An Iowa City native studying economics and international relations, with a focus on finding ways to promote environmental cooperation between the U.S. and China, has been named a 2016 Rhodes scholar. West High School alumnus Jeffrey Ding was among 32 Americans who were chosen out of 869 applicants for the scholarship to attend Oxford University in England. In addition to economics, Ding is also studying political science and Chinese at the University of Iowa. Ding has said much of his studies have focused on looking into ways the two counties can work together on environmental issues.

University of Iowa alumna Laura Semprini, 27, of Iowa City, IA and her husband Jason Semprini, 28, of Cedar Rapids, IA have been accepted into the Peace Corps and will depart for Fiji Aug. 31 to begin training as a youth development volunteers. The Semprinis will live and work at the community level to promote and develop healthy lifestyles and environmental awareness in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth and Sport.

Audrey Williams, of West Des Moines, IA, has received a 2015-16 Fulbright U.S. Student Award to analyze Turkish development cooperation with Somalia, Kenya and Sudan. Audrey is a 2013 graduate of the University of Iowa with a B.A. in political science and French. She is currently working as a Program Associate for Partnership for a Secure America in Washington D.C.

45 years ago, Ali Soliman arrived at the Iowa City Bus Depot with one suitcase that contained everything he owned. Dr. Soliman, currently Chairman of the United Nations' Association of International Civil Servants, sent us these reflections of his life as a graduate student in economics in Iowa City in the early 1970s.