...of a Spring Breaker!

Hey there, future Panthers!

As we all get back from a fabulous spring break, it is hard not to get in to a little bit of a slump. BUT fear not! The end is near. Can you believe how quickly this year has gone by?! 

Over spring break, I went to Orlando, Florida with my lovely parents and some of our family friends. I got to spend some much needed quality time with my family, catch a tan, be a beach bum, and I even got to squeeze in a couple games of golf! (Although they might have been played poorly) 

I had so much fun with friends and family, and got some much needed relaxation! Now it's time to push to the end of the year and finish it out strong like I hope all of you do!!!

Heres a little video to give you a taste of all the fun I had over my break!

Have a great week!

STAR Molly

...of Fun Fitness!

UNI is known for many things, like its fantastic business school and great teaching program, but what about the fitness aspect? UNI is also home to the Wellness Recreation Center which contains a variety of cool features. Two of which include the Fitness Areas and the Swimming Pools.

There are two fitness areas that are available to students: a heavy weight room located at the bottom of the Wellness & Recreation Center and one located at the top. Both fitness areas are equipped with all you need to stay fit, whether you choose to use heavy weights or an indoor track!

The Swimming Area contains two different types of pools: the lap pool which ranges from 4 feet to 13 feet and is primarily used to swim laps, or the regular swimming pool which can range from 2 feet to 5 feet and has its own water slide! Also located in the regular swimming pool is a hot tub that students can use to just relax.

Overall, the Wellness & Recreation Center contains various features that can make a long walk to the WRC worth it. I highly encourage anyone visiting or already on campus to go visit the WRC and check out all the fun aspects of it!

-Star Javi

...of free movies!

Hey All!

Every month the Campus Activities Board (CAB) here at UNI shows a movie that is not yet released on DVD. All of these showings are free to all students and are a great way to enjoy entertainment without paying a dime.

Here are some of the movies that are being shown this month or have been shown in the past.

As you can see they offer a wide arrange of movies from many different genres! The monthly movie is just one of many activities CAB puts on for free for students at UNI. You can check out more of CAB's great programs here at https://www.facebook.com/uni.activities

Peace, Love, and Panthers,

-Jill, STAR

...of the First Nice Day of the Semester!

Hi there, Future Panthers!

FINALLY, a sunny day! I don't know about you, but I'm about over this scary winter weather we've been having and I was incredibly stoked about the warm weather today! I celebrated by wearing Toms and aviators around campus. Of course, my fellow STARs wanted to get in on some fun in the sun. Check out our video below!

We hope you're able to get outside and soak up some rays before long! Comment & let us know if you have any fun plans. Have a safe and fun Spring Break 2014! :)

-Emily (STAR)

...of Registering for Classes!

Hey Panthers!

It's that time of year again...REGISTRATION.

I always seem to have very mixed emotions when it comes time to register for classes. I'm usually really excited because it means that we are over half way done with the semester and, during the spring, that much closer to summer break!! Then there is the stress that comes with registering. What classes should I take?  Will I get into all of my classes? Will I get the professors that I want? Will I have to have awkward gaps of time between classes?

Don't worry though, I have found some really great tips that will hopefully help when it's your turn to register!

1. Check your options:
Review the course Catalog. If you know your major, choose some courses that fulfill general requirements in that area. If you're not sure what you want to study, pick some classes in subjects that spark your interest.

2. Overbook yourself:
You may only want to take 15 credits a semester, but make sure you give yourself extra options in case your first choice of classes fill up before it is your time to register. This could be selecting different time slots of the same class, or choosing many different classes all together.

3. Maintain Balance:
You might want to get all of your difficult classes out of the way right away, but remember that some classes require a lot more work than others. Try and choose classes that require different types of work if you can. That way you won't end up writing five papers or having 4 group projects going on at one time.

4. Your advisor will become your best friend:
Believe it or not, they are miracle workers. You may think you have gone over every option, but your advisor is so familiar with your major (or liberal arts courses) that they usually seem to have the answer. It is also a good idea to meet with your advisor each semester before registering for classes to make sure that you are on track.

Be sure to put the classes you want to take in your cart before your registration time so all it takes to sign up will be one easy click :) 

Hopefully these tips will come to mind when it comes time to register for your classes! :)

Happy Scheduling,

-
STAR, Megan

...of Finding the Right Fit!

Hey future panthers! Still not sure what you’re majoring in? Well, don’t worry, 80% of incoming freshman enter college not knowing for sure what to major in. Lucky for you, though, UNI has tons of resources for those who are trying to find where they are supposed to be! The Office of Academic Advising is the best place to start. Online, they offer a free interest inventory, Career Cruising, which gives you a whole list of possible careers for you based on your interests. If you’re willing to pay, for just $9, you can take an in-depth inventory called the Strong Interest Inventory, that will give you even more information and someone from Academic Advising will go through it with you. 

There are also workshops offered throughout the year such as, Majors in Minutes, a speed dating-like workshop that allows you to talk to all different majors that you may be interested in. So, if you’re not sure what you want to do with the rest of your life yet, don’t sweat it! The University of Northern Iowa will help you find just the right fit!

For the Career Cruising Inventory: http://www.uni.edu/advising/career-cruising

Office of Academic Advising: http://www.uni.edu/advising

Happy Cruising!

-STAR Stephanie

...of the Study Abroad Center!

The Study Abroad Center is one of the most beneficial aspects of the University of Northern Iowa. The Study Abroad Office is filled with various Study Abroad opportunities that include Capstones, Cultural Visits, Volunteering, and even Student Exchange!

            Throughout the years, many UNI students have gone through this office to study abroad in wonderful locations. Although some of the experiences abroad are costly, the Study Abroad Center makes it their mission to help students find scholarships or other means of payment for these experiences. Whether it may be a general Study Abroad Scholarship or even a National Scholarship, the Study Abroad Center will help any student find the necessary scholarships in order to experience these amazing opportunities.

           

            There are countries from several continents that are available to UNI students. The countries offered range from Spain, Brazil, Russia, Ghana, France, Austria, Costa Rica, Japan, China, South Africa, Greece, Italy, England, and many more. Some of these programs can even have multiple countries in one program.

           

            It is highly recommended that students take the chance to visit the Study Abroad Office in order to see all the amazing cultural opportunities that are provided through UNI. Next time you’re at UNI come into the Study Abroad Center because you never know, maybe one day you can study in a different country!

-Star Javier

....of some Influential Alumni!

Hey Everybody!

As a student at the University of Northern Iowa, I got interested in finding out some of the famous alumni who have traveled through this campus getting a great education and gaining an amazing college experience.

Here are a few people who you may recognize!

Kurt Warner: Graduated from UNI in 1993. Warner was an NFL quarterback who played in the NFL from 1998-2009 with the St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, and Arizona Cardinals, winning the Superbowl twice and being named NFL MVP twice along with 1 Superbowl MVP.

Chuck Grassley: Graduated from UNI in 1955. Grassley is a Republican United States Senator for the state of Iowa. He has served the state of Iowa from 1981-current.

Robert James Waller: Graduated from UNI in 1962. Waller was a professor of management and economics at UNI and later served as the Dean of the College of Business from 1980-1986. Waller is also the author of The Bridges of Madison County, which went on to become one of the best selling books in the 20th century. The book went on to be adapted as a film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. 

Will Wilkinson: Graduated from UNI in 1995. Wilkinson is a writer who has been regarded as an expert in happiness research in regards to public policy. His work has been cited in articles in Forbes and The Washington Post, among other news outlets. 

These are just a few alumni to graduate from the University of Northern Iowa who have gone on to change the world in a very powerful way and YOU could be the next!

Or even me!

-Jill, STAR