“Life-changing” - that’s how Heath Vickerman, a longtime host parent and local coordinator with American Councils, describes the experience of welcoming exchange students into his home in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. More than a dozen former students across the globe still call Heath and his wife, Tina, “Mom” and “Dad.”
While exchange programs are often viewed as benefiting the students themselves, the experience is equally enriching for host families. To date, over 40,000 students from more than 50 countries have been hosted in every U.S. state. Every day offers a chance to see the world from a new perspective and form lasting bonds with exceptional youth ambassadors from around the world.
Heath’s journey into hosting began through a connection at 4-H University of Wisconsin. At first, the Vickermans welcomed short-term students. After being introduced to American Councils through a mutual friend, they started hosting students for an entire school year. And it stuck – 12 years later, the Vickermans are still marveling at the laughter, learning, and meaningful connections each student brings into their home. They’ve hosted students from Armenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Poland, Serbia, and beyond—and this August, they’ll welcome their 15th student, arriving from Slovakia.
For the Vickerman family, hosting has been more than sharing their corner of American life—it’s opened the door to lifelong global friendships. They’ve visited former students in Armenia and Poland, welcomed students’ families to their home in Wisconsin, and stayed closely connected across time and distance. Heath once invited a host daughter’s father, who didn’t speak English, to a Green Bay Packers game. For another host daughter, he traveled to Armenia to attend her wedding and walk her down the aisle beside her parents.
When asked about common experiences across years of hosting, Heath offers a simple truth. "Teenagers are teenagers," he says with a smile. "It doesn’t matter what country they come from.”
Yet Heath acknowledges the exceptional character of exchange students:
"These kids really want to be here. They've worked their tail off to get here."
Hosting exchange students has also impacted the Vickermans' small-town Wisconsin community. With a population of just 3,000 and a high school that boasts 300 students, an exchange student quickly becomes a local celebrity. Heath has observed that American students become more curious about other cultures, languages, and global perspectives.
“At first, it was like, ‘Oh cool, a kid from another country,’” Heath explains. “Now, these exchange students walk in, and they’re immediately embraced. Students are asking questions, trying to learn languages. They want to know more about the world. There’s more to this world than just us.”
One of Heath’s favorite memories is of a local high schooler waving a small Armenian flag in honor of Karo, Heath’s host son, who was unable to walk the graduation stage himself. At school plays and concerts, parents often approach the exchange students afterward, impressed by their character and pride in representing their countries. “You’d be surprised how many people come up to them just to ask, ‘Why are you doing this?’” Heath says. “They’re genuinely curious and they want to understand.”
Heath emphasizes that exchange transforms the lives of students, host families, and their communities. "You gotta try it because you have absolutely no idea how this is gonna change your world," Heath shares. "I mean, literally, how it will change your outlook on things. That student becomes family.”
And in Heath’s opinion, no student’s experience is complete without a visit to their favorite corner of America: Disney World. Heath makes it a priority to share that bit of magic with each of his kids, creating memories that last long after they’ve returned home.
Hosting an exchange student changed the Vickerman family forever, and it can change yours too. If you have a spare room and an open heart, you can make a world of difference.
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