U.S.-China ties are even more important in light of Presidents Obama’s and Xi’s commitment to increasing Mandarin language learning in the U.S.-also known as our 1 Million Strong initiative – which aims to see 1 million U.S., K-12 students learning Mandarin and studying in China by 2020. “The goal is ambitious, but the need is urgent,” observes Carola McGiffert, CEO of 100K Strong, in a recent op-ed.

As my study abroad experience is coming to a close, I often find myself scrolling through my camera roll remembering all of the beautiful places that I have had the opportunity to visit. I use social media to post pictures and keep friends and family up to date, and also as a way for me to document the memories I made here. There have been countless experiences that have not been caught on camera, but here are 4 main things that my social media does not tell you about my study abroad.

University of Iowa's King Sejong Institute invites you to attend an upcoming music series intended to serve as an introduction to traditional Korean music. Featuring visiting scholar Eunjin Cho, a senior student at the Korea National University of Arts, classes will take place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evening, starting Wednesday, June 1, 2016 through Friday, July 29, 2016 in room 200 CC (Communications Center 116 Madison St.). 

Enrollment numbers are rising across Iowa’s public universities, and this spring that has meant bigger graduating classes, larger venues, and more top honors. Mirroring that growth, UI on Wednesday announced a record 14 students and alumni have landed Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants to conduct research, attend graduate school, pursue creative work, or serve as English teaching assistants overseas in the 2016-2017 season.

Graduating from college can be a long, tough road as it is, but for college students who are the first in their family to attend, it can be even more challenging. Emii Le is a University of Iowa senior who will graduate this year with a double major in marketing and graphic design. Le was born in Vietnam and moved to Sioux City when she was in middle school. Le will also be the first person in her family to graduate from college.

Sarah Lucas, a Ph.D. candidate in musicology at the UI, is the winner of a Fulbright Study/Research grant to Hungary for 2016-17.

On its final program of the 2015-2016 season, ​WorldCanvass tackled informatics—also known as big data. As a highlighted event of the UI's first Informatics Week, guests from the diverse fields of computer science, medicine, sociology, public health, and geographical and sustainability sciences discussed the proliferation of big data and their attempts to both understand and utilize this massive and, in many ways, untamed digital resource.

Megan Wood, a M.A. candidate in Spanish and linguistics at the UI, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship grant to Colombia for 2016-17.

Patrick S. Brown, a Ph.D. candidate in film studies at the UI, is the winner of a 2016-17 Research grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

On the topic of Syrian refugees in the U.S., America's Arab community is split.