OU Organization Helps International Students Feel More At Home

The University of Oklahoma Cousins Program has impacted students on campus for more than 20 years as a premier international and American friendship program.

Deniz Emre is over 6,000 miles away from home as she pursues her Ph.D. at OU.

“From my perspective, especially when you come from a different country, you leave friends and family and are building a new life here,” Emre said.

When she came to OU during the pandemic, she said it wasn't easy for her to make friends.

“I started with my life in isolation here because OU arranged us in a hotel; it was not a perfect time to start in a new country,” Emre said.

That is when she got involved with OU Cousins, where she met Lauren Dodge, and the pair became quick friends.

"You guys get to hang out all semester, you can invite them to things, and you don't even have to be paired to hang out with them,” Dodge said.

The duo says that friendships like these help make a crowded campus feel just a little bit more like home.

“In my first year, I was saying Turkey is my home, but this semester, I started to feel that when I came back to OU, it was my second home,” Emre said.

For more information on the OU Cousins Program, CLICK HERE.