Sri Chaitanya Krishna Akondy (Master of Public Health '23) was drawn to the University of Iowa for its reputation and high rankings, and believed Iowa would be the perfect place to deepen his knowledge and skills.

Meng Zhou, originally from China, earned his PhD in informatics from the University of Iowa and has embarked on a new role as an assistant scientist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

To honor international graduates from fall 2023, spring 2024, and summer 2024, the University of Iowa (UI) held the 2024 International Student Graduation Celebration on Wednesday, May 8, in the International Ballroom at the Iowa Memorial Union. Over 170 people attended the event, which was hosted by Nandita Nair, a graduate student in mathematics, and Nico Sheck, a graduate student in education.

About 100 people gathered to celebrate the International Student Advisory Board and express gratitude to outstanding individuals and teams whose hard work and efforts have enhanced the experiences of international students at Iowa.

Shuhita Bhattacharjee received her PhD in English from the University of Iowa in 2015. Now working as an assistant professor of English literature & gender studies in India, she reflects on her time at Iowa and working in higher education.

Walid Rachedi initiated a collaboration between Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program and Paris 8 University’s MFA Program in creative writing, which went from virtual exchange to nonfiction podcast in English and French.

Erik Snider (MA sports, health, leisure, and physical studies ‘96; BA journalism and religious studies ‘94), a leader in global public relations, will join International Programs on January 24 in this virtual talk as part of our Global Alumni Spotlight Series.

Dr. Karen Bjøro (PhD gerontological nursing ‘08), a leader in global nursing and health policy, will join International Programs on October 30 in this virtual talk as part of our Global Alumni Spotlight Series.

Since graduating from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 2002, Jason Lammer, an Iowa City native, has been living and working abroad for almost two decades as an English language educator and business owner.

Bhavya Vats, a recent recipient of a BSE in biomedical engineering (BME) from the University of Iowa, was awarded an Academic & Scholarly Achievement Award at the 2023 International Student Graduation Celebration. Learn more about Vats through this Q&A piece.  

Jichen Zhang, from Weihai, China, earned a doctoral degree from the University of Iowa (UI) in 2023 and was named one of Slingshot's 2023 Artists to Watch by National Public Radio (NPR).  

Qianyi He, from Suzhou, China, recently received her BA in speech & hearing science and psychology from the University of Iowa (UI). She reflects on how the UI prepared her to pursue a clinical doctorate in audiology.