Students as Partners 2024-25 recap

Photos and student experiences from year two of the program

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

As we complete the second year of Students as Partners at the University of Iowa, we are pleased to share a photo essay recapping a busy and successful academic year for the program. In addition to collaborating with instructors at Iowa and working with the Center for Teaching, student partners presented at numerous conferences across the country and hosted a cross-institutional visit with partners from Xavier University.

Students as Partners is a pedagogical partnership program that aims to bring student voices and perspectives into large lecture courses at the University of Iowa. Undergraduate student partners provide feedback to instructors and work collaboratively to create welcoming and engaging learning environments.

Presenting at the POD Conference in Chicago

Professional and Organizational Development Conference — *Student Partners Josie Mbaye and Jasmyn Hoeger presenting at the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Conference in Chicago, November 2024*

"Attending the POD Network Conference as a Student Partner gave me the chance to connect with other Student Partners across the country and expand what I had previously imagined the limits of a Student Partner to be, especially around the relationships and connections we can have with students." – Josie Mbaye

Campus visit by Dr. Katie Johnson

Visit from SCIENCE Collaborative Executive Director Dr. Katie Johnson — *Tamar Bernfeld (Center for Teaching) and Student Partners Meliana Anderson, Harry Bui, Lorena Perales and Madeline Nugent with SCIENCE Collaborative Executive Director Dr. Katie Johnson, November 2024*

2025 SCIENCE Collaborative meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Iowa Student Partners Krushi Patel and Madeline Nugent participated and presented at the SCIENCE Collaborative annual meeting in New Mexico in February 2025 with Xavier partners Nykara Brown, Assistant Director, Xavier Center for Teaching Excellence and Xavier student partner Jacqlyn Solis.

"Presenting at the 2025 SCIENCE Collaborative meeting was an incredibly exciting opportunity to share our work and connect with a larger group of educators and professionals invested in improving student learning experiences.” – Krushi Patel

Xavier students visit Iowa in March 2025

*Iowa Student Partner Grace Escritt and Xavier Student Partner Gabrielle Clark sharing ideas with Iowa College of Engineering Professor Dr. Alec B Scranton.*

*Student Partner Grace Escritt and Xavier Student Partners Gabrielle Clark, Christopher Saddler, Jr. and Nykara Brown, Assistant Director, Xavier Center for Teaching Excellence.*

*Nykara Brown, Assistant Director, Xavier Center for Teaching Excellence and Xavier Student Partners Gabrielle Clark and Christopher Saddler, Jr. observing a Chemistry class at Iowa.*

Iowa Student Partner, Harry Bui and Student Partners from Xavier University, Gabrielle Clark and Christopher Saddler, Jr., with University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson at the 1stGen@Iowa Awards and Recognition Ceremony. — Iowa Student Partner Harry Bui and Student Partners from Xavier University, Gabrielle Clark and Christopher Saddler, Jr., with University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson at the 1stGen@Iowa Awards and Recognition Ceremony.

“Bringing students from Xavier University to our campus was such a meaningful experience. It was powerful to give them a chance to engage with higher education in a different context and to see how various initiatives here are working to support students from all backgrounds…One of the most memorable moments was being able to give Xavier a shoutout during the First-Generation College Celebration. It was a proud and affirming experience, especially with the Xavier students there to witness it. They also had the incredible opportunity to meet President Wilson, which truly speaks to the openness and inclusivity of our campus. That kind of direct interaction with leadership is rare, and it left a lasting impression. Overall, the visit felt like a beautiful exchange of ideas, experiences, and aspirations—and I’m excited to see how we can continue building connections like this in the future.” – Harry Bui

Connecting K-12 and Higher Education Conference

Tamar Benfeld, Assistant Director, Center for Teaching; Emma Koprek, Student Partner at Iowa, Tanya Uden-Holman, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education; Anna Bostwick Flaming, Assistant Provost for Teaching & Learning and Director, Center for Teaching at the Connecting K-12 and Higher Education Conference April 2025, where Student Partners Emma Koprek and Josie Mbaye presented on The Promise of Undergraduate Student Partners in K-12 College Preparedness Initiatives.

Working with the Center for Teaching

*Student Partners Emma Koprek and Nora Zimmermann, First Gen @ Iowa Student Partners bring their unique perspectives to their work as pedagogical partners.*

"Meeting regularly with the student partners is one of the highlights of my week in the Center for Teaching. These undergraduates bring incredible energy, creativity and intelligence to their work. We primarily recruit our partners from the First Gen @ Iowa program, which has been an invaluable campus partnership. First Gen students, among them Emma Koprek and Nora Zimmermann (pictured here), bring unique perspectives and insight into improving the undergraduate experience at Iowa. I am so proud of our student partners, and I can't wait to continue this work with our amazing students at Iowa." - Tamar Bernfeld

It has been an inspiring and productive year for our Student Partners! Whether you’re a faculty member looking to partner with us, or a student interested in being a Student Partner, you can find more information on our Students as Partners webpage.