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David Gould
Faculty and Honors Program Associate
David Gould is a Visiting Associate Professor at the Public Policy Center at The University of Iowa. He has a diverse background in higher education, having served in various roles at the university, including as an administrator at the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development and as the Associate Director of Professional Student Development in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Gould has also been recognized for his contributions to teaching and community engagement, receiving multiple awards such as the 2020 Honors Teaching Award and the 2019 David J. Skorton Staff Excellence Award.1
His academic focus includes reimagining higher education, and he has developed unique courses that emphasize meaning and community involvement. These courses have received significant media attention and professional acclaim. In addition to his teaching, Gould is a public speaker and has delivered keynote addresses at various conferences, including TEDx events.12
Gould's previous experience includes directing community engagement initiatives for Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh’s Downtown Project in Las Vegas, where he aimed to transform the city into a community-focused environment. He has also directed documentaries and produced films for HBO.13
Highlights
I reflect on 2023 with gratitude. I have been blessed to work with inspiring teaching assistants, peer mentors, students, and colleagues. I also live in a remarkable place, encircled by kindhearted people. My gratitude to Vanessa Miller for yet another reminder:
The Life Design fall initiative was called Grants for the Greater Good, and on November 28th we invested in the nonprofit and student organizations our students are involved in and care about. As a result, not only did the University of Iowa Dance Marathon, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rotaract, The Women’s Network, Iowa Women’s Ice Hockey Club, & Rally for Reid Foundation each receive $1,000 to further their work, but eight students were given a $300 honorarium surprise to continue making a difference too. It was a beautiful night indeed.
Led by these student examples, the biggest takeaway of all was the agency we all hold to make our small corner of the world a bit better.
With gratitude to the Life Design Peer Mentors & students, Don Parsons, James Tutson, Samantha Mayer, Wave Cage, Peter Aguero, The James Theater, Mark Nolte, Leslie Nolte, Grace Merritt, and the University of Iowa Honors Program.
In memory of Donna Parsons, beloved University of Iowa Lecturer.
Photos by David Greedy
