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Upcoming Events


If you don't see the university event you are looking for, please also visit events.uiowa.edu.

July 14, 2025 - July 25, 2025
100-Word Microstory Contest
All Day ()

Our 100-Word Microstory Contest is a free online writing competition for a variety of age groups. Writing prompts here on Monday, July 14, 2025, at 9 a.m. CDT.

You don´t have to be an Iowa Writers´ Workshop grad-or even have participated in a writing contest before-to join in the fun. Just create a story in 100 words or less that uses one of two specific writing prompts.


The age categories are:

· Grades 3 & 4

· Grades 5 & 6

· Grades 7 & 8

· Grades 9-12

· Adult (University of Iowa Alumni)

· Adult (Friend of the University)

Contact: Tegan Donahue 319-467-3393

Departments: Iowa Writers' Workshop, MFA in Spanish Creative Writing, Center for Advancement, Division of Student Life, The Writing University

July 17, 2025
Grandparents University® 2025
8:00 am - 4:30 pm (CDT)
Where: 125 North Madison Street, Iowa City, IA US 52245

Grandparents University® is an intergenerational learning program that allows grandparents - or honorary grandparents - to spend a day of discovery with their grandchildren (ages 8-14).

This campus event will offer hands-on educational opportunities with UI experts. You can make lasting memories while exploring engaging topics in everything from the arts and humanities to medicine and science.

Learn More!

Registration will remain open until Tuesday, July 1 - or until we´ve reached capacity.

For more information, please contact Erin Brokel, at the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, at GrandparentsUniversity@foriowa.org or 319-467-3668.

The term Grandparents University® is a registered trademark originating at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is used with permission.

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Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please email GrandparentsUniversity@foriowa.org or call 319-467-3668.

Contact: Erin Brokel 319-467-3668

Departments: Center for Advancement

July 19, 2025 - July 23, 2025
RAGBRAI & The University of Iowa
8:00 am - 2:00 pm (CDT)
Where: 1 Park Road, Iowa City, IA US 52242

This year, more than 1,200 RAGBRAI riders are University of Iowa alumni and our partners at the University of Iowa will be with you throughout the week to share their Hawkeye pride. Look for them every day. Go Hawks!

Saturday, July 19: RAGBRAI Expo, Orange City
The University of Iowa Stead Family Children´s Hospital "Cool Riders are Safe Riders" RAGBRAI team will provide information about bicycle safety for you and your family and hopes to inspire the next generation of cyclists to ride safely and confidently.

Make sure to also stop at the Iowa Hawk Shop and University Bookstore pop-up shop to stock up on your Hawkeye gear and last-minute items you might need to have a great week on the road. The UI RAGBRAI team also will be handing out free maps of the route that you can carry with you throughout the week.

Daily meet-up towns: Hartley, Brown Park, Bancroft, Latimer, Parkersburg, Fairbank
Members of the University of Iowa RAGBRAI team will be handing out the Hawkeye swag you´ve come to know, love, and rely on throughout the week. Need more sunscreen? How about some lip balm? We´ve got you covered. Look for them while supplies last.

Monday, July 21, Brown Park
Tuesday, July 22, Bancroft
Wednesday, July 23, Latimer
Visit the University of Iowa tent in these meeting towns for fun UI activities and photo ops. If you´re one of the 1,200 Iowa alumni pedaling your way across the state, stop by and ask for an exclusive UI alumni bicycle license plate!

Contact: Lynn Rider (319) 467-3344

Departments: Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Center for Advancement, Graduate College, International Programs, University Honors Program, UI Retirees Association

August 2, 2024 - December 4, 2025
Art & Write Night
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)
Where: 39-53 East Jefferson Street, Iowa City, IA US 52240

Join the long, rich, historical tradition of artists creating in our spaces.

Professional, aspiring, and amateur artists alike, make our museum your muse. The return of this popular program series welcomes guests into the Museum of Natural History's magical gallery spaces after-hours to work on sketching or writing projects with other campus and community artists.

Tell a friend, grab a notebook, and join us on the first Friday of each month. We'll provide a new inspo prompt for each session and will sometimes move about the Museum but we'll always start in Mammal Hall on the third Floor of Macbride Hall. Join anytime between 6-8 p.m. and feel free to participate in a themed creation challenge or work on your own project with our exhibits as inspiration. We'll save the last 15-30 minutes of each session to share what we've been working on, connecting with others (optional, of course!).

Please note, the Museum is typically closed during this time, meaning the main entrance to Iowa Hall (atop the large staircase outside on the east side of Macbride Hall) will be closed and locked. All other building doors will be open, offering access to the Ground Floor of Macbride Hall. Mammal Hall is located on the third floor of Macbride Hall and can be reached by stairs or by taking the elevator to the third floor of the building.

Special thanks to Blick Art Materials for supplying extra art materials. Make sure to check in with us in Mammal Hall to check out a variety of special art tools and supplies.

Contact: Jessica Smith 319-335-3591

Departments: Department of Biology, Department of English, Iowa Writers' Workshop, Iowa Youth Writing Project, Leadership and Engagement, Magid Center for Writing, Museum of Natural History, Pentacrest Museums, Art Library

August 21, 2025
Johnson County I-Club Hawk Party
6:30 pm (CDT)
Where: 901 Melrose Ave, Iowa City, IA US 52246

Join the Johnson County I-Club at 45th annual Hawk Party! This year´s Hawk Party is presented by McGrath Toyota of Iowa City; Deery Ford Lincoln; Billion Automotive of Iowa City; and Carousel Auto Group.

The event will feature a silent and live auction with a chance to bid on items such as season football and basketball tickets, hotel stays, unique Hawkeye autographed items, and more. All the proceeds go to support Iowa athletics.

Ticket and sponsorship opportunities for this year include:

  • General admission ticket-$75 per person

    • All-inclusive food and refreshments

    • Commemorative Hawk Party gift

  • Reserved table for 10-$1,000

    • General admission items

    • Reserved, named table in a premium location near the stage

  • Supporting Sponsorships for 10-$1,500

    • General admission items

    • Reserved, named table in a premium location near the stage

    • Logo recognition on all materials including ticketing website, fliers, event signage, and program (if applicable)

    • Recognition as supporting sponsor during the program with company name and logo rotating through the slide show

Availability is limited for reserved tables and sponsorships, so do not wait!

Contact a member of the Johnson County I-Club Board with any questions regarding the event. You may also contact the Hawkeye Events team at 319-467-3410 or hawkeyeevents@foriowa.org.

For more information about other Hawkeye events, visit jointheiclub.com/events. To learn how you can support Hawkeye student-athletes, visit jointheiclub.com.

Contact: Iowa Athletics Development 319-467-3410

Departments: Center for Advancement

August 29, 2025
2025 Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
5:30 pm (CDT)
Where: 1 Elliott Drive, Iowa City, IA US 52242

Join the University of Iowa Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Iowa Letterwinners Club as we celebrate our 2025 Hall of Fame inductees.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. There will be a cocktail reception with heavy hors d´oeuvres and drinks available for purchase. The induction ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $25 per person.

Contact: Iowa Letterwinners Club 319-467-3410

Departments: Center for Advancement

September 19, 2025
Application Deadline: Obermann International Fellowships (Spring 2026)
11:59 pm (CDT)
Where: 111 Church Street, Iowa City, IA US 52245

The UI Obermann Center for Advanced studies is accepting applications for Spring 2026 Obermann International Fellowships. This program offers dedicated space, time, and funding for interdisciplinary scholars to collaborate on innovative research at the University of Iowa. Up to eight international fellowships will be granted every academic year. Applicants must be active researchers at an accredited institution of higher learning outside of the United States or independent researchers/artists with a track record of excellence based outside of the U.S. Their area of research must have a direct equivalent at the University of Iowa. 

Obermann International Fellows will receive:

  • A $2,000 stipend to help defray the cost of travel and lodging

  • University of Iowa health insurance coverage for the duration of the fellowship

  • Office space at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies

  • Temporary University of Iowa affiliation, including access to UI libraries

  • Structured opportunities for scholarly exchange (seminars, lectures, introduction to UI researchers, etc.)

  • An official letter of invitation for institutional and visa purposes

  • Information about accommodations and other practical needs

Read more about the program and application process at https://obermann.uiowa.edu/obermann-international-fellowships. Applications for the Spring 2026 semester are due October 24, 2025. 

Obermann International Fellowships are funded by the University of Iowa's Obermann Center for Advanced Studies with generous additional support from International Programs and the Center for Social Science Innovation.

Contact: Erin Hackathorn 319-335-4034

Departments: Obermann Center, Center for Advancement, International Programs, International Writing Program, Office of the Vice President for Research, Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures

September 25, 2025 - September 27, 2025
2025 Alumni Band Homecoming Reunion
All Day ()
Where: 225 South Grand Avenue, Iowa City, IA US 52246

This year we are celebrating our drum majors, Golden Girls, twirlers, and flag line. We will also debut new flags featuring our Alumni Band logos!

The postgame concert tune honors all Hawkeye Marching Band members who have performed John Philip Sousa´s "The Stars and Stripes Forever" throughout the years.

Registration closes Aug. 8; however, registration for Saturday´s pregame performance closes when we reach 325 registrants, which may be earlier. Saturday morning walk-in registrations will not be accepted.

When you complete your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from alumni.engagement@foriowa.org. Review the confirmation to make sure all information and charges are correct, then screenshot (or print) and save your confirmation for event check-in.

Be sure to follow and like the University of Iowa Alumni Band on Facebook for Iowa Homecoming updates and additional information.

Contact: Amanda Remington 319-467-3505

Departments: School of Music, Center for Advancement

December 2, 2025
Student Impact Grant Presentations
4:00 pm (CST)

Hear from the eight 2025 Student Impact Grant recipients and learn how private support enhanced their Iowa experience. Student Impact Grants are made possible by generous gifts from alumni and friends who provide unrestricted support to the university.

About Student Impact Grants

The University of Iowa Office of the President and the Student Advancement Network have partnered to create Student Impact Grants, which provide funding for undergraduate and graduate student activities outside of the classroom-including research, travel, and service projects. These grants enable students to pursue opportunities that might not otherwise be possible without financial assistance.

Contact: Holly Jones 319-467-3377

Departments: Carver College of Medicine, Center for Advancement, University Honors Program

Related Content

Lou and Jan Crist give back to the University of Iowa program they cherish.

The Krause Essay Prize and its $10,000 award is presented annually by a unique panel of judges: UI graduate students. Photo: Tim Schoon/UI Office of Strategic Communication Students in the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program's graduate seminar dug into their weekly reading assignments with particular enthusiasm this past spring?and for good reason. By the end of the semester, they were tasked with selecting the best of the bunch for a prestigious award on behalf of a university known for its literary tradition. This marks the 12th year that nonfiction graduate students served as judges for the newly renamed Krause Essay Prize, a national award presented to an essayist who pushes the boundaries of the genre through experimentation, exploration, and discovery. Thought to be the only national literary honor selected by students, the prize is accompanied by a $10,000 award for the first time this year thanks to a new partnership between the UI Nonfiction Writing Program and the Kyle J. and Sharon Krause Family Foundation. Shawn Wen, winner of the 2018 Krause Essay Prize, is the author of A Twenty Minute Silence Followed by Applause. Her writing has appeared in The New Inquiry, Seneca Review, Iowa Review, White Review, and the anthology City by City: Dispatches from the American Metropolis. This year's Krause Essay Prize recipient is Shawn Wen, a San Francisco-based multimedia artist and the author of A Twenty Minute Silence Followed by Applause (Sarabande Books, 2017), a book-length essay on the life of French mime Marcel Marceau. Wen, whom students selected from a pool of 14 nominees, accepted her award at a ceremony in September in the Old Capitol Senate Chamber. Nicol?s Medina Mora Perez, a third-year MFA student from Mexico City, was among the prize judges in the spring seminar taught by author and Nonfiction Writing Program director John D'Agata (98MFA). Perez said that beyond discussing the merits of the nominated essays each week, class conversations revolved around how they define essay writing and the type of nonfiction they wanted to champion as representatives of the UI. By serving as judges, Perez says, students had the opportunity to read a broad selection of contemporary nonfiction that they may not have otherwise sought out. "By the end of the semester I had a clearer idea of the sort of work that people are publishing today, which includes stuff that I'd like to imitate and stuff that I'd rather not," Perez says. "I guess it's a bit like watching the World Cup with your soccer teammates: You see moves that you think are cool and want to steal for your own gameplay, but you also notice pitfalls that you should learn to avoid." Wen says she's been "over the moon" since learning she was selected as this year's Krause Essay Prize winner. A producer for Youth Radio in Oakland, California, Wen says discovering essay writing "was very much like falling in love" and has long admired the UI's approach to the genre. "When I started writing essays, I felt like all these dusty windows in my brain were opened, letting in light and fresh air," she says. "It's incredibly meaningful to me that my writing has been recognized by this program and its students." D'Agata dreamed up the prize in 2007 as a way to introduce his students to high-caliber essay writing and the many forms it can take. The professor asked colleagues from around the country to recommend their favorite essays from the past year, which he then compiled into a reading list for his seminar. As an added twist, D'Agata noted that submissions could be from any medium?including radio and film?as long as they were "essayistic." To give class discussions a sense of consequence, D'Agata had students evaluate each piece at the end of the semester and select a single award winner. Author Aaron Kunin received the inaugural Essay Prize, as the award was previously known, and it soon became an annual tradition. D'Agata's seminar students spend the semester dissecting the pieces, giving presentations, and writing critiques for the The Essay Review, the Nonfiction Writing Program's national magazine. Over the years, the class has crowned winners as varied as poet?Claudia Rankine, science writer Oliver Sacks, performance artist Sophie Calle, and the producers of Radio Lab. A current group of 14 writers and artists from around the nation serve as the nominating committee, includes luminaries like Roxane Gay, Leslie Jamison (06MFA), and Kiese Laymon. "In the U.S. we do a great job teaching students about the powers and pleasures of reading and writing?poetry and fiction, but not so much with essays," says D'Agata, who in 2016 published an anthology titled The Making of the American Essay. "Essays are often an afterthought in literature classes in America." In 2017, the Kyle J. and Sharon Krause Family Foundation made a $500,000 donation to bolster the endowment of the UI Nonfiction Writing Program?the largest gift in the distinguished program's history. Founded in 1976, the Nonfiction Writing Program, a graduate program within the Department of English, is regularly ranked among the best in the nation and has launched the careers of alumni who have gone on to write for magazines like the New Yorker, Rolling Stone and Harper's. "The Krause Foundation is about giving back and giving forward," says Elliott Krause (14MFA), a Nonfiction Writing Program alumnus who now works at the Wall Street Journal. "Helping fund the Essay Prize is a rare chance to do both. Eleven Krauses and counting have graduated from the University of Iowa; the Krause Essay Prize is a way to both express our gratitude for all Iowa has given us and be a champion for the arts." The support from the Krause family has not only allowed the program to award a cash prize for the first time, but also to invite winners to campus to present their essays and spend time with students and faculty. When Wen visited in late September, she taught a series of master classes for nonfiction students. D'Agata says that the foundation's support further legitimizes the idea of a student-driven award and its importance to the literary world. "It's also helping to bring attention to the entire genre," D'Agata says. "There are a lot of awards out there for works of fiction and poetry, but very few awards for essays. This award is saying, 'essays are awesome.' If you're an essayist, you don't hear that very?often. The Krause Foundation is helping to fix that." Krause Essay Prize Winners The UI Nonfiction Writing Program has awarded a national essay-writing prize annually since 2007. With support from the Kyle J. and Sharon Krause Family Foundation, the award was renamed the Krause Essay Prize this year. For more on the prize, visit krauseessayprize.org. 2018: Shawn Wen, A Twenty Minute Silence Followed by Applause 2017: Peter Middleton and James Spinney, Notes on Blindness 2016: Oliver Sacks, Gratitude 2015: Claudia Rankine, Citizen 2014: Sophie Calle, The Address Book 2013: David Rakoff, Waiting 2012: Lauren Redniss, Radioactive 2011: Judith Schalansky, Atlas of Remote Islands 2010: Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, New Normal? 2009: Mary Ruefle, The Most of It 2008: Joshua Raskin, I Met the Walrus 2007: Aaron Kunin, Secret Architecture

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