The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences English and creative writing programs connect students with award-winning faculty, passionate peers, and Iowa City’s vibrant literary community.

What can Chicago Cubs fans teach us about religion? How do religious institutions influence social movements? What does Dolly Parton have to do with academia? These were among the questions students explored during the 2026 E.P. Adler Graduate Student Conference. The conference brought students from different disciplines together to examine the role of religion  while celebrating 100 years of Religious Studies in CLAS.

The University of Iowa program earned a top five ranking in the National Academy of Kinesiology’s 2026 evaluation, which measures faculty and student contributions while accounting for program size.

From faculty reviews and promotion to college events and leadership programs, faculty affairs specialist Rachel Spengler brings clarity and connection to work happening across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

At Iowa, Olivia Van Fosson-Roelfs discovered a passion for social work and a path toward her goal of becoming a therapist. 

Rachel Cox, associate professor of photography, received a grant to support a new photography project during her research leave this fall.

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate returns to campus Oct. 23 to discuss her acclaimed memoir, Things in Nature Merely Grow.

Author Tayari Jones, who earned a master’s degree in English from the University of Iowa in 1994, has won the 2026 Kirkus Prize for Fiction for her novel Kin.

Cramer has been named president-elect of the American Geosciences Institute and received the Geological Society of America’s 50 Under 50 Award, recognizing his contributions to the field.

Ten years ago, three University of Iowa arts buildings opened with great fanfare, marking a major milestone in the university’s recovery from the devastating 2008 flood. Together, the buildings represented more than a return to campus; they sparked a new era for the arts at Iowa.