Africana Host Family Program
History
As early as the 1950s, Oberlin College students began forming special relationships with Oberlin families through church attendance and interactions with community people employed by Oberlin College. These relationships provided students with extended families, which strengthened and enhanced their sense of community while away from home. During the 1960s and 1970s this practice continued to flourish informally between students of African descent and the community. In 1972, college and community representatives met officially to establish a process by which interested Oberlin families could adopt an Oberlin college student and form ties throughout their time at Oberlin. This process evolved into the Host Family Program at Oberlin College.
Goals:
- To offer students an opportunity to establish extended family relationships throughout the local community.
- To provide family support to students as they make their transition from their home environment to the Oberlin College community.
- To improve retention rates of students of color at Oberlin College and to intensify college-community interaction.
Participants may explore the following activities:
- Family dinners/gatherings
- Trips to and from the airport during holiday vacations
- Religious and Spiritual gatherings
- Social Events
- Trips to area malls/shopping centers
- Trips to Cleveland and surrounding areas
- Oberlin College events
Process:
Host Families are recruited from the Oberlin College campus and community, Lorain County, and the alumni community throughout Cleveland. Information is made available to both students and potential host families. The next step includes completing an application to demonstrate interest and be used to find an optimum match between students and families. We strive to assign a family to every student who requests to be a part of the program. Once assignments have been made, a program organized by the Multicultural Resource Center will provide an opportunity for students and host families to meet each other. Once a relationship has been established, activities (in accordance with the goals of the program) are left to the discretion of the student and host family.
Benefits:
Students will gain familial support systems, community networks, an alternate space away from academic and social pressures, opportunities for spiritual and cultural growth. Host families will provide positive influence and guidance that will strengthen the bonds with their students and within the community.
If you are interested in participating in the Africana Host Family Program, please fill out the pamphlet and return it to the MRC.