In the last academic year, the Obermann Center directly served 139 faculty, staff, and graduate students as Fellows-in-Residence and Affiliated Scholars. These participants represent 46 different University of Iowa departments and units and 10 colleges. In addition, hundreds of people from across campus, the greater Iowa City area, and throughout the state attended our programs. 

Here is just a taste of the hub of activity that is the Obermann Center:  Recent immigrants from Central America attended a performance by singer-songwriter Lila Downs as part of The Latino Midwest, the Obermann Humanities Symposium. An artist from Brooklyn worked with a University of Iowa writer and produced a body of work interpreting the writings of ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch, which she then exhibited in New York. Two faculty members, one from the University of Iowa, another from Clemson University, studied  how catalysts used by industry to clean water might be applied to Iowa's streams. A group of a University of Iowa graduate students hosted a one-day conference about teaching with technology that attracted local K12 and college-level educators, while another graduate student organized a reading of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail." A farmer from central Iowa—along with 150 new friends—heard University of Iowa faculty present their work at the first-ever Iowa Humanities Festival, and teachers and parents worked with researchers to develop the best methods for preparing Iowa's children for school.

These are just a few of the many events and projects that occurred in 2012-2013 under the Obermann Center umbrella. To learn more about Obermann Center's growing and lively opportunities for scholarship, collaboration, and community, please take a look at our annual report--just click on the image at the left. May it spur ideas for future connections!