University of Iowa (UI) student Arieanna Grage has been awarded the prestigious Freeman-ASIA Award for study in Asia, a competitive scholarship that supports undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
A native of Rockwell City, Iowa—a town with fewer than 2,300 residents—Grage, who is majoring in criminal justice with a minor in Korean studies, will study at Korea University in Seoul during the fall 2025 semester. She is one of a select number of UI students to have ever received this competitive award.
“It just goes to show that hard work can get you great things,” Grage said. “I really didn’t think I’d get it, but getting scholarships was integral for me to study abroad.”
Grage added that studying abroad is especially meaningful to her as someone who has had to navigate college and financial planning on her own.
“I want to show students from small towns like mine that there’s so much more out there. Traveling and learning languages can open doors you didn’t even know existed.”
“It’s a great feeling knowing I earned this scholarship based on my application instead of relying on student loans or family,” Grage said. “My mom and dad passed away, and I have to support myself. So, it just feels so good to achieve it myself.”
Grage’s interest in learning Korean began with her love of K-pop, a form of popular music originating from South Korea. She decided to pursue a Korean studies minor after transferring to Iowa from a community college in Fort Dodge. Grage will extend her undergraduate studies by a semester to study abroad in South Korea—a decision she made with intention.
“I want to be fluent,” she said. “Going to South Korea, immersed in the language, is the best way for me to learn.”
Despite spending most of her life in Rockwell City, also known as the “Golden Buckle on the Corn Belt,” Grage said she has been preparing for this experience for years. Her passion for language learning and international travel began in high school, when she took Spanish and participated in trips to Costa Rica and Ecuador.
“After going on my Spanish trip in high school, I caught the travel bug,” said Grage. “I come from a really small town with not a lot of diversity, and I realized there’s a lot more out there after that trip, and I wanted to explore more.”
Grage met with her UI study abroad advisor, Ana Jimenez, who introduced her to the Freeman-ASIA opportunity as she worked to piece together funding to make her international education plans a reality.
“I’m a worrier; I literally started looking into this program while I was still back in my hometown two years before I moved to Iowa City,” Grage said. “We had a Zoom meeting, and then I came to Iowa City to meet her, which was awesome because she answered all of my questions,” Grage said.
Grage, who plans to pursue a law degree after graduating from Iowa, sees studying Korean abroad as a way to build a unique skill set—one that will allow her to help clients who may not speak English. After Grage returns in the spring, she hopes to inspire other students from her hometown to pursue a language abroad.
“I want to show students from small towns like mine that there’s so much more out there,” she said. “Traveling and learning languages can open doors you didn’t even know existed.”
Learn more about Iowa’s study abroad scholarship opportunities
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.