Region VII is comprised of schools from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Through INTAPP, which stands for International Appalachian, students help improve support services for incoming international students, work to increase the number of Appalachian students who study abroad, recruit more international students to attend Appalachian, and promote interaction between U.S. and international students at the university.

“INTAPP is a group of students at Appalachian who are passionate about traveling, study abroad or learning foreign language,” said organization president Christopher Houska. “The organization supports international students enrolled on campus and promotes international education.”

Houska said the student organization created a buddy system in which international students are paired with a currently enrolled student at Appalachian. That connection helps the international students acclimate to the campus and community, and oftentimes gives them a place to go during the holidays when campus residence halls are closed.

INTAPP also created a student-to-student outreach program for freshmen, at which INTAPP members talk about the benefits of study abroad programs and the international offerings available through the Office of International Education and Development.

“One of the most valuable aspects of INTAPP is the student-to-student support they provide,” said Nancy Wells, program director in the Office of International Education and Development. “They not only encourage other students to study abroad, but they also provide support for the international students while they are here.”

Houska knows the benefits such a group can provide to foreign students. He studied Spanish and international business at the University of the Americas in Pueblo, Mexico this summer.

When he arrived on campus, there had been a mix up with his on-campus living arrangements. He was told to take a bus to another part of town where he stayed in a hotel for several days. “I kind of got thrown into the fire,” he said of the experience.

“We know what its like for them to be here,” Houska said. “At a time when they come in nervous about how the semester will go and about their English language skills, we can help get them situated.”