Friendship Family Program

The Friendship Family Program helps Greater Lansing area residents get to know and establish mutually rewarding relationships with MSU international students. It provides a chance for the international student to get to know an American family and feel welcome in the community while providing the family a unique opportunity to travel at home and learn about another country, culture and language.

This is NOT A HOME STAY program. Typically, the family meets with their student about once a month by inviting them to their home for dinner or going shopping, celebrating holidays, attending a concert, play or sports event etc. Many students find the Friendship Family program the only way to get away from the academic environment and be invited into an American home.

Participant "families" in the Friendship Family Program can be married with children or without, single, working or retired.

Student and family from Friendship Family program

Families interested in participating, visit Friendship Family (families).

International students and scholars interested in participating, visit Friendship Family (students).

For more information, please contact Iris Horner, (517) 349-1865 or Bonnie Bankson, (517) 482-6657,
Or email at ffcvip@msu.edu or friendshipfamilyCVIP@gmail.com