Community members welcome UNI international students during holidays
For many, the holidays are a time of togetherness and tradition. For some international students, this time can pose some challenges, when their friends and classmates are away with their families. The International Friendship Program at the University of Northern Iowa is one way UNI ensures these students are cared for between the fall and spring semesters.
Through this program, community members are paired with international students and meet with at least once a month, though many develop close friendships and engage with students weekly. The community members — often referred to as “host families,” although they do not host the students long-term — take international students on grocery store runs, invite students into their homes for food and fellowship, and lend a listening ear when homesickness sets in, especially around the holidays.
