Emily Creery

Emily (she/her) believes that high-ability students need more than strong study skills and polished résumés. They also need permission to be vulnerable, imperfect, and fully (complicatedly) human. She chose a career in student affairs for this very reason, shaped by her own existential questioning of what “success” meant once she stepped beyond the structured comfort of the education system, where test scores, creative projects, and carefully crafted papers had long served as measures of worth.

Grounded in this understanding and personal experience, Emily aspires to be a trusted advocate and fierce cheerleader for UNI’s Honors and Scholars students as they encounter powerful “aha” moments of self-discovery. Her goal is to help loosen the grip of perfectionism, external validation, and imposter syndrome, making space instead for genuine confidence, mental well-being, and self-acceptance. Through consistent support along their journey, Emily hopes students can embrace, rather than fear, life after college—secure in the knowledge that who they are, beyond their achievements, is enough.

FAVORITES & FACTS

• Favorite Movie: The Breakfast Club (and most films from the 1980s)
• Favorite TV Show: Gilmore Girls
• Favorite Book: The Tale of Despereaux
• I have a beloved cat, Coco Chanel, who is my purrrr-ide and joy!
• I'm extremely passionate about advocating for animal welfare and anti-cruelty.
• My fashion aesthetic gives The Tortured Poet Department, but my spaces and heart scream Lover!
• I don't especially thrive on small talk, but I do love honest, heartfelt questions and conversations.

EDUCATION

Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Student Affairs | Education for Social Justice
Iowa State University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Journalism & Mass Communication | Human Rights
The University of Iowa