EvCC seeks host families for Japanese college students
College News
Date: Dec. 3, 2024
Contacts: Mayumi N. Smith, Director of Japanese Cultural Resource Center: mnsmith@everettcc.edu, 425-388-9380 or 425-239-7612
Ali Soltanshahi, Executive Director of International Education Center: asoltanshahi@everettcc.edu, 425-446-1759
Apply by Dec. 20 to be a host family for two weeks
EVERETT, Wash. – Everett Community College (EvCC) seeks local families to host college students from Everett’s sister college, Aichi Toho University (ATU) and its affiliated university, Okinawa University Japan, for two weeks this winter.
EvCC’s International Education Center is looking for families to apply by Dec. 20 to host one or two students from Feb. 25 to March 10, 2025.
“Hosting an exchange student is a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to be exposed to a different culture and to make lifelong friends,” said Mayumi N. Smith, the director of EvCC’s Japanese Cultural Resource Center. “It’s also an opportunity for you to showcase your culture to the students from Nagoya and Okinawa.”
EvCC started hosting ATU students for their study abroad program in 1986. The college manages student engagement and support services, while host families provide rooms, meals, transportation and cultural experiences on weekends.
The college provides financial support of $60 per day, per student to each host family.
Host families can expect to:
- Attend a host family orientation via Zoom.
- Allow an EvCC representative to tour each home to make sure housing is appropriate for students.
- Offer clean and comfortable housing and a bed for each student.
- Provide students with full access to wi-fi in the home.
- Provide meals during the two-week period, including snacks.
- Arrange transportation for students to EvCC Monday through Friday.
- Arrange for students to be picked up around 5 p.m. from EvCC. If there are evening events, EvCC will drop students off at their host family homes.
- Spend Saturday through Sunday with the students enjoying activities and family time. Larger events for students and host families may be arranged.
Interested families can fill out a form by Dec. 20 or contact Smith at mnsmith@everettcc.edu with questions.