Sixty students from foreign countries have chosen to study at Eastern, said Sue Songer international student adviser.

Today an International Forum will take place to welcome the new students to campus.

The event, sponsored by International Programs, gives faculty, staff and students a chance to meet international students who attend Eastern, Songer said.

Eastern’s International Forum will highlight two of its programs at its meeting 3:30 p.m. today in the Charleston/Mattoon room in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The two programs are Conversation Partners and Family Friends.

Conversation Partners is a program where students spend at least one hour a week with an international student to help him or her better understand English, Songer said. It also helps both students understand the other person’s culture.

Rowdy Frederiksen, a senior elementary education major, will speak about his experience with Conversation Partners at the forum.

Family Friends pairs an international student with an American family. In this program, the family and the student eat at least one meal a month together. This gives families and the students a chance to get to know each other, and for the student to feel more at home, Songer said.

Staff member Carla Nelson will discuss the Family Friends program. The speakers will answer questions throughout the event.

The purpose of these programs and the International Forum is to introduce the students to the Eastern community and to promote international education at Eastern.

Students are encouraged to attend this event to welcome the international students and show their appreciation for choosing to attend Eastern, Songer said.