Dear all, 

Continuing last month’s theme of study abroad, I wanted to lead the August Dean’s message with a report on my trip to Freiburg, Germany, to attend the 60+3 reunion of the Academic Year in Freiburg (AYF). As the numbers suggest, the AYF is now in its seventh decade. Originally called the Junior Year in Freiburg, the AYF is one of a handful of remaining year-long study abroad programs in Germany devoted to the study of German language and culture.  

The AYF, though affiliated with the University of Freiburg, is organized, and coordinated by, four consortium members from the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA): Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, and UW-Madison. This year’s reunion is particularly noteworthy because it again signals our rebound from the pandemic. Planned as a 60th anniversary celebration for 2020, the gathering was delayed three years due to COVID. Undeterred, AYF alumni from decades past met July 5-10, to relive their year abroad, to share stories, and to show support for current and future students.  

Iowa currently has seven students in the program, and it was especially gratifying for me to meet with them and learn more about the ways their academic and personal experiences have been enriched this past year. I am especially impressed by our students’ ability to adapt to new surroundings, and to embrace the challenges posed by learning a new language and culture. In many respects, our Hawkeyes were my guides as we visited the city, hiked through the Black Forest, and discussed the importance of international education as well as the need to promote study abroad. Many of our students held internships during their year abroad, thereby gaining professional skills that will serve them later in life. Hawkeyes also made up a large contingent of the musical group, The Black Forest Badgers, who sang at the reunion’s opening ceremony.  

In addition, it was a great pleasure to meet Iowa alumni who made the trip to Freiburg and were eager to underscore how the AYF played a pivotal role in shaping their lives and careers. Special thanks to the program director, Ulrich Struve, for his superb organizational efforts and for ensuring the AYF’s success over the last 20+ years.  

In looking toward next year, I would like to express my gratitude and support to Professor Michaela Hoenicke-Moore of the UI Department of History, who will serve as academic director for AY 23-24. All the study abroad programs in which Iowa participates have an enormous impact on the student experience. But the Academic Year in Freiburg deserves special mention not only because of its longevity, but because of the breadth and depth of opportunity it gives to Global Hawkeyes. 

While the AYF is Iowa’s most enduring study abroad program, CIMBA Italy is our largest. Known especially for its MBA degrees, CIMBA draws students from all over the world. Each July, CIMBA students, faculty, and administrators come to Iowa City for the annual awards banquet and graduation. International Programs is proud to play a supporting role in the program, which is run through the Tippie College of Business. CIMBA is to be commended not only for its durability, but also for the innovative nature of its curricula and the enthusiasm and loyalty it inspires in its students. It is a privilege for me to participate in the mid-summer ritual that is the CIMBA homecoming, and I look forward to hearing the success stories of these Iowa graduates as they move into the next phase of their careers.  

Mid-summer also means the arrival of our Mandela Washington Fellows, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State to host and train young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa. The University of Iowa, through the Institute for International Business in the Tippie College of Business, has hosted Mandela Fellows for the past nine years. IP held its annual reception for the Fellows on July 13. We were honored that both President Barbara J. Wilson and Provost Kevin Kregel were in attendance and provided remarks. The reception is primarily a social occasion, and it was a delight to talk with the Fellows and learn about their Iowa experiences which included lectures, workshops, and visits with local businesses and government officials. The Mandela Fellows strengthen Iowa’s ties to a crucial part of the world, and we owe a large debt of gratitude to the director of the Institute of International Business, Dimy Doresca (who is also partially appointed in IP!), his staff, as well as Global Ties Iowa for making these annual visits a resounding success. 

And deepest thanks to you, our friends, for your support of all our endeavors. 

With all best wishes, 

Russ 

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.