Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Profile

With a career that began and ended at the University of Iowa, John Kundel has acted with a spirit of service in everything he does. The inspiring higher education professional helped hundreds of students achieve their college dreams while lifting the morale of the teams he led with positivity and a rally cry of “Good hustle!”

After completing his degree and U.S. Army deployment to Vietnam, Kundel returned to Iowa City to work in the UI Office of Student Financial Aid while pursuing a master’s degree. In 1984, he departed Iowa and rose through the ranks of financial aid, admissions, and enrollment departments at three other Midwestern universities.

After retiring from the University of Missouri as associate vice provost for student affairs and enrollment management in 2007, Kundel volunteered for the University of Iowa as an alumnus admissions representative, attending college fairs to help St. Louis-area students see the value in an Iowa education. From 2016 to 2024, Kundel worked as a regional admissions counselor in the St. Louis area for the UI.

Kundel received a Combat Infantryman Badge and an Army Commendation Medal with “V” device for valor for his active duty in Vietnam. He continued serving 20 years in the Army Reserve, including roles as a battalion commander and assistant professor of military science at Western Michigan University. Kundel also contributed many hours to youth sports, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and advisory councils and committees on and off campus.

With 50 years of unflagging enthusiasm for higher education, and especially Iowa, Kundel has made a lasting impact on so many students in Iowa City and beyond.