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.

Rep. Dave Loebsack toured UI physics and astronomy labs and discussed concerns regarding education and science outreach with faculty.

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

One of the crucial components of timely graduation is ensuring that students stay enrolled in school: student retention has been a major focus at the UI with a number of first-year programs and academic-advising strategies aiming to turn more first-year students into sophomores.

The Iowa Initiative For Sustainable Communities engages students in hands-on projects to improve sustainability in neighboring towns, and currently has 160 students working on 30 projects.

The University of Iowa will host the National 2015 Debate Tournament Championship, following a unanimous vote by the National Debate Tournament (NDT) Committee to accept the UI’s bid. This will be the first time the UI has hosted the NDT since its 1947 inception.

University of Iowa officials say programs to help incoming freshmen settle in to college life and meet new academic challenges are paying off: More students are returning after their first year and graduating on time.

The University of Iowa has increased significantly its already prominent role in helping to strengthen the state’s economy in the past year, the UI told the Iowa Board of Regents Wednesday. Additionally, regents were informed that the UI saw an increase in the number of undergraduate students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in the 2012-13 academic year.

The University of Iowa’s four-year graduation rate reached 51.1 percent for undergraduate students who enrolled in 2009—the highest rate in recent memory.

Henry B. Tippie, one of the top five donors to the University of Iowa, says his support for the university and his engagement with current students is “repayment for benefits received.”

Ten student teams from the UI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center will work toward developing business models this summer with resources and support from the university.