A University of Iowa senior is featured in the October issue of “Glamour” as one of the magazine’s “Top Ten College Women of the Year.” Nicole Kirkwood of Dyersville won the award based on her “academic achievement, leadership and contributions to society.” Kirkwood was encouraged to enter the competition by friend, Lana Zak, who won the award last year. She says she was reluctant at first, but made it through 700 applicants.Kirkwood is a Presidential Scholar, a member of the student government and an advocate for people with mental disorders. Kirkwood suffers from bi-polar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness. She says winning this award has helped her talk about bi-polar disorder and prompted her to start a support website.Kirkwood is a global studies major and plans a trip with an environmental group to the Netherlands later this year for the United Nations Climate Summit. Kirkwood wants to eventually go to law school to expand on the work she’s already done in the mental health field.Kirkwood won a one thousand dollar scholarship from Glamour magazine and and an all-expenses-paid trip to New York for a photo shoot.
