Conversation Partners
Conversation Partners is a program that pairs international students with students from the United States. Once an international student and American student are paired, they meet once per week for one hour. During these meetings, partners share information about their culture, home country/state/city, education, interests/hobbies, and more! The meetings between Conversation Partners can take place virtually or in-person. This program is very flexible because you are free to choose how you would like to meet and when you would like to meet as long as it is for one hour each week. There are regularly scheduled opportunities for everyone involved in this program to meet in group settings as well. For more information about these group events, please visit the Global Conversation Hour webpage.
There are many benefits for both international students and American students in joining the Conversation Partners Program! Check out a handful of the exciting benefits students will see as a result of participating in the program listed below!
Benefits of becoming a Conversation Partner:
International Students:
- Improve English language speaking abilities
- Learn about the American culture and American university culture
- Make new friends
- Share your culture/background
- Expand your worldview
- Reduce homesickness
- Adjust to life at an American university
- Discover resources, events, and ways to get involved on and off campus
American Students:
- Improve language speaking abilities for a language you are learning/interested in learning
- Learn about a new culture
- Attend exciting events with a multicultural focus
- Make new friends from a different country
- Expand your worldview
- Develop multicultural competence
Expectations of Being a Conversation Partner
- The commitment is for one semester
- Meet with your partner (virtually or in-person) for a minimum of one (1) hour each week
- Provide feedback about your experiences in the program via periodic surveys throughout the academic year
Interested in joining?
Fall 2023 sign-ups have been closed. Spring 2024 sign-ups will open in January.
If you have any further questions about the Conversation Partners program, or have any difficulties with the application form on this website, please direct your inquires to isa@kent.edu.
This program is put on in collaboration between the Office of International Student Affairs and the Center for English as a Second Language.