International Coffee Hour offers international and domestic students a chance to mingle and have some snacks every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the first floor of B.B. Comer Hall.

For international students who are far from home in a completely new place, it offers the opportunity to meet others and build friendships with domestic students while working on their English skills. These friendships can help international students broaden their horizons at the University.

“International students start hanging out with domestic students outside of the University, like going out to eat and joining clubs,” said Amber Duncan, a graduate student assistant for Capstone International Services, the on-campus organization that helps international students make the transition to the University.

However, the benefits are not limited to international students.

Domestic students are also afforded the opportunity to make friends from many different places. This allows them to explore cultures that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to.

“I learned a lot about different cultures and religions, and I gained a greater understanding of many different people groups,” said Kayla Tamburelli, a junior studying communicative disorders.

The Coffee Hour makes these sorts of interactions easier.

“You see international students around campus, but you don’t actually sit down and ask them where they’re from,” Duncan said.

Duncan estimates that the international students who come to the coffee hour represent more than 20 countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia and South American and African nations.

Interested students can contact Duncan at [email protected] or 205-348-5402 or just drop by B.B. Comer on Friday to be a part of the coffee hour.

Tamburelli said she encourages all students to go to the coffee hour.

“It’s free, so everyone should definitely check it out if they have a break in their class schedule,” she said.

Duncan hopes the event will grow to include more international and domestic students.

“It’s a good time to come and mingle and a good time to come get a midday snack,” she said.