Looking for a few good 'friends'

Please join us in the new “Coastal Friends for Internationals” pilot program. The program will focus on welcoming our new Chinese students to CCU’s campus and to the Grand Strand community. These students are coming to Coastal for the next two to two and a half years to earn undergraduate degrees as a part of a double degree program.

They will live on CCU’s campus and attend classes full time, but as they transition from the People’s Republic of China to our area, they will experience many cultural differences. By giving them a family experience in the area, we can help to increase their familiarity with our culture and community offerings and help them learn more about American life. Coastal Friends for Internationals (CFI) will be a volunteer program housed in the Office of International Programs.

The CFI volunteers will be asked to:
* contact the student once a week at the beginning of the semester and then at least once every two weeks after that time;
* periodically invite the student to participate in family and/or community activities. (Students can pay their own admission fees but need to know what they are as the invitation is extended.);
* occasionally have a meal with the student;
* be available to discuss issues of interest to the student;
* attend opening welcome session with the student on Aug. 17 during CCU’s welcome week orientation, and two other sessions during the semester;
* be willing to suggest changes and improvements to the program to program leaders.

All CFI volunteers will be asked to complete a basic application and volunteer form, including a background check. CFI volunteers should be able to drive, as the students will not have cars initially. Please contact Darla Domke-Damonte (ddamonte@coastal.edu; 349-2129) to indicate your interest in the program, to get more information, or to get the application packet for the program.

Darla Domke-Damonte, Ph.D., Executive Director of Global Initiatives