The Office of Community Engagement supports University of Iowa graduate students through the Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC). The GEC provides graduate students interested in community engagement with training, networking, and funding opportunities to elevate their research and increase their impact in local communities. Publishing, conferences, and professional development workshops further enhance the graduate student experience.

Graduate Engagement Corps 2025 Cohort 

Graduate Engagement Corps GEC sticker

The Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC) program provides graduate and professional students with training in critical areas of community engagement, including community-engaged teaching, community-engaged research, and building community partnerships.

OCE will hold the GEC Orientation January 8th-10th of 2025, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm in University Capitol Centre for the 2025 cohort of students (applications open until November 18th). The Orientation offers a three-day introduction to the pillars of community-engaged learning and research.

Students in the GEC will then be able to deploy community engagement best practices and connect with community partners across the state and beyond!

 

2024 Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC) Members

 
Name
DEPartment
COLLEGE
Degree program
Abigail-Lee
Abigail LeeCommunity & Behavioral HealthCollege of Public HealthPhD
Ashby-Martin
Ashby MartinPsychological & Brain SciencesGraduate CollegeInterdisciplinary Graduate Program - Neuroscience
Blessing Alabi
Blessing AlabiPharmacy Practice & ScienceCollege of PharmacyPhD - Health Services Research
Christina-Montilla
Christina MontillaIowa Writers' WorkshopGraduate CollegeMFA
Corinne-Watts
Corinne WattsAnthropologyGraduate CollegeDepartment of Anthropology
Erdoo-Ankwagh
Erdoo AnkwaghSchool of Journalism & Mass CommunicationCollege of Liberal Arts & SciencesPhD - Mass Communication
Ezinne-Okey
Ezinne OkeyHigher Education & Student AffairsCollege of EducationMasters - Arts
Francisco-Javier-Espinosa
Francisco EspinosaCeramicsSchool of Art & Art HistoryMFA
Jake-Harrison
Jake HarrisonManagement & EntrepreneurshipTippie College of BusinessPhD - Management (Organizational Behavior)
Jasmin-Msuya
Jasmin MsuyaTeaching and LearningCollege of EducationPhD - Literacy, Culture, & Language Education
Lily-Kraft
Lily KraftCivil & Environmental EngineeringCollege of EngineeringPhD
Mackenzie-Cross
Mackenzie CrossAnthropologyCollege of Liberal Arts & SciencesPhD - Biological Anthropology
Molly-Higgins
Molly HigginsSchool of Planning & Public AffairsGraduate CollegeMS - Urban & Regional Planning
Nanle-Gusen
Nanle GusenNursingCollege of NursingPhD - Nursing
Nicholas-Goergen
Nicholas GoergenArtSchool of Art & Art HistoryMFA - Sculpture & Intermedia
Samantha-Rose
Samantha RoseCommunication StudiesCollege of Liberal Arts & SciencesPhD - Interpersonal Communication
Sophia-Wilson
Sophia WilsonSchool of Planning & Public AffairsGraduate CollegeMPA - Housing & Education Policy
Stephen-Ogunnubi
Stephen OgunnubiEducational Policy & Leadership StudiesCollege of EducationHigher Education & Student Affairs
Uchenna-Eze
Uchenna Oluchi EzeSchool of Journalism & Mass CommunicationCollege of Liberal Arts & SciencesMasters
Yetunde-Mabadeje
Yetunde MabadejePsychological & Quantitative FoundationsCollege of EducationLearning Sciences & Educational Psychology

Why Students Have Joined the GEC

Conner H. GEC Pic

Conor Hilton

Mavis Gyesi GEC Pic

Mavis Gyesi

Yuchen Liu GEC Pic

Yuchen Liu

Grad students walking downtown

Graduate Engagement Corps connects grad students to funding, community partnerships, and professional development

The Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC) is an opportunity for students seeking advanced degrees to learn about and receive support for community-engaged teaching, learning, and research. Members of the GEC are also part of a network of like-minded, community-engaged students that can provide friendship and connection throughout their time at the University of Iowa.

"This is a community of students looking for the opportunity to make an impact in the world through research and teaching," said Nick Benson, executive director of the Office of Community Engagement." The GEC will give you training, resources, and a community to join to advance those causes." 

The GEC was born out of the sunset of the Obermann Center's Graduate Institute on Engagement and the Academy. Benson and Obermann Center leadership worked over the summer to transition the program and make it more accessible and practical for participants. 

The GEC offers graduate and professional students training, support, and financial resources to help impact their communities through engagement. The orientation and workshops will provide the training, the GEC network will provide support, and grants launching spring of 2023 will provide the financial resources through grants for which GEC members can apply.

Grad students in a meeting

Graduate student finds her target research population, grant support, and more in Graduate Engagement Corps

Originally from China, Yuchen Liu, a Ph.D. candidate in Foreign Language and ESL Education, came to the University of Iowa after receiving an offer to join the Ph.D. program in 2016 after spending two years in Kentucky pursuing a master's degree.

Now in the sixth year of her program, Liu is in All But Dissertation (ABD) status after completing all doctoral degree requirements except for writing a dissertation.

In 2021, Liu joined the Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC), which introduced her to the concept of community engagement. 

"I had never done anything like it," Liu said. "I had engaged with local communities as a volunteer at locations like the food bank, crisis center, and some other nonprofit organizations around Iowa City, but that was all I knew." 

The GEC was launched by the Office of Community Engagement to connect University of Iowa graduate students with training and partnerships to advance their research in collaboration with Iowa communities.

"I gained a lot by joining the GEC, including how to find resources and support for my research," Liu said. "I recommend it to graduate students looking for a welcoming and open-minded program that helps connect research with communities through engagement."

 

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, don't hesitate to contact Nick Benson at 319-384-3464 or nicholas-benson@uiowa.edu.