More than 40 years after leaving while just credits short of a degree, Tim Dickson fulfills a promise to his mother by returning to the University of Iowa — thanks to an online program that finally made finishing possible from afar.

When Ron Muhlenbruck was diagnosed with a rare cancer in 2005, he came to the University of Iowa — then a rising leader in neuroendocrine tumor research. Twenty years later, Iowa remains the only U.S. institution to receive specialized federal funding twice for this rare cancer.

After graduating with a Master of Science in Nursing, Adam Heflin plans to return to serve the rural Iowa area he grew up in.

Advika Shah found her place at the University of Iowa by exploring opportunities in analytics and ethics while building friendships, gaining career-ready skills, and discovering how to create real-world solutions.

Writing is everywhere at the University of Iowa, and Ben Ahlrichs was thrilled to find himself in the middle of it.

After completing an MBA from the University of Iowa in May, Brian Privett will apply new strategic skills to his work as an ophthalmologist and practice leader in Cedar Rapids.

Through leadership, mentorship, and hands-on patient care, the UI College of Pharmacy grad has built the skills and confidence to advocate for patients and give back to the communities that shaped her.

Erin Wissler Gerdes didn’t just study maternal mental health, she also lived it, balancing a growing family while earning her PhD in epidemiology at the University of Iowa. Her work brings together research and real-life experience to better understand — and support — parents navigating early childhood.

Nursing student Faith Briones leaves her mark on the University of Iowa campus through leadership and participation in multiple organizations.

As a fourth-generation Hawkeye, Madeline Berst’s connection to the University of Iowa began long before she set foot in a classroom. Now, after eight years on campus, she’s coming full circle — graduating from the College of Dentistry and starting a career shaped by family, service, and care.

Hawkeye basketball player Taylor McCabe sets records on and off the court while on her way to becoming a structural engineer.

A new class of Hawkeyes is ready to soar — and we couldn’t be prouder of all they’ve achieved.

Experiencing her father’s death in a farming accident and the pressures of COVID-19 as a health care worker inspired Bailey VandeLune to pursue emergency medicine. Now, she’s committed to making a difference in a rural community like the one she grew up in — Winterset, Iowa.

University of Iowa researchers are working to connect migraine patients with the treatments that will actually work for them.

Plans are underway to expand orthopedic surgical and clinical services as demand grows with improved access for Iowans.

Before leading some of NASA’s most ambitious missions, Jim Green found his trajectory at the University of Iowa — where a series of “gravity assists” set him on a path to the stars.

After years of defibrillator shocks and failed ablations, a referral to UI Health Care helped Heath Cooper of Clinton, Iowa, find relief for ventricular tachycardia — a potentially life-threatening condition.

In a high-pressure mock NFL draft, University of Iowa students used analytics, teamwork, and quick thinking to make real-time decisions — and experience the chaos of draft day firsthand.

UI Carver College of Medicine alum Sean Westendorf, MD, follows in the footsteps of his mother into health care.

Bailey Conklin faced years of surgeries, setbacks, and rehabilitation. Today, she’s running miles, taking workout classes, and living a life she once thought might not be possible.

After standard treatments failed to improve her son's cerebral palsy symptoms, Rachel Conrad found hope at Iowa's only pediatric spasticity clinic — and now 5-year-old Sawyer is thriving.

Using zebrafish, UI professor Colin Kenny studies uveal melanoma to better understand how it forms and spreads — and how it can be treated. His dedication to research comes from what he calls the “sheer thrill of discovery.”

The ultimate day in medical education arrived in March for graduating medical students in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Forty of these graduating students will train in the state of Iowa.

Dr. Magdalena Maginot came to Iowa for residency training. The Public Psychiatry Fellowship gave her reasons to stay — and a roadmap for improving the state's behavioral health care system.

Nearly 100 Iowa high school students attended the first-ever Teens Go STEM event on the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine campus, exploring health care careers, participating in hands-on medical simulations, and more.

Michael Welsh could not have imagined the life-altering treatments for cystic fibrosis that would grow from the discoveries made in his University of Iowa lab. Once considered a fatal childhood disease, CF now can be managed with drugs that significantly extend patients’ lives.

From rural beginnings to groundbreaking advances in the treatment of cystic fibrosis, Michael Welsh has helped reshape what’s possible for patients. Supported by a collaborative academic environment at the University of Iowa, his dedication to discovery and improving lives has increased our understanding of this complex condition.

Returning to Epworth and Winterset, two University of Iowa medical students reflect on the mentors, classrooms, and moments that first sparked their path to medicine.

Returning to Winterset and Epworth, two University of Iowa medical students reflect on the mentors, classrooms, and moments that first sparked their path to medicine.

After leaving a VP role, Iowa MBA grad Jared Doerfler bet on himself and launched a custom putter company that now ships worldwide — all from a growing production floor in the Hawkeye State.

Justin Buzick, MD, finds a great sense of purpose serving Iowans in both urban and more rural areas as he begins his career at Mission Cancer + Blood, part of University of Iowa Health Care.

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the journey belongs to the whole family. For one Iowa family, University of Iowa students participating in Dance Marathon turned fear into connection and community.

Iowa’s only pediatric spasticity clinic brings together specialists to treat muscle tightness caused by cerebral palsy.

Juliann Pawlowski is well on her way to a career in biomedical engineering, thanks in part to Iowa resources such as the Hawkeye Experience Grant.

University of Iowa student Tyler Draayer came to campus from Lawton, Iowa, expecting great academics. He discovered so much more.

With support from the Hawkeye Experience Grant, University of Iowa public health student Aden Baldridge gained hands-on experience in South Africa that has played a key role in his education and career goals.

Across Iowa, professionals who support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities face complex challenges every day. Project ECHO, a free, UI-led telehealth program, is helping by connecting providers across the state to share expertise, solve problems together, and improve care for Iowans who need it most.

For Amelia Earley, Dance Marathon is more than a 24-hour event — it’s a lifeline. Influenced by her brother’s cancer diagnosis, the University of Iowa senior helps ensure that families, siblings, and students find connection and community year-round.

Northeast Iowa native Alec Marticoff says personal experiences helped him understand the value of having care options close to home.

A glow-germ experiment at age 11 sparked MaryTherese (MT) Gehrmann’s fascination with science. Now, the third-year medical student from Bettendorf is helping other Iowa kids discover the same excitement.

A December 2025 Kids Go STEM event on the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine campus provided students with fun, interactive sessions and a glimpse of day-to-day life in various careers.

When a routine heart murmur turned into a rare diagnosis, the Zenisek family was thrust into uncertainty. Their journey through pediatric open-heart surgery and recovery at UI Health Care now offers reassurance to others facing the same fear.

Amil Brown chose Iowa after being impressed by the wealth of academic opportunities in environmental sciences. On campus, she found a community of scholars, social clubs, and her career interest.

After pursuing a newfound passion for filmmaking, Isa Holtze leaves Iowa with confidence, creativity, and a vision for her next chapter.

Josie Hartman dove into campus life and discovered cherished community and newfound interests.

At the University of Iowa, sport and rec management major Nate Harbert found a welcoming community and hands-on experiences that helped him land a full-time job with ties to the Hawkeyes.

This fall, nearly 1,700 University of Iowa undergraduate, graduate, and professional students will earn their degrees. They’ve engaged, excelled, and stretched themselves in ways that embody what it means to be a Hawkeye.