Do you have a successful and exemplary alum whom you’d like to bring to campus for two days to meet with students, talk to classes, and deliver a campus-wide lecture, all at the College’s expense?

Please consider nominating him or her as a 2016 CLAS Alumni Fellow. 

The CLAS Alumni Fellows program honors and recognizes alumni for their outstanding contributions to society and their professions. The College uses UI Alumni Association Dean’s Chair funds to pay for airfare, lodging, and meals for the Fellows. The 2016 Fellows will come to campus in mid-September.

The 2015 Fellows included Cosmopolitan Executive Editor Leslie Yazel (SJMC), Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang (Music), and Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby (Health & Human Physiology). Mark Milosch (History), Chief of Staff at the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, was selected but was unable to come and deferred recognition to 2016.

As an example of what an Alumni Fellow can mean for your department, while she was here Leslie Yazel met with three different classes, the Daily Iowan staff, and a student group, and she delivered a public lecture. Many students and faculty had the opportunity to meaningfully interact with her, and loved having her professional expertise, insights, and encouragement. In addition, she attended the Alumni Fellows Celebration in the Old Capitol Senate Chamber, where she received an award and participated in a panel discussion on the importance of liberal arts education. I also hosted a private reception honoring the Fellows.

If you would like to bring a similarly distinguished alum to campus—at the College’s expense—please send the name, degree, and one or two sentences about his or her career achievements to Lisa Gray at lisa-gray@uiowa.edu by December 18. Our Strategic Communications team will then work with you to compile a bio and nomination letter for consideration by the CLAS deans.

For more information, and to see all the Alumni Fellows since the program began in 1999, visit http://clas.uiowa.edu/alumni/alumni-fellows. If you have questions, please email Lisa Gray using the address above, or call her at 353-2970.