U.S. Department of State

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The State Department yields a large return for the American people by advancing U.S. national security, promoting our economic interests, providing services, and reaffirming our country’s exceptional role in the world. Read on to learn how the work of the Department benefits this state’s residents.

• Jobs and Diplomacy

• In FY17, Iowa-based companies received approval to export $595,707,731 worth of defense articles and services licensed by the Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. (PM) More»
• Iowa hosted 2,306 foreign physicians, teachers, camp counselors, au pairs and others as part of work and study-based Exchange Visitor Program in 2016. (ECA) More»
• The Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) protects the American seed industry’s ability to access materials and information for research and breeding through our engagement in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). Seed companies, such as Iowa-based Dupont-Pioneer, and Missouri-based Monsanto, depend on access to these resources to develop new crop varieties to bring to market. Seed and Biotech sales for the three major U.S. agrichemical companies, Dow Chemical, Dupont, and Monsanto, were over $18.4 billion. (OES/ECW)
• The Department of State, in partnership with agencies across the federal government, creates jobs for American workers by opening markets and eliminating trade barriers overseas and by attracting foreign direct investment to the United States. Goods exports of $13.2 billion (2017) support approximately 93,941 Iowan jobs (2016). Foreign direct investment into Iowa supports an additional 56,400 jobs (2015). (EB) More»
• Click here for more information about Department career recruitment events in Iowa. (HR)

• Education

• Diplomat-in-Residence (Melissa Martinez): Diplomats in Residence (DIRs) are career Foreign Service Officers or Specialists located throughout the U.S. who provide guidance and advice to students, professionals and the community about Department careers. (HR) More»
• 41 Scholars, Students and Teachers from Iowa were awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, and 59 international students received a Fulbright to study in Iowa in academic year 2017-18. (ECA) More»
• 12,488 international higher education students studied abroad in Iowa in academic year 2016-17. (ECA) More»
• 447 exchange visitors from overseas visited Iowa, and 221 Iowa residents travelled overseas as part of the Department’s educational and cultural exchange funded programs in 2015. (ECA) More»
• Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Brazil) with Iowa State University, Purdue University, University of Kentucky, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are working together to enable Universidade Federal de Viccosa to offer regular undergraduate courses in English in agricultural and biological engineering, food science, animal science, and agricultural economics to create opportunities for U.S. students. This partnership is part of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund, the dynamic public/private sector collaboration between the U.S. Department of State, Embassies, NGOs, companies, and foundations that inspires U.S. universities and colleges in the United States to team up with higher education institutions in the rest of the Western Hemisphere region. (WHA) More»
• University of Northern Iowa partnered with the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, (Costa Rica) through the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. Costa Rican students travel to Iowa to participate in a Sustainability Immersion Program while integrating existing courses from their home institution, Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, while U.S. students travel to Costa Rica to complete a capstone course that helps them develop an understanding of how individuals and groups impact the environment through tourism and campus life. (WHA) More»
• The University Northern Iowa and Universidad de Piura (Peru) were awarded a 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund grant to implement a new study abroad opportunity for pre-service teachers focused on providing environmental education and English language training to Peru’s future teachers. Students from UDEP’s Beca Vocación de Maestro program are the target participants for the study abroad opportunity, enabling students coming from disadvantaged economic backgrounds to work towards their degrees with study abroad experience. The program will begin with the participation of ten students, beginning with three weeks of online instruction prior to two weeks of immersion on UNIs campus, and concluding with an additional three weeks of online instruction. By the end of the program, all participants will receive the necessary training to become certified in the GLOBE program and will be connected to the GLOBE representative in Peru. More»
• The U.S. Fulbright Commission and the Peruvian Ministry of Education awarded scholarships to 30 Peruvians to travel to the United States to participate in different programs at 24 U.S. universities. One Fulbright graduate student is completing a two-year program studying animal science at Iowa State University. (WHA) More»
• The American Corner in Lagos, Nigeria, held an information session about the University of Iowa – its admission requirements, rankings, courses offered, academics, students, cost, and scholarship opportunities. Graduate students also learned about assistantships from the University of Iowa. (American Spaces) (IIP) More»

• Partnerships

• The Office of Global Food Security entered a public-private partnership with several major companies, including DuPont Pioneer headquartered in Iowa, as part of the Feed the Future program. (S/GFS) More»
• Refugee Arrivals in Fiscal Year 2017: 658. The Department works with nine domestic non-governmental organizations, which place refugees with more than 325 affiliates in roughly 190 communities around the country. These local affiliates work closely with community partners, congregations, volunteers, and state and local officials to provide a successful start for refugees rebuilding their lives. Refugee communities have historically enhanced the economic dynamism and cultural vitality of our nation. Refugees contribute to the United States in numerous ways, including by starting businesses and joining the U.S. military. This program helps the world’s most vulnerable refugees find permanent homes, and it demonstrates the immense generosity of the American people. (PRM) More»
• 55 emerging leaders studied or participated in a fellowship in Iowa on one of the Young Leaders initiatives in 2017. (ECA) More»
• Iowa residents in the Global Ties U.S. network volunteered 8,121 hours of their time in 2017 to host or support International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchange participants who visited the state. (ECA) More»
• The Department of State facilitates the Iowa National Guard State Partnership Program with Kosovo founded in 2011. (PM) More»

• Travel and Security

• Total Passports Issued in Fiscal Year 2017: 144,933. (CA) More»
• Passport Application Acceptance Facilities: 126. (CA) More»
• In Fiscal Year 2016, the Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) issued visas to 67 children who were adopted by U.S. citizens from Iowa. Intercountry adoption is one CA's highest priorities. CA's Office of Children’s Issues plays an active role in the intercountry adoption process and works diligently to establish and maintain intercountry adoption as a viable option throughout the world. (CA/OCS) More»
• The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State with field and resident offices in 24 states and the District of Colombia. These offices cover the entire United States and its territories, with regional responsibility for protecting the integrity of U.S. travel documents by investigating passport and visa fraud, serving on federal and state law enforcement task forces, combatting terrorism and human trafficking, as well as protecting the Secretary of State and other domestic and foreign dignitaries. DSS special agents and investigators assigned to the Chicago Field Office regularly work alongside federal, state, and local authorities throughout Iowa. (DSS) More»