During a recent trip to Iowa City for a Brotherhood dinner, Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation President and CEO, Dan Hartmann had an unexpected reminder of how generosity and compassion can connect people across the world.
Dan’s Uber driver, David, proudly obtains the “IOWAVES” license plate, a tribute to one of college football’s most heartwarming traditions: the Iowa Wave. As they drove through the city, David shared a story that captured the power of the simple but profound gesture that takes place during each Iowa football home game.
Last year, David picked up two young women in their twenties who had flown all the way to Iowa City just to experience the Wave in person. They didn’t come for the game, but rather they came for the moment. The moment when an entire stadium turns to wave to the children and families watching from the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
Their story is a powerful reminder that philanthropy, kindness, and human connection transcend distance, culture, and even purpose. What began as a local tradition has become a global symbol of hope. The wave stands as proof that when people come together for something bigger than themselves, the impact reaches far beyond the stands.
The Iowa Wave sparked from the initially small gestures of Jerre and Mary Joy Stead. It has now become a tradition that nearly 70,000 people take part in each home Iowa football game day. The Wave serves as a powerful reminder that philanthropy and kindness truly have a global reach.
Learn more about the origins of the Wave and the impact that it has below:
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