Simpson Success Stories
A student turns an international internship into a full-time job. A graduate uses math and medicine to save lives. An assistant professor receives funding to research Iowa streams. These are stories of how we thrive thanks to Simpson.
Schedule a visit![Elise Boulton Internships](/sites/default/files/2024-05/elise_boulton_internships.png)
Internships Open Doors: Changing Game Plans
![Kylie Banouvong](/sites/default/files/2023-12/kylie_banouvong_140_news_1860x800.jpg)
Internships Open Doors
![Elijah Keopuhiwa-Carvalho](/sites/default/files/2023-12/elijah_keopuhiwa_833_news_1860x800.jpg)
Internships Open Doors
Research Rewards![Kegan Trebilcock, Eldred Boria, and Dylan Holland](/sites/default/files/2023-12/research_students_rage_against_the_machine_1860x800.jpg)
![trenity](/sites/default/files/2024-01/trenity_rosenberg_74_1920x1080.jpg)
Extracurricular Engagement
![Treye Teske](/sites/default/files/2023-12/treye_teske_625_news_1860x800.jpg)
Extracurricular Engagement
![Cal Busby](/sites/default/files/2023-12/cal_busby_athletic_training_classroom_1360_1860x800.jpg)
Pushing to Peak Performance
![Faculty Impact](/sites/default/files/2023-12/faculty_impact_1860x800_0.jpg)
Faculty Impact
More than 9 out of 10 Simpson graduates say they had at least one faculty member who made learning exciting. Representing a wide breadth of discipl
Live On Red and Gold![Cyd Dyer](/sites/default/files/2023-12/cyd_dyer_2023_691_1840x800_1.jpg)
![Big Six Cover Photo](/sites/default/files/2023-12/big_six_cover_photo.png)
The "Big Six" Advantage: Why Simpson is More Than Worth It
![Cassie Nash](/sites/default/files/2023-06/cassie_nash_303_edit_1840x800.jpg)
Just For Kicks & Dribbles
Cassie “Cash” Nash ’23 is her name, scoring and stealing are her game. No one can stop her, but she stops everyone. Nash’s dazzling dominance in tw
![Colbee Cunningham](/sites/default/files/2023-06/colbee_jordan_desert_2_1840x800.jpg)
Keeping Up With "Globally Colbee"
Growing up in a rural Iowa community of 2000 people, Colbee Cunningham ’23 says she didn’t really have a lot of opportunities to explore the world.
![Ishaya David](/sites/default/files/2023-06/ishaya_david_13_same_location_as_brodies_1840x800.jpg)
Keeping Dreams Alive
Fighting HIV/AIDS has been a heart-tugging calling for Ishaya David ’17 since he was a teenager in his native Nigeria. Today, the Quad Cities Unity
![Vista Kalipa](/sites/default/files/2023-06/simpson_college_-_vista-155_1840x800.jpg)
Image Builder
Vista Kalipa ’04 is dedicated to delivering stories that sell. As owner of OnPoint Public Relations in his native South Africa, he helps organizati
![Shristi Upreti](/sites/default/files/2023-06/shristi_work_pose_same_2_1840x800.jpg)
Moving Quickly
Mountaineer, marathoner and prolific problem solver Shristi Upreti ’05 is always up for a new challenge. The math graduate from Nepal uses her comp
![Jan Spreitzenbarth](/sites/default/files/2023-06/jan_spreitzenbarth_porsche_11_1840x800_0.jpg)
Driving Innovation
No matter where Germany’s Jan Spreitzenbarth ’11 travels, you will always find him at the intersection of global supply chain management and mind-b
![news](/sites/default/files/2023-03/esports_news.jpg)
Esports Success at Simpson and Beyond
![ryan](/sites/default/files/2022-12/ryan_mcintosh_cgoe_alumni_19_favorite_1840x800_5.jpg)
Finished Business
![Beth](/sites/default/files/2022-12/shelton-beth2-hs2020-015_1920x1080_2.jpg)
Overcoming and Empowering
Shelton’s determination to break through barriers really began at birth. Born with one hand, she knew from the get-go that her life would be filled
![Billy](/sites/default/files/2022-12/bwell-8026_1_1840x800.jpg)
Inspiring Change
Hip-hop artists don’t come any cooler, calmer and more collected than Weathers.
![Good](/sites/default/files/2022-12/magazine_rick_1840x800.jpg)
Dealing Well and Doing Good
Willis was “born into the automobile business” at his father’s Chevrolet dealership in Smyrna, Delaware, where he started washing cars as an eight-
![Pagie](/sites/default/files/2022-12/paige_web.jpg)
Righting Wrongs
Workplace misconduct runs rampant. In fact, 75 percent of U.S. office workers say they have witnessed or experienced it. Civil rights attorney Paig
![Jay Byers](/sites/default/files/2022-12/jaybyers_13_1920x1080.jpg)
Standing Tall Together
Greater Des Moines is in the fast lane, speeding by its competition.
![Georgia Porter](/sites/default/files/2022-12/georgia_porter_209_1920x1080.jpg)
Cracking the Code
Georgia Porter began programming her promising future by triple majoring in math, computer science and computer information systems at Simpson. Her
![Meghan](/sites/default/files/2022-07/meghan_1840x800.jpg)
Hitting all the High Notes
Meghan Kasanders ’14 is quickly becoming a big name in opera music. Opera News calls her a “wonderfully promising, rich dramatic soprano...a master
![Flo](/sites/default/files/2022-07/tuyishime_florance_913_1840x800.jpg)
Going Global for Juvenile Justice
Tuyishime “Flo” Florance ’22 has already been on an incredible journey. Born in Tanzania, she and her family fled to the U.S. in 2008 to escape the
![Tyler](/sites/default/files/2022-07/tyler_2_1840x800.jpg)
Tyler Kamerman '00 Joins Iowa Nonprofit Many Hands
![Andrew](/sites/default/files/2022-07/andrew_firestine_cg_815_1840x800.jpg)
Hunger for Entrepreneurial Education
![Erin](/sites/default/files/2022-07/erin_magoffie_1840x800.jpg)
Making A Compelling Case
![Brooke](/sites/default/files/2022-06/brooke_preston_chiropractor_345_1840x800.jpg)
Backing Healthy Families
![Simpson College alum Audrey Johnson from the class of 2005](/sites/default/files/2022-02/audrey-johnson-success-feature.jpg)
America the Ballad: Keeping history alive through song
Audrey Johnson ’05 founds solo touring company that combines history and music
![Simpson College alumni Ryan Skaar and Derek Lyons posing in front of their ExpresSeed paltform created by NanoBio Designs LLC.](/sites/default/files/2022-02/derek-lyons-ryan-skarr-success-feature.jpg)
Research sparks Simpson startup
Research collaboration between professor and student produces innovative genetic technology
![Simpson College alum Brady Spangenberg from the class of 2004](/sites/default/files/2022-02/brady-spangenberg-success-feature.jpg)
Redefining the career path
Alumni Brady Spangenberg's unconventional journey combines humanities and agriculture
![Simpson College alum Audrey Lovan from the class of 2018](/sites/default/files/2022-02/audrey-lovan-success-feature.jpg)
Building a problem-solving mindset
Audrey Lovan ’18 applies lessons learned at Simpson in career at Google
![Claudia Cole Meek, Simpson College class of 1977](/sites/default/files/2022-02/claudia-meek-valentine-60-1840x800.jpg)
Spreading love through art
Alum Claudia Cole Meek captures Simpson Sweetheart spirit through Valentine's Day cards
![Simpson College student Anna Wanek](/sites/default/files/2021-08/anna-wanek.jpg)
Anna Wanek
Women’s tennis star wins conference title after two-year hiatus
![Photo of Simpson College graduate Gwen Dickmann Hefner.](/sites/default/files/2021-07/gwen-hefner-success-story-credit-justinsalem.jpg)
Gwen Dickmann Hefner ’07
Influencer Gwen Dickmann Hefner ’07 builds social media following as The Makerista
![Simpson College professor CoryAnne Harrigan poses with a carton of food from the Iowa Food Cooperative.](/sites/default/files/2021-06/harrigan_ifc36_crate_hallway_1840x800.jpg)
CoryAnne Harrigan
English professor champions Iowa Food Cooperative, connecting local food producers with consumers
![Simpson College graduate Eric Christensen ’94 on his family ranch in Colorado.](/sites/default/files/2021-06/eric-christensen-success-story.jpg)
Eric Christensen ’94
Eric Christensen ’94 helped his family's 100-year old ranch stand out in a competitive market by telling its story
![Photo of Simpson College alumnus and fashion entrepreneur Renauld Shelton (right) posing with his brother, Maurice Thomas III.](/sites/default/files/2021-06/renauld-shelton-success-story-2021.jpg)
Renauld Shelton ’10
Entrepreneur Renauld Shelton ’10 took his passion for fashion and created a clothing label
![Simpson College graduate Brittany Peters at the 2021 spring commencement ceremony](/sites/default/files/2021-05/brittany-peters.jpg)
Brittany Peters ’21
From Indianola, online and everything in-between, Brittany Peters ’21 completed a winding journey to graduation
![Simpson College alumnus Amy Rowe ’12 poses in her garage](/sites/default/files/2020-12/amy-rowe-alumni-story.jpg)
Education alumnus turns garage into library for kindergarteners
Amy Rowe ’12 offers personal collection of more than 2,000 books to her kindergarten class
![Lyra Halsten](/sites/default/files/2020-10/lyra-halsten-headshot.jpg)
Lyra Halsten ’21
Andrea Biklen Memorial Scholarship assists continuing and graduate student in reaching goal
![Simpson College graduate Megan Cline](/sites/default/files/2020-08/megancline_1840x800.jpg)
Megan Cline ’20
A flexible evening and online program helped Megan Cline ’20 advance her career at Nationwide
![Simpson College graduate Connor Robson](/sites/default/files/2020-08/connorrobson_1840x800.jpg)
Connor Robson ’20
Three Exploreships helped Connor Robson ’20 land a job at a Big Four accounting firm
![Simpson College graduate Gable Johnson](/sites/default/files/2020-08/gablejohnson_1840x800.jpg)
Gable Johnson ’20
Exploreships with nearby college athletic programs and professional sports teams helped Gable Johnson ’20 get accepted to graduate school at the Un
![Simpson College graduate Erin Magoffie](/sites/default/files/2020-08/erinmagoffe-grad_1840x800.jpg)
Erin Magoffie ’20
Highly-involved and civically-minded, Erin Magoffie ’20 will attend the University of Virginia School of Law
![Simpson College graduate Matt Turnley ’20](/sites/default/files/2020-08/mattturnley-deer_1840x800.jpg)
Matt Turnley ’20
Three unique Exploreships helped Matt Turnely ’20 sharpen his passion for wildlife conservation and continue his education at BYU
![Simpson College graduate Morgan King ’20](/sites/default/files/2020-07/morganking1_1840x800.jpg)
Morgan King ’20
Theatre arts major Morgan King ’20 serves as the Drama Director for Des Moines Public Schools, combining her love of theatre and education
![Simpson College graduate Eric Mathis](/sites/default/files/2020-07/ericmathis-1_1840x800.jpg)
Eric Mathis ’20
Vocal performance major Eric Mathis ’20 endured setbacks early in his college career to become a leading performer, ultimately getting accepted int