This page's main content:

Bootstrappers' Reunion

reunion itinerary • oral history interviews

The United States Air Force initiated the Bootstrap Program in 1951 to encourage members of the military to 'lift themselves by the bootstraps' by earning a college degree.  The University of Nebraska at Omaha, then named Omaha University, was one of only a handful of institutions nationwide to participate.  The Bootstrap Program allowed personnel up to two years to complete a college degree, which they had perhaps started years earlier, and gave officers thirty credit hours for their commission.  In the late fifties, all branches of the military gave the program their support and it grew exponentially.  Under this program, more than 12,000 individuals received their degrees.  This group of alumni came to be called the Bootstrappers.

In the Fall of 2008, as part of the UNO centennial celebration, we are inviting the Bootstrappers back to campus to join us for a reunion event.  Here you can find event activities, travel, and any other important reunion details.  If you need further information, please e-mail Susan Schnase (sschnase@nufoundation.org).