The staff spotlight series celebrates and elevates all the people who make the UI College of Education such a special place to work. This spotlight recognizes the critical contributions our staff members make to the College of Education community in support of our faculty and students.
For more than 17 years, David Henkhaus has worked with the world-renowned Iowa Testing Programs (ITP). As Director of Operations, Henkhaus oversees the production and processing of ITP’s assessments from printing to scoring and reporting.
Housed within the College of Education, Iowa Testing Programs supports schools across the state by creating high-quality assessments and helping educators use results effectively. ITP manages the publishing, distribution, scoring, and reporting of the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP).
Henkhaus earned his Master of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Iowa in 1997, becoming a Hawkeye more than a decade before stepping into his current role at ITP. During his time away from the university, Henkhaus worked in the large-scale state-wide assessment industry.
What is your favorite part about working at the College of Education?
Working with bright people from a variety of backgrounds...all dedicated to improving the entire lifecycle of education: from pre-K to workforce and post-graduate.
What's your favorite memory as a Hawkeye?
My wife Lisa sat with our two sons (then aged 4 and 2) in the front row of my MBA graduation ceremony, so I could hear their cheers as I crossed the stage.
What are your hobbies, interests, or special talents? What would colleagues be surprised to know about you?
Lisa and I adopted a sibling group (three sisters) when we already had four sons. It was ~25 years ago and the hectic pace has slowed, but managing seven kids under the age of 8 was...an adventure.
Where is your favorite place to eat in downtown Iowa City?
We can walk to Blackstone, so that's a natural; and when we want good Italian food we head to Baroncini.
What is something on campus that you look forward to participating in or doing?
I look forward to watching my alma mater, Michigan State, come to campus and beat the Hawks. Guess who was wearing Green and White for each of these highlight moments: the 11-point comeback in final minute for men's hoops in 2023...Cooper DeJean's punt return in 2023...Caitlin's buzzer-beater in 2024...and Kaden Wetjen's punt return just a few weeks ago.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I've never been to Spain...but I kind of like the music.
What book, movie, or TV show has been keeping your attention lately?
I just picked up The End of the Myth by Greg Grandin. I'm interested to read his thoughts on how a frontier, or lack of one, influences social behaviors.
Visit the Celebrating College of Education staff page to nominate a colleague. Self nominations are also welcome.