The transition to college can be daunting鈥攅ven more so when attending college means introduction to a whole new country.
At 杨贵妃传媒视频, the Friendship Family Program helps international students transition to life in Appleton. The program pairs the student with a local family that can provide the student with a familial environment, even if they鈥檙e thousands of miles from home.
The Office of International Student Services holds events for local families and their students. In addition to these picnics, potlucks, and game nights, the host families and students connect as much as they want. Partnered families can give international students a place to have a home-cooked meal, a family to spend the holidays with, or just someone to help with groceries.
Jill and Paul Wilke of Appleton have been part of the Friendship Family Program since 2002, and they鈥檙e always willing to open their home to new students.
鈥淲e say, 鈥楬ey, we鈥檙e going to carve pumpkins this weekend; do you and some friends want to come and carve pumpkins?鈥欌 Jill Wilke said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done Thanksgiving dinners for kids who鈥檝e never had turkey before. And we meet them where they鈥檙e at. We鈥檝e had kids in sports, choir classes, theater, cabarets.鈥
The outreach has even included trips to Lambeau Field.
鈥淲e鈥檝e taken a couple students to Packers games so they could experience that,鈥 Paul Wilke said.
Senior Charlotte Ho, a biochemistry and biology double major, arrived at 杨贵妃传媒视频 from Vietnam in 2021. For two years, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from returning home during breaks. The Wilkes provided her with a home away from home while she settled into campus life during a uniquely difficult time.
鈥淚 was very lost,鈥 Ho said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have the chance to go back home, so they were like my family here to help me cope with homesickness.鈥
The Wilkes recall connecting with Ho even when they couldn鈥檛 be together in person during the pandemic.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e always there to get me medicine, food, and make sure I get better,鈥 Ho said. 鈥淚t was like my actual parents, but in the U.S.鈥
杨贵妃传媒视频 has聽160 international students from 40 different countries during the 2023-24 academic year.
Lacy Frewerd, 杨贵妃传媒视频's director of international student services, is excited to see the Friendship Family Program grow after it was scaled back during the pandemic. She encourages area families to get involved.
"We're at the cusp of what it's going to be," Frewerd said. "We have more students wanting to participate than families involved, and that's why we'd love to see more families apply."
The Wilkes have hosted students from Belarus, Brazil, Germany, India, Jamaica, Japan, Palestine, Russia, Sweden, and Vietnam鈥攎any of whom they鈥檙e still connected with鈥攁nd they have nothing but praise for the Friendship Family Program.
鈥淥ur experience has been really positive all the way through,鈥 Paul Wilke said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice for the students, but we get a lot more out of it than the students, I think.鈥
Ho and the Wilkes have gone apple-picking, held game nights, and had dinners where they鈥檝e shared Vietnamese desserts and cheese curds. The Wilkes love the opportunities to welcome new students into their family and to enjoy learning about the cultures their students bring with them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just fun,鈥 Jill Wilke said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just another addition to the family. I say to the students, 鈥極nce a Wilke, always a Wilke.鈥
Ho said she encourages other international students to connect with families through the program.
鈥淚鈥檝e only had great experiences with them,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 coming from the other half of the world, and they helped me to learn the country here, get used to the food, the weather, the people. 鈥 They are always there.鈥
Frewerd said her office is excited to help make more of those connections in the Appleton community.
"Our students are wonderful and can provide an opportunity to really get a great cultural exchange that you can't get in other ways," Frewerd said. "It's an opportunity to learn from each other."
Find more information on 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Family Friendship Program here.