Class Notes
Alumni, along with faculty and students, help make the CSBS community successful. This year's class notes include a brief selection of the many accomplishments of our dedicated alum.
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1950s
’56 Robert Lang, BA, Canton, GA, is 90 years old and has moved to a retirement village. He received his masters from George Williams College in Chicago, taught for 22 years, worked in marketing for 18 years and plans to live until he's 100!
1970s
’70 Charlie Lakin, BA, Minneapolis, MN, received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the University of Minnesota Board of Regents in June 2024. He earned his Ph.D. from Minnesota in 1981 and his career focused primarily on disability research, policy and advocacy.
’76 Rocky Agan, BA, Knoxville, was intrigued by Dr. Goodman's courses related to transportation and became the distribution analyst at a 3M Company manufacturing facility where he was responsible for all facets of transportation of products and hazardous materials. He has returned to UNI to speak with the students about his career.
’78 Pamela (Jenkins) Connell, BA, Peoria, IL, published a book titled "Portal or Hole: Meditations on Art, Religion, Race and the Pandemic."
1990s
’91 Tracey (Ewing) Hulme, BA, Traer, received a 2024 Gold Star Outstanding Teacher award in Black Hawk County. She is a culinary arts teacher at the Waterloo Career Center.
’91 Lisa Raine, BA, MA '95, ASC '97, Vancouver, WA, retired from the Washington Education Association after 30 years of service as the labor union director for educators.
’94 Kristi Mindrup, BA, BA '96, Rock Island, IL, was named president of Western Illinois University. She is the first woman to hold the position.
’96 Matthew Kingsbury, BA, Vinton, was named the 2024 Iowa Secondary Principal of the Year by School Administrators of Iowa. He is the principal at Vinton Shellsburg High School.
’97 Michael McTaggart, BA, Des Moines, was named police chief of Des Moines. He is a 25 year veteran of the department.
2000s
’00 Mindy Kayser, MPP, Cedar Rapids, was named to the Top 50 Women Leaders of Iowa for 2024 by Women We Admire. She is the vice president for community/donor engagement with Mercy Foundation.
’09 La Toshia Burrell, MA, Waverly, was selected by the Des Moines Business Record as one of the 2025 Forty Under 40 honorees. She is CEO and founder of Redefine & Reveal Massage Therapy & Bodywork LLC.
2010s
’10 Tyler Mulder, BA, Clinton, was inducted into the 2025 Hall of Fame for the Missouri Valley Conference. He was a UNI track athlete from 2005 2009.
’11 Darrin Sersland, BA, Denver, CO, joined the Denver office of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP as a senior litigation support coordinator.
’13 Timothy Hopper, BA, MA '24, ASC '24, Waterloo, received a 2024 Gold Star Outstanding Teacher award in Black Hawk County. He is a social studies teacher at Central Middle School.
’14 Logan Kraus, BA, Marion, was elected as shareholder by Dentons David Brown.
’18 Christopher Tims, MA, Waterloo, received a 2024 Gold Star Outstanding Teacher award in Black Hawk County. He is a history teacher at Waterloo East High School.
’19 Mara Puente, BA, Alta, earned a master of arts in organizational leadership from Buena Vista University in Aug. 2023. She was also promoted to assistant director of alumni engagement at BVU in Oct. 2024.
2020s
’20 Julia Jorgensen, BA, Madison, WI, earned a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy with a Sex Therapy focus from the University of Wisconsin Stout in 2023 and is a couples and family therapist for Edges Wellness in Minneapolis, MN. Their work focuses on the intersections of disability/neurodivergence and sexuality and also work with gender expansive clients to counter sexual shame and navigate polyamory in relationships.