"I think the UEC was extremely helpful in allowing me to put into action ideas [that] I have in my head. Oftentimes students want to create change or see things in their community they want to better, but don't know where to start."
What is the Undergraduate Engagement Corps?
The Undergraduate Engagement Corps (UEC) program provides full-time undergraduate students with training in critical areas of community engagement, including community-engaged research and building community partnerships. The full UEC program consists of:
A 1 s.h. seminar* in the Spring semester focused on best practices and principles of community engagement.
Community engagement workshops and events held on campus and in the community.
Mentorship on the development of a community-engaged project based in your hometown.
An opportunity to apply for a grant designated for members of the UEC.
*The UEC 1 s.h. seminar is required and will be held on Wednesdays 10:30-11:45 for 10 weeks during the Spring semester of 2026.
The UEC seminar, workshops, projects, and grants are designed to equip members with the principles and practices of effective community engagement. Together, these experiences offer students the opportunity to implement best practices and build meaningful connections with community partners across the state and beyond.
If you're an undergraduate student passionate about addressing pressing societal issues, improving quality of life, and becoming an engaged citizen, the UEC is for you!
Student Spotlight: Jered Kerr featured by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Rising sophomore Jered Kerr, a recipient of a grant through our office, was recently featured by the University of Iowa's School of Journalism and Mass Communication for his hometown community project.
A journalism major who discovered his interest in nonprofit work through a first-year seminar, Kerr connected his coursework to a personal passion: he partnered with PAW Fort Madison Animal Shelter, the same shelter his family adopted their dog Briar from nearly a decade ago. Already a familiar face there as a volunteer, Kerr worked with the shelter's director to design a project addressing two of its needs.
Kerr described watching the dogs use the new space as the most rewarding part of the project, and encouraged other students not to be discouraged by setbacks along the way. He noted that smaller-scale grants like this one are an accessible entry point for students who want to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
"This [program] blew me away with how applicable it was to my future career. I wasn't expecting to discover so much about myself and my passions. I think I'll carry things I learned here for the rest of my life. Genuinely."
Members of the Undergraduate Engagement Corps in discussion