The University of Iowa is acknowledging international students this week with an international photo contest, multicultural showcases, movie nights, and discussions with scholars from around the world.
The work comes as universities nationwide recognize International Education Week, which runs from Nov. 18-22. The week is a joint initiative between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to celebrate international education and exchange worldwide.
Fascha Aryasa, a fourth-year data science major from Bali, Indonesia, is the undergraduate president of the International Student Advisory Board, which advises international students on issues outside the classroom.
Aryasa was highlighted this week as the 2024 Global Student Award recipient.
As a recipient of the Global Student Award, Aryasa is recognized as a leader who is engaged in international education on campus or abroad. The award was established by UI International Programs and the Division of Student Life in 2019.
Aryasa said it’s important to highlight the work of international students and the International Student Advisory Board, especially this week.
“International Education Week is really important because everyone wants to fulfill the international experience,” Aryasa said. “This week really highlights that. International education isn’t scary, and we have a lot of people that are already doing that just by being here.”
As undergraduate president of the International Student Advisory Board, Aryasa works with students worldwide to advocate for international students and share different cultures.
“The International Student Advisory Board really wants to make the university feel like a home away from home for international students,” Aryasa said. “With [the board], I found a strong sense of community and felt welcomed. It’s my second family now.”
Through Aryasa’s experience on the International Advisory Board and her work as an honors teaching assistant conducting research, she said she has gained a better understanding of what the UI offers and how powerful it is to be an international student.
“Our international education journey is a transformative experience that shapes us into global citizens,” Aryasa said. “By gaining this chance, we may expand our knowledge of different cultures and viewpoints, which will also increase our adaptability, grow richer learning environments, and celebrate diversity and inclusion.”
The Global Student Award was also presented in the programming. The award is presented annually to one undergraduate and one graduate student. The graduate student who received this award is Jeff Lai, a Ph.D. candidate in higher education and student affairs from Taipei City, Taiwan.
“The Global Student Award is really important for me and many people in this university who have been doing so many things for the changes of international students and international education,” Aryasa said. “It feels rewarding because it means the university is recognizing me and the efforts that we’ve been putting in.”
Aryasa and the International Student Advisory Board have been working to provide scholarships to international students, help close the housing gap for students who can’t go home over breaks, and provide an orientation and handbook that welcomes international students who couldn’t tour the university before they began their education.
In addition to Aryasa and Lai’s work, other students are receiving international education through study-abroad programs. Elise Schmidt, a fourth-year psychology major at the UI, studied abroad in the summer of 2024 in Bassano del Grappa — a small city in Italy. She submitted a photo from her experience abroad to the International Photo Contest this year and received the grand prize. The photo featured was of a regatta on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
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“I had the best time in Italy,” Schmidt said. “I think the people there were so welcoming and just very interesting to get to know on a personal level. I loved studying there because we were pretty much the only tourists there, so we got to really immerse ourselves in the culture and experience.”
Schmidt studied through the CIMBA Italy program in the Tippie College of Business, taking general education courses such as Introduction to Italian and Greek Mythology on top of seeing the city and exploring the artifacts and culture.
“It’s so awesome that I got to interact and form relationships with people from a completely different culture than myself, and now I am just so much more in tune with global connections,” Schmidt said.
Although not a student in the Tippie College of Business, Schmidt said her experiences at the UI have been beneficial to help her prepare for studying abroad.
Shuhui Lin, the student affairs advisor for international students under the international programs department, oversees events for international students in the U.S., as well as students who are looking to study or research abroad. She conducts outreach activities and assists with intercultural training, as well as serves as one of the co-chairs for International Education Week.
“International Education Week really is a nice opportunity to have more of a concentrated time to work with students and scholars coming to the university and focus on the efforts that are being made in international education,” Lin said. “It’s a really great way to get another perspective that you might not have been exposed to before.”
Programming such as the International Photo Contest or the Global Student Award assist in students being able to connect with other cultures and share that with others who may not have had those experiences or exposures, Lin said.
“I think there’s a lot of beauty in capturing those small moments but also providing a platform to share them with others,” Lin said. “It helps to uplift students and provide an international perspective on campus.”