Gloria Kirkland-Holmes

When Gloria Kirkland-Holmes arrived at the University of Northern Iowa in 1978, she came to teach future educators. By the time she retired 42 years later, she had done far more for the institution and community than prepare teachers. 

Growing up in segregated Charleston, South Carolina, during the 1960s, Kirkland-Holmes learned early that access to education often depended on race and circumstance. Pursuing higher education brought another set of obstacles. 

“It was very difficult because if you were from a family where you didn’t have money and you were African American, that could cause a problem when looking for colleges and universities to attend,” she recalled. 

After overcoming barriers and earning her doctorate in teaching, Kirkland-Holmes joined UNI as an assistant professor in what was once called the Department of Teaching, later becoming a part-time professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction while teaching elementary at Malcolm Price Laboratory School. 

When she became a full-time professor at UNI, Kirkland-Holmes expanded her focus beyond teacher preparation. She taught courses to help students better understand different cultures and experiences, welcoming students from majors across campus.

“Many of our students come from rural Iowa and don’t have many racial or ethnic diversity experiences,” she said. “I thought that we needed to provide more experiences for them so that they can understand the culture more.”

In 2006, she launched the African American Read-In at UNI, inviting students, faculty and community members to read books by African American authors and illustrators to children throughout the Cedar Valley. 

More than 20 years later, the annual event continues to introduce thousands of children across the state of Iowa to stories and authors they might never have encountered otherwise. 

She followed that effort with two more significant initiatives: the African American Children and Families Conference, founded in 2011, which brings educators and parents together to discuss issues affecting children, and the Shining Star Girls Project in 2013, a mentoring program launched with local pastors to empower young African American girls. 

The programs reflected her belief that education did not begin and end in schools. It required partnerships among the community, families and educators. 

“She represents what UNI’s mission is — to connect with community, empower the next generation and to bring positive change into the world,” said Francesca Soans, UNI professor of digital media production who collaborated with Kirkland-Holmes after her retirement. 

Kirkland-Holmes continued this philosophy through Waterloo radio station KBBG-FM, where she hosted “Family Rewards of Life,” a youth-focused program that invited students from area schools to discuss issues affecting their lives, giving young people an opportunity to speak for themselves.

Even after retiring from UNI in 2020, she remained committed, becoming a member of KBBG’s board of directors. 

“She always sought ways to eliminate barriers so others could have access to opportunities… to take care of children and to provide them a voice when they were marginalized,” said former UNI College of Education Dean Dwight Watson. 

Reflecting on her career before retiring, Kirkland-Holmes acknowledged that creating change rarely came easy. 

“If you have an idea and you want to do something good for the children, for the people, do it anyhow,” she said. “Keep on struggling. Sometimes you might have to go by yourself, but keep going.”