Navigating the University of Iowa: A Comprehensive Guide
Founded in 1847, just 59 days after Iowa was admitted to the Union, the University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) stands as a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. As the oldest and largest university in the state, it boasts a rich history and a vibrant campus life. This article provides a detailed overview of the University of Iowa, covering its campus layout, key buildings, history, academics, student life, and more.
A Look at the University's History
The University of Iowa's journey began with instruction offered in March 1855 in the Old Mechanics Building, near the present-day student recreational area east of Van Allen Hall. The initial enrollment was 124 students, including 41 women. The curriculum comprised nine departments covering ancient and modern languages, intellectual and moral philosophy, history, natural history, mathematics, natural philosophy, and chemistry.
The original campus centered around the Iowa Old Capitol Building and the surrounding 10 acres (40,000 m2) (4.05 hectares). This building served as the first capitol of the State of Iowa starting December 28, 1846, after housing the Fifth Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa.
The University of Iowa holds several distinctions as a pioneering institution. It was among the first in America to grant a law degree to a woman (Mary B. Hickey Wilkinson, 1873) and to an African American (Alexander G. Clark, Jr., 1879). It also integrated an African American into a varsity athletic squad (Frank Holbrook, 1895). Furthermore, the university established the first law school and dental school west of the Mississippi River.
In 1922, under Carl Seashore's leadership, Iowa broke ground by accepting creative projects as theses for advanced degrees. This innovative approach allowed students to submit collections of poems, musical compositions, or series of paintings for degree consideration, establishing a creative standard for the Master of Fine Arts degree. The Iowa Writers' Workshop, founded in 1936, became the nation's first creative writing program and served as a model for over 300 similar programs.
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The university has faced challenges, including a campus shooting on November 1, 1991, and a major flood in 2008 that damaged over 20 campus buildings. Despite these events, the University of Iowa has persevered, continuing to grow and evolve.
Navigating the Campus: Key Locations and Architectural Styles
The University of Iowa's main campus is situated in Iowa City, bordered by Highway 6 to the north and Dubuque and Gilbert streets to the east. The Pentacrest, comprising the Old Capitol, Schaeffer Hall, MacLean Hall, Macbride Hall, and Jessup Hall, stands as the architectural centerpiece of the campus, showcasing Beaux-Arts and Greek Revival styles. Collegiate Gothic architecture dominates the eastern section of the campus, east of the Iowa River.
East Side of Campus
The east side of campus houses several key buildings and facilities, including:
Six residence halls: Burge, Daum, Stanley, Currier, Mayflower, and Catlett
Iowa Memorial Union
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Women's Resource & Action Center
Pappajohn Business Building
Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences
Lindquist Center (College of Education)
Phillips Hall (foreign language building)
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Van Allen Hall (physics and astronomy)
Trowbridge Hall (Earth & Environmental Sciences and Iowa Geological Survey)
English-Philosophy Building
Becker Communication Building
Adler Journalism Building
Voxman Music Building
Buildings for biology, chemistry, and psychology
West Side of Campus
The west side of the Iowa River is home to the Colleges of Law, Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Public Health, as well as:
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Art Building West
Visual Arts Building
Theatre Building
Impact of the 2008 Flood
The 2008 flood of the Iowa River significantly impacted several campus buildings. While the upper levels of the Iowa Memorial Union remained open during renovations, the arts campus, including Art Building West, Old Art Building, Hancher Auditorium, Voxman Music Building, Clapp Recital Hall, and the Theatre Building, suffered extensive damage. Art Building West reopened in 2012 after repairs. The new Visual Arts Building opened in 2016, and Hancher Auditorium was rebuilt near its original site. Voxman Music Hall was constructed adjacent to downtown Iowa City and the main campus on South Clinton Street.
Public Art Collection
The University of Iowa boasts an extensive collection of public art, initiated under the Iowa State 'Art in State Buildings Program.' Although the program was repealed in 2017, the university continues to commission and maintain its art collection.
Governance and Administration
The University of Iowa, along with Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, is governed by the Iowa Board of Regents. This statewide body consists of nine volunteer members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate. The Board of Regents hires the president of the University of Iowa, who then reports to the board. The current president is Barbara J. Wilson.
Academics and Rankings
U.S. News & World Report categorizes UIowa as "more selective." For the Class of 2025 (enrolled fall 2021), UIowa received 22,434 applications and accepted 19,340 (86.2%). Of those accepted, 4,521 enrolled, a yield rate of 23.4%. The University of Iowa is a college-sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Program and sponsored 24 Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. The University of Iowa is a member of the Association of American Universities. The Iowa Writers' Workshop was founded in 1936. Since 1947 it has produced thirteen Pulitzer Prize winners. Twenty-five people affiliated with the Writers' Workshop have won a Pulitzer Prize. The Hanson Center for Technical Communication was founded at The University of Iowa and named after a 1960 graduate, Thomas R. Forbes ranked the University of Iowa 155th out of the top 500 rated private and public colleges and universities in America for the 2024-25 report. The University of Iowa was also ranked 68th among public colleges and 20th in the Midwest.
Research and Innovation
The University of Iowa is home to several research centers and institutes, including:
- IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering (Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research): A world-renowned center for education, research, and public service focusing on hydraulic engineering and fluid mechanics. The C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, home to IIHR, has been recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
- Institute of Agricultural Medicine: Established in 1955 to study rural public health issues.
Libraries
The University of Iowa library system is the state's largest, comprising the Main Library, the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, five branch libraries, and the Law Library. The University Libraries' holdings include more than five million bound volumes, more than 200,000 rare books, and 1000 historical manuscript collections. Significant holdings include Hardin Library's John Martin Rare Book Room, the Iowa Women's Archives, the Louis Szathmary culinary arts collections, the Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, science fiction collections, and works of Walt Whitman.
Student Life
The University of Iowa offers a vibrant student life with over 500 student organizations, including groups focused on politics, sports, games, lifestyles, dance, song, and theater. The university also sponsors events to provide students with alternatives to the typical drinking scene. In 2004, the university established an annual $25,000 contract with the Iowa City Englert Theatre to host concerts and performances.
Students participate in various student media organizations, such as The Daily Iowan newspaper (DI).
Athletics
The University of Iowa has 22 varsity athletic teams, known as the Hawkeyes, competing in the Big Ten Conference in NCAA Division I. The university's most successful team is men's wrestling, with 24 NCAA championships. Other sports include basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, gymnastics, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, cross country, and rowing. Most athletic facilities are located on the west end of campus, including Kinnick Stadium, home to the football program.
Notable Alumni
The University of Iowa has produced numerous notable alumni, including:
- George Gallup: Founder of the Gallup Poll.
- Tennessee Williams: Playwright and author of "A Streetcar Named Desire".
- Gene Wilder: Comedic actor.
- James Van Allen: Physicist and discoverer of the Van Allen radiation belts.
- Mauricio Lasansky: Latin American artist and founder of the University of Iowa's 'Iowa print group'.
- Albert Bandura: Psychologist and originator of social cognitive theory.
- (Mary) Flannery O'Connor: Novelist and author of numerous short stories.
- Sarai Sherman: Modernist painter.
- Luther Utterback: Sculptor.
- John Irving: Novelist who wrote The World According to Garp.
- Jewel Prestage: The first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in political science.
- Andre Tippett: NFL Hall of Fame linebacker.
- Don Nelson: NBA head coach and Naismith Hall of Fame member.
- Luka Garza: NBA player.
Patient Parking Information
For visitors to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, parking is available in Hospital Parking Ramps 1, 2, 3, and 4. Patients can receive one free pass for use in these ramps (excluding valet). Patient Visitor Parking Pass Booklets are also available. There is no limit to how long a patient's vehicle can stay in the ramp. The patient can use the parking pass whether they are driving or not. A new Patient Parking Pass is available for each appointment. Free parking passes are not available for prescription pick-ups. However, parking in a hospital ramp is free for the first 30 minutes and only $0.75 for one hour.
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