By Francis Von Mann
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 10, 2025) - For an hour each week, the University of Kentucky’s College of Arts and Sciences and the UK International Center make Lexington seem five countries bigger. Over steaming cups of international tea, the International Student Services space transforms into a crossroad of language and culture.
The gatherings are informal, half game night and half real-world practice, run by two student teams: Student Leaders for International Programming in Arts and Sciences (SLIPAS) and the International Student Leadership Team (ISLT).
One week, ISLT hosts “Global Hangouts,” highlighting traditions and trivia from around the globe. The next, SLIPAS takes over for “Language and Cultural Exchange,” where students pair off to practice language or learn something new about another culture.
Kara Bane Luckett, a foreign language and international economics major and SLIPAS student intern, studied in Seville, Spain last spring.
Her host family spoke little English, which pushed her out of her comfort zone. Understanding Spanish was critical for getting through everyday life. She brought that experience with her.
“Now if I hear Spanish, like an Uber driver on a call, I’ll say something," Luckett said. "I’m not fluent, but people really appreciate that you try. Studying abroad gave me the confidence to do it."
Luckett, who plans to pursue a master’s degree in international affairs, said the weekly exchanges on campus offer some of the same benefits.
“You learn the rhythm of another culture and how to adjust -- skills you carry into any career.”
The Culture Exchange Hour collaboration is new; born from an experiment this fall. Although nationally, study abroad participation has rebounded from pandemic levels, the overall rate remains modest; interest often fades under the weight of cost and nerves. College of Arts and Sciences Education Abroad director Tiffany Williams and UK International Center program coordinator Jane Newland saw a chance to make global learning less intimidating: offer students a low-stakes environment to build confidence before applying for a program and create a welcoming community for students from around the world.
According to Williams, several regulars at the Thursday sessions have filed applications for next summer’s Education Abroad programs.
“Many people on campus are doing great outreach,” Williams said.
She’s proud that these Thursday nights have contributed to that momentum.
“When you’ve shared tea with someone from another country, studying there doesn’t seem impossible anymore.”
Learning goes beyond language.
“Empathy and cultural humility are big ones,” Jane Newland said, explaining how students get a new perspective on their home country. “It allows for self-reflection and helps you understand what international students or immigrant families may be navigating. It has a ripple effect.”
In 2022-2023, 946 UK students studied abroad in 35 countries. Arts and Sciences staff members hope to continue to grow that number by meeting students where they are in classrooms, advising offices and now in these Thursday conversations.
By the time the chairs scrape back, and the tea is long gone, no one has learned a language in full. But that isn’t the point. The point is a joke half-understood, a new friend, a phrase tucked away for later. For one hour on a Thursday night in Kentucky, the world feels small enough to understand and big enough to keep discovering.
Get involved
Language and Cultural Exchanges and Global Hangouts are weekly at the lower level of the Lucille Little Library. All UK students are welcome; no registration is required. More information about these events can be found on BBNvoved.
About the hosts:
-
SLIPAS (Student Leaders for International Programming in Arts and Sciences) elevates the languages taught on campus through peer-led activities.
-
ISLT (International Student Leadership Team) leads Global Hangouts focused on building community across cultures.