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.

“I grew up watching the Hawkeyes play football and had family from here,” Humphreys says. “Even though I’m from Texas, I always felt a strong connection to the university.”

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.

“Iowa prepared me for this moment, and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to for years,” Humphreys says.

Why did you choose to come to Iowa for law school?

Growing up, I always heard about the Hawkeyes and the “glory years” of Iowa football. But ultimately, I chose to come to Iowa because of its reputation for academic excellence. It’s not only known within the United States. If you fly overseas, you’ll meet people from Iowa, which I think is amazing. Everywhere you go, really. Even in Texas, when I’m back there, you see people with Hawkeye gear.

What are some of your earliest memories of campus?

The minute I stepped onto campus, I could tell that it was a close-knit community. And I say community, but it really felt more like a family. Dean (of the College of Law Kevin) Washburn, (Associate Dean of Student Affairs Carin) Crane, all the faculty and staff, from day one they were very nurturing and helpful.

What was your most surprising experience at Iowa?

I made some great friends here. You always hear about law school being really competitive, but it really wasn’t like that. It’s a very collaborative environment. My colleagues were always helpful and we all bounced ideas off each other. I was able to meet some very smart and bright individuals, and just being around them, I felt like I got a little smarter myself.

What were some of the challenges you faced during your time at Iowa and how did you overcome them?

Navigating the pandemic was a challenge for our class. We came right when it was at its peak, but the faculty and staff did a great job of lending us a helping hand during those times. They were very nurturing. I remember Dean Washburn calling me and the rest of my classmates just to check in, which I really appreciated. That strong sense of community definitely came into play during the pandemic.

Something that I at first struggled with was balancing personal life with extracurriculars. However, over time, I learned the power of resilience and to lean on my support system when necessary. I also learned that taking a break from the books was important. We had an intramural basketball team that I played on; doing something other than reading case law was definitely something that I looked forward to.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned while at Iowa?

I think the most valuable thing I learned is navigating the complexities of the law and really doing my best to think critically. The professors were always there for us, but they really challenged us to be the best versions of ourselves that we could possibly be. They really want us to be the future leaders of this country, and the future leaders in the courtroom within our communities. That’s important to them and they make that apparent from day one. I really appreciated that there were always meetings, town squares, where we could voice our opinions about our academic experience, which was nice. We always felt like our voice was heard.