Great research opportunities at UNI

This fall, Melani Taylor Fulton will begin dental school at the University of Iowa. She credits her admission into the program to the strong education and research opportunities she received while earning her biology degree at the University of Northern Iowa. Taylor Fulton grew up in West Des Moines and chose UNI for the smaller class sizes and the personal instruction from full-time faculty. "It was really important to me to have professors who were available and knew my name."

Taylor Fulton took advantage of every opportunity that came her way. She studied abroad at the University of Rennes in France, spent a summer at Iowa State University doing research funded by the National Science Foundation and worked for a local dentist creating cutting edge dental implants. Taylor Fulton says these experiences set her apart from her fellow applicants at Iowa. "A lot of students applying for professional programs have good grades and strong letters of recommendation, but having completed research as an undergraduate can really help you stand out."

UNI's focus on undergraduate programs means research opportunities aren't limited to graduate students. The head of UNI's biology department, David Saunders, says the experience is rewarding for students regardless of their future plans. "Unless they have the opportunity to participate in research themselves, students can fail to understand the creativity and cleverness associated with experimental design and discovery. In the end, students gain confidence in their abilities to think through problems and find a solution."

This kind of personal attention pays off. Within the first year of graduation, more than 90 percent of UNI biology, chemistry and physics majors are either employed or have been admitted to a graduate program. 

News & Events

UNI will host three spring Commencement ceremonies this year: the graduate ceremony is at 7 p.m., Friday, May 9; the undergraduate ceremony for the Colleges of Education and Business Administration, and the Division of Continuing Education and Special Programs is at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 10; and the undergraduate ceremony for the Colleges of Humanities, Arts and Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences is at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 10. All Commencement ceremonies are in the McLeod Center. Visit the Commencement website for more information.