The Parent and Family Council provides opportunities for involvement for parents/guardians who want to make a positive impact on undergraduate student life at Iowa through advocacy and philanthropy.

Council membership consists of two families from each undergraduate student classification – 1st year,  2nd year, 3rd year, and 4th year and transfer student. Parents are expected to serve all four years, or at least until their student graduates.

Parents/guardians who are interested in becoming a member of the Parent and Family Council are invited to complete our online application. The application opens on May 1st and will be open through August 1st. Families will be notified of their appointment to the Parent and Family Council no later than August 15th. Please direct any questions to ui-parents@uiowa.edu. 

We are looking to fill vacant council member seats with: 

Two families of a student who started in Fall 2024

Two families of a student who started in Fall 2023

One family of a student who started in Fall 2022

One family of a student who transferred to Iowa; can be any year.

Member Responsibilities

  • Help shape the parent/guardian and family experience at the University of Iowa.
  • Increase their knowledge about university programs, services, and activities that support undergraduate student success, both within and beyond the classroom.
  • Engage with university administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders on a regular basis.
  • Interact with other University of Iowa parents/guardians and families.
  • Attend university-sponsored special events, as requested and able, such as Orientation, On Iowa!, Homecoming, and Commencement. 
  • Attend four council meetings throughout the academic year, including the in-person meeting that takes place during Family Weekend. 
  • Agree to and serve up to a four-year term on the Council.
  • Each Parent and Family Network Council member will serve on the Parent and Family Fund for Student Support Committee.
  • Work with the Parent and Family Program to identify and engage with potential parent/guardian donors.
  • Participate in planning and implementing fundraising activities for current and potential parent/guardian donors.

Member Eligibility

  • Parent or guardian of a currently enrolled undergraduate student at the University of Iowa.
  • Commitment to serve up to a four-year term on the Parent and Family Network Council, beginning with your student’s 1st year at the University of Iowa.
  • Commitment to make an annual financial gift personally meaningful to the individual (or family) council member. The gift must be directed to the Parent and Family Fund for Student Support during their term on the council.

*Parents or guardians may serve individually or jointly on the Parent and Family Network Council with their spouse/partner. The Council commits to recruiting members who represent the diversity of the University of Iowa’s undergraduate student population. 

**Current UI faculty, staff, and students are not eligible to serve on the Parent and Family Network Council.

Institutional Liasons

To learn more about the Parent and Family Network Council or to make a gift to the Parent and Family Fund for Student Support go to please contact:

Adam Lyons
Parent & Family Program Manager, Division of Student Life
(319) 467-0168