--- title: ICES Blog | Brad Owens (2) description: Brad has enjoyed working with international people for decades. He spent two years working with the refugee population in Austria after college, and then returned to the U.S. to raise a family and host exchange students--15 students so far, from 11 countries. Brad has a degree in English Communications from Montreat-Anderson College, and loves sharing the benefits of cultural exchange. He currently works as the Marketing Director for ICES. (2) --- [![ices@2x](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/ICES_Logo_%20sm_wht.png?width=77&name=ICES_Logo_%20sm_wht.png)](https://www.icesusa.org/)   - [INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/international-student-exchange-programs/) - [HOST A STUDENT](https://www.icesusa.org/host-a-student-overview/) - [AMERICAN STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/american-student-exchange-programs/) - [WORK WITH US](https://www.icesusa.org/student-exchange-careers-and-partnerships/) - [ABOUT US](https://www.icesusa.org/about-us-overview/) - [CONTACT US](https://www.icesusa.org/contact-ices/) - [BLOG](https://blog.icesusa.org) [Let's Talk](https://blog.icesusa.org/contact)subscribe ### I’d like to learn more about Campaign Creators! # Welcome to Our Blog, It's Good to See You Subscribe to our blog today! ### Pick a topic, any topic. - [Recent Posts](https://blog.icesusa.org) ## Brad Owens ![Picture of Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) Brad has enjoyed working with international people for decades. He spent two years working with the refugee population in Austria after college, and then returned to the U.S. to raise a family and host exchange students--15 students so far, from 11 countries. Brad has a degree in English Communications from Montreat-Anderson College, and loves sharing the benefits of cultural exchange. He currently works as the Marketing Director for ICES. ### Recent Posts ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On October 18, 2022 ## [New Things Photo Contest Winners](https://blog.icesusa.org/new-things-photo-contest-winners) When an exchange student experiences something for the first time, it's often a "lightbulb" or "A-HA!" moment for everyone... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On June 20, 2022 ## [May Students of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/may-students-of-the-month) This month only, we are renaming the ICES Student of the Month… to the ICES StudentS Of The Month. In a fun and unusual twist of... *( read )* Tags: [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On May 2, 2022 ## [April Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/april-student-of-the-month) Congratulations to Paula Martinez Martinez for being chosen as the ICES April Student of the Month! Paula is from Madrid, Spain... *( read )* Tags: [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month), [Reasons to host](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/reasons-to-host), [Student Experience](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-experience) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On March 25, 2022 ## [March Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/march-student-of-the-month) ICES congratulates Rafael Hormaechea for being selected as the Student of the Month for March. Rafa is from [Majadahonda, Spain](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/majadahonda-one-of-the-best-places-to-live-in-the-world-300955671.html)... *( read )* Tags: [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On February 14, 2022 ## [Share the Love Winners](https://blog.icesusa.org/share-the-love-winners) In preparation for Valentine's Day, we ran a photo contest in which we asked our exchange students to submit a photo showing us... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Student Experience](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-experience), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On August 25, 2021 ## [Five (Heroic!) Reasons To Become a Welcome Family](https://blog.icesusa.org/five-reasons-to-become-a-welcome-family) What if you could make a life-changing impact on a young person, enrich your local school and community, and bring some fun and... *( read )* Tags: [Welcome Family](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/welcome-family), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On April 17, 2021 ## [Dad to Dad](https://blog.icesusa.org/dad-to-dad) Ok, first, before I get into the meat of this little discussion, I just want to say: I get it. I’ve been there. A friend of your... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Reasons to host](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/reasons-to-host) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On February 11, 2021 ## [Educators & Youth Exchange Fit Like a Glove](https://blog.icesusa.org/educators-youth-exchange-fit-like-a-glove) When two things working together are a perfect fit, the analogies used to describe what that feels and looks like are abundant:... *( read )* ### Posts by Tag - [Cultural Exchange (141)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange) - [Exchange Student (106)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student) - [Host Families (97)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families) - [Host an exchange student (78)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student) - [Youth Exchange (68)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange) ## Subscribe to Our Blog Today! ![Boris_ICES_Ads](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Boris_ICES_Ads.png?width=749&height=698&name=Boris_ICES_Ads.png) - [INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/international-student-exchange-programs/) - [HOST A STUDENT](https://www.icesusa.org/host-a-student-overview/) - [AMERICAN STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/american-student-exchange-programs/) - [WORK WITH US](https://www.icesusa.org/student-exchange-careers-and-partnerships/) - [ABOUT US](https://www.icesusa.org/about-us-overview/) - [CONTACT US](https://www.icesusa.org/contact-ices/) - [BLOG](https://blog.icesusa.org/) © 2019 ICES - INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EXCHANGE SERVICES - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.