"We're Building an International Community": A University-Sponsored Program for International Students

• In Event: A Whole New World: Experiences of Being International at School

Abstract

Intercultural competence is an outcome of the internationalization of higher education institutions, directly impacting international students’ experiences in the receiving country. A case study was used to investigate the perceptions and experiences of student-ambassadors that served in a university-sponsored program designed to integrate and acculturate international students on a Southwest Florida university campus. Multiple sources of data were collected (i.e., documents, artifacts, participant observations, focus groups, and field notes) and examined using content analysis. The findings emphasized the value of students taking leadership to promote integration and acculturation events on campus and their empowerment in building an international community on campus. Ultimately, the study highlights the value of university-sponsored programs in promoting cross-cultural interactions between domestic and international students.

Authors

• Bruno Halpern, Florida Gulf Coast University
  Presenting Author

• Clarisse Halpern, Florida Gulf Coast University
  Presenting Author

• Hasan Aydin, Florida Gulf Coast University
  Presenting Author