Office of the Dean of Student Affairs

Host Family Program

We invite you to have a Host Family at Bowdoin

The Host Family Program at Bowdoin helps to ease the transition for new students to college life and offers international students and teaching fellows a view of American life and culture. During the 2011-12 academic year, 215 students were paired with 159 host families in the greater Brunswick area. The individual relationships between families and students involve social get-togethers, outings, meals, phone calls and companionship. Many students and their host families have become life-long friends. Students remain on campus and do not live with host families. Although international students have priority, the program is open to any Bowdoin student when host families are available.

The Host Family Program sponsors at least five formal programs each year: a beginning-of-the-year reception, a fall picnic at the Brunswick downtown gazebo,  a Family Weekend reception, a fall pot-luck supper, and a catered dinner in February or March. These programs are organized by the Host Family Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee consists of several participating host parents and is chaired by Margo and David Knight. The committee arranges the matches between the families and students/teaching fellows from the applications and participates in the events mentioned above. Students who get in touch with us early can be matched with their families so that they are able to correspond with them before they arrive at Bowdoin.

If you would like to participate in the Host Family program or have questions about it, please contact Laura Lee by e-mail, llee@bowdoin.edu, by phone (207) 798-7026 or write to her at:

Host Family Program
Office of the Dean of Student Affairs
Bowdoin College
4600 College Station
Brunswick, ME 04011-8437

A warm welcome to Bowdoin, to Brunswick and to the State of Maine!

Read what Host Family participants have to say about the program.