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CIC President to visit College of Saint Mary on May 7

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

OMAHA, Nebraska – Richard Ekman, President of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), will tour the College of Saint Mary campus next Monday, exploring the university's unique Mother's Living & Learning program, as well as its advanced health professions labs. 

Ekman will visit seven Nebraska colleges and universities next week and present a “State of Higher Education” address to independent university and college presidents and board members on Monday, May 7, at 5 p.m. at Midland University’s Omaha campus at 11213 Davenport St., Omaha.

As CIC President since 2000, Ekman is considered a leading authority on the major issues in independent higher education. CIC represents nearly 700 independent colleges and universities, including Nebraska’s 13 independent colleges and universities that are institutional members of the Council of Independent Colleges Foundation (CINCF).

According to CINCF Executive Director Dennis Joslin, Ekman’s visit is an opportunity to shine a light on the innovative programs that Nebraska’s independent colleges and universities have introduced, and the impact they are having on the state. “Nebraska’s private colleges and universities are actively involved in transforming higher education,” he said, citing member schools’ inroads in developing programs for adult learners, students interested in STEM careers, health sciences careers, and more.

On Monday, May 7, Ekman will tour Bellevue University, College of Saint Mary, Nebraska Methodist College and Midland University’s Omaha campus. Ekman’s presentation will begin at 5 p.m. at Midland University’s Omaha campus. On Tuesday, May 8, Ekman will head to Lincoln and tour Nebraska Wesleyan University, Union College and Bryan College of Health Sciences.

The CINC Foundation, which was launched earlier this year as a 501(c)(3), brings together the strengths of two previous non-profit organizations that represented independent higher education in the state. The Foundation, Joslin said, is dedicated to “making excellent higher education opportunities accessible to students from diverse backgrounds and communities.”

The Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF)

The Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF) is an association of Nebraska’s 13 independent colleges and universities that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and raise funds and awareness of the economic and personal impact its members institutions have on the State of Nebraska and individual students. The association’s member institutions (Bellevue University, Bryan College of Health Sciences, Clarkson College, College of Saint Mary, Concordia University, Creighton University, Doane University, Hastings College, Midland University, Nebraska Methodist College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Union College and York College) offer a full spectrum of educational opportunities to tens of thousands of students each year.