GOLD & Bold
The GOLD & Bold awards recognize the accomplishments of outstanding young alumni every year. The 2026 award recipients are DaQuan Campbell, '19 and Heather Knar, '17.
2026 Awardees
DaQuan Campbell, '19
DaQuan Campbell is an urban farmer and the Founding Farmer of We Arose, a network of local producers elevating urban farming cooperation, growing community and increasing access to local, healthy food. DaQuan owns and operates a small-scale urban farming enterprise in Waterloo, Iowa, specializing in leafy greens, baby root vegetables and popular Southern produce using organic, no-till growing practices.
A Waterloo native and graduate of Waterloo East High School, DaQuan earned his BA in Business Management from the University of Northern Iowa, with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership. During his time at UNI, he worked as a student assistant with the UNI Local Food Program, supporting local food initiatives including the College Hill Farmers Market, Local Food and Film Festival and the Buy Fresh Buy Local Directory.
His experience with local food systems at UNI helped lay the foundation for DaQuan’s continued commitment to his hometown. Through We Arose and broader community involvement, DaQuan has strengthened Waterloo’s local food system by managing the Downtown Waterloo Farmers Market since 2018, helping advance urban agriculture in Waterloo, and connecting local producers with opportunities to diversify their marketing and distribution channels. His leadership and impact have earned recognition including the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier’s “20 Under 40” award and Urban Farmer of the Year from the Black Hawk County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Heather Knar, '17
Heather Knar earned her degrees in Applied Economic Analysis and Mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa in 2017. Today, she serves as the Market Intelligence and Data Manager at Kemin Industries, where she has established herself as a key organizational leader in analytics and strategic decision-making. Since joining Kemin in 2020 following an early career at John Deere, Heather has led the expansion of global market intelligence databases, bringing critical customer and competitor insights to executive leadership worldwide. Her career trajectory is marked by advancement in the Animal Nutrition and Health industry, an international assignment in Belgium and problem solving in leadership development programs.
Heather remains deeply connected to UNI through dedicated mentorship, advocacy and philanthropy. In 2022, she established the HMK STEM Scholarship Endowment with the vision of fully funding annual tuition for future Panthers — maintaining a personal relationship with recipients each year. As an ambassador for the Our Tomorrow campaign and a featured alum in the Department of Economics, Heather exemplifies UNI’s mission by applying her expertise to solve complex global challenges, creating opportunities for future generations and strengthening the university community.
Past GOLD & Bold award winners
Criteria
Award selections celebrate the unique and emerging contributions young alumni make in their communities and careers that have distinguished them as leaders at this stage of their lives. Consideration is also given to graduates who maintain a continued relationship with the University of Northern Iowa and pursue further development in their field. Help us lift up Panthers who represent UNI’s spirit and tradition of excellence. Nominate an alum who is GOLD & Bold!
Eligibility
- Nominees for 2026 must have earned their first degree from the University of Northern Iowa, at any degree level, between May 2016 and May 2026.
- Nominees should demonstrate significant achievements or contributions to their profession, community and/or the university and demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with the University of Northern Iowa.
- Nominees must be able to attend the GOLD & Bold award presentation.
- Self-nominations are accepted.
Honorees will be notified by August 1, 2026 and recognized at the GOLD & Bold award presentation. Honorees are asked to give a 10-minute, TED Talk-style address to share their achievements and inspire a new generation of young leaders. Connecting Alumni to Students (CATS) will moderate a Q&A following the presentations.