Alumni Focus
A family affair for Clinton educators
Examples of generations of Panther teachers in families abound across Iowa. For the Schneeberger family, one generation alone is making its impact – all in one district.
Across four classrooms, students in the Clinton (Iowa) Community School District encounter two College of Education grads and their UNI-educated siblings:
- Karly Schneeberger Ryder (‘17, BA, elementary education), teaching third grade
- Marcus Schneeberger (‘08, BA, elementary education), teaching 7th grade science and coaching
- Kellen Schneeberger (‘05, English teaching) teaching high school and AP English
- Dylan Schneeberger (‘11, BA, criminology), later earning his teaching degree from Morningside College and teaching high school history and coaching
Their stories were shared in a recent InsideUNI feature. And there is more: sister-in-law Maddy Schneeberger ('12, BA, elementary education) also substitute teaches in Clinton. A great reflection of the UNI Teacher Education legacy that remains strong!
Read the full story: UNI tradition runs deep for Schneeberger family of educators
Finding their niche in the recreation profession
Hannah Lang
A love of the outdoors led to two alums of the leisure, youth and human services program (now recreation, tourism and nonprofit leadership) to find their niche. And it’s working out well.
“The thing that attracted me to this line of work is everyone has an innate ability to do good work,” says Hannah Lang (‘09, BA; ‘11, MA), whose focus in recreational therapy – and her love of Colorado thanks to family trips growing up – has led to her work at the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado.
Read the full story: From the WRC’s climbing wall to the Rocky Mountains: Hannah Lang’s journey in adaptive sports.
Ryan Penning
Ryan Penning (‘06, BA), from small town Jewel, Iowa, didn’t even know what a parks and recreation department was before starting college. After initially considering elementary education, he discovered leisure, youth and human services. He saw opportunity in combining a a love of sports with a degree where he could make a community impact.
“That’s the part that I absolutely love,” says the current recreation superintendent for the City of West Des Moines. “We create fun. We create experiences for our residents. Whether they are a two-year-old or a 92-year-old, we're programming for people of all ages and and all abilities.”
Read the full story: How UNI helped Ryan Penning bring communities together
