IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — University of Northern Iowa officials say a $15 million donation from Des Moines businessman Richard O. Jacobson will bolster the school’s teacher preparation program and provide better-trained teachers for classrooms across Iowa.
The donation announced Wednesday is the largest in school history. It will be used to recruit top professors for reading and science education, to conduct research on education reform and for scholarships to encourage high-performing students to become educators.
College of Education Dean Dwight Watson says the gift will allow the university to aspire to lofty goals, such as seeking to ensure all Iowa children can read by third grade and are exposed to more hands-on science learning in elementary school.
UNI President Ben Allen says the gift will enhance the university’s already well-regarded education training programs.
