My husband interviewed at five different medical schools – Des Moines University was the only school who focused on the student’s needs. When Aaron arrived at DMU, he was shocked at all the modern conveniences the campus was equipped with. Out of all the schools, DMU was the only one who made sure the students had an environment that promoted a healthy learning experience.

The first area that Aaron noticed was the workout facilities. Out of all the schools he went to, no one could even come close to the state-of-the-art exercise machines. DMU has a room devoted to workout classes, a full-sized basketball court, indoor track, free weights and machine weights, PLUS all the cardio machines have flat screen televisions attached, so no one misses their favorite shows. The DMU wellness center is comparable if not better than most public gyms. In addition, the center has a fully equipped kitchen, so students and staff can learn to prepare healthy meals.

Ask any med student and most will tell you they spend an exorbitant amount of time studying on campus. No matter where you look, DMU is designed for comfortable studying. In the library there are comfortable study rooms, big comfy red chairs are scattered all over campus and most of the lecture halls are designed with comfort in mind.

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DMU has a bit of a cycling culture, and for several years now, we have sponsored a group of riders on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), which takes place the last full week of July – often the hottest week of the year. So it seems somehwat fitting to invite DMU friends to join together for another Iowa classic cycling event – one that often takes place on one of the coldest days of the year.

BRR is not just an expression to describe the current weather – it’s also a fun winter outing, where lots of local bicycle enthusiasts gather for a 22-mile ride from Perry, IA, to Rippey, IA, and back. I have been on the BRR a number of times over the past 15 years or so – although I am not ashamed to say I have sat it out on some exceptionally cold, sub-zero wind chill days!

Anyway, if you’re a rider (and you don’t have to be a “good” rider – this is a flat, easy route), you may want to consider embracing winter by taking your bike down off the hooks in the garage, airing up the tires, and making the drive to Perry to join in on the fun.

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You may have heard a loud “whooshing” sound late last Thursday night or early Friday morning – it was the sound of thousands of media and political types leaving Iowa and heading for New Hampshire!

Yes, Iowans did themselves proud and turned out in record – HUGE record – crowds for the Iowa Caucuses. The people of Iowa take our first-in-the-nation status seriously, and they didn’t just show up for the caucuses – they showed up informed, prepared, and excited about taking part in selecting who will move forward in their bid to become the next President of the United States.

If you’re from Iowa, this comes as no surprise to you. But if you’re not, you might not have realized just how politically savvy the people of Iowa are.

It was great having all that attention, wasn’t it? But even after the campaign buses have faded into the horizon, even after the planeloads of news anchors and support staff have long disappeared into the sky, Iowa will STILL rock! Because the people here not only take their politics seriously, they take most of the things that are important seriously – things like education, family, work, play and overall quality of life.

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