Since Day One of his new job as president of the University of Nebraska, Hank Bounds, Ph.D., has been on the move.
Dr. Bounds, who began in April, has spent time getting to know the University of Nebraska campuses, visiting communities from the eastern part of the state to the Panhandle, and meeting with as many constituents – faculty, staff, current and prospective students, alumni, donors, leaders in education, business and agriculture, policymakers and other Nebraskans – as possible.
We caught up with Dr. Bounds, a Mississippi native who most recently served as commissioner of higher education there, to talk about his goals for the university and UNMC’s role in achieving them.
What is your vision for the University of Nebraska?
I’ve always wanted to be in a position where I could help change the world. The University of Nebraska presidency is that position. We have an opportunity to be a giant in higher education, doing even more to impact the lives of Nebraskans and people around the world. I’m humbled and honored to be a part of it.
“The University of Nebraska can play a leading global role in key areas where we have built expertise and capacity – and our state’s only public academic health sciences center is right in the middle of that conversation.”
University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds, Ph.D.
How does UNMC fit into your vision?
The University of Nebraska can play a leading global role in key areas where we have built expertise and capacity – and our state’s only public academic health sciences center is right in the middle of that conversation.
Take cancer research and care. Cancer affects every Nebraskan. The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center will position UNMC and Nebraska Medicine to lead the way in developing more effective treatments, advancing research, educating the next generation of scientists and physicians, and improving the quality of life for patients.
Our designation as a national Ebola center is proof of our reputation for fighting infectious diseases. And we are known in many other areas as well: public health, transplantation, allied health sciences and pharmacy.
How does UNMC serve the entire state?
My travels around Nebraska tell me UNMC touches every corner of the state. I’m proud of the work we do to provide care to people in rural and urban communities, educate students no matter where they’re from and grow the economy and meet workforce needs. The Health Science Education Complex on the UNK campus – an innovative cross-campus collaboration – is a tremendously exciting project, made possible by generous public and private support, that will expand educational opportunities for our students and meet critical needs for more nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists and other allied health workers in rural parts of the state.
To me, that’s a perfect illustration of the power of the University of Nebraska. Each of our campuses has a unique mission. But we also have an opportunity to be stronger together – one university working to serve Nebraskans.