Iowa State University is a public land-grant research university founded in 1858 and located in Ames, Iowa. It spans seven colleges - Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Design, Engineering, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine - and offers more than 100 majors, minors, and certificates at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
The university places considerable emphasis on hands-on learning, combining academic study with research opportunities, innovation initiatives, and structured learning communities. Active areas of technical focus include data science, artificial intelligence, and genetics, reflecting preparation for careers in emerging fields alongside the institution's traditional disciplinary strengths.
As a land-grant institution, Iowa State maintains a broader public mission encompassing education, research, and extension services - connecting the university's work to communities and industries across Iowa and beyond. Despite its scale as a large research university, it describes itself as maintaining a close-knit community character.
