Iowa Teacher of the Year, Jessica Howard, earned her Master of Arts in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency (MATLCC) from the University of Iowa College of Education.

As artificial intelligence reshapes classrooms and communities, alumna Jolie Pelds and college experts are helping learners approach it with curiosity, healthy skepticism, and confidence in what people do best.

A year ago, Olivia Postman was an intern reading stories to preschoolers. Today, she’s a paraeducator at Regina Early Childhood Center—a testament to how UI REACH helps students turn their strengths and passions into rewarding careers.

Thomas Schnack (BBA ’72, MA ’75) has dedicated years to advancing opportunities for students with disabilities through UI REACH. From championing scholarships to creating career pathways, his impact is helping students thrive. Discover why Schnack is the recipient of the 2026 Hickerson Award.

New jobs? Promotions? Special awards and recognitions? Read on, reconnect, and catch up with fellow alumni.

Alumna Lauren Schafer is helping students with disabilities recognize their potential while answering a critical need for special education teachers. Scholarship support helped Schafer pursue her dream of teaching—and now she’s bringing confidence, compassion, and a Hawkeye education to the classroom.

Across classrooms, schools and communities, College of Education alumni and educators are advancing their careers—and expanding their impact—with support from the college’s grants, professional learning and research-based resources. Explore how lifelong learning is helping educators inspire students, strengthen schools, and shape the future of education.

Growing up in Marshalltown surrounded by educators, Uriel Campos-Padilla always knew he wanted to teach. At Iowa, he discovered that teaching is also about service—building relationships, helping students feel seen, and giving back to the community he now calls home as a first-grade teacher.

Thanks to the generous support of the Iowa Measurement Research Foundation, Edward Wolfe has been named the inaugural Iowa Testing Programs Faculty Chair. Formally invested during a Sept. 4 ceremony, the endowed position strengthens Iowa's legacy of leadership in educational measurement while advancing AI-driven innovation in assessment.

Telling Iowa’s story: From the Hawkeye Marching Band to Dance Marathon, College of Education Mathematics Education student Tye Miller can now add voice-over talent to his growing resume.

The newly launched University of Iowa Education Innovation Hub aims to create meaningful partnerships that connect research, service, professional learning, and innovation in ways that directly support Iowa schools and communities. 

The College of Education welcomes new faculty who bring decades of expertise, cutting-edge research, and innovative teaching to our community.

With an emphasis on multidisciplinary teamwork, problem solving, and real-time group decision making under time and cost constraints, a team of UI students and faculty from the colleges of Education, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Engineering, traveled to Iceland this past summer, as part of an expedition that centered on designing, building, and launching near-space research balloons.

Professor Emerita Bonnie Sunstein retired at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year after more than five decades of service to the University of Iowa.

Nearly three in four Iowans who need substance use treatment don't receive it. In this Q&A, Clinical Associate Professor Erin Barnes discusses the College of Education's new graduate Certificate in Integrated Career, Substance Use, and Mental Health Counseling and how preparing counselors to treat the whole person can help address Iowa's behavioral health workforce needs.

Learn more about Alex Bentler, administrative services coordinator at the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health (SCSMH), and what he most enjoys about working in the College of Education in this Staff Spotlight series. The series celebrates and elevates all the people who make the college such a special place to work.

Clinical Assistant Professor Leah Zimmermann, assistant director of the Iowa Reading Research Center, discusses a new online literacy tool designed to help keep kids learning over summer break.

Professor Ariel Aloe has been appointed associate dean for research in the University of Iowa College of Education after serving in the role on an interim basis. A nationally recognized scholar in educational measurement and research synthesis, Aloe is committed to advancing research in service to schools and communities.

Samuel Tanner has built a career around helping others learn, grow, and think differently. Now, as the new Departmental Executive Officer of the University of Iowa's Department of Teaching and Learning, he's bringing that collaborative spirit to leading the college's largest academic department. Learn more about his vision for the future of teaching and learning.

Learn more about Karla Madrigal, the new graduate recruitment coordinate in the College of Education. Learn what she most enjoys about working in the College of Education in this brand new position. The Staff Spotlight Series celebrates and elevates all the people who make the college such a special place to work.