Alumni & Friends
As a department, our goal is to engage and build — healthy communities, healthy lifestyles, healthy organizations. As alumni, you take those academic goals and make them a reality. And you give back, whether that’s to a fund at the University of Northern Iowa, as a mentor to our students in the field or as a volunteer in your communities and professions, continuing to represent the impact of your Panther education.
Whether it’s a Hall of Excellence induction, sharing a success on the web, or being thankful for the generosity — and impact — of an endowed chair, your stories are part of our story.
Hall of Excellence Recognizes Achievements
Rochel Rittgers (BA, ‘81) was among the 2019 inductees into the Elinor A. Crawford and William R. Thrall Hall of Excellence. More than 130 alumni in the areas of kinesiology, health and human services have been honored since 2003. Rittgers was named the most distinguished athletic trainer by the National Athletic Trainers' Association and is a member of the Illinois Trainers Association Hall of Fame, among other honors.
The Sky's the Limit
During unprecedented times, Sam Braband (‘10, BA) found his job as a park ranger kept him just as busy as his fellow Alaskans turned to the outdoors. The experience matched his expectations when he discovered what was previously known as the leisure studies major. “The sky was the limit. You’re only limited by your imagination.”
Alumni Reflections
Share Your Legacy
A gift to the UNI Foundation greatly adds to the experience of today’s students in these areas:
- Professional development
- Travel
- Technology
- General (housing, materials, student organizations)
Have an idea to contribute? Contact Director of Development Kim Hanna at 319-273-7319.