HollyAnn Lopez
Class of 2006
"I want to be a grade school teacher," says HollyAnn Lopez.
"The hours are long, it takes a lot of heart, and there's not a lot of money in it—but it's the perfect job for me. I love working with children, and I want to make a positive impact in their lives the way that my favorite teachers did in my life."
Without private support, HollyAnn might have never made it to Iowa. She grew up in Monee, Illinois, where her dad worked for the phone company (after retiring from the military) and her mom drove a school bus.
Financial help—including a scholarship from the Education Minority Aid Fund in the College of Education, awards for diversity leadership, and a student teaching scholarship—made it possible for her to consider going to an out-of-state university and influenced her decision to attend The University of Iowa.
Gifts from private contributors for the UI College of Education provide crucial assistance to students like HollyAnn, but they also reach far beyond the UI campus.
"When UI students become teachers—wherever we go—we take your support with us, and share it with our students and communities," HollyAnn says.
"Private support helped me at every step along the way in college, allowing me to choose a great school, get an outstanding education, and graduate from college without a crippling amount of debt," HollyAnn explains. "For that, I am sincerely grateful—and I hope to return the favor by becoming an annual contributor myself as soon as I am able."
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