The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Child Care center closed in April for a variety of reasons, among them lack of space at its YWCA location.
After the center closed, children dispersed to other facilities, said Tish Roland, director of UCC. Jennifer Hellwege, assistant bursar for UNL, sent her children to daycare located in her neighborhood so her son would be close to his elementary school.
“We loved UCC,” said Hellwege, who used to send her two children, Dalton, 5, and Alyssa, 2, to the center. “The employees were so loving with the kids.”
Watch Hellwege talk about the benefits of UCC
In June, the UNL Board of Regents unanimously approved a plan presented by UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman to renovate the Whittier Building, located at 22nd and Vine streets, to include a child care center and additional research space.
In his proposal, Perlman said it was important to have a child care center on campus to help recruit female faculty and staff.
Hellwege agreed with Perlman’s assessment.
“I started working at UNL 11 years ago, before I started my family,” she said. “But having the child care center as an option while an employee here was a big asset.”
UCC employees routinely took children under their charge on outings to Lincoln museums and the State Capitol building, and offered them swimming lessons at the YWCA.
Watch Hellewege talk about the caring staff at UCC
Roland said this time around the committee planning the new center has the luxury of beginning from the ground up, allowing it to make specific recommendations for renovation that will best fit the center’s needs.
While Hellwege plans to keep her kids at their current daycare location after the new UCC opens because of its proximity to their elementary school, she said having a child care facility on campus is important for employees.
The bonds she established with other UCC moms and children remain. In fact, Dalton, who turns 6 next week, plans to invite four children he met at UCC to his birthday party.
