A gift to this unrestricted fund enables the UNO chancellor to assist when special opportunities arise or provide immediate support to areas where students and faculty may need it most.
Elise Gaines’ final semester at the University of Nebraska at Omaha should have been a celebration.
Instead, she found herself in flux.
Over the last year, Gaines and her family have been supporting her father as he battles prostate cancer. Thankfully, her father is healthy today. In the wake of the disease, however, medical bills and questions arose about how Gaines would pay for her final semester of college.
“I didn’t know how I was going to pay for tuition,” she said. “It was just one of those moments where I felt like I was running out of options.”
Gaines fell in love with the university because of the community it fostered. Now, the university is ensuring that she has the resources she needs to continue thriving thanks to donor support to the UNO Fund – Area of Greatest Need.
The fund enables UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, to provide support for special opportunities and immediate support areas. This year, Dr. Li used the funds to provide $1,000 scholarships to three UNO students.
Gaines was one of those students. Dr. Li surprised Gaines with her scholarship during a presentation in early October.
“For that scholarship to be offered at such a crucial moment, it was just a lot to take in,” Gaines said. “It was such a weight off my shoulders, and I’m very grateful to have received it.”
When Gaines received the scholarship, her first thoughts went to her parents.
“My mother was really excited,” she said. “I think she was screaming through the phone. Both of my parents were so happy for me.”
The scholarship provided a light at the end of the tunnel for Gaines and her family following a difficult year.
Over the last four years, Gaines has worked hard to pursue her degree at UNO. Thanks to support from donors to the UNO Fund – Area of Greatest Need, she received the support she needed to complete her journey.
Now, Gaines is enjoying her final semester at UNO. With a new job at a local production company already in hand, she is looking forward to using her experience at the university to make a difference in Omaha.
“I just want to thank everyone who supported this fund,” Gaines said. “Your gift means so much because there are so many students like me that are working hard and just need that little push. Having opportunities like this available is really important for students.”
The Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center bring people together to have meaningful conversations surrounding human rights and Holocaust education through art. Your gift allows the museum to continue its growth, allowing these important conversations to continue.
The Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center offers a unique experience to every person who visits.
Samuel Bak is a 92-year-old Holocaust survivor known worldwide for his surrealist paintings centered around human rights. His works first appeared on UNO’s campus in 2019 during the “WITNESS: The Art of Samuel Bak” exhibition.
Following that visit, a 500 plus-piece collection of Bak’s work was donated to UNO, ultimately leading to the development and opening of the museum and learning center in a temporary location in Aksarben Village in his name in 2023.
From middle schoolers to college students and the greater community, the museum allows everyone who visits to have meaningful conversations about art, Holocaust education, human rights and genocide.
That impact can be felt through a range of offerings found at the Bak Museum. Since opening in 2023, 76% of visitors have participated in an education program or event. It’s a testament to the impact of the museum.
Hillary Nather-Detisch, executive director of the museum, is committed to creating a space where art and human rights intertwine.
“Togetherness of human rights and art is something I believe so strongly in,” Nather-Detisch said.
Last fall, the museum welcomed contemporary artists in addition to Mr. Bak’s works to include different narratives in each exhibition. On January 21, 2026 the Museum opened Justice and Hope, an exhibition that explores how artists Samuel Bak, Dinh Q. Lê, Mladen Miljanović, Serge Nitegeka, and Maja Ruznic use intertwining personal narrative and historical facts to commemorate conflicts and denounce humanity’s inability to forgo violence.
“UNO provides 50 to 60% of the museum’s annual operating budget, and the remaining 40 to 50% is funded by private philanthropy,” Nather-Detisch said.
The ability to stay free and accessible for all visitors while presenting top-notch exhibitions and education engagement opportunities is a priority to staff at the museum.
“A donor gift will help us to offer our free exhibition and related programming — that includes evening lectures, musical concerts, free art-making weekend sessions and family-friendly activities,” Nather-Detisch said. “Donor gifts also support all of our K-12 student field trips and the museum’s free audio tour offered in three languages.”
To ensure that the meaningful work of Samuel Bak can continue to live on, please consider donating to the Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center Excellence Fund.
