Kenyon's Friendship Family Program matches international students with families in the local community. Friendship families and students often continue their relationship through the four years the student is at Kenyon. The family provides a connection to the community and may include the student in holiday celebrations and other gatherings.
Kenyon College and the Center for Global Engagement are thrilled to share that we are welcoming a record number of first year international students to Gambier this August. We are still receiving information and requests from the incoming students, but we know from past experience that many of these students will be interested in connecting with individuals and families in the local community.
Being a Friendship Family
- "Friendship family" is a very broad term: Kenyon welcomes single people and roommates as well as couples (spouses or partners) and families with children. Any faculty and staff members and community families close to campus are welcome to become a friendship family to a student.
- Incoming students do not stay in their hosts’ homes for the first few days. Instead, students are picked up at the airport by Kenyon shuttles and taken directly to campus. Friendship families are welcome to meet their student on campus at a prearranged time to help them move into their residence hall.
- Friendship families are officially invited to meet with their students, returning students, other host families, and faculty and staff members at an August event organized by the Center for Global Engagement.
- After the opening event, friendship families are encouraged to connect with their students frequently throughout the year. Families might take students shopping, enjoy a meal together, take them to local events, take a trip to Columbus, or consider including them in social events like family birthdays or holiday celebrations. Typically, families and students remain in touch throughout students’ four years at Kenyon and sometimes after graduation.
- The Center for Global Engagement also invites friendship families to campus for occasional events during the academic year, including Family Weekend, usually around Oct. 20.
If you are interested in applying to be a friendship family, please fill out this form. You may also email Yegor Sorokin at sorokin1@kenyon.edu with any questions.