Publishing is changing rapidly. New technologies are reshaping filmmaking, and writers are increasingly building careers across books, podcasts, television, and digital media. To prepare students for these evolving fields, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' Industry Professionals in the Arts and Humanities program connects classroom learning with professionals working at the forefront of the creative industries through sustained mentorship and engagement.
"Preparing students for careers in the arts and humanities means preparing them for professions that are constantly evolving," said Roland Racevskis, associate dean for the arts and humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). "A great liberal arts education doesn't simply help students understand today's creative landscape—it gives them the opportunity to help shape what's next. By engaging with accomplished professionals working across publishing, filmmaking, and the arts, our students are participating in conversations that will influence their own creative work and reinforce Iowa's tradition of leadership in the humanities."
Connecting students with professional practice
Across CLAS, faculty are using the program to expand experiential learning by integrating current professional perspectives into their courses. From the Nonfiction Writing Program's experiential publishing track to varied initiatives in Cinematic Arts, students are gaining insight into evolving creative industries while building professional connections that complement their academic studies.
Projects supported through the program include:
Inara Verzemnieks (Nonfiction Writing Program) is expanding experiential publishing courses by bringing publishing professionals into undergraduate classrooms throughout the academic year. The initiative builds on a successful pilot that demonstrated the value of integrating current industry perspectives directly into coursework.
Julia Conrad (Department of English) will welcome literary agent Alia Hanna Habib, vice president of The Gernert Company, to mentor publishing and creative writing students while discussing careers in literary agenting and nonfiction publishing.
Tara Bynum (Departments of English and American Studies) hosted television writer, producer, and director Jason Torres, whose career across journalism, television, podcasts, and digital media highlights the growing range of opportunities available to writers.
Learning directly from working filmmakers and artists
The program's emphasis on experiential learning extends especially throughout the college’s Department of Cinematic Arts, where students engage with professionals working across independent film, documentary, cinematography, animation, and cross-media storytelling.
Paula Amad hosted Iranian filmmaker Anahita Ghazvinizadeh in March 2026, who discussed Iranian cinema and independent filmmaking with students in the class Women Directors in World Cinema.
Dean Bakopoulos proposes bringing novelist, screenwriter, and comics writer Benjamin Percy to campus to explore storytelling across literature, comics, podcasts, film, and television.
Laura Conway would like to host a cinematography series featuring Ashley Connor and Sean Hanley, whose work spans narrative and documentary filmmaking.
Laura Gede partnered with cinematographer Bethany Michalski for a public talk and a 16mm cinematography workshop connected to FilmScene’s Refocus Film Festival.
Jacob Kessler hosted documentary filmmaker and photographer Khalik Allah in partnership with the Iowa City International Documentary Film Festival.
Anna Morrison will invite filmmaker and University of Iowa alumnus Philip Rabalais to discuss the relationship between poetry and cinema with students in her Film & Poetry course.
Kaia Olsen planned a three-day residency with stop-motion animator Owen Klatte in October 2026 that supports the department's growing emphasis on animation and digital media.
Rachel Yoder hopes to bring in Franklin Leonard, founder and CEO of The Black List, to campus to discuss professional pathways for emerging screenwriters and creative writers.
Preparing students for what's next
Together, these projects reflect a shared vision for arts and humanities education at Iowa: combining rigorous academic study with meaningful engagement from professionals working across publishing, filmmaking, writing, media, and the visual arts. By connecting students with practitioners throughout their education, the Industry Professionals in the Arts and Humanities program helps students build professional networks, understand rapidly changing creative industries, and prepare for careers that will continue to evolve.