Dear all,
As it is with all summers, this one is moving quickly! July was a very active month for International Programs (IP), and we’re eager to tell you about it. There are two rites of summer IP always celebrates in July: the CIMBA graduation and the visit of the Mandela Washington Fellows.
As most of you know, CIMBA is Iowa’s largest study abroad program. It is run from Italy and is sponsored by our Tippie College of Business. Every summer, the graduating MBA classes come to Iowa City for three weeks to attend a capstone seminar and to connect with University of Iowa (UI) faculty and local businesses. CIMBA’s leadership group and affiliate faculty also come to Iowa City to visit with campus partners. Festivities for graduation weekend consist of a banquet for students, faculty, and staff; followed by the graduation ceremony itself; and then a faculty dinner that evening. For the second consecutive year, I had the honor of bestowing degrees upon the graduates. CIMBA is a vibrant, dynamic group, with the ceremony highlighting the UI’s international presence and impact across the globe. Congratulations to the students and to the CIMBA and Tippie faculty and staff for their commitment to Iowa’s excellence abroad.
Tippie and its Institute for International Business are also heavily involved in bringing the annual cohort of Mandela Washington Fellows (MWF) to the Iowa campus. As in past years, the UI hosted well over 20 scholars and entrepreneurs from sub–Saharan Africa as part of the Young African Leaders Initiative. The Fellows spend six weeks in Iowa, attending seminars and workshops, creating group projects, making local business connections, and visiting with the members of the Iowa City community. IP hosts an annual reception for the Fellows, with the guest list including faculty whose research and teaching interests lie in Africa, and local dignitaries, among them Provost Kevin Kregel and President Barbara Wilson. The reception is more of a social event than anything else and allows the Fellows to build their networks and grow their businesses upon their return home. We are especially grateful for Provost Kregel’s welcome remarks, and, as always, President Wilson’s visit was a big hit, as the Fellows eagerly wanted a picture with her to share with family, friends, and on various social media platforms.
As a kind of coda to the Fellows’ visit, I spent a day at Drake University to attend a mini summit with my counterparts there, as well as representatives from the U.S. Department of State, to discuss the value of the MWF program, its current state, and its future. For the moment, we are optimistic about support for these important initiatives in the developing world. Like Iowa, Drake has welcomed Mandela Fellows for the past nine years. Our state is privileged to welcome two delegations of these outstanding young leaders every summer. Between Iowa and Drake, we have increased our state’s footprint in some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and plan to do so for years to come.
In closing, I’d like to offer a tribute to our great friend, Beverly Brandau, who recently passed away. Beverly was a wonderful friend to IP who sponsored most of the town-gown activities that connected the UI’s international students and scholars with the local community. It was Beverly who generously funded trips to the Amana Colonies, local museums, and apple orchards, in addition to welcome picnics and trivia nights. Her signature contribution was our annual Fall Break Meal, which featured Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of international students and scholars as well as Iowa City locals. Beginning this November, the Fall Break Meal will now bear her name. Beverly always said that everything she did was to foster world peace. She succeeded resoundingly, having brought together hundreds of people and creating an equal number of friendships that last to this day. Beverly was a wonderful soul who will be sorely missed. We are and remain honored to be her friend.
With warm 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.