Two years ago, after a decade in law enforcement, Caleb Christine took a leap of faith and enrolled at University of Northern Iowa in pursuit of his dream to be the first in his family to graduate from college and become a teacher.
For the second consecutive year, the University of Northern Iowa broke its record for highest annual fundraising total in history, raising $43.1 million.
“We are grateful to the more than 9,300 alumni and donors who gave to support UNI in another record year,” said Jan Bittner, outgoing chair of the UNI Foundation Board of Trustees. “The continued fundraising success shows the commitment and dedication the Panther family has to UNI and its students.”
UNI alum and Alaskan Park Ranger Sam Braband didn’t experience the pandemic like many people. After all, when your job can range from responding to a wildfire to chasing wildlife from a campground, working from home isn’t an option.
Keyaira Miller is making her mark in the fashion world. In April, oversaw the launch of Amazon’s new Gen Y fashion brand, Wild Meadow, and this September, she will launch her own line of children’s clothes.
Michelle Hall raised four children, overcame domestic violence and first enrolled at UNI at age 41. She now works at a Waterloo nonprofit that serves people affected by homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault.
Jym Ganahl, an Associated Press Broadcasting Hall of Famer, credits his studies at UNI for launching his career as a TV weatherman. And now the 55-year meteorological veteran is seeking the Guinness Record for longest-serving TV weatherman.
Panther alum Yulia Dannen, a Russian immigrant and single mother who has built a successful accounting business, recently won a statewide entrepreneur of the year award. “(They) said UNI’s accounting program is the best and now I know it is,” she said.
For Brandon Purvis, undergraduate research at UNI was a career-changing experience. A year-long stint as a researcher with assistant professor of computer science Dheryta Jaisinghani has him considering graduate school after they developed a preliminary system for enforcing social distancing guidelines in classrooms using the revolutionary field known as the Internet of Things.
The estimated 10,000 cyclists pedaling into Waterloo today are rolling under a whimsical passage built from bicycle parts. It’s the latest piece of public art from Victoria Reed (‘10) an accomplished sculptor who has public art installations throughout Iowa. This one will be moved onto the city’s bike trails after RAGBRAI ends.
