflect each environment.”
MCC has a rich history of delivering high-impact, community-centric programming for learners of all ages. The College continues to respond to the educational and workforce needs of the unique neighborhoods it serves in dynamic ways. Over the past decade, the college has expanded access to stateof-the-art learning spaces through a one-of-a-kind community development model.
MCC's individually curated outreach learning centers meet location-specific educational needs, create opportunity and advance neighborhoods. Developed with input from MCC partners and key stakeholders, each location meets the expressed needs of the city sector its serves, filling specific resource and training gaps.
These strategically placed, outreach-based and holistic learning centers allow MCC to be “in the neighborhood,” staying closely connected to what’s happening and maintaining a commitment to deliver relevant education and resources where they are needed most.
"The College's vision stresses that community becomes part of who we are by listening to the needs of the people living in our neighborhoods and making it easier for them to experience our college," said Gary Girard, Vice President of MCC Community and Workforce Education. "Our one-of-a-kind community and workforce education model provides greater access and opportunities for people while developing our neighborhoods."
Digital Express, Fort Omaha Campus, Building 10: Digital Express provides community members access to free digital resources, services and public meeting spaces. iPads and laptops are available for checkout at Reboot Central, a service desk in which community members can get tech support and at-cost repair for devices like cell phones.
Prototype Design Lab (Fort Omaha Campus, Building 24): Located inside the MCC Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology, the Prototype Design Lab is a 9,600-square-foot facility that houses an extensive variety of fabrication equipment. Through a range of membership options, the lab provides community access to 3D printers and scanners; laser, vinyl and plasma cutters; CNC routers; and much more.
MCC at Makerspace (1141 N. 11th St.): The New North Makerhood is a former manufacturing and warehousing district seeing new life as a makers' haven in north downtown Omaha. At MCC at Makerspace, artisans offer expert instruction in the “lost arts” such as upholstery, handmade jewelry and wheel-thrown pottery. Just blocks away, the college’s presence in the Mastercraft building offers an assortment of do-it-yourself home repair courses. Across the street the historic Ashton Building is the home for the grantfunded MCC Rapid IT Academy.
MCC at Yates Illuminates (3260 Davenport St.): MCC is the educational anchor at a collaborative of small, culturally focused nonprofit organizations that serve new Americans. It is a hub for the college’s free GED and ESL programs and a wide array of Community and Workforce Education camps and workshops, serving children to seniors. The MCC Freight Farm, a hydroponic, indoor garden outfitted with solar panels, is located on site, a source of some of the college’s most innovative programming.
Looking at then versus now, Horrell added that MCC is a better place for students today in many ways.
“The technical training available at MCC is exemplary for student experiences and robust in the offerings. From welding to robotics, to construction fields, to automotive training, to culinary arts, MCC offers an affordable path to career options,” he said. “All of the hands-on training is now supported by state-of-the-art labs and trainers that allow students to understand modern tools and equipment used by local industries.”
The community has noticed. Omaha by Design, for instance, recently featured MCC properties in the organization’s community showcase, which promotes excellence in urban design and policy. Horrell described classroom and collaboration spaces as “technology rich and inviting” and campuses as “welcoming” and “accessible.” In recent years, capital projects at the Fort Omaha and South Omaha campuses have fostered operational standardization for such features as card access, security camera monitoring, digital signage, and comprehensive building management systems.
“The College has put a fully modern face on what for many years some considered a second choice in higher education,” Horrell said. “We make our students feel that the experience at MCC is equal to any educational offering in the region.”
Accessibility is another important consideration, he said, and MCC campuses have become more reachable via public transportation solutions and other initiatives. For instance, “the College was one of the original partners in Pass to Class with Metro Area Transit (now called Metro). We have had the program for around 15 years; each student can obtain a free Metro pass for rides on the system while enrolled at MCC. Also, we worked with Metro Area Transit to build the South Omaha bus hub at our South Campus location,” Horrell said.
Involving the employers
Curriculum has also evolved substantially in 50 years, McDonnell said.
“We’re very intentional in our outreach to the local workforce and local employers, local industry. We have industry advisory committees across all of our academic disciplines, especially on the career and technical side of the operation,” he explained. “We meet regularly with advisors, and those industry partners run the gamut of the upper management of the various industries we serve and work with, all the way to the rank-and-file; we get a clear picture of what those needs are.”
Those relationships with employers help ensure MCC not only offers education for viable career paths to its students, but also builds a pipeline of workers with valuable skills and training.
“We’re always looking at data. We look at job market trend data and job outlook data as well, just to make sure that we’re plugged into high-wage, high-skill, high-demand kinds of opportunities for our students,” McDonnell said. “We make sure that we’re positioned in such a way that we’re able to provide students with those career programs.”
Overlap in the transition from to college to career is an MCC hallmark, Crisler said.
“It’s really important that business involvement be ongoing, so when our students choose a path, they get exposure to others who are already in the career field, and they get those experiences early and often. So, as they’re learning, as they’re growing in their field and their trade, they already feel like they’re part of it. They’re not just preparing for their careers, they’re kind of already in them,” Crisler said. “When students feel that connection with their careers, they tend to finish their degrees…But it all starts with keeping your eyes on the prize and focusing on what really matters and what has staying power in the workforce.”
MCC programs are now organized around seven academic focus areas: Business, Community and Human Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Professions, Skilled Trades and Technical Sciences, Information Technology, and Transfer.
“Probably five years ago we started having conversations around how we make our program
pathways easier for students to identify and commit to,” McDonnell said. “We were in a place where we had in the neighborhood of 3,000 students who were in a ‘general studies’ program, a placeholder for students who are essentially undecided.”
Aligning with an area of interest, even if a student doesn’t have a precise career plan in mind, helps students find a meaningful path, he added. “It gives you an opportunity to sharpen your focus on an area and help you get to a stronger commitment of decision about the program of study you’re interested in.”
The student experience has also become better over time, McDonnell said, with learning and tutoring centers and academic supports available in the classroom. Although MCC does not provide housing, students can still engage in activities from academic and professional organizations to campus celebrations and recreation.
Mary Umberger, who’s been an MCC faculty member since 1993, said MCC strives to accommodate students from a diverse range of circumstances.
“I think MCC does an excellent job at meeting students where they are. So, whether you’re a high school student that’s just considering college or you’re a first-generation student who wants to go to college but really doesn’t know how, we’re there for everybody. I think that is a unique thing about us,” she said. “This is probably true for most community colleges, but it is especially true for MCC: We are really available for our students, whether it’s faculty being available to just kind of usher students through, or advisors, we surround students—from when they enter the College until they leave—with the support they need. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out exactly what support is needed, but once we figure that out, it’s pretty much guaranteed the student is going to get that support.”
Crisler said the College’s student-centered approach is long-term by design.
“You know, we don’t look at our students as one-anddone, as a transaction or a short-term thing,” Crisler said. “We see them as lifelong learners, and we are
ONE OF THE strengths THAT MCC HAS ALWAYS HAD, AND WILL ALWAYS HAVE, IS THE ability TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY evolve.
~ MARY UMBERGER, FACULTY
Since the College's inception, MCC has tailored its academic and workforce training programs to be responsive to the needs of a diverse community of students and employers. MCC continues to focus on providing today’s students with the learning environments and experiences of tomorrow.
The importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are important skills for the jobs that await MCC students. The College is growing its STEM offerings through participation in national undergraduate research opportunities and workforce development initiatives. Secured through grant funding and private donations, MCC makes experiences possible that can otherwise be cost-prohibitive to underrepresented students.
This fall and in the years ahead, MCC is expanding robotics instruction in Nebraska as a partnering organization for the Build Back Better Regional Challenge federal grant program. The goal of the initiative is to prepare each region of the country for the future of work.
Noncredit programming also includes robotics camps, courses and immersive learning experiences for kids, teens and adults. Last summer, students as young as 8 years old learned how to program a LEGO® robot to accomplish small tasks, such as avoiding an obstacle in its path.
“LEGOs are fun, but they also teach you the basic engineering concepts. They help kids see that it takes some extra effort, but you can make a robot do what you want it to,” MCC Project Manager Randy Veach said. “That’s when you see that light come on and hear them say, ‘Wow, robotics is so cool.’ Sometimes when camp is over, they don’t even want to go home.”
As industries increasingly automate, skills in robotics empower students with sought-after abilities, opening doors to careers in manufacturing, health care, automation and beyond. Veach said he and Tony Jeffery, Community and Workforce Education Manager, are meeting with employers throughout Nebraska that are implementing automation into their operations.
“We’re gaining insight on the essential skills organizations need from people entering these fields as robotics and urban agriculture offerings evolve at MCC in the years ahead,” Veach said.
MCC STAYED TRUE TO ITS mission AND IT STAYED TRUE TO ITS values, AND OVER TIME… DOING THAT consistently AND FOR THE right reasons, IT’S TURNED INTO SOMETHING WE COULD NEVER HAVE EVEN imagined.
~ PAT CRISLER, CHIEF OF STAFF, PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
here for them no matter what stage they’re in… You need to recognize that people have different needs at different times of their lives. So being nimble, being flexible, is all a part of that response. Another thing, too, is just recognizing that we serve a four-county area; that means we have a lot of different needs to meet.”
The role of campuses has also changed over time, she added.
“What we’re finding, especially coming out of the pandemic, is that students want to maximize their time on campus. They want their time in class to be meaningful. They want to connect with their instructors and other students. They want to do their hands-on learning and then the transactional stuff they’d really prefer to do on their device or online,” she said. “So, right now we are going through a monumental adjustment, a transition to a new student information system and a new enterprise-wide technology system, so we can keep on growing in a way that our students need us to. That’s huge, but we know it’s necessary.”
The simple act of listening—to students and the community—has been an important contributor to growth and development at MCC over the last 50 years, Friesen said, allowing MCC to historically rise to the occasion of workforce needs and stay relevant with its offerings. The results have included such initiatives as online instruction, express locations, community noncredit courses, and even dual enrollment for high-school students to get a jump on higher education.
“Our ideas for new programs or short-term training are driven from the outside in, and I think that listening is the best tool we have in our toolbox to stay on top of the pulse of the communities we serve,” Friesen said. “A unique challenge at MCC is that we serve both rural and urban communities…we know that one size does not fit all. So, we have learned how to adapt to the needs of those communities.”
“We remain true to our mission. We’ve always been focused on students, and we didn’t stray down any avenues outside that scope, but kept our growth focused on the needs of students, business and industry, and the community,” she added. “We deliver education. We don’t have dorms, we don’t have athletics, we don’t have a lot of what you see in traditional higher education as far as those type of activities, and to me, that has allowed us to
focus and use our resources for training, instruction and service to students,” she said.
By extension of putting students at the center of the education at MCC, the community is also served.
“Our president often says that ‘MCC’s middle name is Community,’” Crisler said. “We really take being part of the community seriously. It’s not just a cliche to us… being present in the community is purposeful for us. And so we work closely—with the K-12 schools, with other higher-ed folks, with businesses, with community groups—and we participate and we listen. If you try to be good partners, then you can be at the table when people are tackling tough issues, and then you can be part of the solutions. That’s kind of the tried-and-true recipe that we’ve used over the years, and it helps us keep our community moving forward and staying true to our mission.”
Many educational institutions throughout the country have not seen enrollment numbers bounce back since the pandemic, but MCC enrollment grew by 8% over the last academic year. Affordability and access are likely factors, Crisler said.
“MCC is committed to putting in the time to help people be successful,” Crisler said. “That’s a big part of accessibility in the way that we look at things. I think the word ‘all’ here is taken very seriously. When we say, ‘All are welcome,’ we mean it.”
McDonnell said more than 40 area high schools participate in dual enrollment from online coursework or in-person classes at MCC facilities to classes taught in high school classrooms by teachers at those schools who’ve been approved by MCC. Current Nebraska high school students are automatically eligible to take MCC credit classes at no tuition cost through the 2024-25 academic year. During the last academic year, more than 8,500 Nebraska high school students jumpstarted their education at MCC tuition free.
"If dual enrollment at MCC were a community college unto itself, it would be the third-largest community college in the state,” Crisler said. “We’ve seen exponential growth in dual enrollment at MCC, and that takes on many forms.”
WE MAKE OUR students FEEL THAT THE experience AT MCC IS EQUAL TO ANY educational OFFERING IN THE REGION.
~ STAN HORRELL, DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY
1974
Metropolitan Community College is formed when the Nebraska Legislature consolidates the original eight technical community college areas into six.
The Omaha Nebraska Technical Community College Area merges with the Eastern Nebraska Technical Community College Area to create the Metropolitan Technical Community College Area.
The first campus, a former manufacturing warehouse at 132nd and I Streets, opens with 1,059 students in 46 programs.
1975
Fort Omaha, a historic former military base, is purchased from the federal government for a first permanent campus. The buildings and grounds are maintained in their original 19th-century architectural style, while classrooms and offices are brought to modern standards.
1978
The 40-acre South Omaha Campus opens at 27th Street and Edward Babe Gomez Avenue with the Eugene T. Mahoney Building. The Industrial Training Center opens the following year.
1980
MCC enters a contract with Offutt Air Force Base for an individual development and educational advancement laboratory. Over the years, MCC gains office and classroom space for a wider variety of courses.
To better serve western Douglas County, the Elkhorn Valley Campus opens as a single, full-service building on 51 acres.
1984
Renovations and improvements to the Fort Omaha Campus include the addition of 82,600 square feet of instructional space in Building 10.
1986
The Fremont Area Center opens in the Eastville Shopping Center.
1993
The Sarpy Education Center opens at the Brentwood Crossing Market Center in La Vista.
1999
The new Sarpy Center and La Vista Public Library—a partnership between MCC and the City of La Vista— opens at 91st Street and Giles Road.
2006
The Bellevue Center opens at two sites: Bellevue West High School and 2820 Arboretum Drive.
A former OPPD service site is purchased for the new Applied Technology Center, consolidating five MCC trades programs and providing ample training and lab space.
2007
The South Omaha Campus Connector opens, creating campus cohesion by connecting the existing buildings.
The Fremont Area Center opens at a permanent location at 9th and North Broad Streets.
Renovations to the student services areas and commons on the Elkhorn Valley Campus are complete.
The 2007-2008 academic year finishes with record-high enrollment of 49,696 students. Renovations to the Mahoney Building begin on the South Omaha Campus in response to expanding health sciences programs.
The Fort Omaha Campus celebrates the openings of the Institute for the Culinary Arts and Alumni Conference Center and a new entrance off Sorensen Parkway.
MCC South Express opens at 24th and Vinton Streets, offering credit classes, individual instruction and a computer center for the benefit of residents of South Omaha.
MCC purchases land in Sarpy County, positioning itself for future growth.
Do Space technology library opens at 72nd and Dodge Streets, giving everyone in Omaha free access to the latest software, devices and high-speed internet, along with MCC noncredit classes and certification testing.
A newly constructed gazebo hints of the past on the Fort Omaha Campus. Built of brick, the structure becomes an instant gathering spot for students, neighbors and friends.
The Mastercraft, once a bustling furniture factory in North Downtown Omaha, is reimagined as office and community space. MCC Workforce Education is among more than 60 startups, nonprofit organizations, creatives and other entrepreneurial businesses with headquarters here.
The MCC noncredit upholstery program finds a home at Makerspace, a community workroom in Omaha’s New North Makerhood, just north of 11th and Nicholas Streets. Arts, crafts and trades are celebrated here.
MCC North Express occupies more than 9,000 square feet in the Highlander Accelerator Building. The learning center’s offerings are designed as stepping stones toward college or a career.
Four new facilities on the Fort Omaha Campus open: Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology, Career and Academic Skills Center, Construction Education Center and Central Utilities Plant.
South Omaha Campus offerings grow with the new Automotive Training Center and the renovated Center for Advanced Manufacturing and a new Military and Veterans Resource Center
2021
The Booker Building on the Fort Omaha Campus houses the MCC Archives and the MCC Police Department.
2022
MCC IT Express opens in the historic Ashton Building within Millwork Commons.
MCC Digital Express opens in renovated Building 10 on the Fort Omaha Campus.
2023
Yates Illuminates opens featuring an MCC-run walkin container garden called the Freight Farm.
Students at any stage of life can earn degrees or certificates in a wide number of areas. Some come in through the high school portal, some even earlier through fun College for Kids and College for Teens community programming. Other students enter MCC in adulthood for education that will advance potential in a current job or foster a career shift. Some students even come to MCC from other academic institutions on “second tries.”
Military personnel and veterans receive special academic support. Students working toward an eventual bachelor’s degree or higher can complete their general education requirements at MCC before transferring on, usually at a significant cost savings and often in classrooms with smaller instructor-tostudent ratios; agreements with other educational institutions ensure those transfer pathways. In all, MCC may have started out as a technical/ trades institution, but it meets the needs of a much broader student population today.
“The community at large now sees us as a viable first choice,” Friesen said.
Recognition comes from many places, McDonnell added.
“I think the thing that is the biggest source of pride is the recognition from the community, especially the philanthropic community, in terms of the impact that MCC has had on the region,” he said. “Those four counties make up more than 40 percent of the state’s entire population.”
MCC serves a significant and diverse population at $70 per credit hour. According to June 2024 data from the Education Data Initiative, the average cost per credit hour at public, four-year universities for in-state residents is $406 (not including room and board).
“We have always been very fiscally responsible. That has set us on solid ground to not only be able to grow, but keep growing,” Friesen said. “That, to me, is the bigger challenge. You can keep growing, but if you’re not fiscally responsible, you can’t sustain it. We’ve been doing that since our humble beginning in 1974. I think that’s what kept us on the solid path we’re on right now.”
The next 50 years
There are more good things ahead as MCC celebrates 50 years.
“In the immediate future, the most exciting thing is the opportunity to plan a fourth MCC campus, where we’ve got 150-plus acres at the intersection of Highways 50 and 370 in Sarpy County,” McDonnell said. “It’s still to be determined what’s going to be out there, but to have that conversation and to think about what could be is always exciting.”
Looking ahead to the next 50 years, MCC has experience on its side.
“I don’t have a crystal ball and can’t predict what new jobs or programs will emerge in the next 50 years," Friesen said. “In 1974, we started from scratch, and it took us 50 years to get here…I think the exciting piece is that we’re going to go into the next 50 years as a mature institution with lessons learned and experience on our side, and hopefully we’ll still have that pioneering spirit that got us to the first 50. And if we stay true to our mission and serve students, we can’t go wrong.”
As the four-county region continues to evolve, Umberger is confident MCC will continue to meet the unique needs of each community it serves.
“We have evolved to become such an integral part of Omaha and the four-county area… We have worked very hard to make sure that the community understands we are really good at what we do,” Umberger said. “One of the strengths that MCC has always had, and will always have, is the ability to help our community evolve. I’m excited to see what comes next, because Omaha is changing. Omaha is growing. The four-county region is growing and changing, and we’re going to be right there, helping, helping people do that… It’s nice for all of us to realize that the community knows that now. Maybe they didn’t 30 years ago, but they do now, and I’m very proud of that.”
The forward thinking and systems required for wherever higher education and workforce go next are in place, Horrell said.
“We’re as ready as we can be,” Horrell said. “We have the community support, resources, vision, and commitment to provide the training and education for Nebraska’s workforce into the future.”
Larry Lindberg, the former Director of Campus and Student Services for the Fort Omaha Campus, sat in a conference room inside Digital Express, the digital library located in Building 10. He recalled when the building first opened in 1984, nearly 10 years into his 35-year career at MCC.
Available to the public for checkout, the meeting room is open for reservation to the community for free. Outfitted with a whiteboard, a large monitor and enough electrical outlets and ports for the room to double as a retail showroom, Lindberg said he marveled at the revamped look of the familiar space.
Lindberg, like many of the faculty, staff members and students who were there at the start, has spent some time reminiscing about the college where he spent his career as it celebrates 50 years serving Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge and Washington counties.
MCC opened its doors to around 1,000 students in 1974, with a course catalog that offered 46 classes. Today, MCC serves a student body greater than 40,000 and its course catalog offers more than 3,000 classes.
“Back in the ‘70s, there really weren’t many places you could go if you wanted to learn the HVAC trade, welding or horticulture. When MCC started offering technical programs, I think that really helped convince business and industry that the community college can be a real partner to them,” Lindberg said.
The pioneer spirit MCC is known for today was present from the beginning, Lindberg said. He started with MCC in 1975 to launch veteran support services. In Lindberg’s first six years at MCC, the College achieved a blur of ambitious feats.
MCC opened three permanent campuses: Fort Omaha (1975), South Omaha (1978) and Elkhorn Valley (1980). The college reached full accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (1979) in five years—the shortest amount of time possible for a community college to reach accreditation.
“The College opened with an entrepreneurial attitude. It was really exciting coming up with ideas for new programs that could provide extra educational support services for students and then finding the grants to provide them," Lindberg said. "MCC has always focused on doing things that make sense for students, and value has always been a big part of the equation."
Name of Organization: 50 Mile March Foundation
Event Name: 50 Mile March: Operation Noble Watchman
When: August 24-25, 2024
Where: From the steps of the state capitol in Lincoln, across Highways 6 and 370 to finish at Nebraska Brewing Company
Why: 50 Mile March is a 50-mile ruck march raising awareness and funds to support our community's veterans. The March funds the 50 Mile March Foundation grantmaking efforts— this year we will exceed $500,000 in grants to nonprofits serving veterans in the Omaha metro area—and the Community of Hope project - a veteran community center and tiny home community to be constructed in Sarpy County.
Special Guests: Honorary Commander Greg Hamm, Werner Enterprises
Attendance: Approximately 2,000 in attendance at the finish, 148 March participants and 100+ volunteers
Amount Raised: $570,000 so far, with more coming in
Mission: The 50 Mile March Foundation empowers veterans facing mental health challenges and homelessness by fostering a community of hope and relentless support.
For more information: (402) 706-6470, www.50milemarch.org, donate at: https://givebutter.com/ OperationNobleWatchman2024
Sponsors: Aion, Aspects & Angles Photography, Berry Law, Better Homes and Gardens - The Good Life Group, Bish’s RV, CSG, Hillcrest Health Services, Hy-Vee, Nebraska Brewing Company, Lead Innovations, Metro Magazine & Midlands Business Journal, Pioneer Ambulance Service, Ronco Construction, Scheels, Stonebrook Exterior, Werner Enterprises
Event Summary: The fifth annual 50 Mile March: Operation Noble Watchman was held on August 24-25, 2024. 148 participants walked 50 miles from the steps of the state capitol in Lincoln to Omaha to raise awareness and funds for our community's veterans. Raising a record-setting $570,000 to date, the 50 Mile March Foundation will utilize funds to support both its grantmaking efforts and also the Community of Hope tiny home campus project.
Name Of Organization: SAC Foundation
Event Name: 7th Annual Charity Golf Event
When: August 29, 2024
Where: Tiburon Golf Club
Why: To raise money for our charity organizations and continue our mission of serving the military community and providing financial literacy.
Attendance: 98 Players
Amount Raised: $16,000
Mission: The SAC Foundation mission is to be a steward of economic and social sustainability in the communities we serve by focusing on financial literacy and supporting our military.
About: SAC Foundation is the charitable arm of Cobalt Credit Union and a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. We are a separate, independent entity operated by our own board of directors comprised of Cobalt Credit Union employees. SAC Foundation’s volunteer outreach and financial giving focuses on two areas: Financial education and educational programs that teach financial literacy, and economic and social programs in support of the military
For more information: (531) 213-0845, https://sacfoundation.net
Sponsors: Walentine O’Toole, LLP, Alloya Corporate FCU, FISERV, H+H Kia, H+H Jeep/ Dodge/ Ram, H+H Chevrolet, Onyx Automotive, Omaha Neon Sign, MCL Construction, Allied Solutions, State National, High Point Roofing NE, Ascensus, Financial Supermarkets Inc., Assurance Plus, Habitat for Humanity Omaha, Cox Business, Helm Group, Manheim Omaha, SWBC, DBE, Arch MI for Credit Unions, Print Image Solutions, Baird Holm, LLP, Digital Express
Event Summary: The SAC Foundation hosted its 7th annual golf event on August 29 at Tiburon Golf Club. The community came together for 18 holes of golf, lunch and a silent auction. Proceeds supported New Visions Homeless Shelter and At Ease USA, raising over $15,000 for these charities. The event had a fantastic turnout, with attendees generously giving back to help those in need. We are grateful for everyone’s support and in making this event a success.
Organization: The Salvation Army of Omaha
Event Name: D.J.’s Hero Awards Luncheon
Event Date: May 7, 2024
Location: CHI Health Center Omaha
Why: D.J.'s Hero Awards is a program that presents scholarships to Nebraska high school seniors who exemplify perseverance, selflessness, leadership and service to community. The luncheon also raises funds for Salvation Army youth development programs in Omaha.
Special guests: The 25th anniversary event included the presentation of The Salvation Army's highest honor, the Evangeline Booth Award, to David and Peggy Sokol by Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, national commander of The Salvation Army USA. Also in attendance were six successful Hero alumni, who engaged in a roundtable discussion with David Sokol.
Atttendance: 1,100
For more information: (402) 898-7700 or salarmyomaha.org
Name of Organization: College of Saint Mary
Event Name: Ignite the Flame Luncheon
When: April 30, 2024
Where: Lied Fitness Center Fieldhouse
Why: A fundraiser to celebrate women’s athletics
Special Guests: Gina Mancuso-Prososki of the Omaha Supernovas; Co-Chairs Michele D’Ercole Pohlman ‘93 and Michala D’Ercole Jacobson ‘94; Ana Bellinghausen of Hurrdat Sports served as emcee
Attendance: 230
Amount Raised: $96,000
For more information: www.csm.edu/Ignite
Sponsors: Maria and Dean Jacobsen, Dr. Melissa Kean, J.D., Lozier Foundation, Deborah MacDonald, J.D., Cline Williams, Midwest Laboratories, NP Dodge, Kate and Sandy Dodge, Constance Ryan, Dr. Katie Weitz, American National Bank, Bill and Leona Kernen Family, Project Advocates, Valmont, Access Bank, Louis and Kathy D’Ercole, FNTS, Highlands Lawn, Kinghorn Gardens, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Omaha Supernovas, OPPD, Reynold Smith, Bill and Sherry Wachtler
Name Of Organization: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands
Event Name: Fore Potential Golf Outing
When: May 30, 2024
Where: Tiburon Golf Club
Why: A benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands
Attendance: 96
Amount Raised: $40,000
About: For more than 60 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As a donor and volunteer supported organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 7 through 21, throughout the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro area. We develop positive friendships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
For more information: (402) 905-3336
Name Of Organization: Outlook Enrichment
Event Name: Tee It Up Fore Sight & Stanley M. Truhlsen Jr. Blind Golfers Clinic
When: June 5, 2024
Where: Tiburon Golf Course
Why: This annual fundraiser supports Outlook Enrichment programs, which provide visually impaired individuals with a wide range of resources and recreational activities.
Attendance: 200
Amount Raised: $24,000
About: Our goal is to help people on their journey beyond vision, helping them realize they can do more than they ever imagined.
For more information: (531) 365-5051 https://www.outlooken.org
Event Summary: Outlook’s annual Tee It Up Fore Sight Tournament raises money to support Outlook Enrichment programs, which provide blind and visually impaired individuals with a wide range of resources and recreational activities — helping people on their journey beyond vision.
Name Of Organization: Siena Francis House
Event Name: 30th Annual Hope for the Homeless 5K Walk/Run
When: September 15, 2024
Where: Heartland of America Park at the RiverfFront
Why: To raise funds and awareness for Siena Francis House
Catered By: Starbucks, Bronco’s, Hy-Vee and Pettit's Pastry
Multimedia Rentals: Fun Services
Attendance: 365
Amount Raised: $82,647
For more information: (402) 341-1821, www.sienafrancis.org
Sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: Green Plains; Impact Sponsors: Baxter Auto, Contour Construction; Sysco; Bridges Trust, CHI Health; Community Sponsors: American National Bank, Union Pacific, Woodhouse, Ambrose, Nebraska Medicine, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, Greater Omaha Packing, The Mazzotta Family
TOP FINISHERS PROUDLY DISPLAY THEIR MEDALS AND SMILES AT HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS 5K, CELEBRATING BOTH THEIR ACHIEVEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN NEED
RUNNERS HIT THEIR STRIDE AT HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS 5K, UNITING TO HELP PROVIDE SHELTER AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN NEED
PARTICIPANTS SHARE MOMENTS OF CONNECTION AND SUPPORT, GATHERING TO RAISE AWARENESS AND HELP THOSE RECEIVING SERVICES AT SIENA FRANCIS HOUSE
Name Of Organization: QLI
Event Name: An Evening at the Fair
When: September 13, 2024
Where: Baxter Arena
Why: A night of fun for a lifetime of possibilities. QLI’s An Evening at the Fair raises critical funding for Life Path Services at QLI.
Special Guests: Honorary Chairs, Kim & Dr. Kyle Janssen Event Chairs, Dr. Mackenzie Farr and Cheryl Knoell
Attendance: 800
Amount Raised: $415,000
Mission: Deliver lifechanging rehabilitation and care. Protect dignity, instill purpose, create hope. Commit to excellence.
For more information: (402) 573-3700
Sponsors: Purple Ribbon Sponsor: TopStep Blue Ribbon Sponsors: Eide Bailly, Fusion, Leslie Janssen and Jim Herzog, Terri and Jack McDonnell, Perspective Insurance, Pinnacle Bank, Lori & David Scott Foundation, Vetter Senior Living
Our vibrant community thrives thanks to the dedication of local nonprofits. The Giving Guide 2024 shines a spotlight on over 50 of these incredible organizations, showcasing their missions, achievements, and the many ways they make a difference. This Guide isn't just a directory – it's a bridge connecting passionate nonprofits with generous leaders ready to invest their time, talent, and resources. Discover inspiring stories of corporate giving and find your perfect philanthropic match. Together, let's empower Omaha's changemakers and build an even brighter future.
