During her MA in International Studies at the University of Iowa, Rupe became involved with the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC).

UI senior Caitlyn Kavan is a go-getter. Since the beginning of her time at the University of Iowa, she’s been an advocate for refugees, a student athlete, a member of seven multicultural student organizations, and an on-campus facilitator for discussions about breaking racial stereotypes. She can be found here at the International Programs office where she works as an outreach assistant, helping students find the study abroad destination of their dreams.

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.

Zwina is one of the most beautiful (ha) words in the Arabic language, in part because it can describe literally everything – the food is zwina, the weather’s zwina, this class is zwina. The idea of food being beautiful or tasting beautiful is a strange expression in English, but is common and complimentary in Darija. In Rabat, Morocco, the world is zwina – the people, the ancient city, the cafés on the corners and morning call to prayer. The weather is a sunny 75 degrees, and coastal breeze blows in each evening from the sea. The Kingdom of Morocco is zwina.

When I was applying to IES Rabat study abroad program, I struggled with the question of whether or not to stay with a host family so much that I submitted my housing application two weeks late. I had heard good things about homestays from friends who had studied abroad, but was worried about the awkward interactions that the language barrier would create, worried that I might lose all the independence I had gained when I moved to college after high school. Others warned me that I was moving to a dangerous country in which the culture was too different from my own for me to function within the confines of a foreign family unit. It would be more comfortable for me to live with other Americans in a condo in the city.

In Morocco, they take it easy. As soon as my plane lands in Rabat, I can feel the change. The other passengers do not push against each other to stand in the aisle. They take their time gathering backpacks and briefcases from the overhead compartments. My flight is late, but that’s no problem. IES Abroad’s driver is just arriving to take me to the Center, where the other students are. I don’t know much Darija (the local dialect) yet, and he doesn’t know English. We smile at each other. It’s not uncomfortable.