Joyful Java began when friends Angie Koop and Laura Dove transformed a neglected Dike building into a community‑focused coffee shop with guidance from the UNI Small Business Development Center. Now entering year two, the owners are expanding menus, retail offerings, and community events—proving passion and persistence fuel small‑town success.
Through its 12 outreach organizations, UNI's Business and Community Services (BCS) connects communities, businesses, nonprofits and public agencies with in-house industry leaders who help tackle complex problems. And the impact is vast.
The family behind Pella Corporation, one of Iowa’s most iconic multigenerational companies, will headline the 2026 Iowa Family Business Conference in Pella on Nov. 11.
Five UNI faculty members and one graduate student — representing fields from music and education to engineering and astrochemistry — have been awarded funding and support to advance early‑stage ideas through the university’s Intellectual Property and Innovation Disclosure Competition IV.
The series aims to generate excitement about manufacturing careers and highlight programs preparing the next generation of industry leaders. "It’s really getting that hands-on experience, and the University of Northern Iowa is doing a great job of that.”
The community is invited to a festive afternoon of holiday shopping at the first University of Northern Iowa Student Small Business Holiday Market on Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.
