Getting Involved
One important aspect of college life is getting involved outside of the classroom. At Iowa, there are over 600 student organizations, ranging from groups dedicated to developing technical skills or celebrating different dance forms. It may feeling daunting trying to figure out which organizations they should join or how involved they should be while trying to balance their academics. However, we know that students who are involved develop leadership and personal skills, feel more connected to the University, and tend to have more success in the classroom.
Conversation Starters
At the University of Iowa, we encourage students to get involved from the minute they step on to campus. Being involved helps develop important skills, like time management, and helps broadens the student's community on campus. Parents and families can help students identify meaningful engagement opportunities by asking these questions:
- What kinds of organizations are available to help you build professional skills?
- What are three things that are important to you when you look for an organization to join?
- What are you hoping to gain out of being involved?
- How will you balance your time between academics and your involvement outside of the classroom?
Student Leadership & Engagement
Two of the three offices included in the Leadership and Engagement office are Student Engagement and Campus Programs and Leadership, Service, and Civic Engagement. These two offices offer a number of programs and organizations for students to improve their leadership skills, participate in civic engagement opportunities, and network with other students to share ideas and promote positive change. They also facilitate Hawkeye Service Breaks, Dance Marathon, and popular events like Homecoming.
Fraternity & Sorority Life
The other office in Leadership and Engagement is Fraternity & Sorority Life. Fraternity and Sorority Life at Iowa offers students the opportunity to develop a better understanding of each other while also serving others and achieve academic excellence. There are four councils at Iowa and the team has created a fantastic guide for parents and families as they support their students recruitment journey. The link below is important information for parents and families to know to support their student through the recruitment process.
Multicultural & International Student Support and Engagement
The Multicultural & International Student Support and Engagement (MISSE) team is committed to promoting multicultural programs to campus through a variety of events and organizations. MISSE hopes to create a "Home Away From Home" atmosphere through their four cultural centers. There are over 100 multicultural student organizations at the University of Iowa that provide programming, service, educational programs, and cultural experiences to the campus community.
Engage at Iowa
Campus Labs is the online portal student organizations at Iowa use to recruit and communicate. Parents and families can encourage students to use this tool to search for organizations before they even start at Iowa!
Engagement Record
During their time at Iowa, students will create an Engagement Record. This resume-style document will list involvement dates, positions held, and various competencies or transferrable skills. Students can then use this document to help them strengthen their professional resume or brainstorm ideas for a cover letter.
Engagement Advising
An engagement advisor can help your student explore and develop their interests. During their appointment, advisors will help students create an action plan to achieve their goals. Families can remind students about Engagement Advising if they feel stuck or need help finding the right fit for them.
CAB
Campus Activity Board (CAB) is a student run organization that helps provide alcohol-alternate programming for the community. They help host events throughout the year like the CAB Haunted House and WinterFest.
Studying Abroad
While at Iowa, many students explore their options to study abroad, as it can provide a unique academic experience mixed with personal development and exploration. Parents and family members should have conversations with their students about the purpose of studying abroad, the desired location and semester to go, and the impact studying abroad could have on the student's progression to graduation.