Iowa FARs Receive National Recognition

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Nicole Grosland and Liz Hollingworth are two of 20 Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) who will be recognized as part of the 2025 National Football Foundation (NFF) Faculty Salutes, honoring the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation. The announcement was made by the NFF and College Hall of Fame.

Grosland is the College of Engineering associate dean for academic programs and distinguished professor of engineering, while Hollingworth is a professor of educational leadership and director of the Center for Evaluation and Assessment at the University of Iowa. The pair are faculty voting members on the UI Presidential Committee on Athletics, which provides advice and recommendation to the UI president and athletics director on policies governing the UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

The honor is part of the 2025 NFF Faculty Salutes. Each school with a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school from Fidelity Investments is made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at the schools.  

Aaron Graves, a UI student-athlete with an exercise science degree (4.03 GPA) and a defensive tackle on the football team, is a finalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy. The annual award recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.  

"Faculty Athletics Representatives play a critical role in college athletics," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "They ensure that student-athletes thrive academically while pursuing their athletic dreams. By highlighting their dedication through the NFF Faculty Salutes, we celebrate the mentors who make excellence both on the field and in the classroom possible. The NFF National Scholar-Athletes provide a natural vehicle for emphasizing their contributions. We are very grateful to Fidelity Investments for their leadership and support of the program."