Degree Name

MA in International Education

First Advisor

Richard Rodman

Abstract

The aim of the proposal design related to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UW-Whitewater) Host Family Program is to increase cross-cultural competencies for undergraduate and graduate international students, develop multicultural awareness among the local community and support internationalization goals of the university.

International students who do not reach outside their comfort zones and integrate effectively within his or her new environment become more isolated and less likely to make friends with Americans (Bowman, 2012a). It is important to provide opportunities for international students to interact with the community due to the homogenous nature of the local population and the low number of international students on campus. This paper will examine a program that eases the student’s cultural transition process, builds language acquisition confidence and provides a means for community engagement.

The host family program contributes to the field of international education by creating a holistic program that supports international students, university goals and community integration through explicit participant responsibilities and intentional programming. The program can be shared with other universities who wish to increase international student, university and community interaction. This host family program design develops and improves upon existing international student service models.

Disciplines

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | International and Comparative Education

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