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New chair in UNO school of social work named after Chancellor Christensen

UNO has announced a new position in the Grace Abbott School of Social Work. The John E. Christensen chair is named for the chancellor because of his dedication to child welfare. 

Funded, in part, by a $1 million gift from the Weitz Family Foundation, the chair will teach classes and do research focused on underserved children, along with assisting community groups that focus on children.

UNO’s Dean of Public Affairs, Dr. John Bartle, says this will make the school of social work more competitive give it national recognition.  More importantly, Bartle says it will make a difference in Omaha.

"We’re working directly with the community to solve important problems, were educating our students so they can be the folks working in the very near future to solve these problems, to work with children. And I think it’s such an important part of making this a healthy community in the long run. It’s more than just helping students get jobs. It’s about making the community better and stronger, and in this case for the most vulnerable population.”

The Buffet Early Childhood Institute is working with University of Nebraska campuses across the state to endow similar chairs. Bartle says the position should be filled by the fall of 2017.

For more information, the website is socialwork.unomaha.edu.