When the Iowa mobile app launched in 2024, it introduced a new way for students to quickly access campus resources and stay connected during key moments such as onboarding and major campus events.
In 2025, the focus shifted from simply providing access to deepening engagement and listening closely to students, shaping an app designed to become a daily companion throughout campus life.
“Our goal is simple: help students find the right support, opportunities, and resources exactly when they need them, while strengthening their connection to the Iowa community,” says Sajida Sayyad, product head of the app.
Adoption of the app accelerated significantly throughout the year. Total app installs grew from more than 7,700 in 2024 to over 11,100 in 2025, while active users increased from 528 in the first year to more than 3,000. Student engagement expanded dramatically, with sessions rising from just over 100 interactions in the first year to more than 29,000 in 2025.
The app played an especially important role during student onboarding. Nearly 80% of incoming students used the app to navigate their OnIowa! onboarding experience, demonstrating how mobile technology can help simplify the transition into campus life.
Behind these numbers is a growing pattern of sustained engagement. Analytics show that students return to the app throughout the semester to access critical services such as schedules, campus resources, events, and messaging updates. Usage also spikes during key campus moments such as fall and spring OnIowa! programming and major feature releases, reinforcing the app’s role as a timely and relevant digital hub for students.
More broadly, the mobile app is evolving into a central digital gateway for the student experience at Iowa, bringing together services, communication, and campus engagement into a single personalized platform. In this way, the app is becoming part of the university’s student success infrastructure, helping students more easily discover resources, connect with campus opportunities, and navigate their academic journey.
Cornerstones of the app today include class schedules and assignments, advising and tutoring resources, campus calendars and events, dining and wellness information, billing services, and campus maps—all designed to help students quickly find the information they need to succeed.
Student engagement with campus resources continues to grow. Resource pages generated tens of thousands of screen views throughout the year, while the app’s messaging center delivered hundreds of thousands of messages and views during key campus communications and onboarding periods.
One of the most impactful improvements is a redesigned events space. The updated experience introduced the ability for students to favorite, filter, and register for events, helping them discover activities that align with their interests and schedules.
Future releases will explore adding a social layer that enables students to connect through shared campus experiences, while a new wellbeing space will support students’ mental and emotional health by surfacing relevant campus support resources.
Student feedback gathered through surveys and in-app polls continues to shape these improvements. In future phases, student testing groups will help evaluate upcoming features, ensuring that the app evolves in ways that reflect the needs of the Iowa community.
Looking ahead
The next phase of the Iowa Mobile App will focus on deeper personalization and timely support throughout the student journey.
Planned enhancements include year-based experiences that tailor content for first-year students, transfers, and graduating seniors. Smart dining menus will provide dietary and allergy-aware recommendations, while students will receive personalized event suggestions based on their interests and past attendance.
The roadmap also includes AI-driven news and campus resources designed to surface relevant wellness tools, academic support services, and engagement opportunities at the right time.
Location-aware features will help students discover nearby events, study spaces, and support offices, while motivation-tracking tools will celebrate milestones, achievements, and moments that matter most throughout the student experience.
In 2027-28, the Iowa mobile app will expand beyond undergraduate students to support graduate students, staff, and parents, creating a more connected digital experience across the university community.
“We’ll build this slowly and meaningfully—always guided by students themselves,” Sayyad says. “Every step of our roadmap will be driven by real feedback, student voices, and measurable impact in their daily lives.”