Although many of its events have shifted online this year, the University of Northern Iowa Black Student Union is still inviting campus to take part in celebrating Black History Month despite the limitations of COVID-19.
The BSU will host seven events in February - a mix of performances, exhibits and panels to showcase African American culture and provide the campus and community a glimpse into what it’s like being a Black person in today’s society.
There are some changes at UNI you might notice this week.
There’s a new logo, sleek in its modern simplicity. There’s a new website homepage, streamlined and dynamic. In the coming months, you might notice UNI sounding different, looking different. Perhaps even feeling different.
The goal is to help UNI shine
In today’s crowded higher education landscape, we need to effectively share what differentiates UNI from the competition. Doing this requires us to understand who we are as an institution, what we stand for and how to make the Panther experience exceptional.
We want UNI to stand out - to be the clear choice for all prospective students and faculty. The new brand is where all those efforts begin.
Growing up in Logan, Utah, UNI alum Kalyani Kannan struggled to see her LGBTQ identity reflected in her peers and mentors. As a graduate student at UNI, she found a supportive community and now, in her new role as LGBTQ student services coordinator, she's able to be the role model she needed when she was young.
Growing up in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, Alladin Dafalla was constantly reminded of the gap between the wealth of the city and poverty of the southern towns in the grip of war. Witnessing these disparities inspired him to undertake a career in public service and became the basis for an essay that recently won a national award.
Working as a CNA at Mercy One Medical Center in Cedar Falls, junior pre-med biology and global health major Mikaela Elenz risked her health protecting COVID patients, some of whom died. Now, she, and other Panthers, are among the first in the state to get vaccinated, providing a welcome ray of hope after a difficult year of illness and uncertainty.
Every four years, thousands of athletes from across the globe gather for the Olympics and Paralympics. This year, the games are slated to be held in Tokyo and UNI Track and Field athlete Jessica Heims is on pace to compete as a member of the US Paralympic Team. With the help of local donor Dan Deery, her family won't miss the opportunity to watch her compete.
Systemic racism can take many forms, including in housing, medical care and the criminal justice system, but it can also occur in everyday technology - even automatic soap dispensers.
