A Warm Luther Welcome

The flipside of our study-away programs—and part of why we’ve been recognized with a rare 2026 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization—is the way we welcome students from abroad, with invaluable help from alumni.

Kim Christianson '94 and her family regularly host Luther students as they arrive in the U.S. From left: Claire Nguyen '28, Kim, Matthew Lingga '28, Nhi Nguyen '28, and Tran Nguyen '28.

Since 2023, international students receive a true Luther welcome as soon as their plane touches down in Minneapolis. Through Luther’s Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES), Luther alumni can volunteer to host international students until they head to campus. 

Since the program’s inception, its supporters have included Kim Christianson ’94 and her husband, Paul Slininger, and daughter, Abbi Slininger ’24. Residents of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., they were already veteran hosts for international high school and college students, as well as a student teacher. When Kim saw the call looking for volunteers, she thought, This feels important. These students are coming from an international location, coming to start school, and they probably have a lot of uncertainty. It could be fun to make them feel welcome and be a first Luther connection. 

Kim, Paul, and Abbi hosted three students that first summer. “They were so nice with us,” recalls Anthi Giannakopoulou ’27, who traveled from her home in Greece. “They offered to take us to Target if we needed anything before we left for the dorms. They had a little gift bag for each one of us. It felt like they went all out just so we could feel welcomed, but at the same time like they didn’t change much of their schedule just because we were there, which also made it so homey for me. We all just blended in with their everyday life immediately.”

From left: Anthi Giannakopoulou '27 and Kim Christianson '94

During Anthi’s first year at Luther, Abbi scheduled lunch with her once a week just to check in. “It reflects the kind of family they are and how good they’ve been to me,” Anthi says.

Anthi considers Kim and Paul her “American parents,” saying, “All I can think about when coming back to school each year is which days I can go visit them.”

Kim and Paul have maintained meaningful connections with most of the nine students they’ve hosted through the CIES program. They all have a group chat where they keep in touch, and in addition to taking the students out to dinner when Kim and Paul are in Decorah once or twice a year, their home has an open door for the students, like Nhi Nguyen ’28, who spent two weeks there last August after her summer internship ended. 

From left: Paul Slininger, Abbi Slininger '24, Kim Christianson '94, and Nhi Nguyen '28 took in a Minneapolis United game last August.

“Their kindness and generosity are rare,” Nhi says, citing special trips to the zoo and to go hiking, as well as the healthy, delicious meals Kim and Paul serve. As an aspiring nurse, Nhi also appreciates the efforts the family has made to introduce her to fellow nurses, including Paul, Abbi’s friend Jo Muenkel ’24, and Kim’s college roommate Kelly Dorris ’94. When Nhi had two summer jobs to choose from, Kim and Paul were among the first people she texted for advice.

Nhi says, “I’m convinced I won the host-family lottery!” 

He’s Here, He’s Safe

For some students, the prospect of studying in the U.S. can be filled with equal parts excitement and uncertainty. Muhammad Ibrahim Ahsan ’29 felt pretty nervous coming to the U.S. from Pakistan. “But the moment I saw Kim and Paul waiting for me along with Nhi, who had spent her first year at Luther, I immediately felt welcomed and cared for,” he says. “They helped carry my bags and greeted me with so much warmth that all my nervousness melted away.”

From left: Nhi Nguyen '28, Muhammad Ibrahim Ahsan '29, Kim Christianson '94, Jessie Dang '29, and Paul Slininger at Kim and Paul's house.

Muhammad deeply appreciates the special care the family took with his meals and the homemade cupcakes “that felt like a hug in every bite.” He says, “They gave me my own room, which made me feel completely at home, relaxed, and safe after such a long journey.” The night he arrived, Muhammad, Kim, and Paul made a quick video call to Muhammad’s family. “My parents were overjoyed knowing I had met such a kind, generous family,” Muhammad says.

“His parents had to be so filled with anxiety, but they could see our faces and know he’s here and know he’s safe,” Kim says.

A Community That Shows Up for New Students

In the past two years of the CIES program, Luther has had enough hosts to accommodate every student who came through MSP airport. 

Michelle Boike ’13, assistant dean and director of CIES, oversees the program and says, “Having alumni who are excited to welcome new students to the United States and have experienced life at Luther is such a fantastic opportunity for the students to feel welcomed and supported in the first few days of their Luther journey, and they start making connections to Luther right away. This weekend takes a community like this one to make it happen.”

When they're in Decorah, Kim Christianson '24 and Paul Slininger try to treat students to a meal at Koreana. Claire Nguyen '28 recalls them surprising her with a birthday celebration there one year. “It was such an emotional moment, and experiences like that make me feel truly cared for and welcomed when I’m far from home.” From left: Kelly Dorris '94, Nhi Nguyen '28, Muhammad Ibrahim Ahsan '29, Claire Nguyen '28, Paul Slininger, Kim Christianson, Anthi Giannakopoulou ’27, Matthew Lingga '28, Abbi Slininger ’24, and Tran Nguyen '28.

This warm and generous welcome for students from all over the world is part of why Luther is so successful at educating global citizens. We send students out into the world, and we also receive students—warmly! generously!—from all over the world. These students’ lives, backgrounds, and contributions help enrich our campus community and help build future leaders who’ve been shaped by diverse perspectives. By being that first Luther connection and that first welcoming face, our alumni help make this rich learning environment possible. 

For more information about signing up to be an alumni host, please contact Michelle Boike at cies@luther.edu.