Tennessee Tech University’s Center for Global Experiences – formerly the Study Abroad Office – has more than just a new name. The rebranded center has an expanded mission and refreshed programming, along with new digs in room 248 of the Volpe Library on campus.

It’s all part of the center’s efforts to support both outbound Tech students studying abroad in countries across the world and inbound international and foreign exchange students on Tech’s campus who may be experiencing the United States for the very first time.

“We had always been on the fourth floor of Derryberry Hall, which was not as visible or accessible to students,” explained Amy Miller, assistant director of the Center for Global Experiences. “We ultimately came to the Volpe Library. The new dean of the library, Kelly McCallister, is very excited that we’re here. We’ve been welcomed by the library staff, and we have this nice, big, new visible space right here on the main floor.”

The move comes as the center also recently launched its Global Ambassadors program, a project that matches new international students at Tech with more established international students or U.S.-based Tech students who have studied abroad before and understand the feeling of being new in a foreign country. 

“We have about 25 Global Ambassadors and we have assigned them each three to four international students to help support,” said Miller. “It has been a super successful program so far this year.”

Global Ambassadors begin outreach to incoming international students over the summer, before they arrive in the country. Once the new students get to campus, Global Ambassadors attend Week of Welcome events with them, help them set up their residence hall or apartment, and even take them shopping – as many international students lack personal transportation.

The Center for Global Experiences has also fully relaunched its host family program, known as International Friends, following a pandemic-era hiatus.

International Friends, which Miller and her husband have personally participated in for the past 15 years, pairs international students with local families who invite the students to a family activity at least once a month and check in with the student through regular phone calls and messages of support.

Through the program, Miller and her family have opened their home to students at Thanksgiving and Christmas for home-cooked meals and made sure that the students to whom they were assigned always received a cake and celebration on their birthdays. Other host families throughout Cookeville – including other Tech faculty and staff – do the same. 

“It helps a lot with supporting the students who are here. It makes them feel more part of a family and that they’re really cared about – that they’re not just here alone going through classes by themselves,” said Miller.

Over the years, Miller and her family have stayed in touch with students they hosted as part of the program. 

“A lot of our host students have gotten married and had children now and they send me pictures regularly of their kids,” Miller added. “My children grew up with these host students, so they view them as brothers and sisters. They’re extended family.”

Miller and her team have other projects up their sleeves, too, including a bike-sharing program they have worked on with Julie Baker, interim associate provost and dean of the College of Graduate Studies, to help international students get around town more easily.

The center’s new efforts come as the number of international students at Tech is up year-over-year, following a COVID-induced decline. Tech is sending out more students to other countries on study abroad trips, too. 

“Fortunately, we are up to about 200 students per year going abroad here at Tech,” said Miller. “The group trips – where a faculty leader and co-leader take a group of students abroad for a shorter time – are very popular right now.”

For Miller, the task is all about helping students find friendship and understanding across cultural divides – reinforcing that none of us are alone and we all have more in common than we might think.

“I’ve heard many, many students comment on how friendly everyone is here,” concluded Miller. “Having students supporting students has been a huge help to everybody all the way around.” 

Learn more about Tech’s Center for Global Experiences at https://www.tntech.edu/studyabroad/index.php.