Prospective students and their families will get an unprecedented, up-close look at University of Iowa life during You@UI, a massive academic and student life open house on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Up to 3,000 guests are expected to sample interactive sessions on nearly every academic interest, learn about opportunities to get involved, explore campus and community, and take the field at Kinnick Stadium.

“This event is unlike anything we’ve ever done before,” says Lon Moeller, associate provost for undergraduate education. “We want to put guests directly into classrooms where they can see for themselves what it’s like to be a University of Iowa student.”

You@UI invites guests to create their own custom itinerary from a menu of options. Sessions hosted by academic programs feature simulated volcanoes, performing robots, literary scavenger hunts, and chances to try diagnosing (pretend) patients, dissecting virtual cadavers, or anchoring the news.

Additional sessions showcase campus resources and student organizations, everything from Dance Marathon to fraternities and sororities to leaderships programs.

Campus tours are offered throughout. The day closes with a chance to meet UI mascot Herky, the Iowa Pep Band, and the Iowa Spirit Squad at the home of the Hawkeyes.

The event comes as the university looks to boost overall enrollment by expanding scholarship programs, strengthening connections to high schools in Iowa and beyond, and hosting more students and families on campus.

“It’s not just the scale of You@UI that sets it apart—it’s also the way dozens of departments have come together to make it happen,” says Moeller. “It’s a real cross-campus initiative.”

The university hosts visiting families virtually every day. Hawkeye Visit Day events—which typically draw hundreds of guests—take place throughout the fall and spring semesters, and specialized programs welcome students interested in business and engineering.

Learn more about UI visit options on the Office of Admissions website.