The University of Iowa recognizes that each of our students has a unique story about their experience to share with their family, friends, and future employers. That’s why each student who enrolls at the UI is provided access to their own Merit Page that persists beyond graduation.
What is a Merit Page?
A Merit Page is an online profile of a student at the University of Iowa that is updated by both the student and the UI. Updates happen from the student’s first day of classes to graduation and beyond.
A Merit Page helps a UI student build their reputation by documenting, sharing, and promoting
- the positive outcomes of their commitment to their academic goals,
- the awards and honors they receive as a student at the UI,
- the activities they participate in and the organizations with which they become affiliated,
- and their on- and off-campus work experiences.
The final result of the aggregation of accomplishments over the student’s experience at the UI is an online resume that will prove invaluable as the student enters the workplace or seeks to continue their education.
The UI has created more than 44,000 Merit Pages since initiating its Merit Pages program.
How does it work?
A few weeks after the start of each semester, new UI students receive an email inviting them to activate their official UI Merit Page.
Students who activate their page typically personalize it with pictures and a mission statement.
Once activated, Merit Pages are updated in two ways: First, students can add details about their unique academic achievements, honors, awards, affiliations, and internship and work experiences. Second, the UI adds officially verified academic successes like membership on the Dean’s and President’s list, participation in co-curricular activities like the UI’s annual Dance Marathon, institutional and/or collegiate scholarships and honors, and graduation.
Sharing the good news
Students are notified by email each time new content has been added to their Merit Page. The email notification includes an option for the student to share the news with their friends and family via their personal social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When the UI adds content to Merit Pages, those achievements are also shared with the student’s local newspaper(s), the principal and school counselor(s) at the student’s high school, and elected officials who represent their hometown in state government.
After graduation
When a student graduates from the UI, their Merit Page becomes inactive to the university, but remains accessible to the student. Many UI students continue to update their Merit Page after graduation so that they can use it as a tool to begin their career or pursue additional educational opportunities.
“Following” a UI student
Parents, friends, high school teachers and school counselors, coaches, and prospective employers can also follow a UI student through the UI’s Merit Pages program. By creating a “Follower Account,” they receive email updates when the UI publishes an accomplishment that features the UI student they are following.
All non-student “Followers” must sign up in order to follow a UI student and all UI students have the ability to block a “Follower.”
More information
The University of Iowa’s Merit Page program is coordinated by the UI’s Office of Strategic Communication. For more information, contact Rick Klatt at (319) 384-0019 or send an email to ui-merit@uiowa.edu.