CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa Alumni Association has named DaQuan Campbell and Heather Knar as the recipients of the 2026 GOLD & Bold awards.

Presented annually to exceptional young alumni, the GOLD & Bold awards celebrate emerging leaders who are making a difference in their professions and communities while continuing to strengthen their connection to UNI.

Campbell and Knar will be recognized at the 2026 GOLD & Bold award ceremony at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, in Maucker Union on UNI’s campus. Each honoree will give a 10-minute presentation sharing their experiences and accomplishments, followed by a Q&A session. This event is open to the public. Individuals are encouraged to RSVP at alumni.uni.edu/GB26.

“This year’s GOLD & Bold recipients demonstrate the many ways our graduates of the last decade are using their UNI experience to lead, serve and make a difference,” said Brian Gabel, assistant vice president of alumni relations & annual giving. “DaQuan and Heather have each taken a different path since leaving UNI, but they share a commitment to creating opportunities for others and impacting the communities around them. We are proud to recognize what they have accomplished and look forward to seeing where their leadership takes them next.”

DaQuan Campbell ‘19 is an urban farmer and founding farmer of We Arose, a network of local producers working to expand urban farming and access to local, healthy food. A Waterloo native, Campbell earned his degree in business management with an emphasis in organizational leadership from UNI. His work has helped strengthen the community’s food system, including managing the Downtown Waterloo Farmers Market since 2018 and connecting local producers with new marketing and distribution opportunities.

Heather Knar ’17 is the market intelligence and data manager at Kemin Industries, where she leads work in analytics and strategic decision-making. Knar earned degrees in applied economic analysis and mathematics from UNI and has built an international career that has included leadership roles and an assignment in Belgium. She also remains closely connected to UNI as a mentor, advocate and philanthropist, establishing the HMK STEM Scholarship Endowment in 2022 to support future Panthers.