Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Grant allows Global Partners to expand program at U. Kansas
By Sarah Neff
University Daily Kansan (U. Kansas)
08/28/2007

(U-WIRE) LAWRENCE, Kan. — Global Partners, a program that matches volunteer students with international students at the University of Kansas, will expand this year with a new coordinator position. The position was made possible with funding from this year's student fees.

Charlie Bankart, assistant vice provost for the office of international programs, said the money was allocated from the Educational Opportunities Fund.

"We are hoping to expand the program and to create a sustainable program to keep for the future," Bankart said.

Bankart said they received $6,800. Some of that money allowed them to create a one-year graduate research assistant position.

Darrell Kendall, Cleveland graduate student, started the position on the first day of the semester. He said his goal was to get at least 200 students involved in the program this year. Currently there are about 100 Global Partners, including international and domestic students.

The program matches KU students with same-gender international students based on common interests indicated in questionnaires.

Kendall said he had several activities planned for the semester including a haunted house excursion in October and a Thanksgiving potluck in November.

"We try to strike a balance between something interesting for the domestic students that displays American culture for the international students," Kendall said.

Vivien Chan, Hong Kong graduate student, joined Global Partners last fall. She said she had made a lot of friends in the program, and not just with her assigned partners. Chan said she had been to a few parties and social events with people she met through Global Partners and that it had helped her acclimate to American culture.

"You know somebody and through that person you know other people," Chan said. "Even now we try to keep in contact."

Global Partners will have a fall kickoff event on Sept. 12. Visit www.ku.edu/~oip/partners/ for more information.

[ Back to Student Voices ]