Dear all, 

Happy New Year! 

I hope you’ve had a lovely holiday and are enjoying a restful break as we move into 2024. The end of one year and the beginning of the next serves as a great time to celebrate the accomplishments of students pursuing international endeavors. As the calendar year closed, International Programs (IP) received some excellent news in learning that six Iowa students were awarded prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships. Run by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute for International Education, the Gilman Scholarship is conferred upon Pell-eligible students whose interests lie in global affairs. Many recipients specialize in either the STEM fields or critical languages. This year’s UI awardees plan to study in, among other places, London and South Korea, with disciplines ranging from finance and marketing to journalism and mass communications, international studies, and Arabic language. The application process is a strenuous one, often involving months of preparation. In congratulating these students, IP also applauds its exceptional team of study abroad advisors who mentored the candidates and put them in the best position possible to receive the coveted Gilman awards. 

This January, we are pleased to report that enrollment in our winterim study abroad programs continues to rebound. Especially encouraging are the numbers of students who spent the January term as Global Access Ambassador awardees. With the help of the Stanley-University of Iowa Foundation Support Organization, this winter’s ambassadors will visit Australia, India, Cuba, and the United Kingdom. Upon their return, they will share their experiences with prospective study abroad applicants to boost recruitment and participation in Iowa’s future global programming. Additional J-term student destinations include France, Greece, and Spain, with many of these programs led by UI faculty. Data analytics, finance, water access, and creative writing head the list of subjects covered. January proves to be a convenient time for many Hawkeyes to go abroad, with several students availing themselves either of specialized course work or internships. 

While we tout the accomplishments of our students abroad, we also proudly acknowledge the achievements of our international students. Each December, I have the privilege of reading names at the doctoral hooding ceremony held in Hancher Auditorium. This fall’s student address was given by an international student, Khaliunaa Bayanbold, who earned her PhD in biomedical science. Originally from Mongolia, Bayanbold talked about how her time at Iowa provided her not only with academic expertise, but also interpersonal skills that allowed her to flourish in a new environment. Bayanbold is now a postdoctoral research scholar of medical genetics and genomics in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center. Stories such as Khaliunaa Bayanbold’s serve as an inspiration for our entire community while highlighting worldwide appeal of Iowa’s vast and deep research infrastructure. In this vein, Iowa’s international brand achieved wider recognition last month by being named part of the Rise Global program sponsored by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust. Rise Global tackles contemporary challenges by supporting talented youth of limited means across the world. Iowa has the honor of being the first public university in North America to be invited to the partnership, and IP is proud to work with the UI Office of Admissions in securing and promoting this groundbreaking venture. 

Each of these developments underscores Iowa’s status as a leader in global education. And thanks to you, our friends and supporters, we are able to maintain this high standing. Please accept my warmest wishes for 2024, and in case you missed it, enjoy the video below recapping the best of what IP is—and does—this year, and always. 

Yours, 

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.