Skip to main content
The University of Iowa
University of Iowa

Office of Community Engagement

Site Main Navigation

  • University Impact
    • Understanding Engagement
    • Stories of Impact
    • MyCounty Map
  • Engaged Teaching & Learning
    • Learn More
    • Community Engaged Courses (CEC)
    • Goals & Principles
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • Resources
    • Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities
  • Engaged Research & Scholarship
    • Learn More
    • Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC)
      • Grant Awards
    • Broader Impacts and Research
    • Publishing and Conferences
    • On-Campus Resources
  • Engagement and the Arts
    • Learn More
    • Community Engaged Art
    • Arts Share
      • Home
      • About
      • Programs
      • News & Events
    • Grant Wood Art Colony
      • 2022/23 Grant Wood Fellowship Program Application
    • Video Archive
  • Workshop Series
  • Get Involved
  • Who We Are
    • Our Office
    • Our Staff
    • COVID-19 Resources

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Who We Are
  3. Our Staff

Our Staff

Nick Benson

Nick Benson, J.D.

Executive Director

nicholas-benson@uiowa.edu

319-384-3464

Nick serves as the Executive Director of the Office of Community Engagement and provides leadership on campus for community engaged teaching and learning and community engaged research. Nick has worked for eight years in various community engagement roles at the University of Iowa, including as Director of the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities and Director of Community Development and Outreach. Prior to his time at Iowa, Nick worked for the City of Iowa City in community and economic development and at Leff Law Firm. He holds a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and Juris Doctorate from Iowa.

Leslie Finer

Leslie Finer, PhD

Director, Arts & Humanities

leslie-finer@uiowa.edu 

319-335-1618

In her role as Director of Arts & Humanities, Leslie works to enhance community vitality by utilizing the University of Iowa's arts and cultural resources. She also oversees the Arts Share program, which has been facilitating arts outreach and engagement initiatives for over 25 years. Leslie received her bachelor's and master's degrees in piano performance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a PhD in musicology from the University of Iowa. Before working at the University of Iowa she taught music history and piano at Coe College.

Maura Pilcher

Maura Pilcher, MS

Director, Grant Wood Art Colony

maura-pilcher@uiowa.edu 

319-384-3579 

Maura Pilcher currently serves as the Director of the Grant Wood Art Colony. She holds a Bachelor's of Art in Anthropology and Art History from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has over 15 years of experience in the museum industry including The Phillips Collection (Washington, DC), The Field Museum (Chicago, IL), and The Snite Museum (Notre Dame, IN). She has participated on arts engagement and preservation-related panels and provided workshops for national audiences.

Picture of James Dykeman

James Dykeman

Marketing & Communications Manager

james-dykeman@uiowa.edu

319-576-8871

James oversees strategic communication, including marketing of office events and activities, managing the website, and creating and editing content for multiple media channels. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, with a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Philanthropy, from the University of Iowa.

The University of Iowa
University of Iowa 175th Anniversary

Office of Community Engagement

Iowa City, Iowa 52242

ui-engagement@uiowa.edu

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Admin Login

  • © 2022 The University of Iowa
  • Privacy Notice
  • Nondiscrimination Statement
  • Accessibility
  • UI Indigenous Land Acknowledgement