WNCC Host Families Program

What is a WNCC Host Family?

The WNCC Host Family program was established in the early 1980s as an additional support program for the Cougar Men's Basketball team. The program has grown to include any WNCC student. The program consists of local families who are willing to "adopt" a WNCC student for the current academic year. The program consists of both traditional and non-traditional families, as well as several grandparents. Not a live-in program, WNCC host families engage in various activities throughout the year with their WNCC student. Each individual host family is allowed to determine for themselves the amount of time they would like to devote to the program. We understand that families have their own priorities, and some families may have the freedom to allot more time to their student.

Goals of the Host Family Program

WNCC has two main goals for the host family program. One goal is to provide WNCC students a home away from home. WNCC feels it is important to help our students become adjusted to the valley area by introducing them to a family that they can connect with over the course of the year. The second goal is to introduce families in the valley to a diverse field of students from all over the United States, as well as internationally. Exposing your family to the different cultures from around the world can be a rewarding experience.

Expectations of a Host Family

As stated previously, WNCC understands that you have your own priorities with your family. For this reason, you are allowed to decide the level of commitment with your student. The main expectation is that each family keeps an open line of communication with the student. We ask that each family understand that students are busy and often are away from home for the first time, and many may not want to spend an extraordinary amount of time with their host family. WNCC truly wants this to be a positive experience for both the families and the WNCC students. Here are some suggestions for things you may want to do with your student:

1. Invite them to a meal at your home with your family
2. Invite them to watch a movie at home with your family
3. Invite them to one of your children's athletic competitions
4. Invite them to your house on a Sunday afternoon to have a quiet place to study
5. Invite them to use your washing machine for a load of laundry
6. Invite them to other community functions your family may be attending
7. Invite them to call if they ever need a local referral (doctor, dentist, car repair, etc.)
8. Making a phone call once a week to check in with your student

WNCC Host Parents working with student athletes

WNCC's Host Family Program is available to all students. In order for WNCC's student athletes to participate in the Host Family Program, the College complies with rules and bylaws enacted by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The College's Host Family Program is administered by the institution with no direct affiliation to the athletic department and Athletic department staff plays no part in the arrangement of host families. Additionally, Athletic department personnel may not serve as a Host Family volunteer.

For students to remain eligible in the NJCAA, NCAA, and NAIA systems, they must be considered amateur athletes. When student-athletes are given benefits or gifts from outside entities, their amateur status can be put in jeopardy. For this reason there are certain actions that ARE NOT PERMISSIBLE within the Host Family Program if you are a host family for one of our student athletes. These actions include:

1. No financial, fiduciary, or monetary transactions may transpire between a volunteer host family volunteer and a student-athlete. This includes, but is not limited to: loans, co-signing of loans or leases, long distance telephone calls and provision of tickets.
2. A Host Family Volunteer must not take student-athlete on trips involving excessive mileage and/or expense.
3. A Host Family Volunteer may not provide tickets or gifts of any kind.