FROM SACKS TO TRACKS. 80 HOURS. THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2016 THE INDEPENDENT DAILY NEWSPAPER FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868 DAILYIOWAN.COM 50¢ Mills to Princes of space/time leave and The University's of Iowa's space research program is older than NASA itself. But what comes next? not leave By KATELYN WEISBROD [email protected] After four years of being an undergrad- uate, three years of serving in the Univer- sity of Iowa Student Government, and a year as UISG president, Liz Mills will say goodbye to the UI. She will not be going too far, though. Mills said she plans to stay in Iowa City next year and possi- bly work a university job while she takes time to apply for graduate school. Mills, who majored in political science and Mills social work with a mi- UI senior nor in Spanish, said the last four years at the UI have been a “roller coaster.” “I loved my time here, and I’ve had some personal setbacks like most college students, but the university means so much to me,” Mills said. “I can’t even put it into words how it has made me the person I am.” Mills got involved with UISG her fresh- man year, when a friend encouraged her SEE GRAD, 2A Fallen UI Don Gurnett is pictured with the Injun I spacecraft. It launched in 1961. (Contributed, Don Gurnett) By STACEY MURRAY | [email protected] had for quite some time. Above the door hang crook- student ed picture frames, with photographs of satellites and ucked between Biology Building East and Sea- other spacecraft. shore Hall on the University of Iowa campus The 70-something Gurnett works on a dated Toshi- sits an F-shaped building quickly falling into ba laptop. He’s a tall man with hooded blue eyes and disrepair.T The walls blandly reflect a dingy pseudo-col- glasses that he wears on occasion pushed to the very remembered or somewhere between yellow and tan. In the lobby tip of his nose. He keeps a calendar by hand, with dates are aging displays, paying respects to the scientist for written out on a sheet of lined paper. By KENDREW PANYANOUVONG whom the building was named. While his habits suggest antiquity, his accolades sug- [email protected] Seven flights up, Professor Don Gurnett’s office sits gest trailblazer. off a hall lined with teal cinderblocks. There’s a wood- It’s a bright day, but when leaving Van Allen, there’s Nicole Underwood was just months en table in the center of his office and a filing cabinet, a sense that the Sun is setting. away from graduating from the Univer- tucked against the wall, containing records of every stu- On a brilliant career. On a famed spacecraft. And sity of Iowa School of Social Work before dent who has passed through his various classrooms in a program. she was killed in a bus accident, but on his nearly 50 years of teaching. Next to his computer is Wednesday, her family received the diplo- a briefcase with a crushed velvet interior it appears he’s ma she so diligently worked for. SEE SPACE, 6A On Dec. 28, 2015, the UI senior was traveling inbound to Chicago. The char- ter bus lost control and struck a construc- tion arrow board sign. Underwood was GURNETT HAS WORKED WITH/ON: the only passenger on board to die out of the 33; four other passengers were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. At the UI School of Social Work’s graduation ceremony in Des Moines on Wednesday evening, the school and UI 41 60+ 650 President Bruce Harreld presented Un- MISSIONS GRADUATE SCIENTIFIC derwood’s family with her degree, along PUBLICATIONS with a memorial and speech honoring THESES her life and accomplishments. “We miss her,” said Kassie Irwin Un- derwood, her mother. “It feels really good for us, but it’s hard because we’d rather SEE UNDERWOOD, 2A WEATHER DAILY IOWAN TV ON THE WEB INDEX HIGH LOW CLASSIFIED 7A 68 48 • SCAN THIS CODE CHECK DAILYIOWAN.COM FOR HOURLY DAILY BREAK 6B • GO TO DAILYIOWAN.COM UPDATES AND ONLINE EXCLUSIVES. FOLLOW OPINIONS 4A Partly sunny, very windy. • WATCH UITV AT 9 P.M. @THEDAILYIOWAN ON TWITTER AND LIKE US SPORTS 8A SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE CONTENT. 80 HOURS 1B 2A NEWS THE DAILY IOWAN DAILYIOWAN.COM THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2016 TRACKING THE TREK The Daily Iowan Volume 149 Issue 189 BREAKING NEWS STAFF Phone: (319) 335-6063 Publisher 335-5788 Email: [email protected] William Casey Fax: 335-6297 Editor-in-Chief 335-6030 Stacey Murray CORRECTIONS Managing Editor 335-5855 Call: 335-6030 Danny Payne Policy: The Daily Iowan strives for accura- Metro Editors 335-6063 cy and fairness in the reporting of news. Bill Cooney, Cindy Garcia, Anis If a report is wrong or misleading, a Shakirah Mohd Muslimin request for a correction or a clarification Opinions Editor 335-5863 may be made. Nick Hassett Sports Editor 335-5848 PUBLISHING INFO Jordan Hansen The Daily Iowan (USPS 143.360) is pub- Copy Chief 335-6063 lished by Student Publications Inc., E131 Beau Elliot Adler Journalism Building, Iowa City, Iowa Photo Editor 335-5852 52242-2004, daily except Saturdays, Sun- Valerie Burke days, legal and university holidays, and Design Editor 335-6030 university vacations. Periodicals postage Taylor Laufersweiler paid at the Iowa City Post Office under the Politics Editor 335-5855 Act of Congress of March 2, 1879. Rebecca Morin 80 Hours Editor SUBSCRIPTIONS Justus Flair Call: Juli Krause at 335-5783 TV News Director 335-6063 Email: [email protected] Brianna Jett Subscription rates: Web Editor 335-5829 UI sophomore Grace Redlinger takes a study break to explore the University of Iowa's new exhibit in the Main Library on Wednesday. The Star Trek exhibit opened April 25 and will be Iowa City and Coralville: $20 for one Tony Phan around until Aug. 5. (The Daily Iowan/McCall Radavich) semester, $40 for two semesters, $10 Business Manager 335-5786 for summer session, $50 for full year. Debra Plath Out of town: $40 for one sememster, $80 Classifed Ads/Circulation Manager for two semesters, $20 for summer Juli Krause 335-5784 of freshman Orientation, session, $100 all year. Production Manager 335-5789 UNDERWOOD it’s been hard to be excited Send address changes to: The Daily Iowan, Heidi Owen CONTINUED FROM FRONT about something that she 100 Adler Journalism Building, Iowa City, Advertising Manager 335-5193 was supposed to attend Iowa 52242-2004 Renee Manders with her best friend. Advertising Sales Staff have her walking across “She would be so mad Bev Mrstik 335-5792 the stage.” we were honoring her,” she Cathy Witt 335-5794 Kassie Underwood said said. “She didn’t like to be Harreld reached out to her the center of attention, and over the phone and said I know she’s so happy she’s the UI would give them Ni- going to be a part of [the cole Underwood’s degree at graduation].” Wednesday’s ceremony. Nicole Underwood was Her family received the an “entergetic and engaged” diploma because of her ac- student who received good FOLLOW US ON TWITTER ademic performance, pres- grades and was passion- Underwood's family is pictured with her degree (contributed). ence in the classroom, and ate about the field of social leadership role at the UI. work, said UI Clinical As- ed to be available this com- in not just getting the work @THEDAILYIOWAN “We truly want to thank sistant Professor Stephen ing fall semester. done, or by participating in the university, because they Cummings. She aspired Her younger brother, UI class,” he said. “She was fan- didn’t have to do this; but to work in grief counsel- sophomore Alex Under- tastic.” they chose to and it really ing, helping families and wood, said he would like to Nicole’s mother said she means so much to us that patients on life support in see the scholarship award- thinks Nicole would have we get to accept this on her hospitals. ed in increments, so it can been honored by the actions behalf,” she said. “It makes Shortly after her death, be ongoing and she will be of the School of Social Work. us proud to be Hawkeyes.” family, friends, and com- remembered over time. “I think she’s smiling On Wednesday, an emp- munity members quickly Cummings said he first down. I think she would be ty seat was left vacant in rallied to start a fund to put forward the idea to the overwhelmed with happi- memory of Nicole Under- create the Nicole Under- UI that Nicole Underwood ness, and she would love the wood, decorated with roses wood Scholarship, a $10,000 earned and deserved the idea that the UI took the and a photo collage made by scholarship awarded to de- diploma she was months time to honor her and give friends and classmates. serving students pursuing away from receiving. her something she worked UI senior Bailey Cam- the field of social work, her “She was a great student. so hard for,” she said. “I eron, who met Nicole Un- mother said. She was exceptional in know she’d be the happiest derwood on the first day The scholarship is expect- terms in the care she took person in the world.” for anything,” Mills said. “It’s remains a wonderful friend.” remember most about Liz's GRAD been incredible, and I couldn’t UISG Governmental tenure in UISG.” CONTINUED FROM FRONT have done it on my own.