At home in Iowa City, Ilario Balestrieri recommends exploring the unique restaurants and businesses surrounding the campus, reaching out to new people, joining clubs, and seizing opportunities! As an example, he describes how he became an honors outreach ambassador: “I didn’t know if being an ambassador was for me, but after seizing the opportunity to join, I discovered I loved it!”

Dear Prospective Student,

Hello! My name is Ilario Balestrieri and I’m a second-year student at UI majoring in environmental science and minoring in French. I want to tell you a little bit about why Iowa and why the Honors Program. My experience in the UI Honors Program so far has been an amazing one and the resources and experiences that are offered to you as a member are invaluable.

I grew up in Iowa City and I chose to attend the University of Iowa because it was close to home, and I was already familiar with the campus. Though my reasons to stay have changed, Iowa City is still an amazing location for me to attend school. It offers arts, entertainment, and plenty of ways to engage with the community. One of my favorite things to do is to visit the amazing restaurants in town after I complete a difficult exam. I highly recommend exploring Iowa City after you arrive on campus to see all the unique places to eat and businesses. An example is Iowa City Filmscene, a local movie theater and non-profit that offers free movies to students through the Bijou Film Board, a student-run organization dedicated to showing independent, foreign, and classic cinema.

Besides the city it's located in, the University of Iowa is an institution that encourages students to get involved and try new things and it’s something I would recommend to you as well! Reach for new people, new clubs, and any of the many opportunities that present themselves to you at U of I. I am an honors outreach ambassador, a position I learned about after a meeting with my honors advisor. I didn’t know if being an ambassador was for me, but after seizing the opportunity to join, I discovered I loved it! Talking to a professor about their research has led to many of my friends getting involved with faculty research, something the UI Honors Program encourages. The smaller, more discussion-based courses available to honors students are especially conducive to making connections such as these.

The ways that you can thrive at the University of Iowa are limitless and the honors program can give you the tools and challenges to help you along the way. I wish you the best of luck and I hope I’ve been able to help you. Do not hesitate to reach out to myself, another honors ambassador, or a member of the honors professional staff if you have any questions. We’ll offer a helping hand no matter what.

All the best,

Ilario Balestrieri