Nebraska Broadband Initiative Planning Team Receives National Recognition

May 29, 2015

Lincoln, Neb. — The Nebraska Broadband Initiative Planning team was named runner-up in the excellence in teamwork category from the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals. The award was presented on May 19 at the 2015 NACDEP conference held in Little Rock, AR.

The Nebraska Broadband Initiative was formed in 2010 to promote the adoption and utilization of broadband in Nebraska. UNL collaborated with the Nebraska Public Service Commission, Nebraska Information Technology Commission, Nebraska Department of Economic Development and the AIM Institute on the Initiative.  Nebraska Extension led the planning efforts.

A few of the efforts of the initiative include mapping broadband availability across the state (led by PSE), organizing statewide conferences, creating educational videos and conducting broadband business and household surveys. UNL played a major role in building broadband awareness, creating benchmark data through surveys and focus groups and providing technical assistance through videos, webinars, and tech fairs.

The NACDEP excellence in teamwork award recognizes outstanding Extension programming or projects by NACDEP members that demonstrates effective performance and significant results at the community, region, state, or multi-state level.

Members of the Nebraska Broadband Initiative Planning team are Charlotte Narjes and Rebecca Vogt from the UNL Department of Agricultural Economics; Roger Terry from the UNL Department of Agricultural, Leadership, Education and Communication; Connie Hancock from Nebraska Extension; Gene Hand and Cullen Robbins from PSC; Anne Byers from NITC; Rod Armstrong from AIM; Allison Hatch from DED.

The project was funded through a grant to the Nebraska Public Service Commission by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

For more information on the Nebraska Broadband Initiative visit broadband.nebraska.gov.