In the 70’s a group of students found each other.  It started small.  One parent saying I will take my classes in the morning and you take yours in the afternoon and then we can take care of each others children.  Much strategic planning occurred.  By word of mouth this group got larger.  Eventually they started a student group and needed a sponsor.  Daryl Swanson, Director of the Nebraska Union, became their sponsor.  When the group gained size Daryl helped to find them space in a church basement (Cornerstone Church) and the cultural center (located on 13th Street, between Q and R)- the younger children in one space and the older children in another.  This worked for a number of years.  A major turning point for the center occurred when the Nebraska Unions became an active partner in the running of the center.  A center director was hired and Daryl supervised that person.  The Union also took over their payroll.  Thus the teaching staff could have benefits with the University of Nebraska.  The center became a part of Student Affairs. 

In 1989 the Director of the Center, Barbara Vigil and Daryl Swanson worked with the YWCA to form a partnership and with the help of the Cooper Foundation a portion of the YWCA was converted to house the new child care.  University Child Care moved into the newly renovated space in 1990.  There were always two centers in the YWCA.  They had a smaller center that provided part-time, emergency and drop-in care and then the University would take on the full-time care.  In the contract UNL was to provide 1/3 of the spaces to students, 1/3 to Faculty and Staff and 1/3 to the community.  This situation went on for years.  Until the YWCA found out that part-time care and drop-in care was difficult to finance.  After that both the YWCA and UNL provided full-time care.  In December of 2006 UNL were informed that the YWCA wanted us to leave their building, so that they could expand their child care.  The last day of the center was April 27, 2007.