Staff members become proud parents of UI grads
When spring graduations happen later this month, many parents of graduating students will make their final trips to campus. For parents who also are University of Iowa employees, the trip to campus won’t be their last—they’ll be back to work the following Monday, as usual—but this rite of passage is still worthy of celebration.
A value proposition
Courtney Driscol, who will receive a finance degree this spring, is the second of Margaret and David Driscol’s four sons to graduate from The University of Iowa, but he won’t be the last. Shawn received an engineering degree in December, and their youngest son, Chris, is a first-year computer science major. (Their other son Jeff dared to break with tradition and is pursuing an engineering degree from Iowa State University.)
Margaret, an administrative assistant in the mathematics department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and David, manager of the electronics shop in the College of Engineering, encouraged their sons to enroll at Iowa, for financial as well as educational reasons. And it wasn’t a hard sell. Margaret reports that her sons had looked forward to being Hawkeyes since they were sophomores in high school. All of Margaret and David’s sons lived at home for most of their college years, enabling them to save money.
“We tried to instill in them the understanding that the fewer loans they have, the further ahead they’ll be when they graduate,” David says.
The arrangement agreed with Courtney.
“It made it easier to balance school and social elements,” he says. He’s worked at the Main Library Information Technology Center and at CarX Auto Service in Iowa City while in school, enabling him to finish college in four years without any debt.
While affordability may have brought the Driscol boys to the University, educational value kept them here.
“Iowa has good programs in the areas they’re interested in,” Margaret says.
Even though the entire Driscol clan has spent a lot of time in the general vicinity of the Pentacrest, parents and sons haven’t crossed paths on campus that much.
“I tried to step back to let them experience things on their own,” Margaret says. “They’re all good enough in their chosen subjects to overcome any challenges.”
“Us working here made them more comfortable with the campus,” David says. “They didn’t view the University as big and overwhelming. They seemed like they blended right in.”
Even though Margaret and David may not have seen much of Courtney while he attended the University, Courtney is glad his parents were there.
“It was kind of nice to have them right here on campus,” Courtney says. “I can stop into their offices, which makes it easier to talk.”
Just call him Counselor Dave
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| Joanna is the second daughter of UI admissions counselor Dave Malott to graduate from The University of Iowa. Joanna receives a degree in communication studies this month; her sister Jessica graduated in communication studies and Spanish three years ago. |
It’s even easier for admissions counselor Dave Malott and his graduating daughter, Joanna, to talk—they both work in the Admissions Visitors Center (AVC).
“Having your child in the office is great—it cuts down on phone calls,” jokes Dave.
Joanna is the second Malott daughter to work in the visitors center—older sister Jessica, who graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies and Spanish in 2002, also worked with her dad and encouraged Joanna to do the same.
“My sister nicknamed him ‘Counselor Dave’ because she didn’t want to call him ‘Dad,’ and the name stuck,” Joanna says.
When Joanna graduates this month with a degree in communication studies (and a minor in Spanish and certificates in entrepreneurship and international business), the Malott family will be celebrating with what Joanna calls a “pre-Rose Bowl Hawkeye tailgate party—Coach Ferentz is invited.” Though she’s not sure what the immediate future holds, Joanna is looking back fondly on her college experience—including three years playing clarinet in the Hawkeye Marching Band.
“I’d tell [prospective students who live in the area], don’t look at [the close location] as a negative—embrace it,” she says. “You can have a full college experience in Iowa City.”
Having a dad on campus was handy for the Malott girls—Joanna admits to occasionally borrowing a parking spot or hitting dad up for a free lunch—but it also served Dave well as he works with prospective students and their parents.
“I’m the only admissions counselor to have had children attend the University recently,” he says. “I can relate to the families I talk to.”
Graduation triple crown
May brings two of three graduations in 2005 for the daughters of UI staff members Chuck and Kim Swanson. Sally will receive an exercise science degree from The University of Iowa in May, Anne will graduate from the University’s ollege of Nursing in December, and Laurie will graduate from City High this month, after which she’ll follow in her sisters’ footsteps to The University of Iowa.
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Chuck Swanson, executive director of Hancher Auditorium, and Kim Swanson (standing, middle), a receptionist in the University’s Center for Digestive Diseases, are the parents of two UI graduates: Sally (standing, right) is receiving an exercise science degree this spring, and Anne (seated, left) is graduating from the College of Nursing in December. Laurie (seated, right), who graduates from Iowa City’s City High School this year, plans to follow in her sisters’ footsteps.
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“Grandma is proud to say that all of her kids and grandkids went to Iowa,” says Anne of her paternal grandmother.
Chuck, executive director of Hancher Auditorium, earned both a bachelor’s and an MBA at The University of Iowa. Kim, a receptionist in the Center for Digestive Diseases, is technically an Iowa State Univesity grad but she’s been fully adopted into the Hawkeye fold. Both couldn’t be prouder of their daughters’ involvement in the University.
“I’m biased, but I feel that they couldn’t have picked a better school or gotten a better education value,” Chuck says.
Though the Swanson women are all busy with campus jobs, Anne’s sorority, golf for Sally and Laurie, and volunteer activities, having everyone in Iowa City has enabled them to maintain close family bonds.
“We still have opportunities as a family to celebrate the highs in life,” Chuck says. “The day Sally got accepted into Iowa’s physical therapy program, all five of us were able to go out to eat to celebrate. The older your kids get, it’s fun to celebrate whenever you can.”
“Plus, we get to meet the people our girls interact with,” says Kim, who has enjoyed the opportunity to meet her daughters’ friends and instructors. “The college years really are special.”
The Swanson graduation festivities will literally span the globe. Laurie’s hoping for good weather in Iowa City for her graduation party, while Sally and Anne prepare for a celebratory trip to Europe this summer, before Sally starts her physical therapy studies and Anne does her final nursing internship. In spite of their busy schedules, they’ll all continue to congregate back at the Swanson home—after all, that’s where Jack, the furriest member of the family, is.
Says Chuck, “I think the dog’s a major attraction.”
by Anne Remington |
