UI REACH Students Succeed in Unified Sports
UI REACH students and alumni engage in a variety of team sport experiences through Unified Sports. UI REACH graduate Desmond Kapayou was interviewed about his experience with Unified Sports for The Daily Iowan.
Earlier this year, The University of Iowa was nationally recognized as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School. This summer, a few UI REACH students–Logan Fienstien, Alex Brown, Evan Phillips, and Emmitt McConville–and UI REACH alum Alex Pacha played in the Flag Football Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, placing second overall!
UI REACH Alumnus Aaron Petrie Featured in Iowa Magazine
After interning with the Iowa Raptor Project during his time at UI REACH, 2024 graduate Aaron Petrie has continued volunteering with the project. Read about the work he does identifying raptors alongside Iowa Raptor Project Director Dave Conrads in the latest edition of Iowa Magazine.
Student and Staff Spotlights
Katie Abrams Receives Leadership Award
UI REACH Transition Coordinator Katie Abrams was selected as the 2026 recipient of the J. Frank Vance Distinguished Leadership Award from the Iowa Council of Administrators of Special Education. This award recognizes individuals who have been career-long leaders in the administration of special education programs. Through her work coordinating UI REACH’s transition supports and spearheading programs like EXPLORE, Ready for REACH, and more, Katie has been an exemplary leader in the UI REACH program and beyond.
Neveah Stover Receives Student Leadership Award
Last semester, UI REACH Student Career Assistant Neveah Stover was awarded the Student Leadership in Community Engagement Award from the University of Iowa’s Office of Community of Engagement. Neveah is an invaluable member of the UI REACH student team, and we are so proud to see her hard work and dedication to community-building be recognized and celebrated across the university.
Brian Campbell Receives Staff Appreciation Award
UI REACH Sr. Program Specialist and Alumni Liaison Brian Campbell was the recipient of a Staff Appreciation Award at the University of Iowa’s 2026 Faculty and Staff Awards ceremony. Brian credits the former RAFT (REACH Appreciation and Fun Team) for this award.
Heartfelt Thanks and Well Wishes to Carter Stigge
UI REACH Program Specialist, Carter Stigge will be relocating to Seattle, Washington, with his fiancée who has accepted a medical residency there. Carter has been a valued part of our Career Development team over the past two years. His many contributions to UI REACH included directly supporting students in the acquisition of work skills, piloting cutting edge technologies to teach those skills and certifying staff and students in CPR/First aid. We deeply appreciate Carter’s many contributions and wish him continued success in Seattle.