Dr. Mirra Anson grew up in small towns in Southeast Iowa and Northeast Missouri. Mirra has a Bachelor's degree in English, and Master's and PhD in Higher Education and Student Affairs. She has been working at the University of Iowa for over 10 years, starting as the Director of the university's Upward Bound project, then Senior Director for Academic Support and Retention, and for the last year, as the Director for Student Academic Success and Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Provost. Before working at the university, Mirra worked at various four year and two year colleges in Missouri. She taught writing at St. Louis Community College and Missouri State University-West Plains in addition to providing oversight for federal grant programs to help prepare students for college and support them throughout their undergraduate degree. Providing support for first generation college students is something she has done in every job she's had over the past 25 years that she has worked in higher education. Mirra truly believes that higher education is the greatest vehicle for economic and social progress, both for individuals and communities. In her current role at the University of Iowa, she also teaches in the Higher Education and Student Affairs graduate program in the College of Education and is always here to provide support for and be in community with the amazing first generation college students at the University of Iowa!