Decorah resident Brett Van Sloten is getting a chance this summer to see how the University of Iowa Foundation works

Decorah resident Brett Van Sloten--an offensive lineman on the University of Iowa football team--is getting a first-hand look this summer at the workings of the University of Iowa Foundation.

Van Sloten is serving as a UI Foundation intern, attending and helping at numerous I-Club banquets across the state and spending many hours in the I-Club campus office.

He told the University of Iowa News Bureau, "Coming in as a freshman, you know you have a scholarship, but you are a little naive because you don't know where that scholarship came from. It's the generosity from these loyal donors. Getting the chance to see them, meet them, and thank them, one-on-one this summer, was great."
 
"It was a great opportunity, and I'm thankful for it every day," Van Sloten said. "I was able to thank the donors and the fans out there for their generosity and everything they do. It might not get acknowledged enough, but from my perspective, I'm thankful for it."  "As of right now, I'm just enjoying my time working at the Foundation," Van Sloten said. "I'm going to get my degree in business management. If fundraising is in my future, I'd be glad to do it."

"The Hawkeye fans are great," Van Sloten said. "It's amazing how loyal they are and how much they know about you. I was in Keystone, Iowa, which is a smaller town. The fans just showed up and were chanting. It's awesome that we have such a loyal fan base."