A new partnership between the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) aimed at helping location-bound students in Des Moines earn a college degree through UNI received a $1 million boost this week thanks to the generosity of UNI alumni.
Staying joyful despite challenges, helping hometown heroes and a Cedar-Valley themed Monopoly game all helped UNI students bring home accolades from Pi Sigma Epsilon’s national convention.
During this time of national discussion of racial inequality, UNI is uplifting underrepresented voices. The Diversity Is Our Strength project aims to challenge racism and stereotypes about the Cedar Valley in a visible way with a downtown Waterloo mural and accompanying website.
Anger over the death of George Floyd has led to a reappraisal of the history of racism and oppression in America. In recent weeks, demonstrators have toppled Confederate statues, Congressional leaders have proposed renaming military bases and NASCAR has banned Confederate flags from being displayed at events. We asked UNI associate history professor Thomas Connors, an expert on historical memory and monuments, to weigh in on the discussion.
The University of Northern Iowa announced a change to the name of its marketing department to reflect long-held entrepreneurial values that in recent years have surged in popularity for current and prospective students. The new name, the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, was approved by the Board of Regents at a June 4 meeting and both reflects and legitimizes the department's commitment to teaching the mindset, values and strategies of entrepreneurs.
Despite crime rates that have fallen for decades, the United States still imprisons far more of its population than any other country in the world. COVID-19 has forced Americans to take a closer look at our society — including the millions behind bars in jails and prisons where infections are hard to contain. While some county jails have released thousands of detainees to slow coronavirus’ spread, prisons have been reluctant to follow.
Now 86 and living on a remote green patch of Northern Iowa countryside, famed anti-racist and University of Northern Iowa alumna Jane Elliott may seem an unlikely candidate for viral videos and social media clout.
