For decades, UI Honors Program students have taken active roles in Undergraduate Student Government (USG). Through their experiences at Iowa, they come to understand the complex issues that face our communities and learn the importance of teamwork to address challenges and develop solutions. Many have also gained lasting friendships with other Hawkeyes who want to make a difference.
Here are several honors and student government alumni who leveraged their experience into a fulfilling career.
Meredith DeBoom (09BA)
Assistant professor of geography, University of South Carolina
Why I joined USG: USG is an excellent platform to make a positive difference on campus and in Iowa City. It also afforded me the opportunity to meet other students interested in public service and to learn more about campus, local, and state politics.
Career impact: USG strengthened my leadership skills—particularly in the areas of collaboration, vision, and communication—and boosted my confidence. The sense of vision I gained through USG enables me to think big picture in my work.
Best lesson: USG taught me how to be comfortable with contention and to build relationships with others not only despite our disagreements, but through those disagreements. The comfort I gained with difficult conversations and unresolved debates serves me well today.
Lauren Freeman (17BA, 17BS)
Management analyst, City of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Why I joined USG: I was excited to represent student interests with university administrators, work on initiatives that could improve the student experience, and leave the university a little better than how I found it.
Career impact: USG operates just like government: we managed a budget, passed legislation, worked on projects that involved multiple stakeholders, lobbied for our initiatives to university administrators and elected officials, and listened to and advocated for students. I loved that I could see the tangible impact of my work on campus and wanted to translate that into a lifelong career.
Best lesson: Keep trying, even when you hear “no” or “we’ve tried that before.” It’s OK to try the same thing a few times if you truly believe it is the right thing to do.
Tom Niblock (07BA, 07BBA)
Foreign service officer, U.S. Department of State
Why I joined USG: I wanted to get involved on campus in ways that would matter and make a positive, lasting impact on campus.
Career impact: USG provided an opportunity to show leadership, manage people and resources, and work through specific policy problems, all of which are part of my job today.
Best lesson: Losing an election by a huge margin in USG was a humbling experience but I learned a valuable lesson in how to recover from a setback, which has paid dividends throughout my career.
Nic Pottebaum (13BS)
Health policy adviser, Office of Senator Charles E. Grassley
Why I joined USG: I was interested in politics and policymaking and simply wanted to serve.
Career impact: USG was an invaluable opportunity to serve the UI community and test every aspect of public service whether it was leading among your peers, managing a team, challenging your decision-making skills, or working with others who may not agree on the problem or solution.
Best lesson: Always assume a ‘yes’ is a ‘maybe’ and a ‘maybe’ is a ‘no.’ It will serve you well in politics and avoid misaligned expectations. You may not change an outcome, but you’ll be better prepared for it.
Jacob Simpson (18BA)
Community resilience liaison, Indiana Center for Rural Engagement
Why I joined USG: I was interested in a career in politics or government, and I thought USG would offer me valuable advocacy experience and networking opportunities. Once I was working in USG, I became more motivated by public service.
Career impact: Every day I rely on lessons and skills I gained from USG, especially because I work in higher education. I doubt I would be in my current job without that experience.
Best lesson: I learned the importance of trust. Whether applying for grants, conducting a research project, or launching social service programs, the foundation of success is the quality of trust between
Rachel Zuckerman (17BA)
Special advisor for implementation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Why I joined USG: I was excited to collaborate with other student leaders to explore solutions to real challenges that students face. I was also drawn in by the idea of meeting like-minded friends and learning from older students who seemed exceptionally talented and passionate.
Career impact: The range and depth of experience you gain is invaluable. You get practice analyzing policy, managing budgets, engaging diverse stakeholders like lawmakers and administrators, and more. And the opportunity to make a substantive impact—at a relatively young age—is unmatched.
Best lesson: USG helped demystify the process of enacting meaningful change. I learned how to devise compelling and realistic solutions to difficult problems, build support for an idea, and look for areas of compromise—all essential skills for making a difference in the real world.
—TYLER STRAND
Tyler Strand is a writer and editor with the University of Iowa Center for Advancement.