Nursing major from Nebraska finds a home at UNI
Nursing major from Nebraska finds a home at UNI
For Christina Johansen, coming to the University of Northern Iowa was the “best decision” she’s made. As a nursing major from Nebraska, she came at just the right time, benefiting from UNI’s Neighboring State Rate, meaning she pays in-state tuition as an out-of-state student.
Johansen came to UNI in 2025 from Omaha. As a high school student, she looked at colleges and universities in and out of state. Many of the nursing schools she looked at in Nebraska were too expensive and didn’t have the right feel. When she learned about UNI’s new standalone Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, she was excited.
“I started researching, and I saw UNI had a brand-new BSN program with all new equipment,” she said. “I made a visit, and I just fell in love with the campus and all the people. Everyone was so nice, and the nursing faculty were all amazing”
Though Cedar Falls is quite a bit smaller than Omaha, Johansen has found a love for her new home, which she thinks is the ideal college town.
“My first impressions were that this is a really cute town, and the campus is really beautiful,” she said. “I love Cedar Falls so much. I love the downtown. I go there probably once a week. I love the farmers market. I also have my necessities here, like the Target and the Walmart.”
One of her favorite memories of her time at UNI so far is attending a Waterloo Black Hawks hockey game with friends. Since she is from the home of the Omaha Lancers who are a rival of the Black Hawks, the experience was especially memorable. Johansen also loves renting outdoor gear like kayaks and canoes from the UNI Wellness and Recreation Center to explore the Cedar Valley.
From the very beginning of her experience, she’s found no shortage of ways to be involved on campus and make connections. She’s joined Connecting Alumni to Students (CATS), the Nursing Club, Women in Healthcare and Northern Iowa Feminists. She’s also in the Honors Program.
“I think it was honestly pretty easy to make friends on campus,” said Johansen. “If you're out and about, you'll end up meeting someone, especially during Welcome Week, because you get kind of thrown into groups. I loved it. I got to meet so many new people and make so many new connections.”
She even met another Nebraska native on the floor of her first-year residence hall.
Although she was nervous at first to leave home and family behind, Johansen feels the four-hour drive makes her close enough to home. She also got something by going to school in Cedar Falls, Iowa, she likely wouldn’t have gotten if she’d stayed in Omaha: a fresh start to make new lifelong friendships and find her own way.
“Before coming here, I’d never lived without my parents before,” she said. “But once classes started and I got involved, it really started to feel like home. I didn't worry as much. I’m very happy here.”
And thanks to Neighboring State Rate, she’s able to save thousands of dollars on her education. This has made her less concerned about having debt after school.
“When I was looking at the other schools, I was really worried about how much I’d have to work,” she explained. “I'd probably be working full-time on top of being a full-time student who’s involved in many extracurriculars. I think if I weren’t getting a lower tuition rate, I’d be a lot more stressed.”
