Dear all,

Summer moves quickly, doesn’t it?!? I hope you’ve all had some rest and are gearing up for the coming academic year. July is normally a time to tend to the home front, and this past month was no exception. As the month began, we had the privilege of welcoming President Barbara Wilson and Provost Kevin Kregel to our office. The president and provost visit colleges and central service units on a regular basis, and it was a delight to receive them on July 10. We scheduled an “Around the World” tour, where the International Programs (IP) leadership team highlighted our success with Fulbright, study abroad, the passport office, international student and scholar services, donor stewardship, and faculty support for research. Both the president and provost were impressed by the wide range of resources we offer in our efforts to internationalize the University of Iowa (UI)’s campus. IP is grateful for the support President Wilson and Provost Kregel have shown us over the years. They both firmly believe in Iowa’s role as a leader in the field of global education and in the value of international education as a whole. IP looks forward to reinforcing the already strong relationship we have with UI senior leadership.

The day after the president’s and provost’s visit, IP held its annual reception for the Mandela Washington Fellows. Each year, IP partners with the Institute for International Business in the UI Tippie College of Business to host nearly 30 scholars and entrepreneurs from Sub-Saharan Africa. During their time in Iowa, the fellows attend workshops, visit businesses and governmental agencies, and interact with the population of the corridor, all in an effort to further their professional development. The Mandela Washington Fellows program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and operates in part through the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which has centers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. IP’s annual reception is a social gathering where the fellows talk about their home cultures, their professional aspirations, and their perspectives on Iowa and the U.S. We are impressed by the number of UI faculty who attended the reception and, as always, were honored by the presence of Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague, who takes time from his busy schedule not only to come to the reception, but to give the fellows a tour of City Hall and explain the workings of municipal government. Special thanks go to Daniel Vorwerk in our office for organizing the reception, as well as to our friends Dimy Doresca, Fernand Bila, and Jayne Meacham of the Institute for International Business who spend months organizing the fellows’ six-week stay at Iowa. One of the most rewarding features of having the fellows here is they develop a fondness for the university and for Iowa City that translates into continued interaction once they return home. The result is that we count the fellows among our alumni network in Sub-Saharan Africa and touch base with them when we visit the continent. The fellows extend and deepen our global Hawkeye network, with these connections playing a large role in promoting the Iowa brand in emerging world markets.

Our alumni network also extends to graduates of CIMBA, our largest study abroad program headquartered in Paderno del Grappa, Italy. CIMBA’s MBA and executive programs draw students from all over the world and provide unique teaching and learning experiences for Iowa students and faculty. One of the highlights of the summer is always the CIMBA graduation, a weekend-long event on the UI campus that celebrates student achievement as well as faculty mentorship and expertise. We look forward to the CIMBA graduation because it allows time to reconnect with Al Ringleb, CIMBA’S founder, and Cristina Turchet, its executive director. The drive and enthusiasm Al and Cristina instill in their students is readily on display and creates an energy around CIMBA found in few other programs. Also responsible for CIMBA’s success are Dean Amy Kristof-Brown, the participating faculty in the UI Tippie College of Business, as well as the CIMBA staff located in Iowa City, namely Stephanie Schnicker, Sharon Ho, and Joelle Petersen. This year, I had the honor of conferring the awards upon our newly minted MBA graduates, and I am grateful for the opportunity to officially recognize the work of such a fine group of administrators, faculty, and students.

The month of July was capped by a visit from 11 EducationUSA officers. These advisors were part of a StudyIowa tour, and hailed from countries such as Ukraine, Ghana, Morocco, Egypt, Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China. The purpose of their visit was to familiarize themselves with the UI campus and its programs to relay information about Iowa to high school counselors and prospective students in other countries. The Office of Admissions arranged the visit, and IP was most pleased to connect with colleagues whose assistance is crucial to our international student recruitment efforts. As we see more students from these parts of the globe applying to Iowa, it will be ever more important to maintain these key relationships. Either at home or abroad, IP’s global mission moves forward. Thanks again to all of you for your tremendous support.  

Enjoy the remainder of the summer and all best,

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.