Shakamohtaa: Connecting And Coming Together To Support International Student Career Readiness, Sabreena Macelheron

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

In the evolving Canadian landscape, permanent residency acquisition has undergone a transformative shift from land sales to educational credential procurement. Canadian higher education markets post-secondary qualifications to international students (IS) seeking migration routes, posing nuanced challenges. IS, despite holding higher education credentials, often find themselves relegated to non-field specific jobs due to existing disparities in the Canadian job market. Amid this equation, IS grapple with the essential need for pre-and-post graduate career experiences to fulfill eligibility criteria for permanent residency application. This pursuit extends beyond merely aligning with their credentials, requiring conformity to approved national occupation codes aligned with …

Racism Without Race: The Racialization Of Middle Eastern And North African Students At U.S. Colleges, Hannah Mesouani

Dissertations

Although a growing body of literature covers the experiences of international students at U.S. colleges, the stories of those who do not fit into the U.S. racial schema remain untold. This study examined how Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) students understood their racial identities given the United States’ tense history with Islam and the MENA world. Using foundational texts on critical race theory, current scholarship on Arab Americans and foreign-born students, and facets of the Ethnic Identity Scale (EIS), this study examined the experiences of MENA students who study amid a national backdrop of xenophobia and racialized Islamophobia. This …

Understanding Involvement And Integration Factors For International College Student Persistence, Linda Okoye Fagan

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement and integration factors that contribute to the persistence of international students. Persistence and retention are central to improving higher education, and individual student persistence as well as the rates at which students persist have direct ramifications on the university retention rate. With an increased focus on campus diversity as well as a global focus on the internationalization of higher education, it is evident that gaining a firmer grasp on the experiences of international students is necessary in order for institutions to effectively achieve their mission. This study aims to better …

Career Outcomes Of International Master's Recipients From Chinese Institutions: A Study Of Students From Three Asean States, Yanhao Wang

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As the third largest destination country for international postsecondary students, China has received nearly 500,000 international students, and more than 20% of them are from ASEAN member states (Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, 2019). Compared to students from Western society, most ASEAN students are from developing countries and may have stronger needs to generate career benefits via studying abroad. ASEAN students in China and their career outcomes, however, have been always overlooked in existing research.

In this qualitative study, I applied Human Capital Theory (HCT) and Neo Racism Theory (NRT) to investigate the career outcomes of graduated ASEAN students …

Creating Connections To Enhance International Student Sense Of Belonging, Emily Quinn Rooney

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This is a critical action research thesis proposal that explores international student sense of belonging at a United States University campus. As someone who has studied and lived abroad, I understand firsthand the importance of the relationships we foster and how having someone to lean on can be beneficial when you are in a new place. International students do everything in their power to come study in the United States, yet are met with endless barriers due to the laws the government has in place as well as the broader environment of higher education in U.S. society. They want to …

International Students In The Campus Carry Debate: A Descriptive Phenomenological Inquiry, Andre Richardo Grant

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study purposefully sampled 15 graduate international students at a Southern University (SU). Semi-structured interviews were used to determine their perceptions and attitudes regarding the implementation of campus carry policies at the institution. The study aimed to answer the following research questions: How has the implementation of the campus carry policy at SU impacted international students’ perceptions of their experiences at the institution? How has the implementation of campus carry policies at SU influenced international students’ perceptions of the social ecology of the institution? and How did SU formally include international students in the on-campus campus carry policy …

The Lived Experiences Of Indian International Female Graduate Students In American Higher Education, Sarita Revulagadda

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The United States continues to be the primary country of destination that international students choose for enrollment in American colleges and universities. Indian international students constitute the second largest enrollment among international students in America with over 200,000 enrolled in 2019 (Institute of International Education, 2020). However, research on the transition experiences of international students is relatively devoid of critical explorations on the transition experiences of Indian international female students to the effects of acculturation.

The current research explored the lived experiences of twelve Indian international female students enrolled in graduate programs at five American universities. The participants’ descriptions of …

Listening To The Voices Of International Undergraduates Regarding Their Perceptions Of Engagement And Their Strategies To Achieve Academic Success, Gulcan Tokluoglu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While international students greatly influence globalization with their diverse cultural backgrounds, they often encounter issues when adapting to a new academic, social, and cultural setting. The goal of this research question was twofold in nature in that it sought to not only explore the adjustment experiences of participants but also be able to see what resources and practices were found helpful and needed to be expanded upon in order to provide ways of redressing inequitable practices and contributing to pedagogical change to promote engagement and success of international undergraduate students. A thorough analysis of in-depth interviews considered both upstream and …

Overcoming Communicative And Cultural Barriers: A Study Of The Perceptions And Interactions Between American And International Students, Hope V. Twitchell

Selected Honors Theses

Globalization is a central aspect to the developing American society, both vocationally and culturally. Increased international representation on college campuses is one example of the prevalence of globalization in an everyday context. As the rate of international students present on American university campuses increases, more research has been focusing on the experiences of international students. The present study focused on adding to the literature surrounding American students’ perceptions and interactions with international students when communicative and cultural barriers arise. The thesis statement proposed that American students attending an American university who had previous international travel experience would be more adept …

The Transitional Experiences Of International Students Studying In The United States, Philip Fennell

Masters Theses

This study sought to explore the real-life experiences of two international students and the impact on their transition to a United States college. A narrative qualitative approach was used to incorporate the stories of international students as shared by their own words. Their stories were used to identify similarities and differences including resources they utilized and their interactions with others. International students all share different cultural backgrounds and characteristics. Nonetheless, they will each have their own unique experiences, as well as have different ways of reacting and responding to those experiences. We must put in the effort of listening to …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Saudi Students Enrolled In Canadian Graduate Nursing Programs, Aisha Namshan Aldawsari

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Despite the increased number of students in the field of nursing, there is a great shortage of Saudi nurses in Saudi Arabia (SA). Cultural issues in SA have influenced the development of the nursing profession. For instance, it is not culturally acceptable for female nurses or nursing students to work for long hours and night shifts in a mixed-gender practice environment in SA. Thus, a large proportion of nursing students tend to look for positions other than working in hospital settings upon completion of their undergraduate degree. Pursuing graduate nursing education overseas is also viewed as a viable option. To …

Reframing Internationalization: Faculty Beliefs And Teaching Practices, Marco Tulluck

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

This study applies Critical Race Theory as a critical lens to gain a clearer understanding of highly racialized policies and teaching practices around international student engagement in US higher education. The findings help to inform higher education leaders of how to support faculty to foster more inclusive and affirming learning environments for international students of color and other diverse student populations.

This mixed methods study employed a modified version of the Colorblind and Multicultural Ideology of STEM Faculty Measure as well as focus group interviews to gain a more complex understanding of how university faculty members’ beliefs align with colorblind …

Understanding Hidden Diversity: The Third Culture Student Experience At Usd, Bianca Chau

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The intention of this research was to expand the common notion of who international students are. This research uncovered the unique experiences of third culture students at the University of San Diego with the hopes of raising awareness of the existence of this group of students. The term third culture [student] was defined as an individual “who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside their parent’s culture” (Pollock, Van Reken, & Pollock, 2017, p.23). Third culture students have experienced a highly mobile life; a kind of lifestyle that is unique and unfamiliar to many USD …

Preserving Catholic Identity In Catholic Secondary Schools And The Impact On Catholic Identity By Non-Catholic And International Students, Stephen Frederick Baccari

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of Catholic education has always been to educate students on the mission of the Catholic Church which is evangelization. This study examined the prospect of preserving Catholic identity in Catholic secondary schools that enroll non-Catholic and international students. Research revealed there was limited material available on non-Catholic students, but there was no study conducted on international students. It is precisely because there is no research on the experiences of international students in Catholic secondary schools that this study directs its attention. Specifically, the focus of research is directed on Catholic identity: what Catholic identity is; how one instills …

The Impact Of Integrative Programs And Services On International Students’ Transitions At Three Regional State Colleges, Patriece Campbell

All Theses And Dissertations

Over one million international students study at colleges and universities across the U.S. each year. Yet, some international students struggle academically, not because they do not have the cognitive intelligence to excel but they find it difficult to adapt into the American academic culture that is oftentimes significantly different from their own. The study sought to understand the use of integrative programs and services at three select Pennsylvania state institutions and their impact on international students’ successful transition as a part of their campus community. The intent of this study was to understand the complexities that international students face as …

Helping The Transition Through Building New Friendships: A Psychological Perspective On Supporting International Students' Acculturation And Social Integration, Clint E. Thomson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In the present research, I developed a program that paired newcomer international students with Canadian student mentors. These pairs met weekly throughout the year. Analysis of pilot quantitative data suggested international student participants did not experience changes in attitudes towards Canadian students or feelings of integration at university as they got to know their mentors, contrary to what I had initially hypothesized. After conducting focus group interviews and reforming the survey measures for the main study, I found that program participants experienced positive changes in sociocultural and psychological adaptation, and a reduction in acculturative stress over time. At the conclusion …

Assessment Of Chinese International Graduate Students’ Experience Working With Agents, Haozhe Yu

Higher Education Student Work

In the past fifteen years, the numbers of Chinese international students have increased rapidly across the United States in all types of institutions of higher education (Farrugia & Bhandari, 2015). This study explores the experience of Chinese international graduate students working with study abroad agents in China. In this qualitative semistructured interview study, seven Chinese international students were interviewed. Students were asked x, y and z about their experience working with agents; several challenges of Chinese international students, including finding college information, Internet limitations, language barriers and limited time, and lack of knowledge of the application process. Based on the …

Assessing The Role Of Academic Advisors In Retention Of International Students, Shreelekha Girish

Higher Education Student Work

The retention of international students should not be viewed as the responsibility of only international student advisors on the college campus. Instead, as suggested by Mamiseishvili (2012), it should become a joint responsibility of a broader campus community, including faculty, academic advisors, English language program staff, and student affairs professionals. Inspired by these ideas, this qualitative research study focused on international students' experiences during their advising sessions with their academic advisors at a four-year, post-secondary private institution in Massachusetts. The study was conducted by interviewing ten international students from different majors. This research explored the necessary information and resources international …

Intercultural Learning For International Students In A Cross-Cultural Environment: A Qualitative Study With A Relational Cosmopolitan Lens, James S. Budrow

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Because of market-driven globalization and reduced public funding brought on by neoliberal government policies, western universities have dramatically increased international student enrolment and consequently face pressures to internationalize educational programming. Navigating international learning environments can build cross-cultural understanding and integration, leading to a more productive university community. This research seeks to illuminate how English for Academic Purposes programs in western universities prepare students from diverse backgrounds to be globally aware individuals with intercultural sensibilities that engage new and creative ways of understanding the world in relation to others.

Cosmopolitanism provides a critical epistemological frame for understanding and engaging difference in …

Off The Beaten Track: The Experiences Of Jamaican Student Athletes In Us Higher Education, Michelle Antoinette Rankine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

International student athletes populating American colleges and universities have gained visibility and prestige due to their athletic and academic capabilities. International student athletes emerge from a variety of backgrounds. These backgrounds vary in terms of geographic origin, cultural orientation, and social custom. The students themselves also differ in the amount of change they, as individuals, experience during the migration process from their home countries to the United States. There have been many studies related to the traditional student athlete experience. However, recent literature fails to examine the experiences of international student athletes, and in particular, Jamaican student athletes, in terms …

International Student Perceptions Of The Quality Of Learning Experiences In Vocational Education And Training, Jimmy P. Kho

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The private VET education industry has done well to maintain a high self-concept among the students, and perhaps the overall high praise of the teaching staff have contributed to maintaining high self-concepts among the students. Most international students treasured the social cultural, environment and lifestyles aspects of their stay in Australia and these items are also among the easy items of the linear scale produced in this present study.

The Rasch self-concept findings were consistent with the qualitative findings where students related much of their positive self-concept through their non-academic activities. Importantly, when the student’s Self-Concept is high they are …

Experiences Of Male Saudi Arabian International Students In The United States, Molly Elizabeth Heyn

Dissertations

Despite the increasing presence of Saudi Arabian international college students in American higher education, the literature regarding the experience of Saudi students in the United States is limited. This qualitative study explored and described the lived experiences of 9 male Saudi Arabian international college students studying in the United States. All the participants had studied in the United States for at least 2 years and were regularly admitted international students at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Moustakas’s (1994) phenomenological data analysis approach guided the data collection and analysis. The participants shared their lived experiences and the meaning of those …

An Examination Of Mature Interpersonal Relationships Among International And American College Students, Bona Aidoo

Dissertations

Educating students to relate harmoniously with people from different backgrounds has become an important agenda for student affairs professional because of the increasingly diverse nature of the American society. The purpose of this study was to assess how American and international college students develop mature interpersonal relationship skills. All the participants were from a mid-sized comprehensive institution in the Southern United States. The two main constructs measured were tolerance and quality of relationships. Attempts were also made to identify other predictors that may influence mature interpersonal relationships: gender, age, educational level, and academic achievement as measured by GPA. Both quantitative …

Value Of U.S. Higher Education For International Students In The Context Of Higher Education Internationalization, Ewa L. Urban

Dissertations

This study used a cross-sectional survey to examine the perceptions of undergraduate and graduate international students enrolled at a public university in the Midwest, regarding the personal and professional value they receive from their higher education experience. In addition, the study explored international students’ perceptions of the level of engagement they experience as cultural resources at their institution.

Results indicated that international students’ decisions to come to the U.S. were mostly driven by professional motivations, such as getting quality education, developing a better understanding of their fields of study, and gaining practical skills and experiences. Yet, international students’ professional outcomes …

International Chinese And Canadian Students' Experiences Of Internationalization At A Canadian University, Linda J. Weber

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Internationalization, as a response to globalization, is one of the key drivers and shapers of the fundamental changes transforming the world of higher education. There is a need to understand internationalization within higher education from the vantage point of the domestic and international students who are currently being educated because their experiences testify to the provision of quality education. Using a Case Study approach this research explores ways that the internationalization of higher education impacts students’ intercultural relations, identities, intercultural sensitivity, critical understandings, notions of citizenship and futures. A postcolonial perspective is used to explore how students perceive the influences …