Current positions: Founder, President, and Publisher of the Corridor Business Journal

Past leadership positions: Herky the Hawk, Student Senator and Student Body President, University of Iowa Student Government

Class: 1995 Bachelors: Communication Studies and Political Science; 1998 Masters: Journalism

How did your student leadership position influence your career path?

My student leadership position helped me land an internship in Chicago, and better understand that I needed to continue my education and ultimately earn a master’s degree in Journalism.

What are some of your fondest memories from college and your student leader position?

There are too many fond memories to list here. I was blessed to have met my wife, Aspen, at Iowa, and have developed more life-long friendships than anyone could ever dream of making.

Being student body president was a great privilege, and gives those people who are fortunate enough to hold that position a truly unique perspective on how incredible and complex the University of Iowa is.

If you could give current UI student leaders one piece of advice, what would it be?

I would encourage student leaders and all students who are from the United States to engage international students more fully. Try to be as hospitable and welcoming to international students now and they will be forever grateful and so will you as you get older.

I would also encourage student leaders to learn more about the State of Iowa and the entire Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Creative Corridor Region and not stay confined to the campus or the city limits of Iowa City. There is so much to offer not only in Iowa City, but across the Creative Corridor Region and the entire state.