Student Philanthropy and Grants Opportunities


At the University of Iowa, alumni and friends have built a culture of philanthropy that we call Hawkeyes Give Back. This represents a desire to contribute to campus and the world through time, talent, and treasure.

The idea of Hawkeyes Give Back is everywhere at Iowa—from learning in classrooms and researching in labs, to building state-of-the-art facilities and giving back in our communities.

We offer many opportunities for Hawkeyes to engage with philanthropy and learn how it positively impacts their college experience.


Upcoming Events

Student Impact Grant Virtual Presentations

Tuesday, April 23, 2024
4 p.m. (CDT)
Zoom

Hear from the eight 2023–24 Student Impact Grant recipients and learn how private support enhanced their Iowa experience. Student Impact Grants are made possible by generous gifts from alums and friends who provide unrestricted support to the university.

Please reach out to Tegan Donahue (Tegan.Donahue@foriowa.org) with any questions.

Philanthropy Lecture Series

Each spring and fall, an Iowa alum or friend returns to campus to share their story about how they give back and empower others. These programs inspire students and the broader campus community to incorporate philanthropy into their lives.

Student Advancement Network

Current Iowa students who join the Student Advancement Network (SAN) serve as representatives of the student body for alumni and donors. Members also educate their peers about the importance of philanthropy and engagement, their different forms, and how they enhance the college experience.

For more information, follow SAN on Facebook and Instagram or email student.advancement@foriowa.org.

Student Impact Grants

Student Impact Grants provide funding for undergraduate and graduate student activities outside of the classroom, like research, travel, and service projects. The goal of the grant is to enable students to pursue opportunities that might not otherwise be possible without financial assistance. The grants are made possible by a partnership between the University of Iowa Office of the President and Student Advancement Network (SAN).

Volunteer Opportunities

Hawkeyes can give the gift of time by signing up for unique volunteer opportunities on campus, supporting areas such as Hancher and University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

Fellowship and Internships

Iowa students and recent graduates are invited to apply for a yearlong post-grad fellowship or summer internship.

Williams Fellowship

In this one-year, full-time paid position with benefits, the Williams Fellow can “test drive” a career in philanthropy and alumni engagement by working at the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The fellow develops a better understanding of the organization by rotating through its various departments.

Applications are typically accepted starting in January with a February deadline.

Summer Internships

Summer internships provide a meaningful opportunity for Iowa students to learn about the impact alumni engagement and philanthropic support has on their university, while also exploring their career goals within a nonprofit or higher education setting. This eleven-week, full-time, paid experience provides opportunities for students with a variety of career aspirations.

Applications are typically accepted at the beginning of the spring semester.

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A four-generation connection to the University of Iowa?spanning 101 years?is bringing the Frohwein-Parsons Family to Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, to receive the UI Family Spirit Award Members of the Frohwein-Parsons family at a 2015 Iowa football game. Front row, from left: LuAnn Reynolds, Cindy Parsons, and Kelli Parsons. Back row: Dave Parsons, Gary Klinefelter, Connie Parsons, Doug Parsons, and Max Parsons. Monona, Iowa, native George Frohwein, Sr. came to the University of Iowa in 1918 to chase his academic and athletic ambitions. While he earned three letters with the UI baseball and men's basketball teams, George Sr. left Iowa one class short of graduating to pursue an Iowa City business venture that lives on today. This young entrepreneur started what is now known as Tallgrass Business Resources, a well-known source for office furniture, design, and office supplies, with five locations in Eastern Iowa. An enduring Iowa legacy also began at the same time for George Sr. and his wife, Constance Evans Frohwein (26BA). Now, four generations of the Frohwein-Parsons family have amassed 21 Iowa degrees over the past century, and in turn, remain strongly connected to their Iowa City and UI roots. On Saturday, Nov. 16, the Frohwein-Parsons family will be recognized as the recipients of the University of Iowa's Family Spirit Award during the Iowa-Minnesota football game. The award recognizes a Hawkeye family?spanning at least three generations?that supports the University of Iowa and personally or professionally contributes toward bettering the state of Iowa and its communities. George Frohwein Sr. was a three-year letterwinner for the UI's baseball and basketball teams. "We're proud to recognize and celebrate the Frohwein-Parsons family and their more than a century of dedication to the University of Iowa and the greater Iowa City community," says Lynette Marshall, president and CEO of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. "The Frohwein-Parsons family epitomizes what it means to be a Hawkeye, and I'm excited for them to receive the Family Spirit Award this weekend." As a kid in Iowa City, George Frohwein Jr. (61BA), George Sr. and Constance's son, was fascinated with electronics. His time at Iowa?which included working as a project engineer for a series of Earth magnetosphere satellites designed for NASA in the early 1960s?was shaped in the physics lab by James Van Allen (36MS, 39PhD) and Donald Gurnett (62BSEE, 63MS, 65PhD). George Jr. would go on to work his entire career in their aerospace industry. "Iowa was one of the first places that was sending satellites to space," says George, who was also a letterwinner for the UI men's track and field team. "I just loved working in early aerospace exploration; I have a lot of great memories from my time at Iowa." Joan Frohwein Parsons (51BA), who is George Jr.'s sister, also has a fond spot in her heart for the UI, because it's where she met her late husband, C.H. "Larry" Parsons (50BA). "Because I met Larry on a blind date in Iowa City, the University of Iowa will always mean a lot to me," says Joan. "It's practically been part of every member of our family." All three of Joan and Larry's children?Cindy Parsons (73BS, 76JD), Dave Parsons (75BBA), and Doug Parsons (79BS, 81MA)?are Iowa graduates and have fond memories of growing up on Melrose Avenue in Iowa City. "Because the UI Field House was across the street from our home, we were immersed in university life," says Cindy, whose husband, Gary Klinefelter (76BGS), and two daughters?Emily Klinefelter (06BBA, 06BA, 09MAc) and Katy Klinefelter (11BA, 15PharmD, 15MPH)?all have degrees from Iowa. "I remember eating at the Quadrangle cafeteria, having students live with us during the school year, and selling candy bars and apples before football games. It was such an idyllic neighborhood to grow up in." Lasting impressions of their time in Iowa City extend to their professional connections to Iowa. Countless students, employees, and visitors have utilized the furniture Tallgrass Business Resources has installed in UI offices, hospital clinics, sports facilities, and dormitories. While the entire Frohwein-Parsons family is incredibly civic minded as active members in community nonprofits and county elected offices?as well as serving on numerous Iowa City area boards?their 99-year-old family business has been a generous supporter of Hawkeye athletics and Hancher Auditorium. Members of the Frohwein-Parsons family at a 1984 get-together. Front row, from left: Cindy Parsons, Constance Frohwein, and George Frohwein Sr. Back row: Gary Klinefelter holding Emily Klinefelter, Larry Parsons, Joan Parsons, Dave Parsons, Connie Parsons, and Doug Parsons. "The university gives as much to us as we give back," says Doug, who is the third-generation president and CEO of the family business and whose wife, Connie Parsons (79BS), and two children?Max Parsons (09BBA) and Kelli Parsons (11BS, 18MS)?also have degrees from Iowa. "It's a wonderful resource to have the university in town?whether it's first-rate arts, sports, health care, or music." The entire Frohwein-Parsons family is grateful to receive this UI honor. "One thing the Family Spirit Award has done for our family is to make us stop and contemplate how important the university has been, and continues to be, in our lives," says Dave, who will be accompanied on Saturday by his partner, LuAnn Reynolds. "There are so many Hawkeye families that have credentials every bit as good as ours. The fact that we are the recipients is really special." Find out how you and your family can stay connected and get involved with the University of Iowa at foriowa.org.

The Graduates of the Last Decade ("GOLD") Leadership Group advocates for the interests of recent graduates of the University of Iowa (alumni who earned a UI degree within the past 10 years).

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