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Date: 4/14/00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sara Mehlin, director of development, College of Business Administration, (319) 273-7823
Gwenne Culpepper, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa –The University of Northern Iowa today announced a $1 million gift from university alumnus and Traer native, David W. Wilson. The gift will fund the university's first-ever joint endowed chair in business ethics within the colleges of Business Administration and Humanities and Fine Arts.
Wilson, now president and owner of a number of automobile dealerships in California and Arizona, graduated from the university in 1970 with a B.A. in Philosophy. He worked during his entire college career, including a stint with a local auto dealership, Dick Gray Lincoln Mercury. Upon graduation, Wilson moved to Phoenix and continued in the automobile business, where he has been extraordinarily successful. Sales for his dealerships now exceed $800 million annually.
“I attribute my tremendous success to the fact that I have conducted myself ethically, first as an employee and then as an employer. Doing so guarantees long-term success,” explains Wilson. “In fact, I don't believe you can achieve long-term success without being ethical.”
Wilson says he learned the importance of ethics in the business world from his mother, Elaine, who sold Stanley Home Products while Wilson was growing up. “She was the first one to show me that it is important to conduct business in an ethical and honest manner, and that success would stem from that.” Wilson's parents also instilled in all five of their children a sense of responsibility. The parents paid for the first semester of college for each one, but insisted the children earn money for ensuing semesters.
Wilson wanted to establish a chair in ethics so that other UNI students might come to understand the importance of business ethics, “Some business students may not be exposed to those kinds of issues regarding ethics, but I believe it is important and beneficial that they are. I want to emphasize the idea that applied ethics is something that can be beneficial to humanity.”
William Calhoun, vice president for Advancement and president of the UNI Foundation, says the entire UNI community is exceptionally grateful for Wilson's generosity. “The gift will enable UNI students to obtain a unique perspective on how ethics guide the decision-making process both in business and in everyday life,” he says. “It's also a wonderful investment in the university and in the future of our students.”
Wilson has been lauded for his business practices consistently over the past decade and a half. He received the Sports Illustrated Dealer of Distinction Award in 1988; the Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award in 1991; the AIADA All-Star Dealer Award in 1998, and was chosen one of 10 “local heroes” in the Orange community. Most recently Wilson was appointed to the California New Motor Vehicle Board by the governor of California.
A strong proponent of the “learn, earn and return” philosophy, Wilson is philanthropically active in his community. He and Toyota of Orange (which he owns) originated and sponsored the 'Round Orange Race, a 10K/5K run that has raised more than $250,000 for the Orangewood Children's Foundation over the last nine years. An endowment fund, established by his employees, now contains more than $300,000 and enables former residents of the Orangewood Children's Home to obtain a post-secondary education.
“The manner in which David has conducted his life, both in the business world and personally, makes him an excellent role model for our students, ” notes Calhoun.
The holder of the David W. Wilson Endowed Chair in Business Ethics will have a joint appointment within the colleges of Business Administration and Humanities and Fine Arts. The position is slated to be filled in 2001.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Juanita Wright, UNI assistant director of admissions/minority recruitment, (319) 273-2281
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Up to 200 minority high school sophomores, juniors and their parents will learn about the University of Northern Iowa during the first Multicultural Preview Day on campus from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20.
Selected by targeted high school districts throughout the state, the students will be introduced to the academic programs in each of UNI's five colleges, lunch in campus dining centers, attend demonstrations and presentations, and tour the campus. A panel discussion by current UNI ethnic students is featured in the afternoon.
“We want to get sophomores and juniors thinking about UNI as an option after high school,” says Juanita Wright, assistant director of admissions/minority recruitment.
This is the first consolidated minority recruitment effort by the colleges, according to Jonathan Cox, coordinator of minority and student division programs in the College of Business Administration. While each college maintains an outreach program, this event marks the first time all minority contacts will be combined. It is expected that Multicultural Preview Day will become a semiannual event, expanding to include high school freshmen.
“UNI is taking a more aggressive approach to attracting young, promising, minority students,” says Cox.
For more information, contact Juanita Wright at 319-273-2281.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Brian Will, UNI assistant director/student employment, Office of Financial Aid, (319) 273-6394
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — National Student Appreciation Week has been observed by some offices on the University of Northern Iowa campus in an informal manner for several years, but this year, a new dimension was added with a campus-wide search for the “Student Employee of the Year.”
Ten students were selected for the first in what is planned to become an annual award program, according to Brian Will, assistant director/student employment in the UNI Financial Aid office. Among those named a Student Employee of the Year is/are: __(Name)__ of __(Hometown)__, who works in/for the __(Office/Department)__. She/He was nominated by __(Nominator/s)__.
Sponsored by UNI Financial Aid and Student Employment, Will said the award was established “to recognize outstanding student employees who go beyond the job requirements and provide exemplary service to UNI. Many student employees exhibit extraordinary skills and commitment to their work throughout campus. Student employees are not only vital to the goals of the university, but they bring with them a refreshing quality to departments where they work.”
There are more than 3,000 students employed on the UNI campus and more than 100 of them were nominated for this honor.
The UNI celebration was held in conjunction with National Student Appreciation Week, April 2-8, sponsored by the National Student Employment Association.
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NOTE TO EDITOR: Listed below, in alphabetical order by hometown are the UNI 1999-2000 Student Employees of the Year. Please check the list for others from your coverage area. Thank you.
To obtain a listing of the student employees, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (319)273-2761.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Leonard Upham, assistant professor of teaching and chair of the PLS/NUHS music department,
(319) 273-2407
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Band students in grades 5 through 12 at the University of Northern Iowa's Price Laboratory School (PLS) will present their annual All-School Band Concert, at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 17, in the school's Butzier Auditorium.
The concert, open to the public free of charge, will feature the PLS Fifth Grade Band, Northern University Middle School Sixth Grade and Concert Bands, and the Northern University High School Concert Band. The groups will combine for the finale selection. The Fifth Grade Band will be under the direction of Mary Jane Shafer, UNI adjunct instructor in teaching. All other bands will be under the direction of Leonard Upham, UNI assistant professor of teaching and chair of the PLS/NUHS music department.
The school is located at West 19th and Campus Streets in Cedar Falls, at the north edge of the UNI campus. There is a handicapped-accessible entrance on the north side of the school building.
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