Benton Renaud can thank rapper Cardi B, in part, for inspiring him to go down his planned career path.

After realizing that psychology, which he originally planned to major in when he started at the University of Iowa, wasn’t his cup of tea, he began trying to figure out what he should do next. That’s when he remembered an interview with Cardi B.

“She said to always take a business class,” Renaud says. “She said they would always be important because you’re going to use business in every aspect of your life. So, I switched to finance and political science and fell in love with the two.”

Along with being on Homecoming court in fall 2023, Renaud spent three years on the University Lecture Committee and as a resident assistant (RA) in Rienow Hall and Burge Hall.

“There’s something magical about the University of Iowa,” Renaud says. “The people make this place amazing. Everyone you meet is willing to talk to you. Everyone’s willing to help you. And everyone just really wants to see the best for you, which is something I don’t know if I would have experienced at another school.”

After graduating with a BA in political science and a BBA in finance, Renaud will move to Seattle, where he’ll begin a two-year financial rotation with Boeing.

What are some of your earliest memories of being a student at the University of Iowa?

Starting in fall 2020, we moved in during COVID. I remember I was so excited to go to my first in-person class. It was my rhetoric class and I have never been more excited to sit in a hot basement for two hours. It was awesome. I got to actually meet people. It just felt like the true college experience.

I also really loved the professor. She pushed me and always challenged me to make my writing better. I also got to write a paper on why Beyoncé wrote the best album ever, so that was pretty cool.

What has been your favorite memory of your time on campus?

I have two. One happened my first year on the lecture committee, when Bill Nye visited. And it was so cool because we got to have dinner with him at the Vue, and we talked about nuclear energy and hybrid and electric vehicles with him. I felt like a kid and was totally geeked.

My other favorite memory would be when I was on Homecoming court. It was such a cool experience to get to go down on the field at Kinnick Stadium and be able to wave at everyone.

My mom was in one of the box seats and I could see her hanging out, waving at me. It was just such a magical experience.

What has surprised you most about your time at Iowa?

How much people are willing to help you out, even outside of campus. I really saw that when I had an internship in Washington, D.C. I moved out there knowing nobody else except for one other student, and I still found an Iowa community. A friend of a friend introduced me to a bunch of Iowa people, and it was really amazing because everyone was willing to help me with my next career move, or recommend a good restaurant to go to, or just be willing to hang out. And it was cool to see that the community extends that far from Iowa. A Hawkeye is willing to always help another Hawkeye.

What has provided you the greatest sense of belonging at Iowa?

My role as an RA. I came here during COVID, and I saw the efforts that my RA was making despite everything that was going on, like hosting virtual events and doing an outdoor scavenger hunt. And that’s really what made me want to be an RA.

I’ve learned so much about myself and have developed a little community within a bigger one. I’ve been able to connect with my residents, and when I see them on campus even a couple years later, we stop to talk about how they’re doing and how classes are going. It’s crazy to see how much they’ve grown and the impact that you’ve made.

Have you had a mentor that has made a big impact on your education?

One of the biggest mentors has been my business and communication protocol teacher, Julie Alexander. The class kind of has a reputation of being difficult. I submitted my first assignment, and I got a pretty bad grade on it. I went into office hours and said, “Please, I want to do well in this class.” She told me not to worry, that it was the first assignment and I’d be fine. We were able to work together through the class and I became a better writer because of that. And we are still connected to this day. When I came back from my internship in D.C., we sat down and caught up. She asked what I wanted to do next and gave me all these different career paths I could go down and things to look at in the future. She’s been awesome.

As an RA, what advice do you give your new residents?

The first one is to get the sweet potato fries at Micky’s. They are amazing and to die for. Then, I tell everyone to join a student organization right away because it helps you build connections and meet people you might not otherwise meet.

So, I always say, Micky’s fries and then join a student group.