News

International Programs welcomes three new faculty-directed affinity groups

Three new International Programs affinity groups are creating new opportunities for collaboration and global engagement across the University of Iowa (UI). The Southwest Asian and North African Studies Group (SWANA), the Food Studies Group (FSG), and the Global Exchange Network are the newest additions to International Programs' network of 12 affinity groups, connecting faculty, staff, and students around shared interests in research, teaching, and international engagement. To read more, click the title above!
University of Iowa Sade Porcher chats with another student.

Program offerings in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, Literatures, and Cultures open countless doors for students

Wednesday, August 26, 2026
With 14 areas of study in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, students have endless opportunities for success, at the University of Iowa and beyond.
University of Iowa professor Kendall Heitzman smiles at the camera.

CLAS's top stories from summer 2026

Thursday, August 13, 2026
CLAS's most popular articles from the summer of 2026 share a theme: people and ideas thrive with the right support. From humanities research funding to mathematics outreach, these stories show how expertise, mentorship, and community create new possibilities across CLAS and beyond.
Kirsten Kumpf Baele, distinguished associate professor of instruction in German in CLAS and AFI’s founder and director, speaks to students.

Founded by German faculty member, Anne Frank Initiative continues to grow

Monday, August 3, 2026
Following the 2022 planting of the Anne Frank horse chestnut sapling on the University of Iowa Pentacrest, the Anne Frank Initiative, an International Programs affinity group, has expanded its programming and deepened its presence across campus and in the broader community.
Onae Parker, a PhD candidate in Linguistics in the Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), smiles in a headshot. She is one of many CLAS graduate students participating in the Graduate College Summer Fellowship Program this summer.

Meet 4 doctoral students advancing research with Graduate College summer fellowships

Wednesday, July 29, 2026
This summer, 109 advanced doctoral candidates are participating in the Graduate College Summer Fellowship Program. Meet four students whose fellowship-supported research is deepening our understanding of neuroscience, dual language learning, product delivery optimization, and the rise of the gig economy.

LLLC (Japanese area) alumna Brenda Gao awarded Fulbright to teach English in Taiwan

Brenda Gao (student of Japanese) has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Taiwan for the 2026–27 academic year. To read more, click the title above!
Tony Tran sits with his chin on his hand, wearing an Iowa hoodie, in a room with lights on the wall behind him.

The geography of belonging: How CLAS alumnus Tony Tran explores language, culture, and connection

Tuesday, June 30, 2026
English and creative writing alumnus Tony Tran uses language to understand the world—exploring the human side of technology while building community through culture and conversation.

German Associate Professor of Instruction Kirsten Kumpf Baele helps bring 200 Clear Creek Amana students to UI Campus for Anne Frank program

For the fourth year in a row, the Anne Frank Initiative (AFI), an International Programs affinity group, welcomed more than 200 eighth-grade students from Clear Creek Amana (CCA) Community School District to the University of Iowa (UI) campus on Wednesday, May 20. Students spent half a day delving into Anne Frank’s legacy through interactive learning activities on campus. To read more, click the title above!

The Anne Frank Initiative, founded and directed by German Associate Professor of Instruction Kirsten Kumpf Baele, continues to grow

What began with a symbolic planting has become a dynamic network of programs, partnerships, and community engagement at Iowa. To read more, click the title above!

Meet María José Blanco Arias, IYLEP Program Intern

International Studies major María José Blanco Arias brings her passion for global engagement to her internship with Global Ties Iowa focused on the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program. To read more, click the title above!