Campus & Community Stories & News

Andrew Conrad

UNI director honored for statewide impact

As director of UNI’s Institute for Decision Making, Drew Conrad helps organizations and communities build better futures through informed decision making. His work was recently recognized when he received the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Leadership for Iowa award, but making impactful change has been a lifelong passion for the UNI alum and Washburn native.

Director of UNI's Institute for Decision Making receives Leadership for Iowa award

The University of Northern Iowa’s Institute for Decision Making (IDM) Director Andrew Conrad has won a Leadership for Iowa award in recognition of his work assisting communities and organizations across the state. 

An art exhibit at the Cedar Valley Illuminate Arts and Light Festival

A night at a projection art festival

Dazzling light shows, interactive video projections and audio feedback loops dotted the College Hill area last weekend with the debut of the first-ever Cedar Valley Illuminate Art and Light Festival. The projection art showcase featured 15 installations from local artists, students and community organizations conceived around a theme of promoting social justice and societal change.
UNI art instructor Angela Waseskuk

Creating circles to heal

Angela Waseskuk was only in kindergarten, and the third grade boy had backed her up against a wall and was yelling in her face.

Waseskuk was a shy child, trying to blend in as a South Korean brought to Iowa by her foster parents, who adopted her when she was 2. But she was out in the open and in tears as the boy hurled racial epithets.

“What’s wrong with your face? Can you even see out of those eyes? Why don’t you go back where you came from?”

Vaccine

Why I Got Vaccinated at UNI

More than 1,000 students, faculty and staff have been vaccinated on campus in the last few weeks. InsideUNI asked a few who become fully vaccinated this week why they did it. 

 

UNI student portrait

Summer Williams

Sophomore psychology major

UNI campus

UNI's George Floyd Fund aims to be a catalyst for change

A gift from Robert and Annette Morden, both two-time graduates of UNI, supports campus initiatives that promote cultural acceptance, collaboration, awareness and education. Two new projects – a student-driven film from the theater department and an art project about Indigenous land rights – are underway with help from the fund.

New UNI grant to provide summer job opportunities to at-risk high school students

A new grant awarded to the University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Urban Education will provide 15 summer internship opportunities to local high school students from historically marginalized populations.

The $87,000 grant from Iowa Workforce Development will provide summer employment for youths who are at risk of not graduating, from low-income households or from communities under-represented in the Iowa workforce. Companies participating in the program include UnityPoint Health, MasterBrand Cabinets, Experience Waterloo, Viking Pump and VGM & Associates.

First UNI Provost candidate announced

The University of Northern Iowa has announced the first finalist in the search for its next Provost.

Vandana Kohli, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at California State University, Channel Islands, will interview remotely on Wednesday, April 28 and Thursday, April 29. Dr. Kohli will meet with faculty, staff, students and other members of the campus community. Kohli’s curriculum vitae is available here.

UNI campus

Annual Student Leadership Awards honors campus leaders

For the second year, UNI’s celebrated the annual Student Leadership Awards with a four-part virtual ceremony. The ceremony, which runs from Monday, April 19, through Thursday, April 22, recognizes students from across campus for their contributions to key programs and campus culture.