I just assumed that they said Iowa University because they wanted to use a fake name or didn't feel they could use a real school - I wasn't aware of Iowa's Writer's Workshop. Being Hallmark, I'm just surprised they didn't have her college options end up being a choice between College University and State Tech A&M.
That said, Follow Me to Daisy Hills was just dreadful. The lighting was horrible (e.g. the first scene with Blake made him look like an albino or a vampire) and the background music was way too loud (including the incessant guitar strumming in the beginning party scene). I can't wait to listen to the Deck the Hallmark podcast of this one!