Your future, our focus
Northwest College is seeking individuals and families to participate in the Friendship Family Program, providing 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.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for community members to learn about diverse cultures and to introduce our international students to our culture and the local area,” said NWC Intercultural Program Manager Amanda Enriquez. “Students attending NWC are experiencing a unique aspect of the American culture and having them spend time with community members can enhance their experience even more.”
Enriquez encourages all families and individuals to consider joining the program.
“There are no time or activity requirements to be a Friendship Family,” she explained. “We have people who host students for a monthly meal. We also have families or individuals who invite their students to join family vacations and holidays. The amount of involvement and commitment is not determined by NWC but is determined between the family and the student.”
Current NWC international students are from cities and countries all over the world including Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, Macau, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uruguay and Uzbekistan.
For those interested in learning more or filling out the form to become a Friendship Family, visit https://nwc.edu/intercultural/activities/friendship-family.html. In addition, interested individuals can choose to join the NWC Friendship Families Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/nwcfriendshipfamilies/.
For more information, call Senior Office Assistant for Humanities and the Office of Intercultural Programs Cassie Loera at 307-754-6490 or email her at Cassie.Loera@nwc.edu.