The Tippie College of Business will enter the metaverse when it dedicates its virtual twin on Thursday, April 6.

Iowa State Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls and State Representative Carter Nordman will help cut the virtual ribbon on the University of Iowa Metaversity at 3:30 p.m. Others in attendance will be Barbara Wilson, University of Iowa president, Amy Kristof-Brown, dean of the Tippie College, and Steve Grubbs, Tippie alumnus and owner of Victory XR, the Davenport-based virtual reality firm that built the digital twin.

All will attend virtually, with avatars. The public is welcome to attend via Facebook Live.

The virtual world features some interiors and exteriors of the Pappajohn Business Building and exteriors of many of its campus neighbors, including the Pomerantz Career Center, Iowa Memorial Union, the Main Library, the Pentacrest, and the T. Anne Cleary Walkway.  

The virtual building will provide new educational and research tools for Tippie’s faculty and students. To access the space following the event, download the Engage VR platform app and navigate to the Victory XR portal.

Media contact: Tom Snee, 319-384-0010 (o); 319-541-8434 (c); tom-snee@uiowa.edu