Paras Bassuk (BS psychology ‘25) is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Spain for 2025-26. 

Japanese Olympian Keisuke Otoguro is training in Iowa City through a Japanese Olympic Committee scholarship to prepare for a national team coaching role. Supported by Iowa alumnus John Lemkuil and the University of Iowa wrestling teams, Otoguro is immersing himself in U.S. wrestling culture and strengthening the Iowa-Yamanashi sister-state relationship. His presence signifies a growing international connection beyond the mat.

University of Iowa sophomore Kara Juhl, who has never traveled outside the U.S., will focus on her Spanish proficiency in Santiago, Chile for the fall 2025 semester.

The scholarship is intended to support students who study abroad with the intent to serve as Global Access Ambassadors upon their return to the UI campus.

Eltayeb Ahmed, Natalie Kehrli, and Isabella Rivera share how the grant gave them opportunities to grow outside the classroom.

“Seeing a local community form between Argentine natives and foreigners from around the world, and participating in this exchange, I learned so much about the possibilities of cultural exchange."

Gabby Kang, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) peer assistant, received a Tom Rocklin Meet the Challenge Award, and Shuhui Lin, ISSS international education program and student affairs advisor, received the Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award.

Brenda Gao, a University of Iowa student studying psychology, from Iowa City, Iowa, has been awarded a 2025 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Japanese this summer in Okayama, Japan.

Dean Ganim celebrates our international students, reflects on a visit from colleagues from Ghana and Kenya, and comments on recent study abroad and Fulbright events.

Global Access Ambassador Grace Ziomek, a double major in English & creative writing and theatre arts, participated in the IES Dublin Writers Program in fall 2024.