Crossing Borders, Building Belonging: Reframing Campus Climate, Mentorship, and Cultural Engagement for South Asian International Adult Learners in U.S. Higher Education

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Five
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT062 (Sunday)

Abstract

This conceptual study explores how South Asian students perceive their engagement within U.S. higher education institutions across academic, social, and institutional domains. Building on student engagement theory (Astin, 1984; Kuh, 2009), sense of belonging (Strayhorn, 2018), and the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments model (Museus, 2014), the study proposes a framework positioning campus climate as the central driver of engagement. The model examines belonging, mentorship, and ethnic student organizations as mediators, and ethnicity and religion as moderators shaping engagement outcomes. The framework aims to isolate South Asian students from the broader “Asian” category, emphasizing intersectional differences that influence their educational experiences. Anticipated findings will inform policies and practices that foster equitable engagement, representation, and success for South Asian students in higher education.

Author

• Sharmina Akter, Texas State University