Eweosa Owenaze, from Lagos, Nigeria, is a third-year JD candidate at the University of Iowa (UI) College of Law. Before moving to the U.S., she worked as a state attorney directly under the director of public prosecution in a state government for several years. Learn more about her experience at the UI through the Q&A piece below.  

What prompted you to pursue a JD degree at the UI?  

I originally moved to the U.S. on a partial scholarship to pursue a Master of Laws degree at a different institution with a concentration in intellectual property and technology law. During my master’s degree program, I felt the need to learn more about the American legal system and this prompted me to pursue a JD degree at the UI.    

Can you tell us about your research experience?  

I work as a law research assistant in the UI College of Law and my research is largely focused on intellectual property and activities at the Federal Circuit Court. This has been a learning curve and it has afforded me the opportunity to apply some of the knowledge garnered during my master’s degree program.    

Can you tell us about your experience with International Student Support and Engagement (ISSE)? 

I recently started working for ISSE and it has been a nice experience helping plan events for international students. This has also exposed me to other areas of the campus and helped me interact with more international students. I am currently the only graduate/professional student on the team, and this affords me the opportunity and privilege to serve international graduate and professional students and, hopefully, help plan events that serve this group of people better. In this role, I hope to help introduce more graduate and professional students to the ISSE, and to leverage my experience as an international professional student.    

What are your future career plans and goals? 

After graduating next spring, I will be joining the transactional practice group of a global law firm. The UI College of Law has prepared me for this position as I have been able to take some practical classes, and further sharpened my research and writing skills.    

What advice would you give to other international students and scholars on campus?  

Being an international student is not easy, but with focus and hard work, it can be a really rewarding process. It is completely okay to feel overwhelmed from time to time and to face rejections along the way, but the most important thing is the ability to pick yourself back up, remind yourself of what motivated you in the first place and the sacrifices you have made so far, and keep going. In the end, it always works out. 

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.