Actor Ethan Hawke praised the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in an interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert in May.

Hawke, who has starred in movies including “Before Sunrise,” “Training Day,” and “Boyhood,” is the director of “Wildcat,” a new film that depicts renowned author Flannery O’Connor. “Wildcat” is also the title of one of O’Connor’s works. Hawke’s daughter and “Stranger Things” actress Maya Hawke stars as O’Connor.

He was a guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” last month to discuss the new movie.

O’Connor was described by the New York Times as one of “the nation’s most promising writers” upon her death in 1964 at 39-years-old. She wrote short stories and novels including, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” “Wise Blood” and “Everything That Rises Must Converge.”

She attended the University of Iowa from 1945 to 1947, first pursuing journalism and was later accepted into the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, according to Lit City. O’Connor spent another year in Iowa City after she obtained her master’s degree.

What does Ethan Hawke say about the Iowa Writers’ Program?

Hawke explained a clip from “Wildcat” that Colbert was about to play and described O’Connor as a devout young woman at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

“Which is one of the most stunning,” Hawke began, pausing as some applause could be heard from the audience. “Yes, yes, let’s hear it for Iowa.”

“The writers that came out of this program, Wikipedia it, it will blow you away,” he said. “They change the way we think, this community of people.”

Hawke was introduced to O’Connor’s work through his mother, “trying to provoke” his inner feminist while he read male authors such as Jack Kerouac and Ernest Hemingway.

“She’s trying to get you to read something good,” Colbert quipped.

Hawke described to Colbert how his daughter approached him with interest about O’Connor’s work and discussed the author’s thought-provoking writing.

“Wildcat” marks Hawke’s first time directing his daughter. The film received a theatrical release in May.

Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

greg wickencamp is a lifelong Iowan.

Community members from across the state took part in the national Teach Truth Day of Action on Saturday, June 8. The gathering responded to a national call from the Zinn Education Project and other nonprofit organizations, with more than 160 cities across the United States participating. Educators and social workers organized the event, with help from local nonprofits like the Antelope Lending Library, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Corridor Community Action Network, Great Plains Action Society, and the Human Restoration Project. Organizers and attendees advocated for public access to a robust and critical education—something conservative lawmakers have recently sought to ban in Iowa and across the country.

Once a leader in education, Iowa now faces teacher shortages, shuttering of districts and gutted libraries, and reduced access to crucial support services for children in poverty or with disabilities. Iowa’s GOP has been a nationwide leader in effectively banning books and critical histories, criminalizing LGBTQ+ youth, and funneling public money to private, unaccountable religious schools. This has earned the Reynolds’ administration kudos from anti-democratic moneyed networks and anti-student extremist groups.

The June 8 event took place at the historic College Green Park, blocks away from where John Brown and his band were once chased out of town by those advocating law and order. Brown and his raid on Harper’s Ferry would be a major catalyst for the Civil War and the end of slavery. In addition to training for the raid in West Branch, Iowa, he returned to Iowa many times, carefully navigating the divided political landscape.

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All three of Iowa’s public university presidents were given raises of at least $25,000 after the Board of Regents unanimously approved a tuition hike on Thursday.

The presidents at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa were evaluated in a closed session at the Levitt Center in Iowa City.

“The Board is very happy with the outstanding work that university leadership is doing, and wanted to recognize their efforts with additional compensation,” Iowa Board of Regents senior communications director Josh Lehman said in a statement Friday.

More: Iowa Regents approve 2-3% tuition hike at state’s 3 public universities

Wilson, Wintersteen each secure $60K bump

University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson and Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen each received a $60,000 pay raise, bringing Wilson’s annual salary to $760,000. Wintersteen will make $710,000 next fiscal year.

Wilson and Wintersteen were each given a $50,000 raise last summer.

Wilson took over as president in Iowa City in 2022, and has received $160,000 in raises in the ensuing years. Wintersteen is the first female president at Iowa State University, assuming her role in 2017. She’s spent 40 years with the school.

Wintersteen took a $59,000 pay cut in 2020, a 10 % salary reduction, to help the university recover from revenue losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her base salary in 2017, when she was chosen as the school’s next president, was $525,000, and it rose to $590,000 in year three.

More: ISU announces retirement incentives; Wintersteen takes 10% pay cut

Northern Iowa president given raise

University of Northern Iowa President Mark Nook’s salary was increased by $25,000, bringing his annual earnings to $397,110. The Board of Regents renewed his employment agreement and revised his deferred compensation plan, originally established in 2018, to extend through June 30, 2027. Under this plan, starting from July 1, 2025, Nook will receive an annual contribution of $100,000 until the plan concludes.

Nook was given a $15,000 raise last summer.

More: Students’ protest at Regents meeting calls for divestment from Israel, end of grad student fees

Why did the Iowa Board of Regents raise tuition again?

The raises came after the Regents approved a 3% tuition hike for the University of Iowa and Iowa State University and a 2% tuition hike for the University of Northern Iowa. Last year, The Regents agreed to raise tuition at all three universities last year by 3.5% for undergraduate students.

The Board of Regents cited inflation as their deciding factor in raising tuition for the upcoming school year. Earlier in the year, Iowa lawmakers rejected the Board of Regents’ full funding request for the 2024-2025 academic year. The board asked for an extra $14.8 million in general funding, but the legislature agreed to increase funding by 2.5%, or $12.3 million.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_