The Conversation Center was founded in the spring of 2016 by a group of undergraduates who wanted to provide a space for international and domestic students to become closer.

What does the American dream look like to you? To your neighbor? How does your life experience compare with that of someone from a different ethnic background, a different economic class, or a different religion? These questions have been at the heart of the 2016 political debate but their roots are as deep and tangled as the history of America itself. With a closely divided electorate, highly-charged rhetoric, and unaccountable social media messaging, the chasm in understanding can seem all but infinite. Joan Kjaer and her guests will discuss thorny, controversial, and critical issues of social justice in contemporary society on “WorldCanvass: White Privilege, Structural Racism, and the Dream of America.” The free, public program takes place on December 7, from 7:30-9:00 p.m., in the Senate Chamber of the Old Capitol Museum.

A collaborative effort by International Programs, Information Technology Services (ITS), and the Office of the Registrar moved to develop a name pronunciation tool where students can record their name and select their preferred gender pronouns.  Now faculty and staff will know how to pronounce a student’s name in class and what gender pronouns are preferred. 

UI Study Abroad will host a scholarship information session on Thursday, December 1, from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. in International Commons, 1117 University Capitol Centre.

UI students who are interested in field-based research projects abroad are invited to attend an information session with SIT Study Abroad on Friday, December 2, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in Room 2390 University Capitol Centre, featuring guest speaker Dr. Azim Khan, academic director at SIT. 

"Tradition in Search of a Rationale," an upcoming international conference at the UI, will bring together scholars and guest speakers Friday and Saturday, December 2-3, 2013, on the University of Iowa campus to address the future of hunting in Japan and North America. 

UI continues to be a destination for international students

I’m so happy to be writing this because it’s about one of the highest of highlights from my experiences thus far: my first festival in Japan. More specifically, what happened during my first festival in Japan.

Tucked away in the depths of the Main Library, you can sometimes find students meeting to have engaging conversations. These students, however, aren’t quizzing each other for an upcoming exam or taking a study break for a light chat. They are students broadening their communication skills while simultaneously breaking down cultural barriers.

Fangren Yu is a student at the University of Iowa. This is a follow up column to one he wrote before the election.