By: Claire Quigle

Hello Hawkeyes! Happy “Where Do You Work” Wednesday! Meet Alumna Jerri Eakes (MA ‘20 Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency).

Eakes is originally from Davis City, Iowa, and is working for the Clarke Community schools, where she has been working for 17 years. Here, she is the strategist level 1 teacher at the Clarke Community High School.

Eakes strives to offer her students support and encouragement as they navigate through each school year.

“I love my students and getting to share in their accomplishments, big and small,” Eakes says.  “When they do well on a test/assessment I am one of their biggest celebrators.  If they don’t do so well, I encourage them and work with them to improve in the areas they struggle in.

Eakes is grateful for the opportunity she got to finish her degree through the University of Iowa College of Education online. Despite challenges and hardships, Eakes persevered.

“Being an Iowa Hawkeye alumni has always been a dream of mine,” Eakes says. “I never stopped dreaming about it and I didn’t give up on that dream.  Being able to fulfill one of my lifelong goals, as well as keep a promise to my late dad, kept me going through all of the ups and downs along the way.”

Eakes knows the feeling of seeing a goal through and uses that as encouragement for others.

“I am extremely proud to be an Iowa Hawkeye alumni, even if it took longer than I had planned,” Eakes says. “Always keep reaching for your goals!  You aren’t on everyone else’s timeline.”

Want to be the next “Where Do You Work Wednesday” or nominate someone? Message us on Facebook, tag us with #HawkeyeTeachers, or email us at educationatiowa@uiowa.edu.