Office: WRNH 2130 | Phone: (308) 865-8741 | Email: younesm@unk.edu
Dr. Maha Younes is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Engagement at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In her role, she highlights the critical role of campus engagement and lifelong learning to support faculty and staff innovation and enhance the retention and success of all students. As a servant leader, she is dedicated to cultivating an environment where people feel empowered to thrive. Her approach is rooted in the ecological systems theory, emphasizing the interconnectedness of people and their environments, and employing holistic strategies to address their needs.
With over twenty years of experience in mental health, more than thirty years as a social work educator, and fifteen years of departmental leadership, she is in constant pursuit of sustainable impacts. She founded the International Social Work Experiences program, which studied social policies in Israel, China, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and South Korea. She was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to Thailand & Myanmar and taught a Substance Abuse and Addictions course in South Korea.
A passionate advocate for rural communities, Dr. Younes works to expand access to higher education opportunities and mental health services. Her past legislative efforts advanced graduate social work education in Central and Western Nebraska, secured funding for scholarships, and contributed to the professionalization of child welfare in the state. Dr. Younes supported the development of the Behavioral Health Education Center in Central Nebraska and collaborated to secure grant funding to promote mental health literacy on campus and addressing the behavioral health workforce shortage.
Dr. Younes’s dedication to service and advocacy has earned her various awards including the 2019 UNO Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service, the UNK 2018 Leland Holdt/Security Mutual Life Insurance Company Distinguished Faculty Award, the NASW 2009 Nebraska Social Worker of the Year, the 1999 Governor’s Recognition Award for Commitment to Nebraska’s Children, and the 1985 Outstanding Young Woman of America.
