Amidst the darkness of the pandemic, a team of University of Northern Iowa students and faculty are bringing a ray of light.
The first-ever Cedar Valley Illuminate Art and Light Festival will debut in the College Hill area this weekend, a projection art showcase featuring 15 installations from local artists, students and community organizations conceived around a theme of promoting social justice and societal change.
With more than 115 million Americans now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the focus has shifted to people who are hesitant or undecided. We talked to UNI biology professor Dave McClenahan, an immunologist who studies infectious disease, about why nearly everyone should be fully vaccinated.
Growing up in Ottumwa, Isaac Campbell never imagined he’d get the opportunity to work on projects for national art galleries abroad, or work alongside a world-renowned French artist at the Louvre in Paris. But at UNI, he gained the skills and made the connections to gain access to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities — and develop lifelong passions.
More than 1,000 students, faculty and staff have been vaccinated on campus in the last few weeks. InsideUNI asked a few who become fully vaccinated this week why they did it.
Summer Williams
Sophomore psychology major
This year's UNI graduates have the opportunity to collect their diplomas in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In their own words, two graduating seniors share what they've learned after a year of unprecedented challenges — and unexpected opportunities.
Our graduating seniors continued to impress with their academic brilliance, strong relationships with faculty and other students, and wide variety of out-of-class experiences to create a strong foundation for their future. These are but a few of our promising Class of Spring 2021 graduates:
Name: Ayah Al-Durazi
A gift from Robert and Annette Morden, both two-time graduates of UNI, supports campus initiatives that promote cultural acceptance, collaboration, awareness and education. Two new projects – a student-driven film from the theater department and an art project about Indigenous land rights – are underway with help from the fund.
