Campus & Community Stories & News

UNI students showcase their COVID-19 vaccine.

First public vaccination effort held on campus

As a graduate student working to treat speech disorders at UNI’s Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic, Alli Prybil's first priority is keeping her patients safe.

So when she learned last week that she was among the first on campus eligible under state guidelines to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, Prybil, pictured on the right, jumped at the chance.UNI vaccination

Veterans at UNI

Winning raves for serving those who served

When she arrived on campus in 2018 to take on the role of director for military and veteran student services, Chiquita Loveless had a bold vision — get UNI ranked as one of the top veteran-friendly universities in their category. Her work is already producing results. 

Members of UNI's Black Student Union celebrate Black History Month.

UNI student organization celebrates Black History Month

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. 

UNI campus

UNI unveils its new brand

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.

UNI campus

5 things you should know about the new brand

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.

UNI campus

University of Northern Iowa launches new brand, new logo

After two years of extensive research and collaborative creative development, the University of Northern Iowa today unveiled its new brand identity, which includes a comprehensive brand strategy, updated website, new recruitment and communications materials, and a new institutional logo.

Immigration lawyer Heliodoro “Helio” Moreno, Jr.

UNI alum fighting for immigrant rights

Immigration lawyer Heliodoro “Helio” Moreno, Jr. — the first in his family to graduate high school and college — credits two of his UNI political science professors with playing key roles in his law-school entry and legal career.

His legal expertise has been especially crucial as the federal government has sought to restrict immigration. Immigration lawyer Heliodoro Moreno

New LGBT student services coordinator, Kalyani Kannan

New LGBTQ student services coordinator has a passion for supporting students

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.

UNI senior Alladin Dafalla

UNI senior tackles educational and racial disparities in national award-winning essay

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. 

When his family moved to the Midwest in 2013 in pursuit of better educational opportunities for Dafalla, now a senior at the University of Northern Iowa, and his older sister, he was surprised to see similar issues in the United States.

A UNI alumnus receives the COVID-19 vaccine.

Panthers on the frontlines among first to receive COVID-19 vaccine

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.