Cultivating Connection: How Sheltering Tree and UNO Social Work Students Learn Side by Side

Community Connections | May 28, 2025

Cultivating Connection:
How Sheltering Tree and UNO Social Work Students Learn Side by Side

Since Fall 2023, the Grace Abbott School of Social Work at UNO has partnered with Sheltering Tree to create a dynamic, reciprocal service-learning experience—one that prepares future social workers through heart-centered engagement and hands-on practice. Now four semesters strong, the collaboration continues to deepen, providing students with meaningful ways to connect, contribute, and grow, while enriching the lives of Sheltering Tree tenants.

Kersten Borer, an instructor at the Grace Abbott School of Social Work, reflects on the evolution of this relationship and the transformative impact it has had on both her students and the tenants at Sheltering Tree.

Students enrolled in the Social Work and Civic Engagement course are immersed from day one. They participate in weekly on-site activities, assist with special events, and join GOALS classes alongside tenants. Their contributions have sparked creative additions to Sheltering Tree’s enrichment offerings including a “Meals in a Mug Cookbook” and simple plant care initiatives that encourage independence, sensory engagement, and daily living skills.

But the impact goes far deeper than activities. Students walk away with a stronger command of person-first language, a deeper understanding of disability rights and dignity, and perhaps most importantly, lasting relationships with individuals they may never have encountered otherwise.

“This experience helps students move beyond textbooks and theory,” Borer says. “They leave the semester with more empathy, better communication skills, and a clearer sense of purpose. Many say they want to continue working with this population.”

And the benefits flow both ways. Sheltering Tree tenants gain access to new energy, fresh ideas, and peer support from students eager to make a difference. Their presence creates more moments of connection, more opportunities for skill-building, and more celebration of each individual’s unique abilities.

As Sheltering Tree prepares for its next expansion, partnerships like this lay the groundwork for even deeper community integration ensuring that future tenants will arrive in a space already enriched by compassion, creativity, and collaboration.

This is where learning meets humanity. Where students become advocates, and tenants become teachers.