The Board of Regents is pleased to present a KUDOS award to LaTrina Hall, the P-16 Initiative Coordinator in the Service Learning Academy at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Service Learning is a method of teaching that combines classroom instruction with meaningful, community–identified service.
During her tenure at UNO, LaTrina has facilitated the creation of thousands of service learning partnerships between P-12 teachers and UNO faculty members. Dr. Hall leads the Service Learning Seminar, a week-long training for UNO faculty and P-12 teachers, which focuses on quality service learning standards; to date hundreds of faculty members and P-12 teachers have been trained together through this seminar.
Dr. Hall is a practitioner and a scholar. She oversees data collection from UNO students in service learning courses and works with local school districts to collect data from P-12 students collaborating with UNO students in service learning courses. Because of her efforts, the Service Learning Academy better understands how students perceive their service learning courses—so they are more engaged, developing workforce skills such as critical thinking and team work during their service learning course. Dr. Hall was also recently accepted into a prestigious regional research group, the Engaged Scholars Initiative, where she will investigate the connection between student identity and service in African American students.
A former high school teacher, LaTrina and her team of graduate and undergraduate students, collaborate with P-12 teachers, administrators and partners across the community to help them connect their student learning outcomes with community-identified opportunities. As a result of her work, our students are better equipped for their professional careers, understand the community and its assets, and are prepared to lead in a diverse and evolving society.
Dr. Hall’s impact on UNO students, faculty, staff and community is truly exceptional. Joining LaTrina today are Julie Dierberger, Director of UNO’s Service Learning Academy, and Trina’s husband John Glenn Hall. Please join me in thanking LaTrina for her commitment to UNO and the community.
