Globalization has resulted in a significant increase in the number of international students on American college campuses in the past decade (Institute of International Education, 2015). The growing population of international students on campuses in higher education has resulted in a new dynamic in the classroom. Diversity of languages and cultures is blossoming in classrooms, resulting in American and international students with differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds learning side-by-side in the same classrooms. The purpose of this study is to better understand, from international students' perspectives, how learning language in a linguistically and culturally diverse classroom shapes their learning experience and cultural identity. This study was conducted as an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) through in-depth interviews with students at a highly selective and globalized American university. The results of this IPA study show that international students face unique struggles in the American higher education system, and leave their home countries to participate in the perceived best education system in the world. The results also demonstrate that international students' personal cultures and identities are shaped, largely for the better, from studying in multicultural and multilingual classroom settings. Future studies are recommended to better understand the student (both international and domestic), teacher, and administrator experiences in this era of globalization and internationalization of higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]