Community Engagement & Outreach

Dr. Dele Davies believes true partnerships are built on listening to and learning from the communities he serves. This approach has helped him form and strengthening connections in Nebraska and beyond.

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Dr. Dele Davies talks to community members in South Omaha

Select Accomplishments at UNMC (2012 - 2026)

Working alongside dedicated teams, Dr. Dele Davies led the strategy and delivery of multiple initiatives across UNMC.

  • Prioritizing community engagement across Nebraska, completing more than 15 “listening visits” over the course of 18 months to hear community priorities, build trust and develop partnerships — along with targeted neighborhood meetings around the EDGE District to strengthen collaboration. (Ongoing)
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  • Strengthening statewide clinical training partnerships by meeting with more than 20 hospital system leaders to expand preceptorship opportunities and assess housing and support needs for learners as part of the Kearney expansion. (Ongoing)
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  • Expanded UNMC’s community presence in North Omaha by opening a joint UNMC-Nebraska Medicine Community Wellness Collaborative in one of the city’s most economically challenged zip codes.

  • Contributing civic, national, and global leadership through board service, including board roles with organizations spanning biodefense preparedness, academic health leadership, pediatrics and performing arts. View list of board service.
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  • Established the UNMC Office of Community Engagement, which oversees service-learning activities and builds bridges between UNMC faculty, students, staff and community partners to impact lives and drive positive change, leading to UNMC being awarded the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, one of the highest national honors recognizing an institution’s commitment to community engagement. UNMC is one of only seven comparable institutions in the U.S. with this classification.

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“Receiving the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification is a meaningful recognition of the partnerships that strengthen UNMC. Our communities are central to our teaching, research and clinical care, and our partnerships in Nebraska are deeply personal because they are rooted in the places where we live and work. I am incredibly proud to have led the establishment of the Office of Community Engagement and am incredibly thankful to our community partners and to our faculty, staff and students for their commitment to each other and to a healthier future for all.”

— H. Dele Davies, MD

Mobilizing a Community to Improve Children's Health

While at Michigan State University, Dr. Dele Davies founded a community-driven initiative to strengthen pediatric care and help Mid-Michigan children and families navigate a healthier future.

  • Created the MSU Children's Health Initiative (MSU CHI) in 2004, inspiring the Greater Lansing community to participate in philanthropic efforts that support research, education and clinical care to benefit the children of Mid-Michigan.

  • Recruited MSU Women’s Basketball head coaches as honorary spokespersons and advocates, elevating visibility and community participation.

  • Co-created the “3-Point Challenge” that encouraged the community to donate for every three-point shot made by the MSU women’s team, driving fundraising to support MSU CHI programs and clinic needs.

  • Co-created “Honorary Coach of the Game,” giving children with chronic illnesses the opportunity to interact with the MSU women's basketball team; this served as inspiration for the children, as well as a reminder to players of the importance of health.