Written by: Blake Etringer

Josephine Gittler, the Wiley B. Rutledge Professor of Law, has been honored with the 2026 Person of Character Award from the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University. 

The Ray Center’s annual Iowa Character Awards honor Iowans whose actions reflect integrity, leadership, responsibility, and a commitment to serving their communities.

The selection committee honored Gittler for advancing protections for vulnerable populations and for founding the Alliance for Civic Education of Iowa (ACE). Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to service, leadership, and strengthening communities.

Friends and colleagues call her “extremely accomplished” and note she broke barriers as the first female faculty member at the University of Iowa College of Law. During her career, she worked diligently to revise guardianship and conservatorship in Iowa, reforms that were eventually signed into law.

“I’ve done my best with many others to engage in efforts to make sure that adults and children who are vulnerable for various reasons receive the care and the protection that they need,” Gittler said, on her work to reform guardianship and conservatorship law in Iowa.

Gittler was also recognized for her passion and work advocating for civic education. Through her leadership with ACE, she helped secure the passage of legislation in 2025 that makes passing the U.S. citizenship civics test a high school graduation requirement in Iowa. Then, in 2026, she advocated for a bill that was signed into law that establishes a seal of civics excellence for high school graduates who demonstrate civic knowledge and engagement beyond standard requirements.

Gittler and her fellow Iowa Character Award recipients were recently recognized on July 31 during a ceremony in Altoona, Iowa. Local television station KDSM produced a short video with comments from friends and colleagues highlighting Gittler’s story and impact.