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The University of Iowa's ability to communicate with students, their families, and our international community through WeChat as we have in the past is now in question.

Growing up in Kolkata, India, Aasthika Das had always assumed she would attend a university in India. That is until her sister, who is five years older, returned from her higher education studies in the U.S. and shared the style of education she received, how different it was from India, and the many opportunities that were available.

Initially enrolled as a PhD student in speech and hearing science, Venkitakrishnan soon added the AUD (clinical doctorate in audiology) program. “There are a lot of challenges that come with being a combined PhD and AUD student, but my department has helped me manage clinical schedules and teaching assignments and my research advisor has been very understanding, “ says Venkitakrishnan. “I love my department. I realize why it is ranked so highly as one of the best programs—my department has been really supportive of everything I have wanted to do.”

Nafisa Kamal Ayntee spent her early years traveling throughout South Asia. Her father’s career as an agriculturalist, working to support a variety of NGOs, resulted in the family relocating multiple times. One significant move was to the Maldives when Nafisa was five years old. Not only was this a remarkable time due to the birth of her younger sister, it was also when Nafisa was first introduced to the English language

Growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Pedro Marra was an active youth who participated in many activities, including swimming, soccer, and tennis. With his parents, younger brother, and many extended relatives around him, he had a strong support network.

Yangyi (Edward) Luo’s journey into U.S. education started earlier than many students who study abroad. At the age of 15, he moved from China to Florida’s east coast to attend high school. Although young and living more than 7,000 miles from his home and family, Edward enjoyed his high school years.

Reflecting on his academic journey, University of Iowa graduate student Frankline Matanji said, “Sometimes I just sit down and think, ‘I don’t know what happened—I can’t explain this.’” You see, Frankline wasn’t sure he would be able to complete high school, let alone a doctoral program.

Finishing her second year as a microbiology major at the University of Iowa, Ayushi Sood says she couldn’t have asked for a better experience. “I have grown so much as a person since I have been at Iowa,” said Sood. “As an international student, my experience has been that people are so welcoming here, which makes me feel that I am an essential part of the university.”

Following in the footsteps of her mother, a University of Iowa PhD alumna, Siau-Tong Ding enrolled as an undergraduate in 2018. Born and raised in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, Ding came to Iowa City to double-major in environmental policy and planning and anthropology. Now, in preparation for her third year at the university, she is also considering minors in geography or a certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIS).

Sojeong Nam is a PhD candidate in the counselor education and supervision program at the University of Iowa. The inspiration to attend the UI may have come from her father, Dr. Sangin Nam, who, over 30 years earlier, graduated from the same doctoral program at the UI, holding the distinction of being the first international student from South Korea to do so.