There are 36 freshman women serving in the 116th Congress, more than ever before. So far, the media has focused on just a few of them. But most freshman women in Congress fall somewhere to the right and center — including Abby Finkenauer from Iowa. The Lily 

Sara Gotch loved classic diner dishes like chicken and tuna salad sandwiches. What she didn’t love were the calories present in the mayonnaise at the base of those salads. This is what inspired the start of her Cedar Rapids business, Gnarly Pepper. Cedar Rapids Gazette 

It’s a powerful visual image — dozens of female college students helping each other get started on the right foot in business. And it’s a common sight at Women in Business meetings, a student-led organization in the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business in Iowa City.Cedar Rapids Gazette 

Iowa’s Megan Gustafson continues to make award-winning history. On Thursday, she became the first player in Big Ten Conference history to be named the Associated Press women’s basketball player of the year. Iowa City Press-Citizen

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More older women are returning to work or continuing in jobs for a variety of reasons, including retirement-savings shortfalls and surprise expenses. Financial Advisor Online 

Women who hold leadership positions in businesses are working to change the way companies treat employees, especially mothers. Refinery29