Marina Kostina (BA ’95/MA ’97/PhD ’11) is changing the way teachers and students interact online. She is also expanding the global reach of higher education through her work in distance learning.

Kostina, who says she came to the United States from Russia 20 years ago with “just a bag in my hand and a dream in my heart,” is now a best-selling author on Amazon and has created her own thriving business, Wired @ Heart, which teaches instructors to build effective online courses.

UI senior Jeannette George was recently featured in the “Get to Know…” section of Iowa Now, where she talks about her love of education, her busy schedule at the UI, and the biggest risk she’s ever taken – traveling to Uganda for 12 weeks to conduct research about sickle-cell anemia. The nursing and international studies major says her brave decision to go to Uganda definitely paid off.

Thousands of miles from Iowa, an earthquake struck China last week, but some University of Iowa students still felt the impact. On April 20, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the center of Ya’an, located in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, killing more than 192 people and leaving more than 11,000 injured, according to the Associated Press. On Thursday night, approximately 100 students each held a white carnation as they encircled the candles that formed a heart shape in the middle of the Kautz Plaza. They then prayed for the victims at Ya’an.

FONDAL, HAITI — The little band of American volunteers sat under a tree, panting and sweating from a taste of daily life in the poor rural villages of Haiti. The group, made up mainly of Iowa doctors, nurses and other medical professionals and students, had spent an hour and a half climbing a winding dirt road up a mountain to this remote village. On the way, they’d seen Haitians making the trek while bearing heavy loads of water, fruit, chickens, firewood and homemade charcoal.

When the volunteers finally arrived in town, scores of villagers were already lined up under the hot March sun, waiting for the rare chance to share their health concerns with a doctor. Casey Panko, a University of Iowa nurse helping lead the team, briefed her exhausted colleagues about the ailments they would treat in the small stucco building that would serve as a clinic.

Hebei province and the US state of Iowa have been friends for 30 years, but 2013 could be a breakthrough year in their business relationship.

"We have a number of exchanges, including in education and culture," Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said on Thursday. "In the area of Chinese business, we're really just getting started."

As the end of the semester nears, come enjoy a late-afternoon concert of haunting Sufi melodies from the Indian Desert. This free concert is open to the public and will be held Friday, April 26, from 4-6 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre. Chai and Indian snacks will be served.