Hancher, the performing arts jewel at the University of Iowa, will host WorldCanvass on September 10 for an outdoor celebration of community. Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague will join Chuck Swanson of Hancher, Russell Ganim of International Programs, and a host of performers and artists including Brian Williams of Step Afrika! and sculptor Colette Hosmer in an exploration of the power of partnerships to enrich and enliven community life. Wellspring: The Power of Partnerships begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. As the program will be held outside, attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and refreshments. Free parking will be available in the Hancher parking lot. Attend in person, join by Zoom, or watch on Facebook Live. Full details here.

Christopher Merrill, professor and director of the University of Iowa's International Writing Program (IWP), has been selected for a Fulbright Specialists project in Poland at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań for 2022. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program, with more than 400,000 participants since 1946.

My CEA Virtual Global Internship in Dublin, Ireland, has helped me discover things I didn’t know I was capable of doing.

As much as I wonder what it would be like working an in-person internship, I have found many benefits of working virtually.

Honors student and marketing major Matthew Hsieh recently won the Innovative Student Video Award from GoAbroad for his film, “Paris – La Nouvelle Experience” based on his study abroad experience in Paris, France, during the Spring 2020 semester. While Hsieh’s time in Paris was cut short due to COVID-19, he says studying abroad is one of the best decisions he has made.

Partly in preparation for the South Caucasus unit of the class, my wife and I traveled to the Republic of Georgia for 11 days in June to see how Georgia is faring as it aspires to shake off the legacies of its Soviet past and transition into a modern, “Western” country.

University of Iowa student Changhyuk (“Jason”) Yu hoped to incorporate a study abroad experience before his intended graduation in December 2021. COVID-19 travel restrictions led Yu to explore virtual study abroad options and the Summer 2021 course offering titled Virtual International Business in Italy caught his eye. The course offered a chance to learn more about the European Union and it also fulfilled two Tippie graduation requirements: an elective for his finance major and a Tippie RISE component.

Marisol Contreras, who is a PhD candidate in chemical engineering at the University of Iowa, is the winner of a Fulbright Study/Research grant in Chemical Engineering to Germany for 2021-22

An exciting lineup of summer virtual study abroad offerings attracted nearly 100 University of Iowa students. Course topics included international business in Italy, women’s empowerment in the Dominican Republic, and cultures of Spain. After reviewing the virtual study abroad course options, Emily Gumal chose Shakespeare’s England. She found it to be a great experience and would recommend it to other students. Learn more about Gumal’s experience.

University of Iowa student Brianna Bentler is a CEA MOJO Blogger and a Virtual Global Intern for an organization in Dublin, Ireland, during the Summer 2021 term.