Grant Sorrell, a candidate for the Omaha Public School Board, and Evan Schmeits, a candidate for the Metropolitan Community College (MCC) board, visited UNMC in January to observe a High School Alliance class.
Sorrell visited a class being held in the building named for his grandfather, Michael Sorrell, M.D., longtime UNMC leader, faculty member and supporter.
Although he is very familiar with UNMC, Sorrell said he was unfamiliar with the High School Alliance.
“Part of my platform is increasing partnerships between the school district and local colleges, so I thought it was important for me to learn more about the High School Alliance and see the impact it is having on our students,” he said.
Schmeits said he was interested in collaborations that could help MCC grow Omaha’s workforce and fill the jobs of the future. The High School Alliance is the type of collaboration he’d like to promote between academic partners.
“It’s a great partnership between OPS and UNMC,” he said. “It’s innovative, and it’s possibly something that could be recreated in some form in a Metro collaboration.”
“”I think this program is great for kids to get some hands-on experience,” Sorrell said. “Everybody wants to be a doctor, but the High School Alliance allows them to learn so much more about what’s out there in the health care field.”