By UNI University Relations
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa welcomes all to celebrate its 150th year as an institution, announcing the UNI Sesquicentennial Celebration, kicking off more than a year of activities and signature events. Festivities officially begin when UNI’s 150th class enters the university this fall.
The theme of the celebration, “Tradition Meets Tomorrow,” captures the spirit of this 150-year journey, reflecting on how UNI has evolved from its earliest days to a forward-thinking institution preparing students for tomorrow’s challenges.
The UNI Sesquicentennial Celebration will include Homecoming festivities in 2025 and 2026, along with several signature events. Dedicated exhibits in the UNI Museum and satellite campus locations will welcome students, their families and alumni to honor the history of the institution. New campus traditions will be created while honoring the traditions that unite all Panthers.
Several campus milestones will occur during the celebration including 25 years of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, 50 years of the UNI-Dome, 100 years of the Campanile, and the culmination of Our Tomorrow: The Campaign for UNI – the largest fundraising endeavor in the institution’s history.
Co-chairing the steering committee for the effort are Cary Darrah, who has a long career of supporting the Cedar Valley through numerous roles and volunteer positions, and Randy Pilkington, who holds two degrees from UNI and has worked at the university for nearly 40 years.
“Our ultimate goal is to elevate the profile of UNI,” said Pilkington. “We hope to increase connections locally and across the state, while growing and enhancing relationships with alumni, communities and friends.”
“The Panther family extends well beyond the UNI campus and Cedar Falls. That’s why it is so important that this celebration stretches to encompass the full breadth of the Purple Circle,” said Darrah.
UNI’s history officially begins when the Iowa General Assembly approved the establishment of the Iowa State Normal School on March 17, 1876. Its first classes were held on September 6, 1876. Since that time, the institution has been known as the Iowa State Teachers College, the State College of Iowa, and finally the University of Northern Iowa.