Catholic Campus Ministry has a long tradition of offering students the opportunity to be "adopted" by families or individuals who are parishioners of Immaculate Conception Church. Being away from home, especially for the first time, can be a challenging experience. At some time or another in their college career, feelings of loneliness are pretty common among college students. These feelings come as a result of being away from family and established support networks, and experiencing social and academic pressure. The host family experience is not a cure for these feelings and it shouldn't be. People usually experience stress and the feeling of being alone at some point in their lives. These can certainly be experiences of sadness and confusion, but they can also be opportunities to grow and establish new networks of support.

The host family experience often includes the following opportunities:
Dinner at home or out with your host family
Being remembered on special occasions
Having support at exam time and when major projects are due
Being able to attend Mass with someone familiar
Making new friends
People with different perspectives to offer advice
Having a taste of family life while you're away from home
An end of the year dinner with all participants

Being "adopted" while at Clarion University is a non-threatening experience. Students are encouraged to meet with their host family as often as they decide. There is no obligation for students to work their already hectic schedules around someone else. And while the program is set up to be of direct service to the student, families and individuals who act as hosts benefit as much from the unique perspectives and experiences of the students they support.

Please contact the Campus Ministry office if you have any questions or are interested in participating in this opportunity in any way.