Graduate Student Success means creating a supportive and welcoming environment for all graduate students. The Graduate College is committed to enhancing community, promoting well-being, and offering opportunities for personal, academic, and professional growth through events, safe spaces, and welcoming initiatives.

 

Graduate Student Success at Iowa 

We are committed to fostering a welcoming environment for all graduate students. We support outreach, recruitment, retention and success through programming that enhances a sense of belonging, community connection, and personal well-being. Our efforts include: 

  • Sponsoring events and programming through our Connecting Communities and Scholars' Table 

  • Providing training, networking, community building, and celebrating achievements to establish a foundation of support on campus. 

  • Holding space for students who experience isolation, and any other factors that may deter a student’s academic mission. 

In addition, the Graduate College is committed to funding students through fellowships, scholarships, and travel support in order to ease economic burden and protect time for scholarly pursuits. We also work closely with university partners including the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, Student Life, and International Student and Scholar Services.

 

Graduate College Fellowships Incentive Award

The Graduate College Fellowships Incentive Awardoffers financial support for students who wish to apply for national competitions. We also work with the Big 10 Academic Alliance on recruitment efforts—one of which is the FreeApp program. 

For more information, please contact Jackie Chu at  grad-success@uiowa.edu.

 

Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)

The Graduate College’s Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) is an award-winning eight-week immersion program designed to provide undergraduate students with in-depth research experiences. SROP is a gateway to graduate education in a Big Ten Academic Alliance Initiative at the University of Iowa. Learn more about SROP at the University of Iowa.

Graduate Student Opportunities

Connecting Communities

Explore this series of events designed to help graduate students connect with communities, fostering a strong sense of community and shared experiences at the University of Iowa.

Scholars' Table

Engage with fellow graduate students and a visiting faculty guest in meaningful discussions over a shared meal, fostering intellectual connections and building supportive academic communities at Iowa.

Graduate Student Government

Joining student government as an Iowa grad student lets you influence campus policies, advocate for peers, and build leadership skills. It’s also a great way to connect socially and strengthen your sense of community.

Virtual Conversation Series

A digital platform for graduate students to engage in discussions on graduate school, connect with alumni, and explore topics such as mentoring network building and community engagement through research.

Well-Being at Iowa

Discover resources and programs on the University of Iowa's Well-Being page designed to support graduate students in achieving a balanced and healthy lifestyle, both personally and academically.

ENGAGE Iowa

Explore the University of Iowa's Engage platform to find student organizations, events, and opportunities specifically tailored to graduate students, helping you connect with peers and enhance your campus experience.

Upcoming Events

Colloquium - "Submodular optimization for epidemic applications" promotional image

Colloquium - "Submodular optimization for epidemic applications"

Friday, September 4, 2026 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Schaeffer Hall
UIowa Associate Professor, Bijaya Adhikari, offers strategies for choosing locations for disease surveillance and deciding how to distribute vaccines, especially when given a limited budget.
CS Colloquium - "Easy, Hard, and Impossible: Phase Transitions in Computation" promotional image

CS Colloquium - "Easy, Hard, and Impossible: Phase Transitions in Computation"

Friday, September 11, 2026 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Schaeffer Hall
Ida Cordelia Beam Distinguished Visiting Professor, Dr. Cristopher Moore, shows how to classify key problems in computing, data science, and statistical inference.
Live from Prairie Lights | Emily Galvin Almanza - Andromeda Diaz and the Reasonable Doubt in conv with Jackie Biger promotional image

Live from Prairie Lights | Emily Galvin Almanza - Andromeda Diaz and the Reasonable Doubt in conv with Jackie Biger

Sunday, September 13, 2026 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Prairie Lights Books
mily Galvin Almanza will read from her new children's book, Andromeda Diaz and the Reasonable Doubt. Described as a "twisty, propulsive mystery for kids from former public defender Emily Galvin Almanza, author of The Price of Mercy," Andromeda Diaz and the Reasonable Doubt is about "a fearless fifth grader [who] vows to help a classmate in danger of getting lost in the system."

Emily Galvin Almanza is the co-founder and executive director of Partners for Justice, a nonprofit creating a new collaborative model of public defense designed to empower defenders nationwide. Prior to founding PFJ, Emily fought for clients inside the L.A. County Public Defender’s Office, the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office, and the Bronx Defenders, and with the Stanford Three Strikes Project. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Time, among other publications. Her first published book, The Price of Mercy: Unfair Trials, a Violent System, and a Public Defender's Search for Justice in America, debuted in February 2026

Report a Concern

The University of Iowa's Office of Civil Rights Compliance is the central receiving agency for any reports regarding discrimination in three major categories:

 - Sexual harassment/misconduct; Title IX, or gender discrimination gender 

 - Discrimination, harassment, or ADA

 - Equal employment, affirmative action, or harassment prevention education

Visit the Office of Civil Rights Compliance website to learn more about how to file a complaint or receive support for any concerns.