Masked by pseudonyms and anonymity, social media is often viewed as an attractive way to express one’s feelings candidly. But the same technology that allows users to share ideas and constructively engage with others too often devolves into a toxic, often hurtful environment. As social apps like Yik Yak, which allow users to anonymously share their opinions about anything and everything with those nearby, continue to gain popularity at the University of Iowa, many Asian-identifying students have found themselves the subject of racist and xenophobic messages.

From the intimate to the ordinary, life in this Midwestern college town is changing. The iconic Hamburg Inn, the diner where presidential candidates have stumped for decades, still dishes up its famous "pie shakes." But take a closer look: Bubble tea shops outnumber Starbucks 3 to 1, and nearly 1 in 10 students at the University of Iowa hails from China.

Cuba conjures images of colonial architecture, salsa dancing, old cars, cigars, rich culture, and the legacy of Fidel Castro, just to name of few. But none of these were what most drew University of Iowa student Nadia Doubiany to the island nation. Doubiany craved an academic adventure.

Bruce Harreld, a former Harvard Business School faculty member and corporate executive who helped save a foundering IBM in the 1990s, will become the 21st president of the University of Iowa. The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, announced Harreld, 64, as its unanimous selection Sept. 3 to replace Sally Mason, who retired Aug. 1 after serving eight years as president. Harreld will take office Nov. 2.

The intent of those who planned and carried out the recent terrorist attack in Tunisia and the reactions to it, both underscore the idiosyncratic connections between economic development and terrorism.

'It’s not too uncommon for University of Iowa students who are studying abroad to leave temporarily or take a break due to an illness, injury or family emergency. But rarely do students cut short their experience and not return to their program in some capacity, according to UI International Programs.

They hail from as far away as Estonia, the Gaza Strip, the Côte d ’Ivoire and as near as Iowa City, but Monday, they were all gathered in one room to discuss human rights. Local and international activists gathered for a forum on human rights at the University Capitol Center, held by the Council for International Visitors to Iowa Cities (CIVIC).

Kali Peschel was able to do everything she planned during her six-week study abroad trip to Spain this summer. Peschel immersed herself in the foreign culture, she experienced a different way of life and took in the sights during her stay in the town of Valladolid. The Iowa senior also got to do something she never expected during stay in Spain — she got to play a little basketball.

In the upcoming years, students will be able to get an up-close view of Cuba as never before. In December 2014, President Obama announced the loosening of trade and travel restrictions with Cuba, which took effect on Jan. 16. This makes visiting Cuba much easier for Americans than in the last 54 years.

"The time has come for me to say goodbye to the University of Iowa where for 12 years, I had the opportunity to explore a tiny tributary of the might river of knowledge. With the exception of my village in Africa, Iowa has probably shaped my life more than any other place I have called home." As he moves on to new places, International Programs faculty fellow Leo Eko reflects on the special place one small Iowa town holds in his heart.

Naomi Jackson knows better than anyone that Iowa City and Barbados don’t have a lot in common. Born to West Indian parents and graduating from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Jackson has spent a great deal of time in both locations. Despite a disparity in similarity, the confluence of the two led to Jackson’s Barbados-based debut novel, “The Star Side of Bird Hill.” You can hear Naomi read from her novel at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City on July 20.

Agricultural Medicine course expands its connections to Argentina