IHC has been welcoming and connecting international visitors to our local community since 1952. IHC is not formally affiliated with any University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign programs.
Mission
IHC (International Hospitality Committee) is a volunteer organization founded in 1952 to respond to an increasing international community within Champaign-Urbana. IHC offers programs to help international students, faculty, staff and their families during their stay in the Champaign-Urbana community. The goals of IHC are to promote an enjoyable experience for international visitors, to facilitate their adjustment to their new environment, to aid them in improving their English skills, and to encourage understanding and friendship between local residents and people from other countries.
To do this, IHC offers a variety of programs and activities, such as the International Friends Program, English classes, friendship groups, a lending storeroom, and an annual dinner. IHC groups are composed of community volunteers and the organization works in close cooperation with the International Student and Scholar Services.
Volunteers are always welcome to participate in any of the activities and programs. All are free of charge and may be joined at any time.
Programs
IHC English Classes
IHC free English classes are informal groups that meet once a week for 90 minutes, with the focus on English conversation.
The spring and fall classes generally follow the university semester schedule. We offer classes at different language levels; however, the most popular level is usually intermediate.
Classes and groups are FREE, but regular attendance is encouraged. The times and dates vary, so please check the schedule carefully. Please email teacher/group leader to register for each class and to get more information.
For more information on these classes, or about inexpensive private English tutoring, please email Vivienne Mackie, vivienne.mackie@gmail.com.
Schedule
| Tuesday Sewing Practice and Handicrafts (like knitting) (in-person) DAY: Tuesdays PLACE: Orchard Down Learning Resource Center 2044-A. (The 2044-A building is between the Laundry Building and Parking Lot F, please enter the classroom from the grass courtyard side, not the Orchard Street side. There’s a bus stop in front of the building.) Address: 2044 S. Orchard St., Apt 2044-A, Urbana, IL 61801 DATES: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays every month, starting September 2, 2025 TIME: 2:30 pm -4:30pm CONTACT: Ms. Christina Myers. Please email group leader if you are interested, as there is a limited number of sewing machines. EMAIL: ckmyers2@gmail.com | Wednesday Discussion Group (in-person) DAY: Wednesdays TIME: 3:30-4:30 pm DATES: all semester, starting September 3, 2025 PLACE: to be announced. It will be somewhere on campus—like a coffee shop/the Illini Union. To get the information please email the teacher. CONTACT: Mr. Jonathan William EMAIL: v.jonathanwilliam@gmail.com |
| Wednesday afternoon English Class(in-person) PLACE: 2044-A S. Orchard Street (in Orchard Downs) DAY: Wednesday TIME: 2:00-3:30pm DATES: September 3-December 10, 2025 LEVEL: Intermediate TEACHER: Ms. Vivienne Mackie EMAIL: vivienne.mackie@gmail.com | Thursday Friendship Group—an Online Group DAY: Every Thursday (online) TIME: 10:00-11:O0am DATES: all semester LEVEL: Any level is fine. Each week they have a different topic linked to current happenings, holidays, events. CONTACTS: Please contact Ms. Saiko Rosenberger to get the Zoom link EMAIL: srsnbrgr@illinois.edu |
| International Book Club Please contact Ms. Adriana Rom for details about how to join online and to get the book titles. The main purpose of the club is to talk about topics related to the book. EMAIL: adriana3400@gmail.com FACEBOOK: Ask to join The Online Book Club (a private group of IHC) |
This schedule also includes the meeting times for the IHC Friendship Group.
Volunteer
The teacher’s main function is to facilitate the conversation, think of topics, and help students with pronunciation and new vocabulary. They also can point out and correct common grammar mistakes. In practice, the function is less “teaching” in a formal sense, and more ensuring that class runs smoothly.
If you or someone you know has studied or taught English before, this is a great volunteer opportunity and way to get involved in the local community. The people who come to the IHC classes are very enthusiastic and motivated about practicing English, making these classes are a lot of fun to lead.
If you are interested in this great volunteer opportunity, please fill out the IHC English Conversation Classes – Teachers or contact Vivienne Mackie (vivienne.mackie@gmail.com).
IHC Friendship Group
IHC Friendship Groups are informal groups of Americans and international visitors who meet on a regular basis.
We invite you to participate as your schedule allows. Through a variety of activities, participants share fun and friendship with many from other cultures. International visitors learn more about the Champaign-Urbana area and practice speaking English.
Schedule
| Tuesday Sewing Practice and Handicrafts (like knitting) (in-person) DAY: Tuesdays PLACE: Orchard Down Learning Resource Center 2044-A. (The 2044-A building is between the Laundry Building and Parking Lot F, please enter the classroom from the grass courtyard side, not the Orchard Street side. There’s a bus stop in front of the building.) Address: 2044 S. Orchard St., Apt 2044-A, Urbana, IL 61801 DATES: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays every month, starting September 2, 2025 TIME: 2:30 pm -4:30pm CONTACT: Ms. Christina Myers. Please email group leader if you are interested, as there is a limited number of sewing machines. EMAIL: ckmyers2@gmail.com | Wednesday Discussion Group (in-person) DAY: Wednesdays TIME: 3:30-4:30 pm DATES: all semester, starting September 3, 2025 PLACE: to be announced. It will be somewhere on campus—like a coffee shop/the Illini Union. To get the information please email the teacher. CONTACT: Mr. Jonathan William EMAIL: v.jonathanwilliam@gmail.com |
| Wednesday afternoon English Class(in-person) PLACE: 2044-A S. Orchard Street (in Orchard Downs) DAY: Wednesday TIME: 2:00-3:30pm DATES: September 3-December 10, 2025 LEVEL: Intermediate TEACHER: Ms. Vivienne Mackie EMAIL: vivienne.mackie@gmail.com | Thursday Friendship Group—an Online Group DAY: Every Thursday (online) TIME: 10:00-11:O0am DATES: all semester LEVEL: Any level is fine. Each week they have a different topic linked to current happenings, holidays, events. CONTACTS: Please contact Ms. Saiko Rosenberger to get the Zoom link EMAIL: srsnbrgr@illinois.edu |
| International Book Club Please contact Ms. Adriana Rom for details about how to join online and to get the book titles. The main purpose of the club is to talk about topics related to the book. EMAIL: adriana3400@gmail.com FACEBOOK: Ask to join The Online Book Club (a private group of IHC) |
This schedule also includes the meeting times for the IHC English Classes.
Volunteer
Participants also have the opportunity of becoming leaders of a Friendship Group. Leaders are responsible for communication to participants about upcoming meetings. They also elicit ideas from them to help set the agenda for the meetings.
If interested, please fill out the IHC Friendship Group – Volunteers or contact Christina Myers (ckmyers2@gmail.com).
IHC International Friends Program
The IHC International Friends Program matches international visitors with people in the local community as friends, but the student does not live with the “host” family.
In this program, when community members befriend an international student or family, we recommend that the host contact the student or scholar IN PERSON (rather than just by email) at the start of the placement. We also suggest that you try to see your student or scholar(s) at least three times a semester, by inviting him/her/them to a family or holiday dinner and to the annual springtime dinner for participants in all International Hospitality Committee programs.
Your activities together are arranged by mutual consent. Students and scholars want to see every day American life, so it works well when you simply include them in what you are doing anyway. They enjoy cooking with you, your cuisine or theirs, going to the kids’ school events, sightseeing in the area, shopping, or sports and cultural events. Be mindful of the fact that students and scholars are under intense academic pressure, so don’t take it personally if they must refuse invitations.
We ask both the “hosts” and students or scholars to fill out application forms with their contact information and their hobbies and preferences. We use this information to match people with compatible interests. Anyone in the community who is interested in befriending our students and scholars is welcome to participate, regardless of age or family structure. Host registration forms are available below. Applications open each year from mid-August through October 31 and again in the month of January.
Apply
- International students and scholars: apply for a local host
- Community members: apply to host an international student/scholar
Volunteer
If you would like to help IHC with the matching of international students, scholars, and their families with local individuals or families, please contact Donna Erickson (donna_erickson@sbcglobal.net).
IHC Lending Storeroom
IHC provides a Lending Storeroom that loans household items free of charge to international visitors during their stay in the Champaign-Urbana area.
Location
The Lending Storeroom is located at 2044 Orchard Street in Urbana (Orchard Downs) and is open Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Volunteer
Volunteers are needed to staff the storeroom on Saturday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The responsibilities of the volunteer includes: welcoming guests, helping them find items, and asking them to fill out a form describing what they are borrowing. Sometimes it becomes an informal English lesson, as residents ask what the names are for certain items. A handout with pictures and the names of kitchen utensils is available, as well as information about garage sales and places to buy second-hand items. Volunteering is a great way to help newcomers as well as meet people from all over the world!
If you would like to consider volunteering one Saturday a month (or every 2 months), please fill out the IHC volunteer application form or contact the Lending Storeroom coordinator, Keach Sasamori (keachs@yahoo.com).
Donate Items
We are always happy to accept donated kitchen items such as rice cookers, toasters, irons, pots, pans, fans, lamps, etc.
Learn More
IHC Board Members
| Name | Title and Responsibility | Contact Information |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Kruse | Co-President | mary.kruse1@gmail.com |
| Keach Sasamori | Co-President Lending Room | keachs@yahoo.com |
| Vivienne Mackie | Secretary and Treasurer English Classes | vivienne.mackie@gmail.com |
| Donna Erickson | International Friends Program | donna.erickson@sbcglobal.net |
| Nancy McGlathery | Thursday Morning Group Friendship Group | nmcglath@gmail.com |
| Christina Myers | Friendship Groups | ckmyers2@gmail.com |
| David Krehbiel | Member-at-Large | dkrehbiel@isionline.org |
| Kathryn Burden | Illinois Liaison for ISSS | kkburden@illinois.edu |
| Jeanette Weider | Illinois Liaison for Family Housing | weider@illinois.edu |
| Susan Faivre | Illinois Liaison | sfaivre@illinois.edu |
Volunteer with IHC
Volunteering with the IHC is a great way to get involved in the local community and support the international students, scholars, and their families.
English Classes
The teacher’s main function is to facilitate the conversation, think of topics, and help students with pronunciation and new vocabulary. They also can point out and correct common grammar mistakes. In practice, the function is less “teaching” in a formal sense, and more ensuring that class runs smoothly.
If you or someone you know has studied or taught English before, this is a great volunteer opportunity and way to get involved in the local community. The people who come to the IHC classes are very enthusiastic and motivated about practicing English, making these classes are a lot of fun to lead.
If you are interested in this great volunteer opportunity, please fill out the IHC English Conversation Classes – Teachers or contact Vivienne Mackie (vivienne.mackie@gmail.com).
Friendship Groups
Participants also have the opportunity of becoming leaders of a Friendship Group. Leaders are responsible for communication to participants about upcoming meetings. They also elicit ideas from them to help set the agenda for the meetings.
If interested, please fill out the IHC Friendship Groups – Volunteers or contact Christina Myers (ckmyers2@gmail.com).
International Friends Program
If you are interested in being an IHC international student/scholar host please fill out the IHC International Friends Program – Hosts form or contact Nancy McGlathery (nmcglath@gmail.com).
If you would like to help IHC with the matching of international students, scholars, and their families with local individuals or families, please contact Nancy McGlathery (nmcglath@gmail.com). Nancy McGlathery (nmcglath@gmail.com).
Lending Storeroom
Volunteers are needed to staff the storeroom on Saturday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The responsibilities of the volunteer includes: welcoming guests, helping them find items, and asking them to fill out a form describing what they are borrowing. Sometimes it becomes an informal English lesson, as residents ask what the names are for certain items. A handout with pictures and the names of kitchen utensils is available, as well as information about garage sales and places to buy second-hand items. Volunteering is a great way to help newcomers as well as meet people from all over the world!
If you would like to consider volunteering one Saturday a month (or every 2 months), please contact the Lending Storeroom coordinator, Keach Sasamori (keachs@yahoo.com).
Donate Items
We are always happy to accept donated kitchen items such as rice cookers, toasters, irons, pots, pans, fans, lamps, etc.