Dinner in a Nebraska Home, a program which seeks to make international students feel more welcome in the United States, is seeking faculty and staff hosts for its fall program.
The program provides international students with the opportunity to have dinner in a private home, connect with faculty and staff outside the classroom, and experience different cultural traditions. It also gives hosts a chance to learn from and engage with undergraduate and graduate students from around the world.
“I’ve heard many concerns from prospective and current international students over the past year about whether they are truly wanted and welcome in the United States,” said Teresa Lostroh, assistant director of New Student Enrollment and organizer of the program. “Initiatives like this send a strong message to students that they are valued, that we care, and that we want them to feel at home here.”
Formerly a spring program, Dinner in a Nebraska Home now takes place in the fall due to weather concerns and the many cultural experiences and holidays that occur in the first semester.
Students are assigned to hosts in groups of two to three based on availability, dietary restrictions, access to transportation, and fears/allergies related to pets. Hosts and students will meet for the first time at a reception organized by New Student Enrollment, and they then coordinate among themselves to schedule the dinner within three weeks of the reception.
Registration for Dinner in a Nebraska Home is open through Sept. 19. Faculty, staff and students can register online.
For more information about the program, contact Teresa Lostroh at tlostroh2@unl.edu.
