Community Outreach & Engagement
The External Relations staff in the Office of International Affairs (OIA) promotes cross-cultural education, as well as involvement with Kentucky’s international community. Staff can identify international resources and design projects or presentations to meet the needs of various groups, from school classrooms to Habitat for Humanity to the YMCA.
OIA also promotes partnerships between individuals and families in the Lexington community and international UK students through the International Hospitality Program. The program gives international students a culturally rich experience outside the classroom and offers local residents the opportunity to make international friends.
Other opportunities for involvement include Kentucky-Ecuador Partners, a chapter of Partners of the Americas that pairs the Commonwealth of Kentucky with areas of the South American country of Ecuador. Together, citizens on both sides of the partnership plan and implement projects in program areas such as agriculture, health, rehabilitation, education and cultural exchange.
OIA staff also connects individuals with the United States Peace Corps and the Kentucky Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.