The Panther Caravan from the University of Northern Iowa Athletics Department made a stop at Dale Howard Auto Center in Iowa Falls Tuesday.
Figures in attendance included Director of Athletics Megan Franklin, Head Football Coach Todd Stepsis and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Ben Jacobson. Franklin says these stops are a great way for those in the athletic department to show appreciation to the fans.
“It’s a joy to be able to stop in Iowa Falls as we’re headed across the state to say thank you to our fans,” Franklin says. “We often are inviting fans to come to the arena, ‘see you in the stands,’ I like to stay on social media. And this time of year, it’s nice to get out and say thank you and meet our fans where they are. And what a joy to be able to stop at Iowa Falls, and the Howard family has been a wonderful friend of UNI. And so nice to be able to stop here and say hello to this particular spot.”
Dale Howard Auto Center has a connection to UNI and the other state universities, where they provide courtesy vehicles to staff, coaches and administration.
“As you’d expect, between some administrators and coaching staffs, we’re on the road quite a bit. And so for us to be able to have a courtesy car and offset the wear and tear on a coach’s vehicle or a rental car, this way we have a connection with people who love UNI, and that’s a way to say thank you. We’ll oftentimes keep those connections with those coaches or staff members that have vehicles with those dealerships, and we’re fortunate that Dale Howard is one of those generous partners.”
The caravan will make other stops in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls and Oelwein.
Ben Jacobson
Todd Stepsis
Megan Franklin
