Authored by Amy Brewster

As certified welcoming communities through Welcoming America (a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization), both Iowa City, Iowa, and Johnson County, Iowa, will celebrate Welcoming Week from September 10–19, 2021. The annual celebration is intended to bring community members of all backgrounds together to connect with one another and convey the value of inclusive and welcoming places.

International students and scholars recently had an opportunity to learn about campus involvement from current and former leadership team members of the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB). Sponsored by International Student Support & Engagement (ISSE) and International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS), the event was held on Friday, August 27, and featured four panel members—each with significant leadership experience in campus student organizations. Shuhui Lin, International Student Support and Engagement Coordinator, moderated the panel.

A partnership between Iowa Sister States and the UI Conversation Center is providing intercultural exchange opportunities for UI students as well as high school students across the state of Iowa.

On the heels of a sabbatical in which he wrote and recorded an album involving eight string players and a jazz quartet, University of Iowa Associate Professor Damani Phillips is preparing for a master class with students at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance (JAMD).

The International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) was recently recognized by the UI Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with a Diversity Catalyst Award to honor the group’s work in promoting a diverse and inclusive campus community.

A recent collaboration between the University of Iowa School of Music and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance (JAMD) has created opportunities for global exchange for bass students at both institutions.

Eloy Barragán, associate professor in the UI Department of Dance, is passionate about the importance of international collaborations in higher education and the benefits gained by students as a result. “It is important for students to interact with another culture to gain new ideas and perspectives. It not only helps students start to know a different country and different ways of behavior, but it also helps them to build their global network—which is so important as a practitioner of dance—to really become an artist for the world because the community is becoming more global,” said Barragán.

An archaeology dig in Sicily…performances of Shakespeare’s work…learning about Spain’s culture through conversations with Spaniards…all from the comforts of home. These experiences represent a small sampling of what students can expect from virtual study abroad course offerings this summer. The courses, led by UI faculty members, illustrate a bright spot of the COVID-19 pandemic—innovation through necessity. Student interest in learning about the world around them hasn’t diminished just because international travel isn’t possible at the moment. A growing group of faculty members has accepted the challenge to create virtual study abroad courses that allow students a rich learning experience—often featuring small-group discussions with in-country experts and scholars, hands-on cultural activities, livestreamed performances, and guided tours of historical sites.

Bitten by the travel bug at a young age after a European trip with his family, Will Sobecki (BBA finance ‘20) set his sights on study abroad during college. After exploring his options with Cory Petersen, senior advisor and program coordinator in the UI Study Abroad office, Sobecki settled on a semester-long study abroad program through IES in Milan, Italy. “Milan blew my expectations away,” said Sobecki.

Nearly two dozen University of Iowa students had the opportunity to travel virtually to Italy over the winter term, thanks to the Virtual International Business in Italy course offering through the Tippie College of Business.