The purpose of this project was to explore the connections between authentic leadership and the international student experience in the American university. Specifically, this study examined what types of leadership styles are currently employed by international programs' staff at three Arkansas universities and how these influence the students' transition and success. To attain this objective, two instruments were adopted: a questionnaire and personal interviews. The participants involved in this study were nine international programs staff and nine international students. Authentic leadership was defined by ethical behavior, the leader's desire to help followers achieve self-actualization and independence, and the leader's interest in the lives of those under their guidance. It is theorized that authentic leadership could ameliorate many existing international student concerns. Through an interpretivist paradigm and using the qualitative method of case study, data were collected and analyzed with narrative and thematic analysis. Additionally, this project gives an extensive overview of literature related to higher education leadership, ethical leadership, and the international student experience. [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.]