University celebrates opening of Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall

Making learning visible is the theme of Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall, the new home for the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Hundreds of faculty, staff, students and university stakeholders had their first look at the state-of-the art building during a ribbon-cutting celebration Sept. 29.

“It’s a great day for the College of Education and Human Sciences and a great day to be a Nebraskan,” said Sherri Jones, the college’s dean. “This building is a direct reflection of Nebraska’s investment in teacher preparation, and we’re extremely appreciative of that support.”

Among the college’s 2,500 undergraduate students are more than 1,000 students at various stages of completing their pre-service teacher training. In addition to fostering strong communities, the college also delivers programing to help young children thrive and to increase access to health and wellness services.

“The university’s land-grant mission means that our learning and discovery in these areas is directly extended to Nebraskans,” Jones said.

Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall, a 126,590-square-foot, four-story facility, features classrooms, meeting spaces, offices, labs, a 380-seat auditorium and a link directly to Teachers College Hall and Henzlik Hall. The facility is the new home for the dean’s office; the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies; the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education; lab space for the Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences; and the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools.

“We’re going to see big things done in this building,” Chancellor Ronnie Green said. “The work that will be done in Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall will add to the university’s century-and-a-half history of programming in education and human sciences.”

The building is named in honor of Carolyn Pope Edwards, an expert in early-childhood education who was a faculty member at Nebraska for 18 years. Her life mission was raising the quality of young children’s education by understanding how they develop and thrive cognitively, socially and emotionally.

Edwards’ many professional honors included the Distinguished Research and Creative Activity Award from the College of Education and Human Sciences, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance and the University of Nebraska’s Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award. She died in 2018.

Several members of the Edwards family were on hand for the celebration, including Rick Edwards, Carolyn’s widower, an administrator and professor emeritus at Nebraska.

“The life and work of Professor Carolyn Pope Edwards are reflected from the basement to the third floor, the view and the garden,” said Inoussa Malgoubri, a graduate student in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. “What a great place that blends socialization, collaboration and learning — our building blocks that give us the tools to build people and make our community a better place.”

After the ribbon-cutting, guests had the opportunity to take photos and self-guided tours of the building.

The mission of the College of Education and Human Sciences is to enhance the lives of individuals, families, schools and communities and strengthen the relationships among them. Learn more.