Dr. Viv Ewing Leads as UNO Alumni Association Board Chair

Viv Ewing, Ph.D. has been elected to serve as the 99th chair of the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors, effective July 1. She is the first African-American chair of the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors. 

"It is important for me to serve on the UNO Alumni Association Board because I want to help ensure the continued success of the alumni programs, outreach and impact and to further the university overall," said Ewing, president and chief executive officer of Children’s Square USA. "I consider it an honor to serve on this important and impactful board.”

Ewing earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Studies and Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from UNO. She also holds a doctoral degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Community & Human Resources. She has served on the UNO Alumni Association board since 2015. Ewing will serve as chair through June 30, 2025.  

Ewing’s professional career includes more than 20 years of executive leadership with nonprofits including CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, Vice President of Administration at PromiseShip, executive positions at Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army Kroc Center and Omaha Housing Authority.  

Her passion for helping individuals, families and organizations is also evident through her volunteer service. Ewing's motto is to serve with excellence which is reflected in a book she published titled, “Yes You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too.” She has or currently donates her time and expertise serving as board chair for Salvation Army, Vice Chair of the Rocky Mountain Regional Alliance, UNO Chancellor’s Diversity Council, President of the Omaha Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Sienna Francis House, Opera Omaha and Nebraska Cures.

Ewing’s spirit of service was fostered during her student days. She was the 1981 UNO Homecoming Queen, a charter member of Delta Sigma Theta for African-American students and was active in the minority student affairs department and student government. She also helped start an NAACP chapter on campus with fellow student John Ewing — who in 1984 became her husband (the two met in a political science class). 

In special recognition of their community work, Viv and John Ewing received the Citation for Alumni Achievement Award from the UNO Alumni Association in 2014. It's one of many awards Viv Ewing has received, including the alumni award for excellence in public service from UNO's College of Public Affairs and Community Service.