...of a Student Involved in Campus Ministry

Greetings, future Panthers!

Since we've now had a few posts to get to know each other, I felt it was time to share with you something that is very important to me. It also happens to be extremely important to a number of other students on UNI's campus. "What could this oh-so-special activity be?" you may ask. It's something I've been involved in for several years now, and it is also where you can be sure to find me on just about any Wednesday night at 8:00. That's right, folks. I'm talking about campus ministry!

I, myself, have been involved in some form of church group or Bible study since I was very young, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to make such involvement a part of my college experience. I became a part of the Lutheran Student Fellowship (LSF) in the beginning of my Freshman year, and I have been attending Bible studies with the group ever since. Weekly student Bible studies are held at College Hill Lutheran Church (pictured below), led by the church pastor, and focus on a variety of topics.

Not only has attending the LSF Bible study enhanced my knowledge of the Bible and Lutheranism, but it has also allowed me to connect with students who share in my faith. It's comforting to know that I have a group of people who I can instantly connect with, simply because we all have a common set of beliefs. College Hill Lutheran Church has served as place for me to go to feel safe and accepted, and that is something that I will never take for granted.

Now, although I have my own faith and have chosen the campus ministry that best fits it, UNI offers a TON of other options for students whose beliefs differ from mine. There are approximatelyly 20 different religious organizations open to students here on campus. Many of these groups are partnered with local churches or other religious institutions, while some are completely student-run. Whatever your beliefs, you can rest assured that you will have no trouble finding a group to connect with and feel at home in. I know I certainly have!

Until we meet again,

~ Jordan, STAR

...of College Politics

Hello Future Panthers!

As a little sneak peak onto campus right now, it is CRAZY! The only reason for that is the annual NISG elections.  For those of you who haven't picked up on UNI's many acronyms, NISG stands for Northern Iowa Student Government.  Remember that! Around this time of year it will come in very handy!  Over the past few weeks, 3 candidate pairs and their teams have worked very hard campaigning for the opportunity as Student Body President and Vice President.

This year, I had the opportunity to be on a Tom and Blake's campaign team and it was a blast! However, in this blog I will remain neutral seeing as you all can't vote and the election is still going on :)  For those of you who are really involved in politics or Student Council currently, then I really suggest getting involved in NISG.  NISG looks over many different aspects of campus that focus on student activities; they represent the students' voices.  Therefore, when two people run for Student Body President and Vice President, they refer to their campaign team made up of students! I contributed to Tom and Blake's campaign by giving insight on the minority community on campus and their sustainability platform topic.  Tom and Blake also referred to other students who could give insight on different communities in order for them to have a grasp on the entirety of our student body.  I apologize for the gibber jabber at this point, but you need to know the basics so any of this can make sense.

From this campaign, I was able to meet great people that I would have never met before.  To me, that is the best benefit of working on a campaign team or with any part of NISG.  All of these students are coming from different backgrounds, majors, and communities all for ONE thing: representing the students of UNI! It is pretty amazing how every person sees this university differently and has different experiences, yet we are all in the same place (smaller than my hometown!).

If you want to learn more about your potential Student Body President and Vice President, check out the websites of the two candidate teams that have just gone into the run off for the election!

http://www.tomandblake.com/

http://kaleighandalicia.com/wordpress/

We'll find out next week who wins!

~STAR Joslyn

...of a Student With A Sweet Tooth

Hey there, future Panthers!

One little treat (pun intended) Cedar Falls has to offer is the famous Scratch Cupcakery. Located on Main Street, Scratch is a go-to for delicious cupcakes, coffee drinks, and gelato. It's a fantastic place to go with your parents for Family Weekend or a nice way to blow off some steam after studying!

My friends and I headed down to Scratch last week for some sweet (again, pun intended) bonding time. Check it out!

I love how Scratch always has new and delicious flavors to offer each month. They're also really inexpensive, which is great news for a college kid's bank account. It's nice to just go there and hang out with friends, and giving someone a cupcake is always an awesome pick-me-up during the week.

Scratch is a definite staple of Main Street; definitely try it if you get the chance!

Keep Calm & Eat Some Frosting,

Emily (STAR)

...of an RA

Hello!

Even though I am not an RA, I wanted to share with you what being an RA is all about!

So, I interviewed my wonderful RA, Alexa! 

If you are interested in being an RA, check out this website for more information!
https://www.uni.edu/dor/http%3A//www.uni.edu/dor/raapplication

Have a wonderful day!
~Diann, STAR

...of Valentine's Day: Dorm Style

Beautiful roses, decadent chocolates, candy hearts, and pink and red galore. These are just some of the many wonderful things Valentine's Day brings with it each year. Although many people find February 14th to be too commercialized or even depressing, there is something undeniably heart-warming about reminding those you love how much they really mean to you.

I can still remember those first few elementary school Valentine's Days. They were filled with heart-shaped party foods, "Most Creative Valentine's Box" competitions, and cards representing the most popular cartoon characters of the day. I am proud to say that I was the back-to-back third and fourth grade "Most Creative Box" competition victor. My robot and castle-inspired creations were truly genius. Unfortunately, as we grow older, robot-themed boxes and heart-shaped rice krispie treats soon become overshadowed by more extravagant gifts, such as jewelry and roses.

It was for this reason that the women of my house in Campbell Hall decided to do something a bit more old school this year. Instead of hoping for expensive gifts from family, friends, or significant others, we decided to revisit our elementary days and have a good old-fashioned valentine exchange.

In order to make this happen, each of us decorated a paper bag and placed it outside of our room. We then exchanged the typically corny cards we treasured so much as children. The fact that these valentines weren't costly or over-the-top made them all the more special, and I truly appreciated the thought and generosity that was put into each and every one.

So, the moral of my story is that when we were eight years old, we didn't need a significant other to make us happy on Valentine's Day. All we needed was some candy, a Scooby Doo valentine card, and some really great classmates. And Valentine's Day at UNI can give you just that! :)

Panther love,

~ Jordan, STAR

...of a Science Education Course Student

Hey there matey!

As many of you may know from my previous blog posts, I am an elementary education major here at UNI!  This semester, I am in my science methods course called Teaching Elementary School Science.  We are five weeks into the semester and I have already learned SO much!  I am loving every second of this course, which is great because it is my LAST semester of classes at UNI before I student teach this coming fall.

Today in class, we built a fleet of four boats that varied in capacities and sizes.  After our boats were made, we were required by our professor to name each of the boats.  My group chose Bruce for our 100 mL boat, Dory for our 75 mL boat, Nemo for our 60 mL boat, and Squirt for our 40 mL boat.  If you didn't notice, we chose Finding Nemo characters to name our boats!  I'm sure you all noticed that though! :P

From left to right-Bruce, Dory, Nemo, and Squirt!

After our boats were made and named, we moved on to main event!  We put the boats one at a time into a tub of water and placed pennies in them until they sunk.  The point of the activity was to see how many "passengers" we could fit into our boats before they sunk.  We also had to decide on certain variables that we could control or that could factor the boats sinking more easily than others.  It looked like this:

One of my table mates, Shelley, putting Bruce into the water!

I believe this was Squirt!

This project was so much fun and I am excited to make divers during Tuesday's class!  If you have decided on becoming an elementary education major, get excited to do projects such as this!  Stay afloat future panthers!

~Vanessa, STAR

...of UNI Diversity

¡Hola Panteras Futuras!

(Don't fret, this isn't in Spanish!)

As you may know, one of UNI's unique characteristics is community! I've already shared with you all about my super awesome friends, coworkers, and role models.  Today, I want to share with you the diversity of our purple & gold community.  Yes, we are all panthers, students, and go-getters, but we all come from different backgrounds.  UNI may not be the most diverse community, but we sure are MIGHTY!

To prove that, multiple organizations on campus made a small video clip on how their organization embraces their diverse community.  Of course, CATS was all over that! I want to share with you all the many different CATS I know that I call family...

Although we may look different, come from different areas, or have different beliefs we all have that ONE thing in common: we BLEED purple and gold! So when you are walking on campus next year, don't be afraid to reach out to someone who may look a little different from you because you never know where your paths may cross again :)

Kudos to Sammy Kaster (my roommate, best friend, fellow kitten) and Austin Hansen (fellow kitten)

Thanks for watching!

~STAR Joslyn

...of taking advantage of what UNI has to offer

At some point or another, every person has the ambition to travel or live someplace far from home. I am no exception.
I thought that this lofty goal of mine would forever stay just a goal, until I discovered a program that UNI participates in called NSE (National Student Exchange). With the program, you can choose a school from a list of hundreds of schools across the country and exchange with that school for a semester or even a year.

So I sat down and looked at my list of schools, along with all the other great information I got at the NSE meeting back in January, and made a decision....

On California State, Los Angeles!

The great part about going on exchange is that I'm still technically a UNI student, just living very very very far off campus. (I could never not be a panther!) So I'll still pay UNI tuition and all that good stuff while I attend the other campus.

NSE applications were due today, I meet with my advisor tomorrow, and then I find out in March if I got a placement at Cal State, LA! The wait is going to be killer, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Keep exploring, baby panthers!

:)

-Melanie, STAR

...of a UNI Transfer Student!

Hey, guys! Alright, so given my Panther Pride and knowledge of life here at UNI, it may come as a surprise that I am, in fact, a transfer student. This fall, I transferred to UNI as a sophomore. I spent my freshman year at the University of Iowa. However, after doing a lot of soul-searching (along with a campus visit and trips to see friends perform in a few shows at Strayer-Wood Theatre) I came to the conclusion that Cedar Falls is where my heart resides.

Transferring colleges is not always an easy decision or a smooth transition, but for me, everything seems to have fallen into place. I chose to live in one of the dorms on campus in order to meet more people, an opportunity I definitely didn't want to miss out on. I also decided to participate in formal recruitment here on campus and was lucky enough to join my sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. The icing on the cake was landing my wonderful job here at a member of the STARs team!

Some friends and me at the Homecoming game!

ADPis throwing what we know at our fall philanthropy!

Superhero Day here at work!

While UNI did not offer my previous major, I met with an advisor during my campus visit, and she helped me select which major would substitute the best. I switched over from Journalism to English with a Public Relations minor and have been extremely happy with my decision. The faculty here dedicated to helping out confused transfer students such as myself are outstanding!

Although it is only my second semester here at UNI, I have never been more sure that I made the right decision to come here. I have made so many connections here, both friendships and professional, and the opportunities here are too many to count. I have found it so easy to get involved, and have fallen in love not only with UNI's campus, but with the Cedar Falls community as well.

As cheesy and cliche as it sounds, you really do know when you have chosen the perfect school, because it just feels right. My heart gets warm fuzzies just thinking about all the happy memories I've made already!

And the best part? I know there are many more to come. 

Keep Calm and Bleed Purple,

Emily (STAR)

... of Quesadilla Friday!

Everyone looks forward to Friday because it means the weekend! Don't get me wrong, I love the weekends, but what I look forward to on Fridays are... QUESADILLAS!! Every Friday at lunch, a Quesadilla Bar is available at Wasabi, a part of Prexy's in the Union. You pick the meat (or no meat if thats what you prefer) and veggies and they grill it right in front of you!

This was seriously one of the best quesadillas I've eaten! <3

My friends and I have made it a tradition to go to Quesadilla Friday at least once a month, if not more! (because they're just that delicious!) It's a great way to catch up on what's been going on with your friends, and talk about plans for the weekend a.k.a the perfect lunch for Fridays!

~Diann, STAR

...of the UNI Greenhouse!

Hey Guys!

I’m not sure if you've heard or not, but Groundhog Phil did NOT see his shadow this year! If you believe in Phil’s weather forecast, that means that spring will arrive early, and we will finally have an end to this crazy weather. I've decided I’m going to put a lot of faith in our good friend Phil this year in hopes that we will no longer have snow, ice, and cold temperatures. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE a few more of those rare college snow days, but I think it’s about time spring showed its warm, sunny face.

Unfortunately, I know we’re in for at least a few more weeks of this winter weather, so I’m just going to have to wrap up in a blanket and enjoy a few more cups of hot chocolate. I also fully intend on visiting my favorite building on campus a few more times this semester. UNI’s Greenhouse is by far the best “hidden treasure” on UNI’s campus. Students pass by the Greenhouse every day on their way to Maucker Union or Rod Library, but very few people take the time to stop inside.

On a cold winter day, it is the perfect solution! Visitors can escape to the rainforest, desert, or any other one of the rooms to enjoy warm temperatures and a break from the reality of tests, papers, and presentations. I especially love to visit after a hard test and just relax for a bit. You can also visit Ernie the iguana, the numerous goldfish in the pond, and the two resident birds, who can be quite the Chatty Cathy’s when they are awake.

Needless to say, if you haven’t already been to the Greenhouse, you definitely should stop in during your time at UNI! 

Try to stay warm out there, and keep your fingers crossed that Groundhog Phil is right this year!

- Ashley, STAR

FYI: The Greenhouse is open to visitors every Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

...of the Small World of UNI

Panthers, guess what!?

I'm sure countless of possibilities are running through your head, well here is one that you are probably not thinking about yet...life after college! You probably don't even want to think about that right now, considering you haven't even arrived on campus! However, as a college student, it will always be running through your brain.  I have this degree, now what do I do with it? How will the real world treat me? Where am I going to end up?

Mind boggling, right? Fortunately, UNI doesn't leave you high and dry! Even as a sophomore, I have met a TON of alumni and they are all willing to help me establish my networking circle :)  It is always great hearing about their life on campus and then all they have accomplished since graduation.  You want to know what is really neat? When you come across UNI alumni off campus!

Over winter break, I had two of those really neat experiences. The first, my brother had just downloaded some app on his phone and was checking out all the ins and outs.  He came across an announcement from the creator of the app, check it out:

If you took the time to read that, you would have noticed that the creator of this app is a UNI alum! He was apologizing for the lack of updates, seeing as he just moved to a new city after graduation!

The second, at my brother's dance competition, some lady stopped me in mid-stride.  It turns out, she saw the purple and gold I was sporting at UIC (University of Illinois Chicago).  She wanted to know all about my college experience and how I came across UNI.  She had graduated some time ago and her daughter actually goes to UNI currently!  Also, she is the Godmother of an old STAR, Katie!

So, start wearing your UNI gear and you never know when a helpful alum will randomly find you! Who knows, they might offer you a job!?

~STAR Joslyn