This qualitative study utilized a constructivist grounded theory approach to understand how rural students engaged with people in their home community as it related to before, during, and after their study abroad experience and what impact that engagement had on their experiences. Participants included 15 students who self-identified as being from…

As the cultural climate in American higher education continues to evolve, there is an inherent need to adjust curriculum and educational perceptions to better assist American students in operating in a global context. Furthermore, the current cultural and political landscape in the United States has magnified the need for students attending…

Study abroad is an increasingly popular component of higher education, thought to promote global citizenship ideals, including the cultural and linguistic competence needed to succeed in a globalized world. While much research has focused on student learning outcomes, scholars have discovered that simply living and studying abroad is not a…

In today's increasingly interconnected world, intercultural skills and global competence are essential for success in the workforce and society. Internationalization initiatives, such as student mobility, have emerged as effective ways to develop these skills. This study explored the experiences of Black students who participated in community…

This dissertation study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to understand the acculturation and sojourner experience of undergraduate Indian international students in the U.S. Midwest. Focusing exclusively on the lived experience of these students, this study engaged Berry's "Fourfold Model of Acculturation" (Berry,…

The study examines indirect outcomes of two international scholarship programs at a societal level in post-Soviet Georgia. By conducting a quantitative analysis using an online survey, the study explores how earning a master's degree the United States influences the civic engagement behavior of the Georgian students once they return home. The…

Since the beginning of the 21st century, China's education for international students has seen rapid growth, making it the third largest destination for international students globally and the largest in Asia. This growth occurs against a backdrop of intensifying global economic competition and increasingly fierce competition for international…

This study used self-curated photo elicitation to express students' awareness of power, privilege, and identity. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how female undergraduate students interacted with their environment and conceptualized a critical understanding of global citizenship. As such, this inquiry asked: (1) To what…

This qualitative study uses the lens of expectation theory to highlight the educational achievements of Cameroonian youths in American educational institutions as it also examines their individual educational experiences and the many challenges (social, cultural, and academic) that each encountered in his or her journey toward significant…

As globalized industries evolve, leaders of today and tomorrow will need multifaceted skills for multilayered engagement in an international environment. One method to develop competencies built for a global setting is study abroad, where U.S. colleges embed students in a travel context beyond classroom walls and borders. Study abroad is made up…

As graduate and professional programs internationalize to provide students with global competencies and skills, more graduate students are participating in education abroad programs. Graduate students represent a growing portion of the total population participating in education abroad, with short-term, faculty-directed (STFD) programs expanding…

Conventional folk wisdom insists study abroad is an inherently valuable educational experience for young people. While traditional study abroad programs were typically a semester or a full year in duration, short-term study abroad programs of only a couple weeks are now the most common type of sojourn abroad. Problematically, evidence is mounting…

The phenomenon of Chinese students studying abroad in western countries has been an interest of researchers in the field of psychology in the past decade. Numerous studies have been conducted that presented negative aspects of international students' experiences while studying abroad. Specifically, with Chinese international students, researchers…

Short-term, faculty-led education abroad programs are steadily becoming the leading experience for students to actively participate in an educational, overseas experience. As the number of these programs increase, so do the concerns for addressing safety within groups in a foreign country. This research identified student development theories…

This narrative-based qualitative research investigated the distinct journeys of eight cross-cultural artists (four artists from South Korea and four artists from China). Utilizing a variety of theoretical frameworks surrounding cross-cultural research, this dissertation examined current discussions on cross-cultural challenges and their…