5/29/01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Mike Hahn, program manager, Regional Business Center, (319) 236-8123

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

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- University of Northern Iowa Business and Community Services will host a grand opening celebration for its Regional Business Center (RBC), located at 212 East 4th Street, Waterloo, on Thursday, June 7 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The RBC is a business technology center, which promotes small-business development in eight counties in the Cedar Valley. The center offers counseling, business planning, marketing and technical assistance in addition to training, referrals and access to business technology.

The project's most unique feature is its business resource suites. Housing up to 10 companies, the business resource suites provide entrepreneurs with shared space, services, equipment, mentoring, access to technology, and e-business technical assistance.

According to Maureen Collins-Williams, UNI Small Business Development Center director, the business resource suites are critical to the creation of livable-wage jobs in the region, as well as the revitalization of downtown Waterloo.

"In order for us to grow existing businesses, facilitate the development of new profitable ventures and create economic development in our communities, we must ensure that both new and existing businesses have the technological tools and the training they need for every facet of their operations," said Collins-Williams.

The RBC will house UNI's Small Business Development Center, SCORE - Counselors to America's Small Business, and a Small Business Administration business information center featuring

equipment, publications, computers, software, and an extensive small business reference library.

The RBC is the result of a cooperative effort between UNI, the City of Waterloo, Main Street Waterloo and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. For more information, contact Maureen Collins-Williams at (319) 236-8123.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Nancy Sheerer, Scholarship Day secretary, (319) 273-2078

Vicki Grimes, Office of University Marketing and Public Relations, (319) 273-2761

Note to editors: 200 dpi JPEG photos of the winners are available. Please call (319) 273-2761 if you would like the image e-mailed to you.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa has announced the winners of the 2001 High School Art Scholarship Competition held last month in the Kamerick Art Building on the UNI campus.

The competition featured the work of 45 high school seniors. Four winners were given four-year, full-tuition scholarships to UNI: Betsy Hunt, Muscatine High School, instructed by Dan Kitchen; Laura Schmidt, Urbandale High School, instructed by Paula Leverenz; and Erin Kollenkark and Chris Singewald, both of Waverly-Shell Rock High School, instructed by Lynn Montague and Dennis Peterka.

Two contestants were given one-year, full-tuition scholarships: Aaron Bos-Wahl, Cedar Falls High School, instructed by Jerry Nissen; and Marc Payzant, Spirit Lake High School, instructed by Hank Hall.

Alternates also were selected to receive awards in the event winners do not choose to accept their scholarships: Ashlee Duimstra, Marshalltown High School, instructed by Don Lovell and Mary Ann Tordsen; and Katie Kelly, Charles City High School, instructed by Art Strong.

In addition to the scholarship competition, the event included a keynote address by UNI alumnus Wade Sime-Scheel. Sime-Scheel graduated "magna cum laude" from UNI with a B.A. degree in 1995.

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