Dr. Heather Brady and Alumna Michele (Bragdon) Gustafson '88 Mentor Youth Through Dream Team Des Moines

July 30, 2026

Dr. Heather Brady, professor of liberal arts at Grand View University, recently served as a mentor with the Dream Team Des Moines program, helping prepare a group of 42 youth riders for this year's RAGBRAI alongside fellow mentor and Grand View alumna Michele (Bragdon) Gustafson '88.

Dream Team Des Moines is a youth mentoring program that uses cycling to help young people develop confidence, resilience, and leadership skills. Through months of training and mentorship, participants prepare to complete RAGBRAI while building meaningful relationships and learning life skills that extend far beyond the ride.

As a Dream Team mentor, Brady trained with youth riders from February through July, encouraging them as they prepared for the weeklong cycling event across Iowa.

"The program brings together youth from all over the Des Moines metro," Brady said. "It challenges kids to build mental and physical strength through cycling and provides support through mentoring. They learn to thrive through foundational leadership skills like teamwork, empathy, and communication that build resilience long beyond the program."

For Brady, the experience offered opportunities to connect with students while exploring communities across Iowa.

"I loved exploring small town Iowa and seeing the communities through the eyes of youth," she said. "But the highlight for me was when our journey took us to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, where we played ball together on the field where the movie was filmed. I personally enjoyed sharing my love of baseball with one of the youth riders, who learned to throw a baseball for the first time."

Brady and Gustafson joined 42 youth riders in successfully completing RAGBRAI, celebrating months of hard work, perseverance, and mentorship. Their participation reflects Grand View University's commitment to community engagement and developing future leaders both on and off campus.

Photos from the week can be found here.