For the past two years, the International Peer Assistance Program has served as a contact base for international students, helping them to become acclimated with Iowa State.

“The International Peer Assistance Program was developed when we realized that in order to improve the retention of international students, we would have to extend our services beyond what the international advisers could do,” said Jane Edwards, program coordinator.

The International Peer Assistance Program serves many purposes, and besides offering comfort for homesick students, students can receive tutoring, information about campus events and free coffee on Fridays.

“We are basically here to support [international students],” said peer assistant Piera Vitali, senior in marketing.

Free Coffee Fridays is a program that allows international students to meet and interact with other international students. The program is held weekly in the Pine Room of the Memorial Union from 3 to 5 p.m.

“It is very informal. Students can come and go as they please,” Vitali said. “Usually people start talking to people they have never talked to before or to people they met last Friday.”

Edwards said she has received positive feedback about the program.

In the future, Edwards said she hopes to strengthen the effort to reach out to international students and to better integrate them with other students.

Although not directly related to the International Peer Assistance Program, a cross-cultural learning community was initiated this year. Edwards along with Jane Jacobson, adviser in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, founded the community in Linden Hall.

“The students themselves evaluated it highly,” Edwards said.

Edwards said she also is hoping to institute another cross-cultural learning community next fall.