3/15/01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Cheryl Gaston, assistant vice president, University Marketing and Public Relations, (319) 273-2761

Gwenne Culpepper, University Marketing and Public Relations, (319) 273-2761

Note to editors/news directors: In conjunction with the 125th anniversary, UNI has introduced a new logo and anniversary version of that logo. The 200 dpi jpeg images of the logos are available at http://uni.edu/pubrel/ newsroom/photos.shtml

Photo opportunity: The Iowa House will read a special proclamation, recognizing the university for service to Iowa, Mon., March 19, at approximately 1 p.m. The Senate will do the same at approximately 1:30, and Gov. Tom Vilsack will sign the proclamation in his office at 4 p.m. At that time, the group of UNI students will sing the university's alma mater.

UNI to mark 125th anniversary with series of special events

The University of Northern Iowa will celebrate its 125^th anniversary this year with a series of special events and performances. On Monday, March 19, the Iowa House and Senate, along with Gov. Tom Vilsack will recognize the university for service to Iowa.

Special activities begin with "Arts in April," and continue through the year, ending with homecoming in October. "Our goal is to use the anniversary to strengthen and build relationships on and off campus," said Cheryl Gaston, assistant vice president for marketing and public relations at UNI. "We'll do that by showcasing how UNI puts students first, how UNI is committed to great learning through great teaching, and by proving that UNI is here to serve Iowa."

The anniversary has three major components. During "Arts in April," five major arts events will be highlighted:

• Juried student art exhibition -- UNI Gallery of Art, March 22 - April 13
• Folk art exhibition -- UNI Museum, opening reception, April 6
• School of Music spotlight series -- Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, April 8
• "Rose of Treason" -- Strayer-Wood Theatre, April 19-22
• "Crazy for You" -- Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, April 24-25

The month also will feature dozens of other exhibits, musical presentations, shows and special lectures.

The second component, "Celebration of Community," will take place during the summer, and showcase UNI's involvement in community events. In July, the university invites the Cedar Falls and Waterloo communities to campus for a day of entertainment, tours and fun. Key "Celebration of Community" events are:

• My Waterloo Days, May 31 - June 3
• Sturgis Falls/Cedar Basin Jazz Festival, June 22 - 24
• College Hill Arts Festival, July 20-21
• UNI Summer Party, (date to be determined)

The final segment of the anniversary, "Celebration of Tradition," takes place during autumn with these key events:

• Convocation -- August 29
• University picnic -- Sept. 15
• Family Fest -- Sept. 28-30
• UNI-Dome rededication -- Sept. 29
• Lang Hall rededication -- Oct. date to be confirmed
• Homecoming -- Oct. 13

UNI was founded in 1876 as the Iowa State Normal School. The name has been changed three times since then: to the Iowa State Teachers College in 1909, the State College of Iowa in 1961, and the University of Northern Iowa in 1967. The university is home to nearly 14,000 students, and has broken enrollment records for three consecutive years. Consistently named by "U.S. News and World Report" as one of the Midwest's top public universities, UNI also is ranked among the top programs in the country for percentage of accounting graduates passing the CPA exam.

For more information about UNI's 125^th anniversary, contact the Office of University Marketing and Public Relations, (319) 273-1761, or see www.uni.edu.

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