UWEC Host Family Program

1
UWEC Host Family Program

• Is it really valuable for international
  students?
• Is it unusual?

2
Research methods

• Email surveys
• Questionnaires to international students
  N125
• Interviews
• 11 Host families
• 30 International students

3
Survey of Midwestern Colleges and Universities

• Wisconsin Yes NoSmall 3 private 1
  privateMedium 6 public 1 public
• 1 private
• MichiganSmall 2 private 2 private
• Medium 1 publicLarge 1 public
  2 public

4

• IllinoisSmall 2 private 3 privateMedium
  1 public 1 private
• MinnesotaSmall 2 private 2
  privateMedium 1 public
• Large 1 public 17 Yes 11 No only
  UWEC has initial home stay

5
Questionnaire data

• Frequency of contactOnce or twice per
  week 23Once or twice per month 42Once or
  twice per semester 17Rarely or never 17
• Newly arrived students visited more often.

6
Questionnaire data

• Emotional relation with host family
• Not at all close 18
• Somewhat close 36
• Very close 39
• Degree students closest, then year, then
  semester.

7
Questionnaire data

• Has the relationship with your host family been
  helpful to you?
• Not at all helpful 10
• Somewhat helpful 17
• Very helpful 71

8
Benefits to family

• Fun enjoy spending time with student
• Enjoy being useful to the student and serving as
  a guide to American culture
• Way for them and their children to learn about
  another culture
• Want to dispel negative images about Americans

9
Benefits to student

• Feel more secure when they first arrive and
  throughout their stay
• Can practice speaking English with people with
  the patience to listen
• Learn about American life by directly
  experiencing life with an American family

10

• Able to relax away from the dorms
• Have someone to listen when they are homesick,
  have problems
• Practical help borrow things, place to stay and
  store things during breaks, transportation,
  advice
• Can talk about own family and culture

11
Benefits provided by students

• Teach families about their culture and enable
  them to gain a broader perspective on the world.
  Cook for them, give them presents from their
  country and allow them to feel part of a broader
  world.

12
International Education

• Of 11 host families interviewed, 8 had not
  traveled abroad before hosting a student. After
  hosting students, 7 of the 8 traveled abroad.
• The families spoke positively about discussing
  the students home countries and thinking about
  world events from the students perspective.

13
A very useful site

• http//people.emich.edu/ssohn2/mysite2/index.htm

14
UWEC Host Program Beginning

• Over 40 years ago
• Unknown how many families the program started
  with-but a majority of the families were
  University faculty.
• In the beginning 2 staff members from the CIE met
  the students at the airport or bus station and
  brought the students to campus to begin
  orientation. The students would then meet their
  hosts during orientation or after the semester
  had started.

15
Home Stay Added in Early 90s

• The director at the time felt the students could
  use some time to rest and adjust to their
  surroundings before moving into the dorms.
• Host families meet their students when they
  arrive in Eau Claire and provide them with a home
  stay for 3-4 days. Hosts then help the students
  move into their dorms before orientation
• The home stay has helped the students and hosts
  bond right away and also provide the students
  with a home away from home.

16
Host Responsibilities

• Hosts are also asked to stay in contact with
  their students at least once a month during the
  students time at UWEC.
• Host and students are encouraged to take part in
  everyday activities i.e. shopping, meals,
  community events, etc.
• Hosts are also asked to assist the student open
  their bank accounts upon their arrival at UWEC.

17
Current Numbers

• Currently we have approximately 140 students of
  which 103 have hosts
• 103 Active hosts and 86 inactive hosts (hosts
  waiting to be assigned a student or dont want to
  host that semester).

18
Organization

• As students are accepted they are sent an email
  with info about the Host Program and asked to
  complete a student profile-
• Student Profile provides general info about the
  student age, gender, country, interests, smoking
  preference, household preference

19

• Hosts are also asked to complete a Host Profile-
• Host Profile provides family information,
  occupations, hobbies interests, smoking
  preference, household preference
• Also asked to provide their social security
  number and birthdates, so criminal background
  checks can be completed

20
Matching

• Students are matched with hosts that have similar
  interests, country preference and if the family
  will be a good fit with the student- based on the
  information that has been provided and what is
  known about the host
• Host is given information about their student and
  the student is given info about their host and
  they are encouraged to start emailing before the
  student arrives.

21

• Activities
• CIE sponsors 2 events each semester
• Fall Potluck
• Holiday Reception
• Valentines Potluck
• Spring Reception
• Host orientation is provided for new hosts each
  semester if needed.

22
Host Recruitment

• Each spring new hosts are recruited for the
  program-even though we have a solid base of
  hosts-it is nice to bring new people into the
  program. As a result we are seeing many younger
  families- who will refer to their host as a host
  sister or brother.
• Flyers are sent to all University Employees
• Letters to all community churches with a request
  for new hosts in their weekly bulletin

23

• Letters and emails to the local schools for
  information to be sent home with students
• Letters and emails to current hosts to provide
  host information to their families, friends and
  coworkers
• Are able to add 5-10 new hosts each year as a
  result recruitment

24
Staff Time

• 15-20 hours per week while matching students with
  hosts
• 10-15 hours per week to maintain program
• Organize events
• Update files
• Contact students
• Host recruitment

25
Potential Problems

• Hosts not contacting students
• Students not returning Host calls, etc.
• Host or Student acting inappropriately