Iowa's university graduates help state move forward

By David Miles

When Lisa Jorgensen begins teaching at Webster City Middle School this fall with her new University of Northern Iowa art education degree, she will bring to her students a global perspective gained from doing half of her student teaching in Sydney, Australia. Lisa says the experience “confirmed and strengthened my passion for teaching over tenfold.”

More than 5,000 May graduates from Iowa's public universities will work or continue their education right here in Iowa. At the Board of Regents, we are proud of the many contributions that the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa make to grow Iowa's economy. None is more important than providing Iowa, the nation, and the world with highly educated, productive citizens and leaders.

Nearly 60 percent of those who receive degrees from our public universities stay in Iowa; at UNI, 84 percent of all graduates stay in the state to work.

The UI reports a steady annual increase in the number of graduates remaining in the state since 2005. Those who move elsewhere show the world what the excellence of an Iowa education is all about.

Let me share a few more stories of recent graduates who have chosen to work in Iowa.

William Griffin earned chemistry and physics undergraduate degrees at UNI and went on to complete a Professional Science Master's there in 2007. Last year, the Council of Graduate Schools named him one of 18 distinguished PSM graduates nationally. He works for DISTek Integration in Cedar Falls, an applied technology company at the cutting edge of the new Iowa economy.

Jessica Luke received her bachelor's degree in animal science from ISU and this month started her new job as a territory manager for Murphy-Brown, a farm management company. Jessica could have gone anywhere with Murphy-Brown but chose to stay in Iowa. She wants to be close to family and also says she loves Iowa life. She credits ISU for aiding in her feeling of belonging to our state.

Many of our state's newest health care professionals just received degrees from the UI. But so have UI alumni in many other areas. English major Ryan Venem, for example, will be working for GoDaddy.com in Cedar Rapids as part of its technical sales and support staff.

Each year, our public universities produce thousands of imaginative, highly educated thinkers and leaders who also move the Iowa economy into the future. We offer our congratulations to all new graduates. You make us proud!

David Miles is president of the Iowa Board of Regents.