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Community partners

A page within International Education & Engagement

La Crosse Friends of International Students

La Crosse Friends of International Students (LFIS) was founded in 1987 to promote interaction between international students and the La Crosse community.  LFIS membership is free and open to all interested persons with a home setting and time to share.  UWL offers an LFIS Friendship Family to all incoming international students.

Learn more about LFIS please email Miranda Panzer, mpanzer@uwlax.edu. 

School District of La Crosse

International Education & Engagement partners with the School District of La Crosse to bring UWL international students and study abroad alumni to the surrounding elementary, middle and high schools to share their international backgrounds and experiences.

Learn more about the School District of La Crosse

Global Initiatives Week

Global Initiatives Week takes place in early November throughout La Crosse. Events are held at a variety of locations and times with the purpose of increasing awareness and inspiring and motivating people to become involved in global issues locally and abroad. 

Learn more about Global Initiatives Week

Sister Cities

La Crosse, WI has Sister City relationships with seven cities around the world. These cities include Bantry, Ireland; Dubna, Russia; Epinal, France; Førde, Norway; Friedberg, Germany; Luoyang, China; and The Republic of Cameroon, Kumbo, West Africa.

Learn more about La Crosse's Sister Cities

HOST FAMILIES NEEDED

CURRENTLY SEEKING: Short-term Host Family for Luxembourg High School Students

Luxembourg Program 2023

  • Needed:  September 1-17, 2025. 
  • Students will attend Aquinas, Logan, or Central High School in La Crosse. 
  • One or two students per household; all students need their own bed but may share a room. 
  • Host families provide breakfast and dinner on days hosted by the family, and complete a successful background check.
  • Program hosted in collaboration with Aquinas High School, Central High School, Logan High School, Luxembourg-American Descendants Society of La Crosse (LADS), Junglinster/La Crosse Sister City, Viterbo University, and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

To be considered, please complete this application.

For more information and questions, please contact: Miranda Panzer, UWL International Education & Engagement, mpanzer@uwlax.edu and/or 608-785-8823.

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CURRENTLY SEEKING:  Short-Term Host Families for Japanese University Education Students

UTEF Students 2025

  • Needed:  March 2026 
  • Students will visit local schools in La Crosse to learn about American teaching styles and classroom culture, and share age-appropriate lessons with La Crosse students on Japanese culture. 
  • Prefer two students per household, but open to allowing one student per household.
  • All students need their own bed but may share a room. 
  • Host families provide breakfast and dinner on days hosted by the family, and complete a successful background check.
  • 20+ partnership program between the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, the University of Teacher Education Fukuoka, and the School District of La Crosse.

To be considered, please complete this application.

For more information and questions, please contact: Miranda Panzer, UWL International Education & Engagement, mpanzer@uwlax.edu and/or 608-785-8823.

For more information, please call 608-785-8516 or email international@uwlax.edu. 

News

Kaaviyashri Saraboji is a first-year graduate student from India studying software engineering. She won UWL's Annual 3 Minute Grad Project competition in March for her presentation on AI-Driven System to Prevent Animal-Vehicle Collisions. Nature-inspired innovation Posted 10:56 a.m. Thursday, May 15, 2025 Graduate student uses AI to tackle animal-vehicle collisions Read more about Nature-inspired innovation From left, students from the KLE Institute of Physiotherapy in Belagavi, India, Supriyo Sarkar and Shreyasi Ghatkar apply reflective markers on Anuradha Paramshetti, another student from KLE. Paramshetti stands on the force plate-embedded treadmill called Treadmetrix. Crossing borders, building skills Posted 9:49 a.m. Monday, May 5, 2025 Visiting physical therapy students from India experience innovation and community engagement at UWL Read more about Crossing borders, building skills The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship through the U.S. Department of State helps ease the financial burden of studying abroad for students. Irish adventure Posted 8:33 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 Bronwyn Bond reflects on transformative study abroad experience, supported by Gilman Scholarship Read more about Irish adventure Recipes from Home, launched in 2009 to help students fight homesickness by bringing a taste of their childhood to campus. A taste of home Posted 11:04 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 UWL Dining initiative brings students comfort through home recipes Read more about A taste of home The Global Consulting Program at UWL brought students to Prague and Bratislava this year, allowing them to visit major international companies and collaborate with international students. Global-local connection Posted 3:14 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024 Global consulting program offers UWL students hands-on international experience  Read more about Global-local connection
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