Student Success
![Two students in graduation caps and gowns, standing on the west terrace of the Old Capitol Museum, their shadows cast on the wall behind them.](/sites/default/files/styles/feature_primary_desktop_2x/public/2021-12/2019_05_03-Cap%20and%20Gown%20Commercial%20Shoot%20jatorner%20-1845.jpg?h=57311901&itok=AqDcdEj6)
Student success is a key part of the mission of the Public Policy Center. Research clearly shows that college students who have learning experiences outside the classroom – like doing research, working a job, participating in student orgs, or doing service-learning work – do better in school (higher GPA’s), are more likely to graduate, and are more successful later in their careers.
![Background photo featuring Sabrina and the robot test arm.](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_square/public/2024-03/sabrina_feature.jpg?itok=sGCa9PNc)
Sabrina Vlk, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, recently won the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award for her work on a team developing a soft tissue robot octopus in the College of Engineering's Cooperative Autonomous Systems Lab.
![Maxwell Hammond](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_square/public/2023-11/screen_shot_2023-11-19_at_6.05.37_pm.png?itok=Ib1uwGi1)
Meet Maxwell Hammond, a PhD student at the Cooperative Autonomous Systems Lab!
![Headshot of Evan Doyle](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_square/public/2023-08/headshot.png?h=c35f1316&itok=sU4ctVy_)
Meet Evan Doyle, second-year graduate student in the School of Planning and Public Affairs
![Headshot of Anna Holub.](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_square/public/2023-03/img_4235.jpg?h=4c046952&itok=4ZTrAMFp)
Meet Anna Holub, undergraduate student from Urbandale, Iowa!