University of Iowa partners with global program to support talented youth

The University of Iowa will welcome students cultivating solutions to global challenges in a new partnership with Rise, a program focused on supporting talented youth.

Rise identifies 15- to 17-year-olds who show promise in cultivating ideas and solutions that could change the world and works to support them in different ways. The program was founded in 2019 by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust and through a $1 billion commitment from philanthropists Eric and Wendy Schmidt.

The University of Iowa will be the first public university in North America to partner with the initiative, according to a news release. Rise students will be able to attend the university. The program has more than 60 global partners.

Up to 100 students a year are announced as Rise Global Winners, according to the release. Through the program, they receive scholarships, chances to apply for funding to research ideas and pitches, networking opportunities, technology and a ticket to a summit with other Rise participants.

“This new partnership is a reflection of the truly world-class comprehensive education offered by the University of Iowa,” said UI Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Kregel in a news release. “From writing to health care to research, the work being done here by our extraordinary community of students, faculty, and staff continues to break barriers and raise the bar of human knowledge.”

This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch.