Your future, our focus
Northwest College is seeking individuals and families to participate in the Friendship Family Program, which provides support and friendship to international students from around the world.
The program is designed to give students a connection with local community members. The family or individual does not need to provide lodging. Instead, the program aims to give students opportunities to experience life off campus and make friendships with community members. These relationships can help students increase their understanding of the U.S. and especially Wyoming.Through this program, families and students share their lives and stories over meals, events, outings or holidays.
“Sharing our home with international students from NWC has been a wonderful experience for me and my family,” Jessica Case of Cody said. “We have made lifelong connections with sweet, smart students who are so grateful for a home and a Wyoming family to call their own. We weren’t prepared to host a student full time, but we wanted more diversity and culture in our lives. Becoming a Friendship Family was the perfect fit for us.”
This year, 30 new international students will arrive at NWC from countries all over the world including Turkmenistan, Japan, Spain, Pakistan, South Korea, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Belgium and more.
“Our family has been blessed over the years with many international students becoming our lifelong friends,” Doug and Lisa Harsh of Powell said. “We enjoyed learning about their backgrounds and culture and sharing ours with them. Many keep in touch and share their career and family updates regularly, and the best is when they come back to visit us in Powell or we see them elsewhere in our country.”
Fall classes at NWC begin Wednesday, Aug. 21, and International Student Orientation is currently taking place. For more information and an application, contact Harriet Bloom-Wilson at hbloomwilson@gmail.com.
To learn more, visit https://nwc.edu/intercultural/activities/friendship-family.html.