Sarah Driscoll, director of International Students and Scholars, said the program gives students an opportunity to experience American traditions while building relationships with members of the Quinnipiac community.

“At its core, the Thanksgiving host program is about creating a sense of belonging,” Driscoll said. “The feedback we receive consistently highlights the mutual benefits of the program. Students describe feeling welcomed, supported, and connected, while host families speak about the joy of meeting students from around the world and the meaningful relationships that develop through a simple holiday meal.”

For Professor of Psychology Gary Giumetti, hosting has become a family tradition over the past three years.

Last Thanksgiving, he and his family welcomed two graduate business students from Kenya.

Along with traditional Thanksgiving dishes, the family prepared some familiar Kenyan dishes for those students, including rice pilau, chapati and kachumbari. The students even brought a sense of their home to this feast, by helping prepare the meal.

“We love meeting new people and cooking new foods,” Giumetti said. “Any faculty member who is considering hosting students for Thanksgiving should go for it, because it is a lot of fun and a great experience for all involved”

The experience was especially memorable for Sharon Rotich, MBA ‘27, who moved to the United States from Kenya in 2025 and signed up for the program to experience her first American Thanksgiving with Giumetti’s family.

From receiving a tour of the home to seeing a 3D printer for the first time, Rotich said every part of the day stood out. The family even printed each guest’s name on the dinner table, and everyone played card games during the meal.

“Professor Gary and his family were very warm and welcoming, one of my best experiences of my first year in the United States,” Rotich said.

Karla Natale, associate vice president of community partnerships and university events, said her family wanted to make sure international students had an opportunity to celebrate the holiday rather than spend the holiday alone.

She mentioned that one of the most rewarding parts is learning about students, their home countries and interacting with students from different backgrounds and experiences

“Everyone wants to be seen and heard and feel connected,” Natale said.

Students and their hosts have made such indelible connections through the program that have lasted well beyond Thanksgiving.

Giumetti and his family have even reunited with their guests during the spring semester for a Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey game and dinner.

At its heart, the tradition is about making students feel welcomed and connected while they are away from home, Driscoll said.

International students interested in participating in this year must submit the Thanksgiving host program interest form by Tuesday, November 10.