At age 8, Gracelyn Springer received a rare diagnosis: Ewing sarcoma, located in her head. Thanks to compassionate experts at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Gracelyn’s cancer is now in remission.

A practicum gives University of Iowa students exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the inaugural Chicago event and a chance to pitch promotional campaigns to NASCAR executives.

The expertise and persistence of pediatric neurosurgeon Brian Dlouhy and the UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital team helped a Des Moines boy recover from a life-threatening brain abscess.

The University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center nursing team has been recognized with a fifth consecutive Magnet Recognition Program designation, joining a select group of organizations nationwide to achieve that streak.

The Olympic hopeful and University of Iowa graduate student gets on the mat and talks shop during a recent visit to Japan.

Fueled by the confidence he built as a University of Iowa student, Ty Schmit made a play in 2017 to join Pat McAfee’s fledgling media enterprise as an intern. Now he produces the retired football player’s daily sports show, which recently was acquired by ESPN.

Thanks to a little luck—and a lot of care and skill from the University of Iowa Health Care Burn Treatment Center team—James Rogers is back to loving life with his new wife in their new home in Denver, Iowa.

Grant Gillon, who graduated from the University of Iowa in 2012, beats out 20 other contestants to win long-running food competition show.

University of Iowa alumna Shea Jorgensen found her calling providing community-informed mental health care in small communities near Mason City, Iowa.

Emily Boevers discovered her love of labor and delivery at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Now, she’s practicing medicine 10 minutes from where she grew up.

Brian Privett turned his childhood curiosity about ophthalmology into a career-long commitment to community leadership and service to Iowans.

As the Daily Iowan Documentary Workshop debuts its second feature-length film, it joins a long legacy of training storytellers on the University of Iowa campus.

Bethanny Sudibyo was born in Indonesia and has traveled the world. But the University of Iowa doctoral student, who enjoys writing about the places she visits, describes the campus community in Iowa City as a must-see. “I knew coming in that the University of Iowa was known for its writing programs and for different activities and festivals related to writing and literature, but it was surprising to see just how active the writing community was.”

Brian Segura is graduating with a BS in exercise science and a minor in psychology, and will stay in Iowa City to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Iowa. “Hawkeyes are everywhere,” Segura says. “It means a lot to know you’re coming from a school that has so much pride.

Cameron Bottum says one of the first things he learned about being a Hawkeye is that Hawks help Hawks. And if you want to work in sports, that can be especially helpful. “Networking is crucial. One connection in one place can lead you on a completely unrelated and weird path to get another connection somewhere else.”

Daniel McGregor-Huyer graduated from the University of Iowa REACH program in 2020, but felt he had unfinished business on campus. So, he says he took a gamble and applied as a traditional student at Iowa. He was accepted and graduated in May 2023 with a BA in cinematic arts and certificate in disability studies.

During their time as an Iowa theatre arts student, Demi Kendros found a campus full of clubs and resources, experienced compassionate instructors during the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, and achieved the goal of becoming a better writer. “I’ve become a multidisciplined writer. I’ve become a better collaborator. I’ve become a better listener.”

Dominique Badajoz came from California to the University of Iowa sight unseen in order to better explore her roots. She’s accomplished that goal: she became connected to her tribal nation (Meskwaki Sac & Fox), planned the UI Powwow, served as Native American Student Association president, and will graduate with a degree in studio arts and minors in informatics and Native American and Indigenous studies.

Gillian Marbury tested out several majors at the University of Iowa before learning her true passion lay in ancient civilizations and classical languages. “I’d always really loved Greek mythology. I mean, who hasn’t read Percy Jackson?” Marbury says, laughing. “I ended up absolutely falling in love with it.”

The COVID-19 pandemic created numerous challenges for college students. And while that certainly was the case for John Dickens, it also led him to his next step in life. Dickens will graduate with a master’s degree with an emphasis in policy and focus his research on rural public health needs.

Kate Conlow was deputy managing editor of The Iowa Review when on a whim she decided to walk over to the University of Iowa College of Law to attend a prospective student open house. As she describes it, the stars aligned: “The writing and editing and critical and creative thinking that I love to engage in, plus community involvement … I realized it was a perfect fit for the way I think and what I like to do.”

Mara Frieden knew she wanted to study business but wasn’t sure about which specific areas of the field she was most passionate. She says direct admission to the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business allowed her to quickly discover the perfect fit. A job on the product launch team at John Deere awaits.

When you attend the University of Iowa, you don’t have to make the Final Four to have a city and a state rally around you. McKenna Warnock noticed that supportive vibe when she arrived on the Iowa campus for a visit, and she fell in love with the idea of being a Hawkeye.

Olivia Goodyear always knew she’d get to do some amazing things as a University of Iowa student, but a few experiences still surprised her. For example, how often does a clarinet player get to help cut down the net at a Big Ten women’s basketball tournament? And have a role in important pediatric audiology research?

Pamela Moya felt at home at Iowa as soon as she visited campus. The computer science and engineering graduate found peers who wanted her to succeed, a living learning community that shaped her as a person, and solace in her work in the Learning Spaces Technology department. She heads to a systems engineer job in Chicago having made special friendships and everlasting memories.

Ryan Longenecker describes himself as deeply invested in politics. His experiences as a University of Iowa student—time in student government, the internships he was able to hold on campus and with political campaigns—have sharpened his skills, broadened his network, and given him the confidence to make a difference in the next election cycle. “I feel set to go after graduation and to continue doing the work that I really care about.”

When Summer Choi arrived at the University of Iowa, she didn’t know anyone. Now, she has made so many friends and connections in Iowa that she’d love to stick around. Choi’s circle undoubtedly grew through her involvement: president of Delta Phi Lambda Sorority; member of the Multicultural Greek Council; intern in web design at the Iowa City Public Library and in UI Information Technology Services.

Tyler Humphreys may have grown up in Richardson, Texas, but his Hawkeye roots run deep. His grandfather, Lloyd “Buck” Humphreys, and uncle, Charlie Humphreys, both played football for the University of Iowa during years the team played in the Rose Bowl. Humphreys will receive a juris doctorate from the UI College of Law this spring and head back to Texas, where he will join the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

Zoe Dervin credits the Iowa Edge mentorship program for giving her a confident head-start on college. She tried many activities and joined numerous organizations — the UI Fencing Club, the DJ staff at KRUI, and a return to Iowa Edge as a mentor — and now will explore the career fields of speech pathology and audiology.

Shirley Schermer became a worldwide leader in the respectful treatment of ancestral remains through her work in the University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist.

Iowa alumnus Oliver Lee Jackson’s paintings, sculptures, and prints have been exhibited in museums across the country—including the campus where he began to find his voice.

Year after year, Iowa students push to achieve more and come together for the greater good—that’s the Hawkeye Way. Several members of this year’s cohort of new graduates share what made their experiences special.

This spring, more than 5,400 University of Iowa undergraduate, graduate, and professional students will earn degrees. These Hawkeyes have engaged, excelled, and stretched to reach their goals.

With online and in-person options, the Iowa MBA is the top-ranked offering in Iowa, training business leaders in counties across the Hawkeye State (and beyond).

A type of immunotherapy that takes a patient’s own white blood cells and modifies them in the lab to better recognize cancer works remarkably well in the treatment of certain blood cancers. The University of Iowa now is looking to reproduce similar results in other cancers.

Thousands of fans joined the Iowa women’s basketball team on the Pentacrest to celebrate the Hawkeyes’ historic season, which was capped with a run to the national title game.

After experiencing mysterious symptoms, a second opinion led Scarlette Wheelock to UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital, where specialists discovered the preschooler from Clinton, Iowa, had brain cancer. Her tumor has remained stable since her treatment.

Carver College of Medicine alumnus Rufus Kruse practiced internal medicine in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 35 years, becoming an integral member of the community with a reputation for providing thoughtful patient care.

With the conventional first-line drug for early-stage bladder cancer in short supply, new therapies developed at Iowa are poised to lead a new wave of care.

Serendipity led Christine Hayes to become a living organ donor to her Iowa City neighbor with polycystic kidney disease. More than a year after the transplant surgery occurred at University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center, both are doing well.

As a teenager, University of Iowa graduate Jesse Van Maanen knew he wanted to be a surgeon. What he didn’t know is that he would end up practicing in a hospital 10 minutes from where he grew up.

Four members of the Ahrendsen family graduated from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and now practice in Clarion and Storm Lake, Iowa.

When residents of Clarion, Iowa, go to the doctor, it’s possible they will be seen by one of three members of the same family—Jon Ahrendsen or his daughter and son-in-law, Andrea and Michael McLoughlin.

Elizabeth Dupic’s goal was always to practice family medicine in a small town — like her father and sister before her. After she graduated from the University of Iowa, she found a perfect fit in Storm Lake, Iowa.

With demand for mental health services surging in Iowa and across the nation, especially among young adults, the University of Iowa is working to create a culture of well-being.

Cooper Reaves always wanted to be a Hawkeye. Thanks to UI REACH—a transition program for students with intellectual, cognitive, and learning disabilities—and a student manager internship with “Bluder’s Bunch,” that dream is a reality.

For 50 years, the Iowa Cancer Registry, at the University of Iowa, has served the state of Iowa as the trusted source for high-quality cancer data. The registry’s efforts inform research and prompt prevention, screening, and treatment.

The original designs for a 10-home “pocket neighborhood” that opened in fall of 2022 were created by University of Iowa engineering students, as part of a project associated with the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities.