Student Support

Academic advising

The first level of support is your academic advisor. Your academic advisor is there to help you make the most of your experience at Iowa State from the beginning.  Academic advisors help prospective students and their families learn about the program, help new students become oriented to the department and university, and support current students throughout their time in the program if they have questions, concerns, or seek help planning for the future.  Your advisor can support you by connecting you with resources on campus and in the community and by helping you to develop decision-making, problem-solving, and self-advocacy skills.

Career planning

Detailed information on careers can be found on the Career Planning page. There you will find salary ranges for some of the most popular occupations within the geosciences.

As a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS), you have the support of an entire career services team available to you. From creating your first resume to finding your first internship or negotiating a job offer, the LAS Career Services team will help you jump start your career, before you graduate.

Scholarships

In addition to scholarships offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences has a variety of scholarships and grants available to undergraduate and graduate students. The deadlines for each scholarship varies with the award.

Take a look through our Scholarships and Grants page for more information on individual scholarships and links to other fellowship and grant opportunities.

Connections

Iowa State is home to many different learning communities, including the Earth, Wind and Fire Learning Community that is open to all Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences majors. Students who have declared their major as climate science, meteorology, geology, or Earth science will automatically be signed up for the learning community.

The Iowa State University Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society is another great opportunity to meet up with other students in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences. Whether it’s ice skating under the evening skyline in Des Moines, decorating delicious cookies at Christmas, or becoming an intrepid adventurer while in the middle of a corn maze, the ISU AMS has social events that anyone can enjoy,

The university also provides a comprehensive network of academic support, health and safety resources, and supportive communities.