From Bettendorf, Camanche, and Elkader to Jamaica and Rome, far-flung corners of the world have found their way into the names of Iowa cities and towns. At the second annual Iowa Humanities Festival, scholars from across the state will share the connections present between Iowa and the globe.

Members of the media are invited to cover a field trip that will bring an estimated 60 middle school students from Columbus Junction, Iowa, to participate in interactive sessions on campus through the University of Iowa College of Education's Project HOPE (Healthcare, Occupations, Preparation, and Exploration).

Susan Lagos Lavenz, associate dean of teacher education and student services at UI, says the College of Education is looking at ways to partner with the Iowa City Community School District to place minorities in education jobs.

"The Distance Between Us: a Memoir" by Reyna Grande is the 2014 selection for the One Community, One Book annual reading program sponsored by the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights in the College of Law.

When we think about music from other countries, it can be easy to get caught up in a one-note stereotype. UI’s Hancher will present Sones de México Friday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Englert Theatre, where the folk music ensemble will share the full scope of Mexico’s varied traditions.

In honor of Cesar Chavez week, the Association of Latinos Moving Ahead welcomes award-winning artist Joaquin Zihuatanejo to the UI campus for a celebration of diversity and the power of words. Zihuatanejo will perform Wednesday, April 2, at Shambaugh Auditorium in the Main Library from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

“It’s Time…To Talk About It!: Your voice. Our future. Prevent sexual violence,” is the theme of this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an initiative organized locally by the Rape Victim Advocacy Program in collaboration with other campus and community organizations.

UI junior Elise Prendergast, who is studying abroad at Peking University, had the opportunity to meet with First Lady Michelle Obama on Friday in China.

Amy Hanson, a UI undergraduate human physiology major with minors in chemistry and Spanish from Cedar Rapids, reflects on her study abroad experience in India. She received a short-term program merit scholarship from the Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization.

The UI College of Education will host a day-long symposium Tuesday, March 25 that is free and open to the public. Scholars from Chile, Brazil, Germany, and the United States will lead discussions and presentations examining how educators in different social and cultural contexts respond to changes facing graduate education.

The University of Iowa showcased the second vehicle to its popular Nite Ride service Friday, March 21. The event, held on the Pentacrest, underscores the UI’s commitment to keep campus safe and to combat sexual assault.

The University of Iowa Women in Science and Engineering program has been recognized by the Iowa State Legislature as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

It’s not too late to sign up for the Third Annual Warrior Challenge Urban Obstacle Course race. The event is Sunday, March 30, beginning at 10 a.m. and is organized by the University of Iowa Veterans Association.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the world’s great dance companies. In collaboration with Paramount Presents, the University of Iowa’s Hancher will present Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on Wednesday, March 19, at 8 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids.

UI psychiatry professor Stephan Arndt published a paper last year that found blacks are an average of 10 percentage points less likely to graduate drug treatment than whites with similar addiction profiles.

The University of Iowa will sponsor "Lessons in Drag" on Sunday, March 2, a performance that raises issues of gender and explores South Asian popular culture. The performance will be followed by a next-day panel discussion on March 3, exploring India's penal code that has widely been understood to criminalize homosexuality.

Ragamala Dance is committed to preserving an important dance heritage while pushing the art form forward. "Sacred Earth" unifies this unique dance vision with other forms of art. The UI’s Hancher will present Ragamala Dance March 6 and 7 at Space Place Theater.

An innovative cross-disciplinary course in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has computer science students working with performing arts students to choreograph a dance, and then program a troupe of robots to perform it.

The University of Iowa will host the traveling exhibit “Black Health Legends - Pioneers Who Dared to Care” on the health sciences campus in February and March. The display features notable achievements of African-American health care pioneers.

The UI College of Education hosted its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Research Symposium on Feb. 7. The event highlighted student research on issues of diversity, covering topics ranging from student interest in STEM to differences in moral reasoning in a religiously diverse student body.