Dear Alumni and Friends,
As I reflect upon the past year, I could not be prouder of the cutting-edge research, outstanding teaching, and engaged scholarship and service of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners.
Despite teacher burnout and a national teacher shortage, enrollments in our top-ranked Teacher Education Program and Education Studies and Human Relations major continue to grow. In fact, enrollment has almost doubled in our undergraduate programs in the last seven years, from 475 students in fall of 2016 to nearly 900 students this fall.
Many of our graduate programs also continue to rank nationally, drawing talent from across the state, nation, and globe to conduct research with and learn from our renowned faculty.
You’ll read about several of these talented students in this year’s annual report – one who exemplifies what it means to be a teacher leader, helping veterans, and another who is an innovator, creating access to music education in rural schools through an app she developed. You’ll also learn about significant research being conducted by a graduate student, shedding light on shadow education and why it matters.
Despite the challenges, I am hopeful for our future, knowing that our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners are working in all 99 Iowa counties as well as across the nation and globe, contributing their time and talents to make a positive impact.
I am especially grateful for the largest private gift in our college’s 175-year-history, which is helping expand support for school mental health to students and educators across the state and nation, as well as supporting college students and veterans.
Our college also experienced a significant increase in grant research funding, up 15 percent from the previous year, thanks to our faculty’s dedication. This funding supports initiatives such as the Telepsychology Counseling Clinic, which offers counseling for Iowans with limited access to mental health care, especially those in rural communities who are struggling with opioid addiction.
Thank you for your collaboration and commitment through challenging times, and I look forward to continuing to partner with all of you in the coming year.
Sincerely,
Daniel L. Clay, PhD, MBA
Dean and Professor
See more from the Annual Report