Jennifer Sterling, associate professor of instruction and the director of undergraduate studies in the Department of American Studies, was selected by the Council on Teaching to receive the 2025 Hubbard-Walder Award for Excellence in Teaching.

American Studies graduate student Laura Carpenter was featured by NPR for her Hobo Archives created with Rod Sykora.

American Studies grad student Glenn Houlihan writes in Little Village about Lost Woods Festival in Cedar Falls, IA. Almost too magical to be true, Lost Woods Festival brought stellar Iowa musicians, cozy furniture and spellbinding vibes in its second year

The CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowship is awarded annually to 10 graduate students, providing time and funding for the completion of a PhD dissertation. Dongilli’s thesis “Interspecies America: Animal Lives and Reproductive Politics at the Smithsonian National Zoo” examines encounters between human and nonhuman animals at the Smithsonian National Zoo, arguing that zoos mediate U.S. identities, cultures, and environmental futures in which humans and nonhuman bodies interact.

Dominic Dongilli, graduate student in American Studies, discusses the history of Easter Monday at the Smithsonian National Zoo and how it became a tradition for Black families in Washington, D.C.

Stephen Warren, professor of history and American Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), received the Distinguished Achievement in Publicly Engaged Research Award. The award recognizes an individual faculty member who has put addressing public needs and direct engagement with the public, in the service of improving quality of life through research, at the forefront of his or her academic activities.

Naomi Greyser, faculty member in American Studies, is one of four University of Iowa faculty members are recipients of the 2024 President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence, recognizing their exceptional and ongoing contributions to student learning and success.

A record 67.8 million American adults are expected to bet US$23.1 billion on Super Bowl LVIII, according to a new survey conducted by Morning Consult for the American Gaming Association. The estimated number of bettors has increased 35% from the previous Super Bowl, while the total amount being bet is estimated to have shot up from $16 billion in 2023.

Travis Vogan, professor of American Studies and Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies discusses the rise of sports entertainment and how it changes the way people are interacting with professional sports.

Associate professor Naomi Greyser, who teaches American studies and Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Iowa, joins the program to discuss the role pink plays in our culture and why Barbie looms so large.