International Students’ Home Away from Home

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Have Home Away From Home By SCOTT QUEEN

One Sunday, Mark ’76 and Rebecca ’77 Fayette. “We really enjoyed each other’s company. Harbison saw a young man from Uganda The conversation was challenging, since neither attending their church, Linn Memorial Becca nor I spoke Spanish and they spoke no United Methodist. They knew the normal English. With Ivet and Feli’s help, we managed struggles for a college freshman and quite well.” imagined the difficult transition for someone who The Harbisons’ volunteer spirit was traveled more than 8,000 miles to get to Fayette. recognized last year when Mark

His name was Arnold Mukisa. The Harbisons was the guest speaker at the befriended Arnold and helped him settle into International Week banquet. Fayette and to Central Methodist University. He spoke of the growth of the

The relationship strengthened over the years, international population at and Arnold’s Fayette family — the Harbisons — CMU over the years and the were beaming with pride when Arnold received welcoming spirit that exists his degree at graduation and earned the Selecman now. Award – the most prestigious honor for any “Arnold and Ivet don’t know graduate, given to someone who demonstrates this, but during that first year extraordinary citizenship, scholarship, religious through our conversations and leadership, spiritual qualities, and achievement. getting to know them better, they

Little did the Harbisons know that their act of helped me realize something that kindness would coincide with the development of all of you international students an entire program at Central Methodist University have in common,” he said. “You – the International Friendship Family program. made a decision,

The year after they met Arnold, Becca Harbison a leap of faith of noticed an item in her church bulletin about the sorts, to leave your program and called Cathy Baxter, ‘09, CMU’s families assistant dean for international students and study abroad.

“She (Cathy) said she had a couple of girls she would like us to consider,” Becca said. “I told her we had already ‘adopted’ Arnold but would like to ‘adopt’ both of the girls. We added Ivet Rodriguez from Catalonia and Felixhy Dominguez from Mexico. Our family grew when we added the men’s soccer team and several other girls from Spain.”

Baxter is quick to explain that the International Friendship Family program isn’t about “adoption” or housing. It’s really about being in contact at least monthly to help expand social support, ease the impact of culture shock, and enhance the sense of community and belonging.

Mark said one of the most impactful times over the past four years was in 2018, when Ivet’s parents and other family members came to visit.

“We had them all of at the house one evening for supper,” said Mark, who works as chief executive officer of Commercial Trust Bank in

and home country to come to a small dot on the globe called Fayette, Missouri, to pursue your educational goals. Most of you probably never visited Fayette before you enrolled, but you were optimistic and knew that it would all go well.” Mark said his hope for opening up their home to international students is “to provide them a home away from home and a place to get away from campus and enjoy each other’s company.” He said oftentimes they end up communicating with the students’ parents and providing reassurance. Some of the most popular activities for the Harbisons and their “adoptees” include taking them shopping, having them over for meals, cookouts, and swim parties, as well as fishing from their dock. Visitors often include the men’s soccer team, and they share conversation with Mark, who played on one of CMU’s first soccer teams many years ago. “We go to their sporting events, host them for the Super Bowl, and have watch parties for their away games,” Becca said. Occasionally, they’ll go out to breakfast or lunch, text them to get an update on studies, or even make up care packages during finals. “The relationships we have built with these young men and women are indescribable,” Becca said. “They are family. It brings us joy sharing what we have with them and hoping we have made a small difference in their CMU experience.”

Want to Learn More?

Fourteen Fayette-area families participate in the International Friendship Families program, which matches international undergraduate students with local American families to facilitate crosscultural friendships. There are about 90 international students on the Central Methodist University campus.

The program provides the students with a more personal experience of American culture. In return, the American families learn about another country and culture.

Cathy Baxter, ’09, who runs the program at CMU, said the commitment can be as little as sharing email addresses and phone numbers and one visit per month.

“But most of the time it is more,” Baxter said. “Relationships strengthen, and the hosts want to help with the transition into American culture.”

Adjusting to American culture isn’t easy, Baxter said. Sometimes, students feel isolated, miss their families, friends, food, and other things. She said the program helps ease anxiety by providing a “cultural navigator.”

For more information: 660-248-6665 cbaxter@centralmethodist.edu

Current International Friendship Families • Larry ’67 & Terri ’98 Anderson • Casey & Traci Ballew ‘19 • Dana Battison • Doug & Susan Chambers • Sally Hackman • Rebecca ’77 & Mark Harbison ’76 • Denise Haskamp • Ashley Hassiak • Stephanie Hayes • David & Suzanne Hickman • Kevin & Barbara Oeth • Rhys & Sharon ’85 Thomas • Amy & Eddie Valencia • Matthew ’07 & Jennifer

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