At the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), community involvement is a major component of the school’s mission. Since 2003, Signature Service Days have provided UNO students, staff, and faculty a chance to engage in service projects with the community while serving a need at local nonprofit organizations.
Today, the UNO Office of Civic and Social Responsibility hosts fifteen service days each academic year, which are each themed to represent six issue areas: Educational Support, Economic Sufficiency, Environmental Stewardship, Health and Wellness, International Service and Social Justice. On each service day, trained student leaders facilitate pre- and post-reflection discussions and guide volunteers through their service project. Intentionally structured to promote long-term, consistent volunteerism, Signature Service Days require community partners to engage with volunteers by describing the services and programs offered by their agencies.
Signature Service Days for the 2017-2018 academic year featured 1,790 students, staff, and community members (total), with 1,447 unique participants completing 7,747 hours of service in support of 100 nonprofit organizations. During the 2017-2018 academic year, volunteers provided an economic impact of $154,295.20 to the Omaha Metropolitan area.
