Dear all, 

Happy first semester! 

I hope everyone’s summer was a restful one and that you feel refreshed heading into the new academic year. These past few weeks at Iowa have been exciting as students have come back, and life on campus becomes more active.  

For International Programs, fall revival is best typified by the arrival of our new international students. Orientation for graduate and professional students began two weeks before classes, with orientation for new undergraduates held the week after. We are delighted to welcome these new Hawkeyes and are energized by their presence. 

As most of you know, our international student and scholar community has faced a number of challenges in recent years. However, they have shown great flexibility and resilience, and International Programs will do all we can to support them. This year, we have around 190 new students from international destinations, and we are grateful that they have chosen the University of Iowa to pursue their academic and professional aspirations. We are inspired by the example set by our entire international community and look forward to helping them build successful lives in their new home. Special thanks go to our International Student and Scholar Services team for all the advice they have provided these past few months. Their professionalism, dedication, and collegiality have been exceptional.  

Also noteworthy this summer is the work our Faculty and Staff Immigration Services (FSIS) unit has put into processing visas, immigration documentation, and work authorizations for UI’s international employees. This landscape has changed rapidly in recent times and continues to evolve. IP is deeply appreciative of the effort FSIS invests in performing these invaluable functions on behalf of the University of Iowa. 

As we move into fall, we want to acknowledge the great work of our Study Abroad team who sent hundreds of students to international destinations over the summer, the period when we see the highest participation in overseas programs. Ensuring the health, safety, and security of our students abroad while making sure they enjoy meaningful and often transformative experiences is no easy feat. We salute our Study Abroad directors and advisors for their success in shepherding this summer’s cohort. And what better way to prepare for this year’s travel than the annual Study Abroad Fair, which will take place on September 15? 

And finally, this dean’s message is coming to you from Nairobi, where we are working with the Tippie College of Business and the UI College of Law to strengthen long-standing connections in Kenya and East Africa. It was our great pleasure to host a dinner for UI alumni who participated in the Mandela Washington Fellows program over the past decade. I’ll provide more information about the trip next month, but wanted to let you know that IP is always eager to expand the UI’s footprint across the globe. 

Enjoy the fall term and all best,