Midland University officially opened its newest location today in the heart of Omaha. With more than 10,000 square feet, the new facility in the Old Mill business district will be the home of the university’s expanding slate of graduate and adult learning programs.
Designed with flexibility in mind, the innovative space at 11213 Davenport St. – adjacent to the TD Ameritrade world headquarters – already is welcoming students in Midland’s Master of Business Administration Program. In addition to classrooms, there is a collaborative space where students can work, café areas for community events, and office spaces that could serve as startup homes to local small businesses.
“We believe our new Omaha center will serve as an anchor for the Omaha business community,” Midland President Jody Horner said. “We recognize the increasing demand Omaha employers have for graduate and adult learning opportunities and this beautiful facility will allow us to meet those ever-evolving needs.”
When successive years of growth in Midland’s unique hybrid MBA program outran the capacity of its home at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, university officials began to seek a permanent home in Omaha for the MBA program and a host of emerging and planned graduate and adult learning opportunities. In August 2016, Midland secured real estate and began construction of the university’s first permanent location in the heart of Omaha.
In addition to its unique MBA, Midland University’s new Para to Teacher Program brings a unique opportunity to Omaha in which local school systems are partners in developing talented professionals into new classroom teachers. By working closely with local leaders, Midland has developed a program that will enable para-educators, who already help students in the classroom, to earn a teaching degree with specialized endorsements without disrupting their important work in local schools today.
The Para to Teacher Program allows participants the flexibility to fit courses into a busy lifestyle while assisting Omaha Public Schools in meeting a goal of placing teachers who mirror the diversity of students in the classroom. Midland’s new Omaha center provides a convenient space for those participating in the program to meet for class and to collaborate on projects.
“Our new Omaha center provides the perfect setting for the Para to Teacher Program,” said Dr. Kerry Williams, Associate Professor of Education who oversees the program. “This location allows dedicated para-educators to advance their careers in a profession they are passionate about, remain in their current classrooms, and balance their active family and personal lives.”
Flexibility to serve various programs is a key design concept for the new center. While there are traditional lecture spaces – complete with the latest technology – there are also rooms to accommodate a variety of classes and small-group meetings, prioritizing reconfigurable spaces to provide maximum flexibility into the future.
“A key piece of our strategy is to deliver programs that are connected to real business needs in the center of Omaha,” said Raymond Sass, Vice President for Strategy and Dean of the Midland MBA Program. “This state-of-the-art space will be a launchpad for new adult-focused programs, from entrepreneurship to coding, designed to help Nebraskans compete in the knowledge economy.”
The Midland MBA Program is Nebraska’s first and only hybrid MBA program, helping students forge strong network relationships by meeting once a month in person while allowing them flexibility during online weeks in between. The program culminates in a real-world consulting experience, hosted by employers, such as Union Pacific, Valmont, First National Bank, Kiewit, and other companies with global operations. Midland also offers the region’s first and only “MBA for Life” program, allowing Midland MBA alumni to take any elective courses tuition-free for life, paying only nominal program fees, as long as the course has capacity.
Midland University is a private liberal arts college based in Fremont, Nebraska. Home to 1,400 students, 31 varsity sports, 250 opportunities in the performing arts, and 35 academic programs, Midland creates highly personalized opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning while pursuing their passions.
