By Bri Brands
Students graduating from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will enjoy vocal performances from peers during their graduation ceremonies on Saturday, May 17, 2025. John Wombacher will perform during the 9 a.m. ceremony, and Alix Bushard will perform during the 1 p.m. ceremony.
Meet the morning singer: John Wombacher
John Wombacher of Mound, Minnesota is graduating with a bachelor's degree in music and will be singing the national anthem during the 9 a.m. commencement ceremony.
Wombacher said he did not originally start out as a music major and instead chose the University of Iowa because he loved the atmosphere.
"I mainly chose the University of Iowa because of the campus and the overall vibes of it," he said. "It just felt right."
As a CLAS student, Wombacher has been heavily involved in intramural sports, served as the president of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and spent time singing in local nursing homes.
Post-graduation, Wombacher hopes to either produce short films or make music for short films. He said his time in CLAS has been valuable for his future.
"Because of Iowa, I have more connections to help with future career opportunities," he said.
Meet the afternoon singer: Alix Bushard
Alix Bushard of Albertville, Minnesota, is graduating with bachelor's degrees in international relations and music and a minor in Asian and Slavic languages. She will be singing the National Anthem during the 1 p.m. commencement ceremony.
"I have grown up around music and always been involved in choirs," she said. "I knew Iowa was the perfect school for me as they have an amazing and extensive International Relations major and program with exceptional professors. I also could not give up my passion for singing and wanted to have the option to sing at a collegiate level and gain a degree if I ever wanted to pursue teaching voice."
Singing at the commencement ceremony is not unfamiliar territory to Bushard, as she also performed at the fall 2024 ceremony.
As a CLAS student, Bushard has served as a peer mentor for the Department of Political Science, Chinese tutor, and women’s wrestling manager. She is a member of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and Chi Omega Women's Fraternity and was recognized on the 2024 Homecoming Court and as a 2023 Homecoming Scholarship recipient.
Post-graduation, she hopes to attend law school and work in foreign relations and foreign policy advising.
"I have been greatly prepared for this by the help of the amazing faculty, Brian Lai, Nicholas Martini, and Sara Mitchell, to name a few," she said. "Their mentorship and classes have been what sparked my interest in this career area, and they have been foundational in helping me find opportunities and strengthen my interests."