North Texas woman opening doors around the world with student cultural exchange program

It’s tough enough being the new kid in school. Being from another country can enhance that challenge.

That’s why there are folks like Shana Wentzell, executive director of the United Cultural Exchange United States (UCEUS). Her nonprofit organization helps youths from other countries make a comfortable transition to America via foreign exchange programs.

”With the world the way it is today, our youth need us to open their minds, hearts, perspectives to learn about each other, learn other cultures, meet other people and embrace everyone,” Wentzell said.

The program’s mission is to foster international relationships between countries around the world. The purpose is to provide opportunities for people to become involved in the global community and to share their passions

Wentzell said she got the idea to get involved with hosting in the mid-1990s while still living in California.

”Our family was at church back in the ‘90s and the speaker after church mentioned the program, and they were looking for families to open their hearts, family and home to an international student to share their family, culture and mentor the student while they are here,” she said. “These students were from Japan and we volunteered. We were hooked and couldn’t wait to get the next one.”

She then became a community coordinator, finding families for the students.

”You bring cultures together in your community by connecting foreign exchange students, high schools and host families. After that, I wanted to run my own program,” she said.

Growing a global community

She and husband Erik Wentzell created UCEUS in 2000, a year before moving to Azle, and have a following of more than 500 host families around the U.S., working with over 85 private schools, state colleges and private colleges. They are also an agent with ELS Language Centers, bringing over students to learn English for a variety of reasons.

”Our passion for this grew out of the love of culture, language and bringing the youth of all the nations together,” she said.

In 2015 they became an official government sponsor, a process that takes years to accomplish. In all, they’ve brought more than 5,000 students to the U.S. through their programs since its beginning.

Students have come from Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, Croatia, Austria, Slovakia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, Nigeria, Thailand, Japan, China, Mongolia, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Colombia, and Ecuador. They’ve even had refugees from North Korea.

Students stay from one week to a summer, a semester in school, and even for a full academic year. Often, especially for the longer stays, the program tries to place the foreign student in a home with a teenager.

Also, not only are the host families vetted carefully, but also are the incoming students. The Wentzells still host, by the way.

”They are from another country, which brings in cultural differences. But we mentor them, care for them, engage with them, and enrich our own families by bringing in a person from another country,” she said.

Well-rounded experience

Finding the right host families is important. It is largely done by word of mouth, through speaking engagements and good old-fashioned advertising. Once approved and vetted, which includes a thorough home inspection and background check, families are then connected to students through an intro letter in which the student explains who they are, what they like to do and why they want to come here.

“Being on Shana and Erik’s program was by far one of the best experiences of my life. It was a time where I was allowed to be on my own, without my real family, but surrounded by one that showed me as much love as if it had been,” said Sonsoles Hernandez Lopez, a former student participant from Spain.

“... I learned how to communicate, interact and behave with people that were very different from where I had come from.”

Since the experience, Lopez has gone on to study in veterinary school in the Czech Republic, worked as a vet in the Caribbean, and recently as a reserve in the Horn of Africa.

The program also has an outbound program for American students via sister programs in China, Spain and Italy.

”They live with a host family, go to a school in the area and also get to see the wonderful cultures of these countries,” Wentzell said.

But whether it’s students coming here from another country, or American students going abroad, the main purpose remains the same, Wentzell said: experience new cultures and grow.

”They improve their life skills and independence. They develop a sense of adaptability and self-reliance. They make long lasting friendships,” she said. “They get to try new cuisines, get new perspectives and visit different locations. It also has academic benefits for them to study abroad. It helps with their college applications and enriches their English skills by being immersed in an English environment 24/7.

”They have to really grow up being away from their parents, too, and develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. They establish cross cultural skills as well.”

Wentzell noted that when you cultivate a relationship with a student, it is usually for a lifetime. She said to this day she keeps in touch with all of the students she has hosted.

”We are even their children’s American Grandpa and Grandma,” she said with a chuckle. “We have traveled to see them for vacation, been invited to their graduation and weddings.”

They even once went to Dubai to see a past student from Switzerland graduate from the American University of Dubai.

”Talk about really seeing different cultures engage,” she said. “Overall, you are also doing a good deed for your family, community and a youth from another country.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 6:00 AM.