Dear all,

Spring is on its way in Iowa City and I hope you’re experiencing warmer temperatures as well. February was marked by a number of remarkable events in International Programs, and I am delighted to share them with you.

First and foremost, we celebrated the University of Iowa's (UI) continued success in the realm of Fulbright. On February 13, we were named a Fulbright Top Producer for the eighth time in nine years. This achievement underscores the remarkable work of our Fellowships Director, Karen Wachsmuth, as well as that of her staff, Ari Natarina and Sylvia Dean. Applause also goes to our many faculty mentors who, along with Karen, Ari, and Sylvia, spend countless hours meeting students, reviewing drafts, and coaching candidates through the interview process.  

The culmination of this honor was a reception in Washington, D.C., on February 20 at the Planet Word Museum to recognize all institutions of higher learning who receive this honor. The event is always part of the annual meeting of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), and it was a true pleasure to find ourselves once again in such distinguished company. Warmest congratulations are in order for our recipients, our staff, and our mentors who, through their Fulbright success, continue to cement Iowa's place as a leader in global education. 

While in Washington for the AIEA conference, I had the privilege of visiting the new location of the Embassy for the Republic of Kosovo. The purpose of the visit was to brief the embassy on developments related to our cooperative agreement funded by USAID. This project's mission is to create public-private partnerships to develop curricula in higher education that meet market needs. The cooperative agreement has completed its first year and has established a large number of these partnerships. The embassy is eager to help with these collaborations and is very supportive of our efforts in their country.

Closer to home, we rang in the Year of the Dragon on February 9 in Muscatine, Iowa, at the invitation of the Muscatine China Initiative Committee and the Consulate-General of the People's Republic in Chicago. Distinguished guests such as former Governor and Ambassador Terry Branstad and UI alumna Sarah Lande were in attendance. The event consisted of a luncheon which was complemented by speeches, performances, and networking among leaders in business, education, and government who seek to build on existing friendships between the people of Iowa and the people of China.  

February ended with our highly successful Provost's Global Forum entitled, "LGBTQ+ Youth in Global Perspective--Resistance, Resilience, Reimagination. The forum took place February 23-24 and featured speakers from all over the globe as well as community-centered events. The individual stories of triumph over adversity were truly inspiring, and IP was deeply indebted to our colleagues in the College of Education--Will Coghill Behrends, Allison Rowe, and Josh Coleman--who worked over a year to put together the event. Special thanks go to Daniel Arzola, senior graphic designer at the University of Minnesota and originally from Venezuela, who gave the Joel Barkan Memorial Lecture on his work with "Artivism." IP also sends its warmest thanks to our Communications and Relations team for their superb organization and promotion of these activities.

I write this message from O'Hare International Airport bound for the Middle East and France. As a result, next month's Dean's Message will focus on stories from those parts of the world.  

In the meantime, please let me thank, as ever, our friends and supporters who make possible all the good work and goodwill IP brings to our campus and to the world.

All the best,

Russ

International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.