Stephanie Ekufu, PharmD Class of 2026
When asked what it was about Iowa that made her want to study and live here, PharmD student Stephanie Ekufu commented it was the culture and opportunity for a high-quality education.
"The culture around the UI and Iowa City really spoke to me when looking for a school. During my college visit, I could really feel the school spirit and Hawkeye pride by walking around campus.
With highly ranked health professional programs, extensive research opportunities, and an on-campus hospital, I knew that studying at the UI will promise me a high-quality education experience."
Ran Huo, '24 PhD
When asked why Iowa was a great place to live and study, alumna Ran Huo commented it was the people, the city and the facilities.
“The kindness of the people at Iowa is what stood out the most to me. Additionally, Iowa City is a safe and pleasant place to live. It offers a variety of sports activities, like football games, and has excellent recreational facilities.
From a research perspective, Iowa has all the facilities I needed, including genetics, metabolomic, and microscopy cores. People often say that the University of Iowa is like the Harvard of the Midwest. The state-of-the-art facilities and talented researchers here made it easy to collaborate with labs from different departments and achieve my research goals.”
Charles Iles, PharmD Class of 2025
Doctor of Pharmacy student Charles Iles, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, did not know what to expect during his admissions visit at the University of Iowa. According to Iles, he was quickly “welcomed with open arms and had an opportunity to see what Iowa was truly about.” On his visit, it was the culture of Iowa City that really stood out.
“It was apparent the culture of Iowa City is reflected around the nationally-ranked university and what this place means to the community. As soon as I arrived in Iowa City, a sense of pride ensued as everyone rallies around the university and major healthcare system within the city. That pride and the brand-new pharmacy building had a lasting impact on my visit. For these reasons, I knew I wanted to study to become an expert in drug therapy here at Iowa.”
Sanika Jadhav, PhD Student
When choosing a university to pursue her PhD, first-year graduate student Sanika Jadhav was drawn to Iowa City’s cultural atmosphere.
“Iowa City is a great place to live in. I feel very safe and comfortable here. It has a friendly atmosphere, and a ‘big city’ feel with calm and peaceful surroundings. I enjoy exploring new places in town such as performance venues and art galleries and meeting new people from diverse cultures. People in Iowa City are very helpful and kind which gives me an abundant sense of larger community.”
Amanda Merck, '21 PharmD
Originally from West Des Moines, Iowa, Amanda knew she wanted to stay in-state to attend pharmacy school. And she knew by attending the UI College of Pharmacy, she’d receive a quality education.
“The University of Iowa is known for its quality health sciences graduate programs and Iowa is a great place to live. The ‘midwestern kindness’ is really a thing! The environment of Iowa City is big enough to feel like a city, but small enough to feel like you belong to a community.”
Joseph O'Brien, '20 PhD
O’Brien’s research has flourished since he chose the UI College of Pharmacy for his PhD program. He was able to participate in research immediately after coming to Iowa, and some of his work was published during his first year of graduate studies.
Since completing his Doctor Philosophy in Fall 2020 in Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry, he continues work down the path of drug discovery. With the experience gained from the UI College of Pharmacy in both academia and industry, O’Brien is certain he’ll find a place to grow further as a scientist.
Cynthia Okafor, PhD Student
As an international student arriving in the United States for the first time, PhD student Cynthia Okafor was drawn to Iowa for its simpler-paced society.
"Iowa's simpler-paced society allowed me to comfortably adjust to academic and research work while embracing the beauty of my new environment. Iowa's reputation for "Iowa-Nice" is well-deserved, as the University of Iowa campus has proven to be exceptionally friendly and safe, fostering a culture of kindness and helpfulness among staff, students, and visitors.”
Emily Vyverberg, '09 PharmD
Emily Vyverberg’s career has thrived since graduating from the UI College of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2009. She credits much of her success to the education received and the meaningful relationships formed while at the UI College of Pharmacy. Vyverberg comments:
“The UI College of Pharmacy has a long history of providing exceptional education to student pharmacists and the dedicated faculty and staff work tirelessly to ensure student success."
Emily Weyenberg, PharmD Class of 2025
Doctor of Pharmacy student Emily Weyenberg had never been to Iowa City, but she knew the first time she stepped foot on the Iowa campus it was where she was meant to be.
“It was the ‘small-town, big city’ atmosphere that drew me in and I appreciated that Iowa offers all of the amenities of a large school while still feeling like a tight-knit community.”
Some of those amenities include Iowa’s “top-rated curriculum, fantastic faculty, and state-of-the-art facility,” according to Weyenberg.