The news media and the public are invited to participate in the free Iowa City Darwin Day activities set for Feb. 21 and 22 on the University of Iowa campus.

University of Iowa head volleyball coach Bond Shymansky knows the value of a well-rounded experience for a student-athlete and believes whole-heartedly in the Hawkeye way of life. He should know, since he lived it.

A University of Iowa official told state lawmakers on Thursday that freshman retention rates are the highest in the university’s history, student financial aid opportunities are being expanded, and an array of enhancements are being developed to make a college degree accessible and attainable to more Iowans.

The Graduate College recently launched University of Iowa Grad Success Services. The office, located in Gilmore Hall, provides students with the tools they need to start planning a career, finance their goals, succeed academically, and find an effective work-life balance.

In an article titled “Next Season’s Hurricanes” published in the Feb. 7 issue of the journal Science, a University of Iowa researcher and his colleague suggest that weather forecasts can and should be made more consumer-friendly.

UI students and instructors can look forward to a significant upgrade to Iowa Courses Online (ICON) this spring. The latest version of the course-management system will include a more modern interface, along with new conveniences and features.

The University of Iowa awarded an estimated 1,500 degrees at the close of the 2013 fall session.

A public memorial service for Randy Bezanson, University of Iowa professor of law and former university vice president, will be held Saturday, Feb. 15, at 4 p.m. in the Levitt Center for University Advancement.

What's behind the title of Alan MacVey's Feb. 23 Presidential Lecture, "What Made It So Exciting?" “It’s hard to assess what art does when it asks questions, because its questions do not have answers,” MacVey says. “They lead to other questions, and that’s what makes them exciting."

Representatives from University of Iowa health sciences programs will visit the Iowa State Capitol next week, highlighting the university’s impact on the health of Iowans statewide.

Rubie Watson, former director of Harvard’s Peabody Museum, will discuss her experiences in repatriating Native America objects and human remains Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. in 240 Art Building West on the University of Iowa campus. Her talk is part of the UI Museum of Art’s “SmartTalk” series.

Donald Bossi, president of the nationally acclaimed FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), is scheduled to attend the FTC-Iowa Championship Feb. 21 and 22 at the Marriott Coralville Hotel and Conference Center in Coralville.