A year from now, Roskens Hall at the University of Nebraska at Omaha will feature state-of-the-art classroom facilities and outreach clinics focused on teaching, educational administration, counseling, learning disabilities and speech/hearing education.

Previously home to UNO’s College of Business Administration, Roskens Hall is now undergoing a complete transformation for the College of Education. The renovated facility will open to students by the fall 2011 semester, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held Aug. 19, 2010.

The $13.7 million project, almost entirely paid for by private funds, will yield an additional 20,000 square feet of space to expand programs and outreach. Roskens Hall will also feature a resource and innovation center; a state of the art science, technology, engineering and math center; and new collaboration rooms.

Ruth and Bill Scott and Dr. George Haddix, all of Omaha, are the principal donors to the Roskens Hall redevelopment project, a fundraising priority for UNO through the University of Nebraska Foundation’s Campaign for Nebraska. The Scotts made the lead gift to the project. Their commitment will benefit what they believe is one of Omaha’s greatest assets: its teachers.

“Our community depends greatly on the College of Education’s expertise in preparing students for careers in education and other professions that are fundamental to the success of our community,” said Ruth Scott, who is an educator. “With this new facility we believe UNO will achieve even greater accomplishments. We are pleased to be part of the campus’ tremendous progress.”

While George Haddix finds projects supporting teachers to be particularly worthy endeavors, the Roskens Hall redevelopment project is especially meaningful to him.
His gift benefits the college where his wife, Sally, a longtime teacher, earned a degree in education.

“After discussing the College of Education’s future plans for teacher preparation and program enhancements with the chancellor and the dean, it became clear that upgrading the physical facility is an important element of the plans,” he said. “This redevelopment project underlines the UNO commitment to the college in a visible and functional package. We are happy to participate in such a project.”

The physical appearance of the building will include a new outdoor courtyard and a visually dramatic entrance and atrium on the building’s south side, across from UNO’s Arts and Sciences Hall. The north entrance on Dodge Street will also be accentuated with a welcoming entrance and parking to accommodate clients served by the community.

“The redevelopment of Roskens Hall is so much more than just a new building,” said Nancy Edick, dean of the college. “This renovation will provide an enhanced experience for students, faculty and staff. We are not only breaking ground on a renovation, but we are breaking ground for new ways of learning and leading in the profession of education. Classrooms and common spaces will enhance collaboration among students, and provide partnership opportunities with the community, enabling the College of Education and UNO to move forward as a leading metropolitan university.”

This summer, the College of Business Administration moved to its new home, Mammel Hall, making the renovation of Roskens Hall possible for the College of Education. Mammel Hall is located on UNO’s South Campus near the Peter Kiewit Institute.

With an annual enrollment of 2,500 students, the college prepares professionals who serve as teachers, school administrators, counselors, librarians, speech pathologists, exercise scientists, athletic trainers and health researchers. For more than 80 years, it’s prepared some of Nebraska’s finest educators. Today more than 60 percent of the teachers in the Omaha metropolitan area and 33 percent in the state are UNO graduates.

Modernizing its educational facilities is a priority for the college and the Campaign for Nebraska; however, there are currently other key fundraising objectives, including:

• Establishing endowed professorships as well as merit- and need-based student scholarships.
• Creating a state-of-the-art STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education) lab.
• Enhancing early childhood and culturally responsive education programs.
• Building support for the nationally recognized Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility.
• Providing new technology in speech pathology, learning disabilities, counseling and tutoring clinics.

For information about supporting the College of Education, please consider an online gift or contact Susan Schnase, director of development, at 402-502-4105 or 800-432-3216.

College of Education Facts

• The College of Education will move into a redeveloped Roskens Hall in August 2011.
• The college has more than19,000 alumni worldwide.
• A majority of Omaha area school administrators are UNO alumni.
• Counseling and speech pathology students provide more than 2,000 hours of free or reduced-cost services each year.
• The college is conducting world-class research in biomechanics and women’s health.

About Roskens Hall
Construction of Roskens Hall began in 1973, and it was dedicated on May 16, 1975. The five-story, 95,000-square-foot facility cost $3.7 million and was lauded at the time as a “modern educational facility that is a welcome addition to the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus,” according to university records. In addition to the business college, it also housed the English, political science and philosophy-religion departments.