Expanding Opportunity Through Access to Higher Education
Innovation has driven progress throughout America’s 250-year history. Iowa State University and other research institutions have fueled that progress and continue to shape the country’s future through innovative discoveries and breakthroughs.
Iowa State’s distinct land-grant approach to higher education combines affordability, hands-on learning and industry-connected research to spark innovation, expand opportunity and deliver real economic impact.
Providing a pathway for students
Since its founding in 1858, Iowa State has offered an accessible, practical education that prepares students to make a meaningful impact and opens pathways to the life-changing opportunities of higher education. Nearly 75% of Iowa State students receive scholarships and grants and nearly half graduate without debt.
“Iowa State is ‘The People’s College’ and we welcome all students who desire a better life and a better world,” said David Cook, Iowa State University president. “In addition to making higher education more accessible, we are preparing students to be difference makers and go out into the world and change the lives of others.”
Students have access to a state-of-the-art Student Innovation Center to explore new ideas and collaborate with their peers and faculty. Iowa State’s robust ecosystem of entrepreneurial courses and programs empowers students to transform ideas into innovations and develop skills that serve them throughout their career. Iowa State alumni are leading Fortune 500 companies, launching new businesses and contributing to advancements in agriculture, human health, manufacturing and education.
A future built on innovation
Iowa State’s long history of innovation includes development of the first electronic digital computer, a method to purify uranium – an integral part of the Manhattan Project – and agricultural genetics foundational to modern crop and livestock production.
Today, Iowa State serves as a hub of innovation where researchers are accelerating discovery and new technologies, especially in biobased products, immunotherapeutics and precision agriculture. The Digital Ag Innovation Lab is one example of how Iowa State collaborates with industry partners to put science into practice. The team has 100+ patents and tech transfer licenses enhancing agricultural productivity and efficiency through science-driven solutions that tackle real-world problems.
“We are ultra passionate about making an impact on others,” said Matt Darr, Iowa State professor of agriculture and biosystems engineering. “Part of that work is helping companies develop new innovation and technology that will ultimately change society.”
Iowa State is home to the Ames National Laboratory – the only U.S. Department of Energy laboratory on a university campus – and the ISU Research Park, an innovation community that helps businesses leverage university research and resources to develop, test and scale ideas.
The impact of this work extends beyond campus borders through Iowa State’s Extension and Outreach programs as well as partnerships with business and industry that contribute to the university’s annual $6 billion economic impact on Iowa. Learn more about how this integrated approach – combining access, innovation and engagement – positions Iowa State as a national leader in delivering the promise of the land-grant mission.
