Iowa Central Celebrates International Graduates

by Emilie Jenson, Public Information Office
Posted on 4/26/2023

Students from around the world came together in the Triton Café Monday evening, April 24 to celebrate the completion of a successful year.

The first ever international student dinner brought around 50 students together to share a meal and honor those who are graduating or moving on at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year.

“We saw this as a great opportunity to get all of our international graduates and students together,” said Stephanie Evenson, international student services coordinator. “It is a time to celebrate them, and to wish our graduates well.”

Each graduating student received a card and had an opportunity to take a cap and gown photo to commemorate their time at Iowa Central.

Chiara Fiorenza, a sophomore from Argentina, came to Iowa Central to play tennis. She will transfer to Florida National University after graduation. She plans to continue her collegiate tennis career there.

“This has been a very full, very rich experience,” she said of her time as a Triton. “I have made wonderful friends here.”

Kai Heilckert knew he wanted to attend school overseas and play golf in the United States. He worked with his coaches in his home country of South Africa to create a profile for an agency that pairs international student athletes with colleges and found Iowa Central.

“I’m grateful to have a golf scholarship,” Heilckert said. “I appreciate the people and coaches here and the gyms and facilities we have.”

Poppy Goffin and Lauren Chetty, both sophomores from England, came to play soccer for the Tritons.

Goffin will transfer to West Virginia State University and continue playing soccer. Chetty plans to transfer to Bellevue University in Nebraska where she will also play soccer.

“You make great friends here,” Goffin said of the years she spent at Iowa Central.

Ben Richardson, a graduating sophomore from Spain also came to Iowa Central as a soccer player. He plans to return home for the summer after graduation and will then transfer to the Kansas Wesleyan University to study computer science and continue his soccer career. He said he has appreciated the diverse community at Iowa Central.

“I love diversity of the people here and have met people from so many countries,” said Richardson. “They form a family I never would have thought I could find in Iowa.”