Programs and Services

List of 5 items.

• Exchange Program

  The International Program manages the Japan Scholars program, which gives St. Stephen’s students the opportunity to study abroad while welcoming students from Japan to our campus. The program is designed to foster a stronger sense of international community along with a greater understanding of and appreciation for different cultures.

   

  The Japan Scholars program was established in 1973, when the St. Stephen’s faculty nominated a freshman, Nicholas Palter, to represent the school abroad. In September of that year, Palter arrived in Osaka, Japan, where he joined other American students from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Jackson, Mississippi. Japanese students Yoshinori Yokoyama and Tsugunori Yasuda arrived at the St. Stephen’s campus in Austin, marking the first-ever exchange between the schools. Since that time, more than 80 students have participated in the St. Stephen’s-St. Andrew’s Japan Scholars program.
  
  In 2000, a program began with a girls' school in Tokyo: St. Margaret's. Since then, St. Stephen's and St. Margaret's have engaged in an exchange of one student per year.

• Host Family Program

  St. Stephen’s started the Host Family Program more than two decades ago. Managed by the International Program staff, the program pairs international and American expatriate students with local St. Stephen’s families, who include them in family activities throughout the school year. Host families provide a personal touch that helps international students feel like they have a home away from home. Host families and their students often get together for celebrations of birthdays, holidays, and cultural events. Some families attend sporting events or fine arts performances to support their international students. For many of our international students, their connection with their host family is one of the most important relationships they have during their time at St. Stephen’s.
  
  Read more about the Host Family Program.

• Travel, Immigration, and Visa Support

  Adriana Redmond is the primary immigration specialist in the International Program Office, and has 20 years of international experience working in Europe and Mexico. She assists international students in managing a full range of travel and immigration concerns, including college transfers and other processing issues.

• Venture Orientation Program

  The Venture Orientation Program is designed to welcome new international students to St. Stephens, help them adjust to all aspects of being a boarding student, and ensure that their first year on The Hill is successful. The program takes place each year in August before the school year begins. 

   

  This orientation program gives international students an introduction to many essential parts of the school. Students participate in activities focused on both academic and extracurricular skills. They become familiar with the campus and meet many people who will support them during their years at St. Stephen’s. Returning boarding and day students serve as proctors during the program, living in the dorms with the new students to answer their questions and help address their concerns. The International Program team, along with residential faculty and staff, take our international students to local restaurants and shops.

• Transitional English Program

  St. Stephen’s Transitional English Program enables students whose first language is not English to enter their classes with the language skills needed for success. Led by Grant Brennon, the classes familiarize students with everyday vocabulary and give them a safe space to practice discussion skills. 
  
  

  Transitional English students benefit from:

  • The opportunity to engage in a comprehensive revision process for every assignment.
    
    
  • Individualized writing support and grammar instruction geared specifically toward ELLs.
    
    
  • Multi-sensory pedagogical approach.
    
    
  • Small class size.
    
    
  • Individualized feedback.
    
    
  • Unique opportunities for participation in discussion.
    
    
  • Learning historical, cultural, and biographical context.