ANDREW WIND WATERLOO â U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst got an education on college access programs Thursday morning during a visit to UNI-CUE. The Republican was joined by University of Northern Iowa President Mark Nook at the downtown Waterloo Center for Urban Education along with its staff members, including executive director Robert Smith. She made the stop as part of her 99-county visits across the state. "I don't know what UNI would be without UNI-CUE," Nook told Ernst. The center focuses on students from low-income families who would be the first generation going to college. It includes federally funded Trio programs to prepare students in school for continuing on to post-secondary education. It also works with adults who want to start or continue their college education.Â