UNI celebrates teachers-in-training
This past week, the University of Northern Iowa celebrated its newest group of students accepted into UNI Teacher Education in the form of the 61st Teacher Education Convocation and Celebration. Part of UNI Family Weekend, this ceremony honors pre-service teachers at UNI. About 458 future teachers qualified for admission into the UNI Teacher Education program, and more than 100 attended this year’s ceremony on campus.
The convocation has honored thousands of future teachers and their commitment to the teaching profession since first held in 1991. UNI graduated more than 500 teaching majors last year and is in the top 1% of public institutions granting bachelor’s degrees in education nationwide. More than 10,000 alumni are employed in school districts in all 99 Iowa counties.
The impact of UNI-educated teachers is especially evident among those currently in the classroom. In the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District all seven of the third-grade teachers are UNI alums.
“I have worked with students from a variety of colleges,” said Laurie Hyland, a 1993 UNI graduate. “The students who come from UNI seem to be the most prepared. They don't hesitate to jump in and help. They see things that need to be done and then they do them.”
