About IRIS

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Iowa Resource for International Service is a nonprofit, non-religious organization founded in 1993 and located in Ames, Iowa.

Our mission is to promote international understanding, diversity and peace.

Through several grant programs, IRIS brings students, journalists, business people, educators and government leaders to Iowa from Africa, Central and Eastern Europe
and Asia.

 

IRIS connects Iowans to communities worldwide by...


  2. •IRIS was founded in 1993 by Iowa’s former Lieutenant Governor,
    Robert Anderson.

  3. •IRIS is the only organization within the YES program that works with Nigerian and Tanzanian students.

  4. •IRIS also includes students with disabilities in the YES program.

  5. •In 2006, IRIS won the National Award for Outstanding Achievement in Citizen Diplomacy by the US Center for Citizen Diplomacy.

  6. •IRIS has brought more than 700 international visitors to Iowa for various programs.

 

...encouraging a greater religious tolerance by expanding cultural appreciation.

...enriching the lives of participants and families.

...partnering to strengthen Iowa’s communities.

...fostering a commitment to cultural
diversity in Iowa.

Location


IRIS’s office is located in Ames, Iowa.


The city of Ames is located in the central part of Iowa in Story County. The city population was 50,731 as of the 2000 Census. Ames is also home to Iowa State University. Many athletic events and cultural activities occur as a result of having 27,000 college students from around the country and world attending Iowa State University. Ames is only a
45-minute drive from the Des Moines International Airport.


More about Iowa


The State of Iowa is located in the heartland of the United States of America. Des Moines is Iowa’s capital and largest city. As of 2008, Iowa had an estimated population of just over 3 million people.


Iowa’s safe environment, friendly people and commitment to education make it an ideal place to work or study. The state has been listed as one of the safest states in which to live. Iowa is widely considered to have some of the richest farm land in the world, and the state routinely leads the nation in corn, soybean and hog production.

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Iowa Resource for International Service ● 600 5th St., Suite 301, Ames, IA 50010

info@iris-center.org ● phone: 515-292-7103 ● fax: 515-292-7105

IRIS is a nonprofit, non-religious 501(c)3 organization.