Sesquicentennial Coursework & Projects
The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences is proud to highlight our faculty who have received stipend awards for coursework and research projects supporting the University of Northern Iowa’s upcoming 150th anniversary celebration. These awards include a $750 stipend and an expense budget, enabling faculty to design innovative classes and projects that engage students with UNI’s history and legacy. From oral history interviews and podcasts to virtual tours and research on the evolution of general education, CSBS faculty are helping students explore and share UNI’s story in meaningful and creative ways.
Family Services 3/5150 • Families and Aging
Melinda Heinz, Department of Family, Aging, & Counseling
Students will conduct oral history interviews with older adult alumni about their life histories, including their time at UNI, allowing participants (i.e., alumni) to tell their own story in their own words.
Geography 1310 • Digital Earth
Bingqing Liang, Department of Geography
Students working on a class project will create a 360-degree indoor virtual tour of selected significant geographical locations (e.g., landmarks, facilities, and historical buildings) within the University of Northern Iowa.
History 4/5200 • History of Iowa
Brian Rumsey, Department of History
Students will turn research projects on the history of UNI into a podcast series that will be available to the public.
History of General Education at UNI: From Normal School to University
Barbara Cutter, Department of History
Research project on the history of general education/common curriculum programs at the University of Northern Iowa from 1876 to the present.
UNI Memory Map: A Historical Photo Experience
John DeGroote, Department of Geography
A public-facing web application will be developed to encourage intuitive, interactive exploration of a rich collection of UNI-specific historical photographs (over 1500 from 1872 to 2000) sourced from UNI Special Collections, the UNI museum and from donors, which are available through fortepan.us.
UNI Counseling and Community Engagement: A 150th Anniversary Wellness Initiative
Priyanka Jha, Department of Family, Aging, & Counseling
In celebration of UNI’s tradition of community engagement, faculty and graduate students from the Department of Family, Aging and Counseling will design and deliver a series of free, research-informed community workshops focused on wellness, resilience and mental health.
UNI History Tour – Fairview Cemetery, Cedar Falls – October 2026
Thomas Connors, Deptartment of History
Students in HIST 2011: Engaging Sources will coordinate with the Cedar Falls Historical Society to conduct a walking tour of Fairview Cemetery, where three UNI presidents and half of UNI’s original faculty are buried.