I’m always pleased that the UI alumni I meet, all over this country and beyond, make it a point to tell me what tremendous value they have realized from their University of Iowa education—and at such a modest cost compared to that of so many of their peers.

No matter how you look at it, college is a major investment. But at the University of Iowa, our efforts to keep costs low and quality high continue to pay off in the form of extraordinary opportunity for our students. We have repeatedly been named a “best buy,” based on the quality and affordability of the education we offer.

One of the reasons is that the UI makes strategic academic investments. The Main Library Learning Commons comes to mind: At $14.6 million, it was no small investment to renovate its 37,000-square-foot space into a tech-infused center for flexible and collaborative learning. But it’s clear we’re realizing an excellent return on that investment: The Learning Commons had almost 1.3 million entrances last year, 75 percent of first-year students report having used the Learning Commons, and two-thirds of students surveyed reported that they typically used the Learning Commons at least once a week during the academic year.

We’re proud of what we’ve done and of the support we’ve received to keep a UI education affordable. Equally important is our commitment to helping students succeed in a timely manner. Every extra semester in college, after all, translates to additional tuition costs. That’s why we continue to emphasize programs that help students transition into their university experience, make the most of their time here, and graduate successfully and on time. One of the more recent initiatives the UI has undertaken is the Summer Hawk Tuition Grant, which offsets tuition costs for up to 12 semester hours during one summer session, helping students graduate within four years.

We work hard to make sure students can afford to earn a UI degree and to support them while they work toward that goal. But what is the real value of a University of Iowa education? It varies for every student, of course, but at the UI, the possibilities are endless. Few institutions across the country are able to provide their students with the opportunity to explore the range of programs that we offer. Our students have ample access to high-impact learning opportunities, such as research with faculty at the forefront of their fields, engagement projects where they can make a real difference to communities, and study abroad opportunities.

And, at the University of Iowa, we emphasize an education that engages our students beyond the for-credit curriculum. That translates to graduates who are prepared to succeed, whatever their chosen paths, and who are excellent candidates for graduate programs and employers.