Belinda Creighton-Smith has never let adversity stand in her way. To become a pastor, community leader and inspiration to many on campus, she’s had to overcome the death of her son during her graduate studies and five-hour commutes to start her education.
She now has a doctorate in education and is taking her determination to a new role in her fight for diversity on campus at UNI, as a member of UNI President Mark A. Nook’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee.
A cup of coffee in the morning is a daily ritual for millions of America, but for University of Northern Iowa alumnus Pernell Cezar, it’s something more.
As a child growing up in Cedar Falls, Emily Schroeder fell in love with museums. But it wasn’t until she was a University of Northern Iowa student that she realized it could be a career.
The UNI alum is now an exhibits designer for a natural history museum in Atlanta. The job is a dream come true for Schroeder ‘19.
Phyllis Somerville spent almost four decades on the screen and stage performing critically acclaimed roles in major Hollywood and Broadway productions, but she never forgot where she got her start - the theatre department at the University of Northern Iowa.
Somerville, who graduated in 1966, died on July 16 at her home in Manhattan. She was 76.
Food banks across the country experienced a surge in demand when coronavirus first hit the US and that need hasn't let up. In the Cedar Valley, UNI alum Mara Warnke '18 is helping to make sure families stay fed throughout this uncertain time.
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.
As one of the world’s most recognizable brands, Coca-Cola routinely works with top-tier design firms. Even against that backdrop, when its North American division recently teamed up with UNI’s Advanced Design Studio II class to create a new in-store fixture, merchandising directors were left impressed.
While COVID-19 forced an unimaginable end to the semester, 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 2020 graduates:
