Alumni act as a warm contact and cultural guide to an international student, introducing them to life in Melbourne by taking them out for coffee, sharing a meal, attending an AFL game, walking in the Royal Botanic Gardens or visiting the zoo, to name a few of the many possibilities. They also offer inside tips about social norms, answer questions if they can or direct the students to academic, financial or other support services provided by the University.

Keri Whitehead (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, 1983) is a veteran host who has welcomed 22 students to Melbourne since she started volunteering in 2010. As a student, Keri also lived on campus at Trinity College. After graduating, she was involved in a youth exchange program for three months in Indonesia and remembers the kind hospitality of the host families with whom she stayed.

Fellow alum Annette Clarey (Bachelor of Science, Hons, 1977) became part of the program in 2015. As a student, she came to the University of Melbourne from Seymour, 100 kilometres north of the city and lived at International College. “Meeting students there from all over the world, some who have become my closest friends, was the most formative experience for me,” she says.

For Keri, Annette and David, the Welcome to Melbourne program is a treasured, ongoing opportunity to give back to the community. At the beginning of each semester, the  Alumni Relations team matches hosts and students who get to meet up for the first time at a launch event at the University. From there, each alumni-student pair decides on another meeting date and place.

Every host takes a different tack and brings their own flair to the role, according to those involved. Keri lives close to the Parkville campus and always invites students for a meal. When hosting students from Indonesia, she has loved the opportunity to speak Bahasa Indonesian. Depending on their interests, Keri also takes them to the theatre, the zoo, the Royal Botanic Gardens or to an AFL game.

“One student loved barracking for the North Melbourne Kangaroos so much, and even still watches the Grand Final every year from Indonesia,” she says.

Drawing on her own regional heritage, Annette enjoys venturing into the countryside for day trips with students, perhaps south to the Mornington Peninsula or to Daylesford, Hepburn Springs and Mount Macedon for a panoramic view, or to the picturesque Bellarine Peninsula on the passenger ferry.

Annette describes the hosting experience as “a positive two-way street” for both the host and the student. Keri enjoys the connection to young people, as well as her ongoing relationship with the University.

“Some students have asked interesting questions about how our political system works,” she says. “Sometimes, I have to go away and do research. Others have asked questions about environmental issues, while some have interesting notions about the Australian way of life. It’s all such a learning experience.”