11 things to know about the University of Northern Iowa
11 things to know about the University of Northern Iowa
Hey. Thanks for visiting. Since you might not be familiar with UNI, allow us to introduce ourselves.
We’re the UNI Panthers!
U-N-I. Like “you and I.” We’re Panther Proud in our purple and gold, and we’ll always be Ever Loyal. As the smallest of Iowa’s public universities, you can expect the full college experience on a smaller campus, create one-to-one relationships with faculty members, and a place where everybody knows your name. You’re not just another student. You and your friends would look great in purple!
We’re no stranger to big moments during March Madness.
You might remember Paul Jesperson's buzzer-beater win over Texas the last time we were in the NCAA Tournament. Or maybe Ali Farokmanesh, who sealed a UNI victory over the #1 overall seed Kansas in 2010 – it won the ESPY award for “Best Upset.” Some older fans may remember Maurice Newby, who hit a buzzer-beater against Missouri in 1990 to send the Panthers to the Round of 32. Need a recap? See all of those moments here.
We know a thing or two about underdogs.
We’re Iowa’s only university with a Super Bowl MVP. Before becoming a champion with the St. Louis Rams, NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner rose from the sidelines at UNI. You might even see him in the stands during the NCAA tournament.
We have a great program if you’re Made to Teach!
Want to be a teacher someday? More than 10,000 educators are graduates of UNI. We rank in the top 1% of teacher education programs nationwide in terms of size and quality. One in seven students are elementary education majors. And we don’t just train tomorrow’s teachers. Through a number of professional development opportunities, we’re here to support you throughout your entire career – you really get a “lifetime subscription” at UNI!
We have one of the best business schools around!
The Wilson College of Business is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the country. Small class sizes at UNI mean our faculty are accessible, invested and focused on your success. Success isn’t just the goal, it’s the outcome – 98% of UNI grads land jobs or continue education… get #ReadyForBusiness at UNI!
Our state-of-the-art facilities prepare tomorrow’s health care professionals and engineers.
Walk into our newly renovated nursing facility, and it’s like you’ve entered a real hospital. It’s where nursing students are being trained to enter the workforce, practice-ready.
UNI has also launched several new engineering majors – offering hands-on opportunities in another newly renovated facility with state-of-the-art labs and one of the most modern foundries in the country.
You can get in-state tuition if you’re from any of the states that neighbor Iowa.
That’s right. New students from Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska or Missouri can take advantage of UNI’s new “Neighboring State Rate,” saving more than $12,000 each year compared to paying traditional out-of-state tuition.
And it’s the most affordable public university in the state of Iowa.
Debt is well below state and national averages, and nearly half of students graduate without debt. In fact, one in seven UNI students only need three years to graduate.
Since you’re thinking about basketball…
Maybe you’ve heard of AJ Green? Also known as “Dairy Bird,” he’s UNI’s first player to make it to the highest levels of the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Other Panthers in the pros include Nick Nurse, the only active NBA head coach to graduate from an Iowa college. Nurse, the 2020 NBA Coach of the Year, also led the Toronto Raptors to the NBA Championship in 2019. Fellow UNI grad Britni Donaldson served on his coaching staff, and later became the first female coach hired by the Atlanta Hawks.
We have a Dome.
It’s Iowa’s only football stadium where it’s always 72 degrees with no wind. In addition to UNI Panthers football, the UNI-Dome is home to a number of community events, concerts, STEM festivals, boat and RV shows, softball and wrestling tournaments and a whole lot more.
It’s our 150th birthday this year!
Sesquicentennial. It’s a six-syllable word that can be hard to say. It means we’ve been around for 150 years, and we’re celebrating all year long. Originally founded as the Iowa State Normal School, the institution went through several name changes before landing on the University of Northern Iowa. We’re looking forward to the next 150 years… Go Panthers!
