News Release Stories & News

UNI campus

Donor gifts complete UNI football team meeting room

UNI NEWS SERVICES – Two spaces within the University of Northern Iowa’s Van G. Miller Family Charitable Foundation Meeting Room will be named in recognition of donors who have greatly impacted UNI Athletics. The TrueNorth Companies Offensive Meeting Room and the Donna and Eldred Harman Defensive Meeting Room will complete the football team meeting room suite.

Construction of the suite is set to begin this winter and be completed in the fall of 2021. 

UNI campus

UNI Center for Violence Prevention and Iowa High School Athletic Association release racial equality and gender violence prevention programming

UNI NEWS SERVICES– The University of Northern Iowa Center for Violence Prevention (CVP) and the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) have partnered together to provide and support racial justice and gender-based violence prevention programming to Iowa school districts and athletic departments. 

UNI campus

UNI offering informational webinars for online programs

UNI NEWS SERVICES — The University of Northern Iowa Online and Distance Education is offering informational webinars for teachers interested in learning more about UNI’s Science Education Master of Arts (MA) degree and prospective students interested in completing their four-year degree entirely online. 

Gallagher Bluedorn

Mudd gift to support Gallagher Bluedorn Renovation

UNI NEWS SERVICES – The renovation of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center has received a $200,000 gift from Cecelia and Jim Mudd, Sr. The gift from the Mudds will support the estimated $14.5 million renovation of the 20-year old facility.

“I never went there without having a wonderful time and enjoying myself immensely, along with Ceceilia. We went there often, and we enjoyed every single minute,” said Jim Mudd, Sr., chairman of Mudd Advertising and chief spiritual advisor for the company.

UNI campus

UNI, IHSAA, Black Hawk County Health collaborate to ensure safe high school football playoffs

UNI NEWS SERVICES - Following discussions with the University of Northern Iowa, Black Hawk County Health Department, State of Iowa officials, and the Iowa High School Athletic Association, spectator capacity will be limited for this week’s football semifinals and next week’s finals at the UNI-DOME in Cedar Falls.

Wednesday’s adjustment will see ticket sales capped at 2,400 spectators per game or around 15 percent of the UNI-DOME capacity.

UNI campus

UNI Foundation announces record-breaking fundraising year

UNI NEWS SERVICES – The University of Northern Iowa Foundation recorded its highest fundraising total in history, raising over $38.9 million last year.

“In a year unlike any other, UNI alumni and friends came together to support the University of Northern Iowa in record-breaking fashion,” said Jim Jermier, vice president for University Advancement and president of the UNI Foundation. “We are extremely grateful for the support and passion our alumni and friends have for the University of Northern Iowa and our students.”

UNI education professor Suzanne Freedman

The value of forgiveness

2020 brought plenty to be angry about. There’s been a global pandemic, a national reckoning with racial injustice, an economic crisis and a presidential election - all of it debated each day on social media. But UNI education professor Suzanne Freedman, who has specialized in forgiveness research over nearly three decades and teaches a course on the subject, said now may be a good time to remember the benefits of forgiveness, empathy and understanding.  

A new infant simulator at UNI

Next generation learning

The UNI Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has welcomed a new addition to their department: baby “Paul.”

Weighing just under two and a half pounds, “Paul” is a preterm infant born at 27 weeks. He has a pulse, real hair, and can breathe and cry.

Paul is not a real infant, though, but rather a top-of-the-line high emotion simulator that students in the department will soon begin using for classwork.

UNI sees important segments of enrollment growth

UNI NEWS SERVICES - The University of Northern Iowa’s fall 2020 census numbers reflect a growing freshman class, a strong increase in out-of-state students, a near record-high retention rate, and the most diverse freshman class of all time.

UNI saw the size of its new freshman class increase slightly (1,482 freshman this year compared to 1,465 last fall), with overall enrollment coming in at 9,522 students this year. This count reflects not only the impact of COVID-19 and immigration challenges, but also UNI’s success in increasing its three-year and five-year graduation rates. 

UNI campanile

University of Northern Iowa endorses CGS/JED statement of principles & commitments to support graduate student mental health & well-being

Washington, DC – In recent years, climate surveys and research studies have demonstrated a critical need to prioritize the mental health of postsecondary students, but little information exists about programs and services designed to address the needs of master’s and doctoral students. The University of Northern Iowa is pleased to endorse the recent work by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and The Jed Foundation (JED) to address this issue.