Born in Ghana and an Iowan since his teens, Eddie Etsey’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of everything he does. At the University of Iowa, Eddie champions technological inclusivity while ensuring a seamless and enriching game day experience for fans. That’s a tall feat considering that University of Iowa football games at Kinnick Stadium have a strong attendance record, bringing in almost 70,000 fans per game.
Lot Legends is presented by ParkHub’s Amanda Browning, VP of Customer Experience, and Hongzhou Liu, Director of Revenue Operations, to shine a spotlight on the hardworking and passionate individuals working in our industry. To learn more about ParkHub’s best-in-class suite of parking management technology, book a demo today.
Amanda: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Eddie, can you tell us about your background and what led you to the University of Iowa?
Eddie: I was born and raised in Ghana, where I experienced a deeply community-oriented culture. At age 14, I moved to the United States when my father came to pursue his PhD in Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Iowa. I distinctly remember him looking at a map and saying, “Let’s go to Iowa. It looks like a nice place, right in the middle of nowhere.” And so, our journey led us to Iowa.
Upon arriving in the U.S., I faced a significant culture shock. It was my first time encountering a predominantly white environment, with very few people of color. Navigating school and making friends proved challenging, as the social environment felt quite cliquish. It took time for me to understand who I was and what direction I wanted to take. Unfortunately, by the time I figured it out, I was already nearing graduation.
Academically, my parents set a high standard—they were both pursuing PhDs. Naturally, I sought guidance on my next steps after high school. However, when I approached my high school guidance counselor about college, he not only discouraged me but suggested that my best prospects were to become a supervisor at a fast-food restaurant or a shift lead at the local grocery store, where I was already employed. His assessment based on preconceived notions about my potential indicated I was “destined” to be a high school dropout.
For many international students like myself, entering a new culture comes with the burden of others’ assumptions about your abilities. In my case, the school district placed me in the lowest academic track, limiting my opportunities from the start. The assumption was that I wouldn’t succeed academically, but that narrative became a powerful motivator for me.
That experience, along with guidance from my mother, shaped my outlook. She often reminded me of two key lessons: “You can fix a broken bone, but not a broken mind—so don’t let anyone break your mind.” And, “Only two people know more about you than anyone else: me, the one who gave birth to you, and God, the one who created you. Those are the only opinions that matter—well, and your father’s too.”
Despite the setbacks, my parents advocated for me at the University of Iowa, and I was granted a probationary admission. After a year, I earned a GPA high enough to be admitted as a full-time student. Since then, I have completed degrees in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Informatics with a focus on Data Analytics. I am now pursuing a Doctorate degree in Educational Policy and Leadership, a journey fueled by the challenges and lessons from my early experiences.
Amanda: I know that you are passionate about the idea of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the idea of diversity of thought, not just diversity of people. How have you been able to bring that ideology into the IT department at University of Iowa?
Eddie: The representation of Black men in the IT industry remains limited, with even fewer Black women in the field. Historically, the IT sector has been dominated by white men, but that dynamic has gradually shifted. In fact, my small unit within the athletic department is very diverse, and that diversity is no accident.
I have made it a point to intentionally seek out individuals from a variety of backgrounds—not solely based on appearance, but on shared experiences. To be successful, it’s critical to bring together different perspectives, as this ensures that when decisions are made, or when addressing specific populations, no important viewpoints are overlooked.
Unfortunately, many institutions, when engaging in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work, focus primarily on hiring people who look different, without truly emphasizing equity and inclusion. My approach has been to focus on the inclusion aspect. When people feel included and valued, the diversity piece naturally follows, as they spread the word about how much they enjoy their work environment and how fulfilling their roles are. This approach creates a positive cycle of engagement and representation, which enhances the overall culture of the organization.
Hongzhou: I do want to take a second to talk about Eddie’s Teddies. I know that you’re doing a lot of great work there. So, I wanted to talk to you about where the motivation for that came from.
Eddie: Service or helping others has always been a passion of mine. Earlier in my life, I decided, if “I can’t do, then I will empower others to do.” One day, I came across research that revealed something remarkable: children who have a companion during hospitalization heal at twice the rate of those who don’t. This immediately made me think of kids in Ghana, where many parents are hardworking farmers, fishermen, and laborers. When their children fall ill, these parents often have no choice but to drop them off at the hospital and return to their demanding work.
One day after Valentine’s Day, I visited Walmart and saw that teddy bears were on sale for about $1 each. I bought 50 of them and, that December, took them to Ghana. I’ll never forget handing a teddy bear to one child in particular. The child hugged it so tightly, began to cry, and then hugged me. We were both standing there, crying and holding each other, and in that moment, I felt something powerful. It was a feeling I wanted to experience every day for the rest of my life.
That moment inspired the creation of Eddie’s Teddies. What started with giving teddy bears to children has since evolved into so much more. We’ve expanded to provide school supplies, build libraries, constructed a school, and even purchased a bus to help kids get to school. The impact we can make has grown, but at the core, it’s still about bringing comfort, support, and opportunity to these children
Amanda: The way that you live your life inspires others to do so. The legacy you’ll leave in every aspect of your life will definitely be measurable. But because I have to connect this back to parking, and tech, what do you hope your legacy will be at the University of Iowa?
Eddie: My goal is for everyone who enters our world—whether they are coaches, staff, students, or the 100,000 fans who attend our events—to have the best possible experience and to share that experience with others. A key part of achieving this is creating an inclusive environment. Shared experiences naturally draw people back, and I want to ensure that everyone—fans, athletes, coaches, students, and staff—feels comfortable and confident using all aspects of our technology.
This is why our partnership with ParkHub is so valuable. It allows fans to prepay for parking, plan their trip ahead of time, and know exactly where they will park. On game day, couple hours before kickoff, they can simply pull in, scan, park, and head to the stadium—whether they want to tailgate or not—ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience from start to finish.
Hongzhou: When it comes to transforming the gameday experience at Iowa, what is a great achievement that your team accomplished?
Eddie: Over the past few years, we’ve made significant strides in enhancing our technological capabilities but there is still work to be done. As I mentioned, we’ve partnered with ParkHub for seamless parking solutions, we implemented new concession point-of-sale system (cashless), our web spaces have improved drastically, and we are able to make certain data-driven decisions to improve gameday experience for our fans, coaches and athletes.
My ultimate goal is to create a fully integrated experience for our fans. I envision a scenario where, from the comfort of their home, fans can pay for parking, pre-order and pay for food, map out their seats, plan their route to the stadium, and even schedule when they want their food delivered—whether it’s at the start of the second quarter or another time. I’m also exploring how we can enhance our mobile app or Jumbotron displays to provide real-time updates on things like bathroom availability, further improving the fan experience.
Hongzhou: The perspective that you’ve given us has really been eye-opening. Thanks for sitting down with us and sharing.
Eddie: Thank you for having me. It’s my pleasure.