Hawkeyes
My hometown of Iowa City is home to my alma mater, The University of Iowa, a wonderful university on the tree-lined banks of the Iowa River. This univeristy of 27,000+ students, houses the world’s most famous writing program, strong undergraduate degree programs and some of the country’s top professional schools in law, medicine and business among others. Boasting the nation’s largest teaching hospital and never-ending Big 10 sports programs wearing the “Hawkeye,” black and gold—including a legendary wrestling program—the University sits nestled amongst corn fields, quaint small-town streets, and a lively night scene, exploding with restraunts, bars and nightclubs. If it’s not obvious already, I like the place, and think its one of the best kept secrets in American higher education.
Since the University attracts students and faculty from more than 150 countries and, at any given moment, its faculty, staff and students are carrying out research in all corners of the planet, I have tried to tap into this worldwide network
as I travel. From all corners of the planet from Florida to China, Australia to Germany, Armenia to Singapore, I’ve had
Hawkeye’s contact me and I’ve tried to meet as many as possible while on the road. A special thanks to those who have hosted me and shown me around your countries and communities—I look forward to meeting the rest of you.
Special thanks to Barbara Thomas, of the Tippie College of Business, for her assistance in connecting me with fellow Hawkeyes!
Are you a Hawkeye and interested in a visit? Contact me.
Some of the Hawkeyes Along The Way:
Eric McDermott, (BA, Math ‘03 & MA, Education ‘04) on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (he actually lives in Wema, South Africa).
A random guy I met in Tokyo. He’s not a UI alumni, but a guy who likes a cool scarf (he had no idea what the scarf was about…don’t worry I taught him and a litttle ‘I-O-W-A’ cheer) but its “cool” to have English on your clothes in Japan.
Kate Munro (BA ‘03, Education) and her students (left of center), teaching and living as a US Peace Corp Volunteer. Akzhaik Village, Kazakhstan.
Margarita Tadevosyan (former UI international student, her father studied/taught at the UI’s College of Public Health), intern; David Armando (not an alumni…yet); and Susan Bridenstine (BA, Global Studies ‘00) Cultural Attache of the US Embassy. Yerevan, Armenia.
Marketa Sonkova (BBA ‘03, MBA ‘05) in her office in front of a photo of Old Prague. Prague, Czech Republic.
Katie Coates (BSE, ‘03, MBA) Engineer Rockwell Collins. Heidelberg, Germany.
Forrest Meggers (BSE, MSE ‘06), Engineer. Zurich, Switzerland.
Rajeev Kashyap (MBA ‘95), Head, Quality & Six Sigma Deployment at Apollo Health Street. Hydrabad, India.
Mana Wake (BBA, ‘03), Consultant at Accenture. Tokyo, Japan.
Georgette Stern (BSE, MSE ‘06), Engineer and Rockstar. Zurich, Switzerland.
Shelly Sarin (Former student & staff, Grad College), Software Engineer. Heilbronn, Germany.