Wanted: families to host international students
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s (SIUE) International Hospitality Program is looking for host families to match up with the university’s new international students.
SIUE has been assisting international students with finding a second family here in the United States for over 50 years. Currently the organization is down to only 40 to 50 host families and is looking to the Metro East and even St. Louis for volunteers. According to Jodi Cox, president of the International Hospitality Program:
“The orientation usually takes about 45 minutes over Zoom and it’s really easy. The students don’t live with the families, and they have their own place to live, but we ask the families to treat the students like they would their own kids.”
Banner printing services are used by families as well as organizations to express a “Welcome Home” or “Congratulations” sentiment in a big way.
Suggestions on things to do with the students include inviting them to family game nights, to dinner and to whatever holiday celebrations the family has as well as showing them around the St. Louis area. Host families might also offer advice on automobile responsibilities, shopping, laundry and banking.
Started in 1969, a big part of the program originally had to do with helping international students find housing. The families would take the students home and house them for approximately four weeks and assist them in landing their first apartment. Today its more about helping them get acclimated to their new environment.
SIUE has been assisting international students with finding a second family here in the United States for over 50 years. Currently the organization is down to only 40 to 50 host families and is looking to the Metro East and even St. Louis for volunteers. According to Jodi Cox, president of the International Hospitality Program:
“The orientation usually takes about 45 minutes over Zoom and it’s really easy. The students don’t live with the families, and they have their own place to live, but we ask the families to treat the students like they would their own kids.”
Banner printing services are used by families as well as organizations to express a “Welcome Home” or “Congratulations” sentiment in a big way.
Suggestions on things to do with the students include inviting them to family game nights, to dinner and to whatever holiday celebrations the family has as well as showing them around the St. Louis area. Host families might also offer advice on automobile responsibilities, shopping, laundry and banking.
Started in 1969, a big part of the program originally had to do with helping international students find housing. The families would take the students home and house them for approximately four weeks and assist them in landing their first apartment. Today its more about helping them get acclimated to their new environment.