Cyrus Mudanya

Job Title: International Admissions Advisor – Global Learning Department, Kirkwood Community College

Family: Married. My wife and I have two beautiful daughters of ages 17 and 10.

How you got to Iowa City: I came to Iowa City to go to school with the intention to return home right after, but then I came to love the city. My cousin who was completing his master’s degree in Journalism at The University of Iowa told me about Iowa’s fantastic education system and conducive environment to study. The caring staff at Kirkwood Iowa City Campus welcomed me with open arms. I graduated from Kirkwood with an A.A. degree in ’95 and later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems at Mt. Mercy University in ’05. I had the best experience at both institutions.

Why I participated in the banner project: Iowa City was my first home in the U.S. Iowa City is where I met some really good friends, I mean Caucasians, Hispanic, Blacks, and Middle-Easterns. From ’98 -2000, I worked as a part-time Office Assistant at Kirkwood Iowa City Campus. From 2001-present, I was hired full-time to work in the Global Learning Department. That same year, I moved to Cedar Rapids to work at Kirkwood’s Main Campus. I have made a few more friends in Cedar Rapids, but my love for Iowa City is still tight. I visit Iowa City occasionally to spend time with friends I’ve known for many years. I feel fortunate to have spent many years in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Cities of Iowa are diverse and one can find just about anything in big cities. If you haven’t lived in Iowa, please come, karibu! You will find Iowans are genuinely welcoming.