Getting involved on campus or in the community is the surest way to find your home away from home while at the University of Iowa. UI students who are engaged report greater feelings of connection to other students, faculty, staff, and others in the university community. They also tend to be more successful in the classroom, and learn valuable job skills that future employers are looking for in college graduates. Best of all, by getting involved, you will develop greater self-confidence while also meeting new people, and developing lifelong connections.

At the University of Iowa, choosing from one of the many campus organizations can be an intimidating endeavor, but the Office of Student Engagement and Campus Programs offers a solution that may help.

Engagement advising is a simple and effective way for students to discover the vast array of opportunities on campus. As Ella Pollet, a third-year student majoring in psychology, described it, “Engagement advising helped me realize that I am not alone on campus and I'm not the only one who feels like they need to get involved and meet new people. It also helps to have someone to talk to who is an expert in helping people get involved and just someone to talk to if I ever need anything. And lastly, it helped me know how to see all of the things that you can do on campus because there is a lot you can do, but it's hard to know about all of the organizations that are offered here.”

Getting started with engagement advising couldn’t be easier. Interested students can simply schedule an appointment, then meet with the advisor who will help them create a plan.

“Campus involvement helped me meet more people and find people with similar interests. Through involvement on campus I have been able to learn from people with similar interest about the opportunities for the future and learn about different majors. It has helped me make connections that have already helped me on campus and I’m sure they will help me in the future,” shared Lauren McCullough, a second-year student majoring in therapeutic recreation.

For additional information, please visit the Engagement Advising web page.