The UNI Sesquicentennial Committee offered the opportunity for a second and final round of funding for public programming/research/class projects that integrate one or more of the Guiding Principles of the UNI 150th Anniversary Celebration. The following initiatives have been awarded:

PROGRAMMING

Celebration of 75 Years of Jazz at UNI - Mike Conrad, School of Music

As part of a celebration of 150 years of UNI and 75 of Jazz at UNI, a concert and alumni event on February 20, 2026, will feature a newly commissioned work by UNI Emeritus Professor Bob Washut.

Department of Philosophy & World Religions Reunion - Cara Burnidge, Department of Philosophy & World Religions

On May 1-2, 2026, the Department of Philosophy & World Religions will hold an alumni to celebrate its 55th anniversary. As part of the event, a photo exhibit highlighting the program's history will be produced.

UNI Memory Map: A Historical Photo Experience - John DeGroote, Department of Geography

A public-facing web application will be developed to encourage intuitive, interactive exploration of a rich collection of UNI-specific historical photographs (over 1500 from 1872 to 2000) sourced from UNI Special Collections, the UNI museum, and from donors, which are available through fortepan.us.

UNI Counseling and Community Engagement: A 150th Anniversary Wellness Initiative - Priyanka Jha, Department of Family, Aging, & Counseling

In celebration of UNI’s tradition of community engagement, faculty and graduate students from the Department of Family, Aging, and Counseling will design and deliver a series of free, research-informed community workshops focused on wellness, resilience, and mental health.

The August Wilson Blues Festival: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone - Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure, Department of Languages & Literatures

A group of UNI and Cedar Valley community members will offer a staged reading of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone to be performed at UNI and at Cedar Valley locations.

CLASS PROJECTS

UNI History Tour – Fairview Cemetery, Cedar Falls – October 2026 - Thomas Connors, Dept. of History

Students in HIST 2011: Engaging Sources will coordinate with the Cedar Falls Historical Society to conduct a walking tour of Fairview Cemetery, where three UNI presidents and half of UNI’s original faculty are buried.

Media for Change: Shaping Future Leaders - Francesca Soans, Dept. of Communication & Media

Students in COMM DM 3651: Advanced Digital Media (Television) will produce a scripted television show examining student empowerment at UNI now and in the past.

Arduino-Based Control System - Sam Liang, Dept of Applied Engineering

Students in TECH 3129: Linear Control Systems will design and showcase control system projects focused on the Campanile, the UNI Greenhouse, and an environmental monitoring system.