"As for the future, Bush said the Hawkeye Marching Band will continue to exist no matter the circumstances. 'We’re gonna exist somehow, even in the wildest scenario,' Bush said. 'We’re still gonna be one family. What I know about band people is that they’re resilient.'"

Through University of Iowa REACH—one of the few programs in the country to provide a full college experience for students with special learning needs—Jack Emptage had the opportunity to achieve his goal of joining Hawkeye Marching Band.

For Alumni Band members, nothing lifts the spirits quite like belting out "On Iowa" or "Hey Jude"—especially alongside old bandmates.

A chart-topping producer and composer recently returned to campus as a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alumni Fellow to share his experiences with students.

Nearly 30 years ago, the Hawkeye Marching Band won one of the nation’s top marching awards – but the trophy was never purchased for display.

Michael Janssen watches the University of Iowa Marching Band like a hawk. As this year’s drum major, the 2015 Cedar Rapids Washington High School graduate struts into Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on game days, leading more than 260 marching Hawkeyes through 138 years of tradition.

“For a lot of us, music is something we love to do. For me, it’s also stress relief. I find comfort in creating music. There’s also a natural high that comes with performing in front of a crowd. Being able to perform in front of 70,000 people at Kinnick Stadium is a unique experience and one I would never give up.”

Although he’s not from Iowa, Eric Bush feels his appointment as the new Hawkeye Marching Band director is somewhat of a homecoming.