Civil and Environmental Engineering students studied options for building on several city-owned vacant lots in Clinton with an emphasis on low- and medium-income single-family homes. For their senior capstone project, the team researched the costs of various housing materials, styles of housing, as well as financing options. They provided plans for two sites, each with design and amenities options for potential residents. 

Students in Civil & Environmental Engineering evaluated a historic structure and created plans for renovating the building and repurposing it for city offices and apartments.

As part of their capstone project, graduate students in Planning and Public Affairs analyzed the current opioid crisis in the greater Clinton area and made policy recommendations to address the issue. 

As part of their capstone project, second-year graduate students from the University of Iowa’s School of Urban & Regional Planning will update Mason City’s 2006 Comprehensive Plan, with a thematic view towards environmental and social resiliency and a topical focus on aging in place.

Students from the School of Library and Information Science undertook a project to collect and digitize the records of local historians regarding the history of the Underground Railroad in Clinton. 

The Clinton area's role in the Underground Railroad is not widely known, even among local residents. This projected culminated in creation of a publicly accessible LibGuide, an easy-to-use content management system.

Students in the College of Engineering's Civil Engineering area completed their undergraduate capstone projects with a focus on Clinton's Riverview Park. Because the park is the site of a new festival is bringing a much larger number of visitors to the area than in the past, the City asked the team to develop plans to upgrade current facilities and add new fixtures to better accommodate the park's evolving use.

As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students created plans for a new stormwater utility to establish an equitable system to charge customers. 

For their graduating capstone project, students in Civil and Environmental Engineering created a proposal for a new trail system aimed at cyclists and pedestrians that would connect downtown Clinton to its industrial quarter on the south side.

Marketing Institute students from the College of Business worked with local officials to develop a fresh marketing communication plan to attract new residents, visitors, and businesses to the area. They surveyed more than 1,000 individuals regarding their perceptions of Clinton, gathered information about young professionals areas of employment interest and favorite pastimes, and reviewed current websites and social media.

Sean Tyler, a graduate student in the School of Art & Art History, collaborated with downtown Clinton officials and business owner Kim Rentz to design a mural that captures the character of both a downtown anchor business, Keeping You Sewing, and elements of Clinton's history and surroundings. 

For their capstone project, graduate students in Public Affairs worked with city officials to identify strategies to address drug misuse trends among youth in Clinton, Iowa.

Students in a course in the School of Planning and Public Affairs developed recommendations to "green" downtown Clinton by improving opportunities for cycling.

Students in a course in the School of Planning and Public Affairs developed recommendations for revitalizing Clinton's alleyways with improved pavers, public art, and other modifications.

Downtown alleyways often serve important functions, such as waste management or service entrances for businesses. However, communities are increasingly recognizing alleyways as opportunities to create unique public spaces while also improving water runoff.

Students in a course in the School of Planning and Public Affairs developed recommendations to help address homelessness in Clinton. 

Students in a course in the School of Planning and Public Affairs examined ways to reignite Clinton's Mayor's Youth Commission. They made recommendations about this entity, as well as other ways to better engage teens in the civic fabric of the community.

For their capstone project, students in Planning and Sustainable Development created plans and strategies to develop Liberty Square, a narrow stretch of primarily city-owned property that runs between and adjacent to the split four lanes of Highway 30. 

For their capstone project, students in the School of Planning and Public Affairs created an updated Housing Needs Assessment, a tool to help decision-makers ensure that existing and future residents can find safe, secure, and quality housing that meets their needs and budgets.

Visiting Assistant Professor Ali Hval designed and installed a mural in Preston, Iowa, that reflects the community's unique history and local assets.  

In 2019, Ali Hval received her MFA with Honors at the University of Iowa in Painting and Drawing with a minor concentration in Ceramics. Her work is interdisciplinary, combining mural painting, fabric, ceramic, sculpture, and installation.

As part of the Senior Design Capstone Course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students designed sidewalk and trail improvements to increase non-motorized connectivity in Preston, Iowa. 

Students in the School of Planning and Public Affairs course Environmental Policy researched technical and policy solutions to advance more solar energy generation in Iowa City, with a focus on resilience, economic benefits, and equitable access.  UI faculty members Scott Spak, Adam Skibbe, and Travis Kraus worked with local stakeholders to complete the study.