Student Life Stories & News

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

Performing on college football’s biggest stage

Not many students can say they have performed at the College Football National Championship, but 12 members of the UNI Panther Marching Band now have that honor. 

The year 2021

21 Things Panthers are looking forward to in 2021

With 2020 behind us, 2021 brings the promise of positive change after a year of pandemic. InsideUNI turned to our Instagram followers and professors to learn what they hoped the new year would bring. 

Widespread COVID-19 vaccinations, walking across the McLeod Center graduation stage or getting a first apartment were among them. 

Sailors in the Panther Patrol aboard the USS Iowa

Saluting the sailors of the USS Iowa

They may be stationed over 1,000 miles away, but USS Iowa sailors in the Panther Patrol got a taste of Iowa for the holidays this year. 

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. 

UNI campus

Fulfilling a promise

Every Monday this fall semester, De’Carlos Anderson’s cell phone would light up with an inspirational text message.

UNI students explore Wind Cave National Park

The discovery of a lifetime

 

Led by nothing more than the soft glow of their lanterns, a crew of students from the University of Northern Iowa trek into the winding depths of Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. 

Working their way through miles of passageways several hundred feet underground, the air is thick, musty and completely still. Inside the caverns, the dense walls stifle any sound, and seem to absorb the light, leading to an eerie, silent darkness throughout. It feels like exploring a different planet — one that’s completely devoid of any signs of life.

UNI campus

Creating change on campus

The University of Northern Iowa is creating change on campus, and faculty, staff, and students are working together to make it happen. This past fall, President Nook announced twelve action items to address needs, challenges, and opportunities expressed by the campus community.

UNI alum Blake Thomas

Former UNI football player tackling disease research

As a Waterloo West High School graduate turned University of Northern Iowa football player, Blake Thomas has been a Cedar Valley native his entire life. Thomas wanted to make an impact in the classroom as well as on the field, and he initially decided to pursue a major in biology and pre-med. His intention was to go on to medical school, but that all changed when he took public health courses with Disa Cornish, an associate professor in the health, recreation and community services department. 

UNI physics student Madelyn Johnson.

Modeling COVID-19 infection

The dots bounced and collided across the computer screen. Their movement was random, but University of Northern Iowa physics major Madelyn Johnson saw a purpose in the chaos.

The dots were part of a software program that generated random walker simulations, which are often used to represent the interactions of people in the world. And now Johnson and Ali Tabei, an associate professor of physics, are using this software to create a model of how infections spread. It could then be applied to simulate the spread of COVID within a community.