Iowa to Denmark: A YTILI Reciprocal Exchange

Global Ties Iowa works to facilitate international exchanges beyond the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). Since spring 2024, we have welcomed participants from the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI), the U.S. Department of State's flagship program for emerging entrepreneurs from Europe. YTILI uses entrepreneurship as a tool for economic empowerment to promote mutual understanding, enhance business and leadership skills, and build lasting partnerships between leaders from Europe and the United States. For the professional fellowship, YTILI fellows spend three weeks in an individually tailored fellowship experience working in a U.S. placement host organization.  

In the latter half of 2025, Samantha Dahlby, the Director of K-12 Education at New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo) in Cedar Rapids, IA, hosted Elham Amiri of Denmark, an Innovation Specialist at Ørsted and Founder of QASE Tech. Samantha was initially asked to host Elham by Amy Alice Chastain, the Executive Director at Global Ties Iowa. Prior to Elham’s arrival, Samantha’s main concern was matching day-to-day tasks to support Elham’s fellowship goals to make her experience as jointly beneficial as possible. Elham’s background as an astrophysicist and experience creating STEM kits for hands-on-learning aligned with NewBoCo’s work in STEM and computer science education. Samantha was excited about Elham’s work and the avenues it allowed them to explore. “It was a very great, mutually beneficial partnership,” Samantha recounted.  

A very special part of the YTILI program is the alumni engagement opportunities, one of which involves a reciprocal exchange project in the fellow’s home community. After Elham’s reciprocal exchange proposal was accepted to receive funding, Samantha traveled to Denmark earlier this year to implement their project. While this was her first time in Denmark, she has previous experience with professional exchanges; about one and a half years ago, Samantha traveled to Uganda with the Mandela Washington Fellowship Exchange. However, the YTILI experience in Denmark offered a new country, new culture, and new experience. Due to some flight delays, Samantha’s arrival to Denmark was later than planned and much of her first day was spent adapting to Denmark, figuring out the transportation system, and connecting with Elham. Within the first two days, Samantha and Elham were already having meetings, with one of the first ones being at a large public library in Copenhagen. Most of Samantha’s time was spent in Copenhagen, but she also traveled to a school in a suburb north of Copenhagen. 

Upon learning that their reciprocal funding was approved, Samantha felt excitement matched with pressure from recognizing the short timeline of needing to get everything together. She worked with Elham and Elham's co-partner on the facilitation plan for their “quantum mingling” event that was the first part of their project. Samantha used her background in coordinating facilitation and working with educators to make the project engaging. Elham and her co-partner had identified their desired outcomes, and Samantha helped them curate discussion prompts, gather feedback, and encourage productive and impactful mingling. This event was particularly impactful as everyone who attended represented a vast variety of backgrounds, from a Swedish linguist to Danish and Italian astrophysicists. Samantha also enjoyed visiting Danish schools, meeting with the students, and comparing the American and Danish school systems. This was also a way for her to learn more about the culture of Denmark and how they see the world. 

Perhaps most impactful is the fact that these connections and experiences do not stop once the YTILI placement and reciprocal exchange are completed. Since returning to Iowa, Samantha has thought about how to incorporate the work that Elham is doing with NewBoCo’s educational professional development work. While in Denmark, Samantha also discussed with Elham ways to continue the partnership, potentially by having collaboration programs between American and Danish educators or creating teacher facilitation workshops around Elham’s science kits. “It’s both on the education side of things, maybe being able to have Elham’s kits in Iowa that we lend out on her behalf to educators to expand her reach and bring in resources to educators here,” Samantha said. “And, from the entrepreneurship side of the organization, what supports we could add back here to support our own small businesses.” 

For eastern Iowa residents who may be interested in hosting a YTILI fellow, Samantha said that there might be a perception that there will be a lot of extra work for the host organization. While there is certainly some work in finding out how best to support the fellow, there are more benefits. Working with a YTILI fellow is, “like working with a very advanced intern, and you have the potential for a reciprocal trip,” Samantha said.  

We are extremely proud of all the work that Samantha and Elham did to make this exchange impactful and mutually beneficial. At Global Ties Iowa, we are proud that over 25% of reciprocal exchange funding through YTILI and YSEALI is approved. Are you interested in learning more about YTILI or our future Europe/Eurasia Professional Fellowship Program? Read our previous articles about alumni, professional placements, or articles about YTILI and YSEALI. Email Amy Alice or call our office if you are interested in hosting a fellow or have any questions.