Alumni Stories & News

UNI graduate, Maddie Palmersheim, holds passed inspection certificate on her new location on College Hill.

From classroom to College Hill: UNI marketing graduate finds success in local business

UNI graduate Maddie Palmersheim opens a new bakery location on College Hill, crediting her most impactful experiences to UNI's JPEC and the Entrepreneurship Club.
Sydney and Paige Hollingshead

Double the creativity: UNI sisters teach art education together

Sisters Sydney and Paige Hollingshead share an alma mata, an employer and a profession as art educators.
Student teacher in classroom pointing at world map

Advice for new teachers: 5 tips from seasoned pros

It's normal to be nervous as a first-year teacher. Here’s some of our best advice for new teachers from experienced UNI alumni and teacher education leaders.
Michelle Barnell in her classroom

New UNI teachers ready to enter classrooms for the 2025-26 school year

First-year teachers Benjamin Buseman and Michelle Barnell are readying their classrooms for students. Both teachers graduated from UNI.
The Iowa State Fair Butter Cow.

UNI alum’s Butter Cow headed to the Smithsonian

One UNI family’s artwork — the iconic Iowa State Fair Butter Cow — is going all the way to the Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. 
Gary Keenan, chainsaw artist at the Iowa State Fair.

Meet UNI alum Gary Keenan, chainsaw artist at the Iowa State Fair

Keenan, a 1979 UNI graduate originally from Grinnell, has been carving wood for more than 25 years. What started as a weekend hobby has turned into a fairtime fixture, with Keenan serving as the lead carver for one of the fair’s most crowd-pleasing attractions.
Aerial view of Homecoming parade in downtown Cedar Falls

UNI Homecoming 2025 announces live entertainment, parade dignitaries

The University of Northern Iowa is gearing up for an especially monumental Homecoming this fall, complete with special guests and exciting entertainment to paint the town purple. The week of festivities will mark the official kickoff of the UNI Sesquicentennial Celebration, which will continue for more than a year, as the university honors its proud past and bold future.
Northern Iowa Wrestloing 1980-81 media guide cover

A tradition that runs deep: Alum shares special bond with UNI wrestling program

Alum Julie Stoll shares a special bond with UNI wrestling program. Julie Stoll’s connection to Panther wrestling spans decades — first as a young fan in the stands, then as a student assistant working alongside coaches and athletes, and now as a donor supporting the program’s future.
Mark and Sharon Hannasch out biking in their UNI gear.

For these UNI alums, RAGBRAI is a tradition that keeps them coming back

For UNI alumni Mark and Sharon Hannasch, RAGBRAI - the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa - has been a cherished tradition that spans more than 30 years.
Randy Pilkington

Randy Pilkington to retire from UNI Business & Community Services after nearly 40 years

Pilkington will continue working part-time to support the leadership transition and focus on special projects, including federal relations, intellectual property and planning.