Honors on the Job 

From Class to Career

By Ava Neumaier

While her peers in journalism back at the University of Iowa took their usual seats in class and filled pages with lecture notes, honors student Roxy Ekberg was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, interviewing attendees at the Republican National Convention. 

As a political reporter for The Daily Iowan — the UI’s independent student publication — Ekberg has traveled to multiple cities across the country, including Chicago, New Orleans, and Washington D.C. 

“Instead of being in class and just learning about ‘what is journalism,’ I’m in D.C., having the moment of, ‘I’m here. I’m a journalist,’” she said.

Ekberg is a second-year double major in journalism and mass communications and political science with two jobs: one in person at The Daily Iowan where she’s to be its executive editor next year and one remote as a contributing writer to the Society of American Florists.

The former teaches her hands-on experience in the field; communicating with sources and coworkers, and scheduling interviews and print dates. On Sunday nights, Ekberg is at the bustling newsroom late into the evening, making sure every article looks right before it’s sent to print.

The latter improves her communication and time management skills with coworkers who are states away. Through her computer screen, she’s able to connect with countless colleagues. 

Ekberg, an honors student in the UI Honors Program, came to the UI from Wakefield, Nebraska, for The Daily Iowan and the university’s renowned journalism school.

“Being a part of The DI and the UI gives hands-on experience as well as classroom learning instead of one or the other,” she said. “I’ve started planning out my days by the hour. I use a planner, and it really helps me from getting overwhelmed.”

A major is more than a degree on paper — it’s a set of acquired skills that prepare you for a career. At the UI, honors students can pursue majors and minors through a series of honors classes, but it’s not the only way to become an expert in their desired fields.

Many students find jobs outside the UI that benefit learning and their interests in often unexpected ways, managing their work-life balance to begin the path toward a dream career.

For example, when he isn’t working on physics equations or staring at the stars for astronomy, first-year honors student Carson Bantz runs an online 3D printing store with his brother.

In an average customer’s order, he prints parts of a video game character, assembles it, and ships it out. Bantz has been running this small business since high school, and entering college turned it into more of a juggling act.

“It’s tough because you’ve got to get the stuff for school done, but you also have these commitments to the people who paid you,” Bantz said.

Bantz is from Independence, Iowa, and came to the UI for the space physics program. The UI Honors Program appealed to him because he was hopeful it would bring “opportunities for scholarships, certain classes, and community.” 

He sees himself going into a research job in physics and astronomy, preferably a career that emphasizes outreach and education. His small business experience gives him unexpected skills in this field. 

“Communicating with people who want something out of you, trying to keep them happy, deciding when and how you’re going to spend your time working on something that you’re committed to … talking to people in customer service — these are lots of things you can’t take a class for,” Bantz said.

Much like Ekberg, Bantz ensures he never gets overwhelmed by his many roles of honors student, double-major, and small business co-owner. 

“Of course, you’ve really got to put two things first — work and school,” he said. “Any other time you’ve got left over is free time.”

Whether in English or American Sign Language, Olivia Bishop is engaged in a similar balancing act as she seeks to immerse herself in the perspectives of others.

An English and creative writing major with an American Sign Language minor, second-year Bishop fills their schedule with ways to help the university community. 

She is the upcoming executive editor for Snapshots, the campus children’s literary magazine, as well as the marketing manager for the American Sign Language Club where members design flyers and create merchandise.

Bishop also works on-campus at the UI School of Social Work as a communications assistant where she writes stories about faculty, current students, and alumni while editing the website and managing social media outreach.

“I definitely have weeks where it’s harder,” she said, noting she relies on to-do lists to keep all of their activities scheduled. “What helps me is having downtime and specifically alone time. Sometimes it’s a few small pockets; other times I can have half a day.”

Bishop, from Houston, Texas, has changed their mind on careers many times throughout their college experience. But she knows one thing: 

“I want to help people,” she said.

Snapshots works closely with the Stead Family Children’s Hospital, and many students depend on ASL Club for outside-of-class experience using the language. 

Although taking on a job alongside student work can seem daunting, the payoffs can be invaluable. Access to out-of-classroom experiences, real world situations, and hands-on applications of classroom learning can make one’s major more well-rounded and improve personal skills and abilities. 

“I love writing and now have that as an avenue but for sure want advocacy work to be a large part of my career,” Bishop said. “I’m also planning on pursuing an M.S. in library science to focus specifically on the accessibility of literature. All of my current roles are ones that I am passionate about and have exposed me to new perspectives, which are needed in every career path.”