As part of a semester-long event, the International House will host a language exchange program every other Tuesday at the Grand Valley State University Mark A. Murray Living Center.

Tables representing different languages – such as French, German, Spanish and English – will be set up from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. This program is open to students who are learning or interested in learning a foreign language and are invited to meet and practice with faculty, students and native speakers.

Brandon Shamoun, the assistant living center director at the Murray Living Center, said he helped organize this program with the International House’s peer mentors and residential assistants in order to help students immerse themselves into the language they study and its culture.

“It doesn’t matter what level the student is at or what language they are learning,” Shamoun said. “If they are curious, or just need help with studying for an oral or written portion of an exam then this is their chance.”

As a 2014 graduate from Wayne State University with a concentration in Spanish, Shamoun said he understood the struggle of learning a foreign language.

“At times it would be tough because I wasn’t a native speaker,” Shamoun said. “I understood how hard it is to learn and trying to immerse yourself into it, but I wanted to learn and I hope that we can help those students in and out of the International House be more comfortable in how they interact and experience an entirely different world.”

The International House is a living and learning center for international students studying at GVSU or majoring in an international relations discipline or concentration – including international business, political science or modern languages.

Mayra Fortes, the International House faculty director and assistant professor of Spanish, said the appeal to the language exchange program is that domestic and international students are brought into an inclusive environment where they can freely discuss international issues.

“This is an opportunity for students to come together, visit with students and publicize the house’s purpose of bringing foreign language and beliefs into an academic and social setting,” Fortes said.

While Fortes also views the program as an opportunity for students to foster the idea of studying abroad, a potential way to learn a new language, find new friends and a potential major, the program ultimately helps students develop a multi-cultural perspective of the world while attending GVSU.

“It is a very enriching experience to meet someone of different culture and discipline without leaving the country,” Fortes said. “This really is a perfect opportunity for students to experiment with another perspective and culture, while effectively learning about themselves and how they shape the world in the process.”

The next language exchange program is Sept. 29, and snacks will be provided.

For more information about the International House’s events and programs, visit www.gvsu.edu/internationalhouse.