Examining the Relationship of Culturally Engaging Campus Environments and Intercultural Competence Among Undergraduate Students

• In Event: Exploring Campus Culture and Climate

Abstract

Intercultural competence is defined as an essential capacity for individuals to critically understand social problems, effectively collaborate with others, and address issues of oppression and inequities (Howard-Hamilton et al., 2011). Relatedly, U.S. higher education serves a crucial function in supporting undergraduate student’s intercultural competence development (Deardorff, 2010). However, most existing studies emphasize the impacts of specific interventions (e.g., credit-bearing classes, co-curricular programs) on students’ intercultural competence while little is known about how overall campus environments support students’ growth in this capacity. This study presents empirical evidence by using data from the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments survey to examine the relationship between campus environments and intercultural competence among undergraduate students.

Authors

• Ting-Han Chang, University of Southern California

• Natasha A. Saelua, McREL International

• Lucy A. LePeau, Indiana University