Congratulations, Parker, on Your Ruby Rainbow Scholarship!

Let me introduce you to Parker Libolt of Center Point, Iowa. Parker is as big a Hawkeye fan as you’ll ever meet because he is living the dream of being enrolled in the REACH program at the University of Iowa. If you wonder how a young man with Down syndrome got into a Big Ten school, he might say: “I applied was accepted. How does anyone else do it?”

But he had lots of help, of course. That help starts with his parents Rob and Jessica, who raised him like any other kid. They never set limits on what he could achieve and let him dream big.
Parker is a three-time winner of a scholarship from the Ruby’s Rainbow Foundation that supports aspiring college students with Down syndrome throughout the country. Parker accepted his most recent $5,000 scholarship at GiGi’s Playhouse on Wednesday evening, and we were delighted to welcome him and a crew from WHO-TV, they did a story on Parker for the 10 p.m. newscast. Since the Ruby’s Rainbow Foundation began in 2011, they have awarded 883 scholarships totally over $3.2 million dollars!

Parker is aiming to graduate in 2026 and is developing key life and career skills through his studies, which includes independent living, workplace readiness, literacy, and budgeting. He is also participating in an internship that provides valuable hands-on experience, helping him build confidence, collaborate with others and grow more independent.

Parker has big goals for his future. He hopes to live with a roommate in an apartment and work in the sports field. In addition to following his beloved Hawkeyes, he loves cheering for the Cubs, Lakers, and Chiefs. In his free time, you’ll find him playing video games, calling family and friends, or exploring Iowa City on his own. That’s right, Parker navigates a Big Ten campus by himself.
He enjoys the social side of college life, especially going to sporting events and making memories with his classmates. And if there’s one thing he’ll always make time for, it’s ice cream. Parker’s a self-proclaimed connoisseur.

GiGi’s Playhouse is proud to know you, Parker — Keep rockin’ it, Buddy!