Authored by Alyssa Guzman

In an effort to raise awareness about the tragedy that has struck Nepal, community members gathered for a candlelight vigil Tuesday in Cedar Rapids.

A smell of beef, peppers, and onions filled a room in the University Capital Center. Bulgogi, a traditional Korean dish made of a mixture of rice, meat and vegetables, was cooked and served to those who participated in the first Korean cultural class following a relatively new partnership between the University of Iowa and a Korean institute. Since the partnership, the King Sejong Institute has taught Korean language courses, and it is trying to expand the program to focus on more cultural-related classes.

The University of Iowa has incorporated several new events into Homecoming Week to help students get more involved and give back to the community. Another initiative to keep a larger population of students involved is also being implemented. Virtual Homecoming will allow international and domestic alumni who aren’t able to be there to experience Iowa’s Homecoming in person to be able to experience it online.

The University of Iowa has collaborated with Ewha Womans University of Seoul, South Korea, to start a Korean language institute on campus. The UI has collaborated with Ewha since last winter, and it will hold an official grand opening for the Korean language institute in the coming months.

Upon arriving at the UI his freshman year, Yuhao Cai was paired in Stanley Residence Hall with roommate Jared Szabo, an Iowa native who was also a freshman. Szabo, a fifth-year UI senior, says his hometown of Postville, Iowa, is “a really diverse town,” so being paired with an international roommate “wasn’t too much of a shock.” Cai, on the other hand, was nervous his roommate would fit his perception of American stereotypes.