Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of profiles we’ll be posting over the summer to introduce everyone to our incoming Class of 2014. Enjoy getting to know our new students as they get to know each other, our current students, staff, and the entire Tippie community!

Srinivas Rao

Srinivas and his family.

Hometown: La Grange, IL

Undergrad institution: I originally went to Williams College in Massachusetts, but received my first degree from the University of Chicago. I also have a MFA from the Writers’ Workshop of the University of Iowa.

Current city: I’ve been living in the Iowa City/Coralville area for the past 14 years. I came here for grad school in creative writing, bought a house after I sold my first book, and firmly planted myself.

Current employment: I’m the owner/founder of The Iowa Book Doctors, a company that specializes in content editing books for publishers, creativity coaching for aspiring writers, and ghostwriting. The biggest challenge with being an entrepreneur is that I’ve had to take on a wide range of tasks, from finding clients and selling contracts, to writing and editing books, managing accounting, advertising, hiring, etc. Though the business has had some great years, changes in the publishing industry in recent years have created some very difficult challenges.

Why I chose Tippie: Living in the area, I’ve come to know quite a few Tippie grads, and so I’ve heard many good things. Since my wife and I are raising a young son, and need to stay near by to help my wife’s parents, I wanted to find a school close to home, and Tippie was the perfect fit.

Something unique about me: I’ve written a number of award winning books, although many of them were written as a ghostwriter, so the only people who know what I’ve done are either the famous people I’ve written for, or the publishers and agents who set up the deal. I was selected for Barnes and Nobles “Discover Great New Writers” Award in 2009 for my own work, and have just completed another book which my agent is currently shopping around. I spend a lot of time at home with my wife, son, and three dogs, but I do get out and play softball quite a bit in the local city leagues.  Playing softball is a way for me to stay in touch with my competitive/athletic side, and the team that I’m player/coach for has had the good fortune to win the league title numerous times in the past years.