Within the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Communication Studies program blends creativity, hands-on learning, and career exploration to prepare students for opportunities in a variety of professional fields.

During McTernan’s spring 2026 Fantastic Drawing Machines class, art students experimented with designing weird kinetic art objects, ultimately creating drawings and mock-ups for their own “fantastic drawing machines.” The project is a collaboration between McTernan and Ina Holfelder, professor of mechanical design and machine elements at Berliner Hochschule für Technik.

English and creative writing alumnus Tony Tran uses language to understand the world—exploring the human side of technology while building community through culture and conversation.

The CLAS course offered by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication explores the opportunities, risks, and real-world applications of artificial intelligence in media fields.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences program combines hands-on learning, faculty mentorship, and research opportunities to prepare students for careers in speech-language pathology and audiology.

From crash-course lessons to project guidance and support, Kelvin Nucico, Instructional Services Coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is committed to helping students from start to finish.

Jake Mayer, a 2019 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) graduate, has spent the past three years helping students as student success and engagement coordinator in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Over the past 25 years, Shonda Monette has known the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as a graduate student, faculty member, staff member, and now, president of CLAS Staff Council. As the university's largest college, CLAS spans more than 40 departments and countless disciplines, perspectives, and areas of expertise. That breadth presents a challenge: how do you help people across dozens of departments feel connected to something larger than themselves? That's where Shonda comes in.

University of Iowa physicists have identified a possible driving force behind massive disturbances in the magnetic environment of Mars. They analyzed the constituents of Mars’ magnetotail — magnetic plume that extends outward from the planet for more than 1,500 miles.