With the Iowa women’s golf team recruiting four freshmen earlier in the fall season, including one from Canada and one from Spain, it seems as if Iowa’s latest recruitment is paying off.

This May will again be the season of graduation, and students have been considering their plans for life after graduation. For international students, it can be an especially difficult time. They must decide whether stay in the United States, go back to their home countries, pursue more education, or begin to work.

A new program from University of Iowa Student Legal Services is trying to aid international students in understanding their rights while living in Iowa. Because international students are often unfamiliar with U.S. laws, the university started the program to inform students of their rights.

Some international students working in dining halls or convenience stores are there for one primary reason, and it’s not for the paycheck. They are after a Social Security number.

Some University of Iowa students will soon “hijab-it-up,” break a “fastathon” with crêpes, and pass out flowers of faith. This week, the UI Muslim Student Association will host its first Islam Awareness Week, a series of events designed to raise awareness and understanding of Islam on campus.

KCRG-TV special on Iowa City and its growing Chinese student population. "Leaders in Iowa City are working to better welcome members of the Chinese community with the hopes it will result in more international students eventually taking up permanent residency in the area..."

Zadok Nampala, international student adviser at North Iowa Area Community College, can relate to those he's helping because he was once in their shoes. Nampala, or "Z," as he is known around campus, grew up in Kenya and attended Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids and the University of Iowa. Nampala, who has been at NIACC since August, speaks seven languages and frequently uses three of them — Spanish, Arabic and Swahili — when speaking to the international students at NIACC so "they feel at home," he said.

University of Iowa international students may find a stack of invitations from local Christians and other religious groups when they arrive on campus each semester. After coming to the university, many international students are encouraged by local Christians to participate in activities and events with them.

Bank’s effort part of Iowa City area’s continuing efforts to better welcome Chinese students. Hills Bank and Trust has become the first Corridor bank to offer Mandarin as a language option on automated teller machines. The Hills-based bank updated the ATM in the lobby of its Old Capitol Town Center office in mid-December. The bank plans to install Mandarin on other ATMs across the University of Iowa campus as part of software upgrades.

Luis Germán Vargas, originally from Bucaramangaro, Colombia, graduated from the University of Iowa in 1972 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Today he lives in Cali, Colombia where he works as a Projects Engineer for Colgate Palmolive.

Originally from Hong Kong, Agnes graduated from the University of Iowa International Writing Program in 2008 as an Honorary Fellow in Writing. Since then, she has accomplished a wide range of achievements. She was awarded the Nosside International Poetry Prize (Special Mention) in 2008 and some of her poems have been translated into German, Italian and other languages.

Harold Van Beek is an alumnus from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His family is here with him which includes his best friend and wife, Astrid, their son Laurens, who will attend the University of Iowa next year, and two dogs, Kiba and Mocha.