¹û¶³ÊÓƵ

Emma Stefanacci ’22, content fellow in the Office of Communications and Marketing, tells us about her passion for science and for telling the stories of ¹û¶³ÊÓƵians.

As summer draws to a close, anticipation builds for the arrival of the Class of 2029 and the start of another year of discovery and connection. ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ College opens its doors to the Class of 2029 — 421 students whose stories, talents, and ambitions will shape our community in the years ahead.

Held on Friday mornings from 9:00–10:00 a.m. throughout the academic year—with Thursday sessions during Board of Trustees weeks—each gathering features a different campus guest and offers community members a welcoming opportunity to connect over coffee.

¹û¶³ÊÓƵ in the summer is a vibrant mix of quiet beauty and meaningful engagement.

Meet Kirsten Koester, head coach for the women’s soccer team, who came to ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ with a passion for the sport rooted in her own experience as an athlete. Who thinks that family is everything and that the community of ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ has also provided them with friends who feel like family.

From library play areas to farm-fresh food boxes and after-school art carts — the impact of ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ College’s Spring 2025 Community Mini-Grants is beginning to take shape. This year, the College has awarded $30,248 in grant funding to six local organizations whose projects aim to enhance quality of life, expand access to food and childcare, and strengthen the foundations of nonprofit work in the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ area.

After more than 30 years of Too Many String Band, learn about the genesis of the beloved group, their song selections, and the connection with the town of ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ and the campus community.

Meet Tilly Woodward - as curator of Academic and Community Outreach with the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ College Museum of Art (GCMoA), Woodward finds her days highly varied, deeply involved with the community, and always packed full. Over the past year, she has planned and facilitated 451 classes and events for people of all ages in collaboration with 39 community partners, 13 campus departments, and 35 individual faculty members.

This summer, 12 Iowa National Service Corps (INSC) members are leading the way in empowering local youth through a unique blend of learning, creativity, and community connection. As part of the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ Education Partnership’s Summer Learning Collaborative, these young leaders are dedicating their summer to combating summer learning loss and building meaningful relationships with children across the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ area. 

¹û¶³ÊÓƵ College students partnered with local organizations to pitch innovative, community-focused solutions as part of the annual SPARK Challenge. Two teams were awarded $4,000 each to implement projects supporting early childhood literacy and food access through community gardens.