Community of Colleges Celebrates Worldwide Connections in Dubuque

Students from across the region gathered at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium on September 17, 2026 for the YOU can be great here Community of Colleges: Celebrating Our Worldwide Connections. Produced by Greater Dubuque Development in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, the event brought together 314 students, community members, and college partners for an evening of food, music, conversation, and exploration.

The event combined the Community of Colleges’ social kickoff with the International Student Welcome previously organized by the Foundation’s Better Together Committee. The partnership gave students a chance to connect beyond their individual campuses and experience one of Dubuque’s community attractions, while making the welcome and recognition of international students a central part of the evening. Participating higher education institutions included Clarke University, Divine Word College, Emmaus University, Loras College, Northeast Iowa Community College, University of Dubuque, and University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Attendees enjoyed dinner from three local food trucks and explored the museum at their own pace while DJ Papi played music from around the world before and after the presentations. Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh and Alex Baum, the Foundation’s Director of Advocacy, Data and Learning, helped welcome students to the event.

Two international students shared their paths to Dubuque and the opportunities they have found here. Hilda Alonyo, originally from Uganda, earned her bachelor’s degree from Divine Word College and is now pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Dubuque while working as a graduate assistant. Shree Prakash Shah, originally from Nepal, shared how an internship with Dubuque County led to a full-time position and the start of his career here.

Welcoming students is a first step. Employers can deepen that connection by including international students when offering internships, part-time positions, job shadowing, and mentorship. Students gain experience with local workplaces, and employers meet people with skills and perspectives that can strengthen their teams. For some students, those opportunities can become a path to building their careers and lives in the Greater Dubuque region.

The YOU can be great here Community of Colleges event series helps students form relationships with the region beyond their campuses. Alongside career opportunities, those connections support Greater Dubuque Development’s goals of retaining graduates as residents, growing the region’s population, and strengthening the workforce available to area employers.

To learn how your organization can connect with college students, offer internships, or recruit emerging talent, contact Mandi Dolson, Director of Workforce Solutions, at mandid@greaterdubuque.org or 563-557-9049.