OCEANS CROSSING: FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SOCIAL AND
ACADEMIC INTEGRATION OF KOREAN, MALAYSIAN, AND TAIWANESE
INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
By
Hoa Pham

A DISSERTATION
Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education – Doctor of Philosophy
2013

ABSTRACT
OCEANS CROSSING: FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SOCIAL AND
ACADEMIC INTEGRATION OF KOREAN, MALAYSIAN, AND TAIWANESE
INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
By
Hoa Pham
The number of international students, especially Asian international students, studying at
colleges and universities in the United States has increased dramatically during the past 50 years.
As the fastest growing population on campus, Asian international students are also attracting
more attention than ever before in higher education. However, much research has focused on
Asian students’ adjustment and adaptation to American culture and campus life.
This study investigated factors contributing to social and academic integration of Korean,
Malaysian and Taiwanese international undergraduate students. This study sought understanding
of why some or many of the Asian international undergraduate students integrate into college
successfully despite having many challenges. Might their distinctive characteristics, country of
origin, cultural norms and values, and other internal as well as external factors have significant
bearing on the challenges of their social and academic integration? Specifically, guided by the
Behavior-Perception-Behavior Model (Milem & Berger, 1997), and Self-Determination Theory
(SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 1991, 2000), this study investigated how students were making a
successful transition into the institution and how they integrated into the university community.
This qualitative case study gained insights into students’ attitudes, behaviors, their
cultures and values systems, concerns, motivations, and aspirations to become integrated to a
new college environment. The study found that participants’ limited cultural awareness and
knowledge of America and its educational system, and language proficiency for engaging in

cross-cultural interactions proved to be factors influencing their social and academic integration.
However, most Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese participants in this study were both highly
intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to do well in college and were very goal-oriented. Most
participants were more academically integrated than socially integrated. Most participants got
more involved in both social activities and academic activities after their first year. Malaysian
and Taiwanese students in the study were likely to be more socially and academically integrated
in the college community than Korean students. In addition, major differences in academic and
social integration were found among those interviewed participating students. The participants
who enrolled in higher ranking programs such as education, communication, engineering,
business, and natural sciences got more involved in campus and thus, became more integrated
and more affiliated with their institution while students in economic programs felt marginalized
in the campus community.
The study offered suggestions for improving policies and practices, theories, and future
research on Asian international undergraduate students. Both Self-determination theory and the
Behavior-Perception-Behavior model proved that they were conceptually useful through the rich
findings of the study. The study proved that Asian international students are not a homogenous
group and their needs and concerns differ by country of origin, ethnicity, age, year in college,
programs of study, and educational background. Developing cross-cultural programs to facilitate
interaction between domestic and international students would help international students
improve their English and become more confident in interacting with diverse people. The study
showed that Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese student associations play an important role in the
participants’ lives during their time studying in the U.S.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This dissertation is dedicated to my whole family who encouraged me to follow my heart
and inquisitive mind in any direction this took me, thank you for being there every step of the
way.
To my parents – Pham Van Thoi and Quach Thi Lien, and my mother-in-laws, Vu Thi
Ky Mao - their guiding hand and careful nurturing has been with me all my life. Although they
cannot be here to share my joyful achievement, I am sure that they are smiling as they look down
and realize that their focus on education did not go unnoticed by me.
I would like to thank my husband, Cuong Nguyen, for always being supportive and
encouraging through all these years, and my two sons, Tri and Phuoc James, for being cheerful
whenever I felt hard during my study in the States.
I am grateful to many people who have supported me throughout the dissertation process
and my journey at Michigan State University. This dissertation especially would have been
impossible without the invaluable support, encouragement, and advice from my professors,
family, and friends, and my research participants. I would like to express my deepest gratitude
and sincere thanks to all of them.
Dr. Marilyn Amey, my chair, has been a wonderful advisor, mentor and source of support
to me. I am thankful for having her time and attention for the past four and a half years. I am
extremely grateful to her guiding this research and always encouraging me to move forward. Her
continuous support meant a lot to me, especially in the stages of writing and revising the
dissertation. She tirelessly responded to my questions, offered feedback, and showed enthusiasm

iv

that offered just the perfect amount of direction and encouragement. Thank you for giving me the
confidence to grow into the researcher role.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. James Fairweather who was a great
professor. He guided me to see the big picture during the initial process of my research and
showed me pathways that were insightful and helpful during this research.
My other committee members, Dr. Matthew Wawrzynski and Dr. Amita Chudgar were
genuinely interested in my research and provided invaluable feedback to my research and
writing.
I am deeply indebted to all 14 participants, who actively participated and shared so much
of their lives to contribute towards this study. They provided great depth and richness to this
research by honestly and openly sharing their personal stories.
I would like to thank the Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO), my PEO
designated chapter in Indiana, PEO chapters in Michigan for their financial and emotional
support so that I could be able to complete my program.
I have an incredible support system of friends and I feel truly blessed to have you all in
my life. Rebecca Blair, your constant love and encouragement got me through this long journey
still sane and smiling. Julie Sinclair, thank your for your wonderful support and belief in my
abilities even when I doubted myself. You both have provided me with emotional support and
encouragement, and you have always been with me whenever I am in need.
Thank you to all who have supported me in any respect during the completion of the
program.

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................ ..... .....1
General Background ....................................................................................................1
Problem Statement and Purpose of the Study............................................................... 4
Conceptual Framework .........................................................................................................9
Definition of Terms ......................................................................................... ...........11
Significance of the Study............................................................................................. 13
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................15
Theoretical Frameworks .............................................................................................. 15
Self-Determination Theory...............................................................................15
Behavior - Perception – Behavior Model.......................................................... 17
Student Integration ......................................................................................................19
Research on Student Academic and Social Integration .....................................19
Social and Academic Integration of Domestic Minority Students ..................... 23
Research on International Students...................................................................26
Social and Academic Integration of International Students............................... 26
Adjustment Issues of International Students ..................................................... 28
Social and Academic Challenges .......................................................... 28
Language Proficiency ...........................................................................32
Utilization of Campus Support Services................................................33
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 36
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... 38
Research Design ..........................................................................................................38
Sampling ..................................................................................................................... 41
Research Instrumentation............................................................................................. 46
Data Collection............................................................................................................47
Establishing Relationships with Participants ................................................................ 49
Data Analysis ..............................................................................................................50
Coding ..........................................................................................................51
Thematic Analysis......................................................................................... 52
Validity and Trustworthiness ....................................................................................... 53
The Role of the Researcher: Experiences, Preconceptions, and Assumptions .....................53
Limitations of the Study .............................................................................................. 54
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS .......................................................................................................56
Participants of the Study .............................................................................................. 56
Joseph ..............................................................................................................56
Zakaria.............................................................................................................57
Lyana...............................................................................................................57
Bruce ...............................................................................................................58
Fred .................................................................................................................58

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Arus .................................................................................................................59
Huyn................................................................................................................59
Ajong...............................................................................................................60
Mal ..................................................................................................................60
Shera................................................................................................................61
Christine ..........................................................................................................61
Jasmine ............................................................................................................62
Jae ...................................................................................................................62
Nur ..................................................................................................................63
Findings ...................................................................................................................... 63
Motivational Factors ........................................................................................ 63
Value of Education ...............................................................................63
Intrinsic Motivation ..............................................................................66
Extrinsic Motivation .............................................................................68
Perceptions of Campus .........................................................................69
Challenges .......................................................................................................72
Language Barriers Confront the Students..............................................72
Navigating the System..........................................................................76
Time Management and Balance between Social
and Academic Life ...............................................................................79
Psychological Issues; Identity and Appearance ....................................80
Who to Trust, Making Friends with Domestic Students and
Social Network..................................................................................... 83
Self-discipline and Financial Issues ...................................................... 86
Support Resources ........................................................................................... 88
Academic Support ................................................................................88
Supportive Learning Environment.............................................88
Academic Recourses .................................................................91
Friends and Self-help ................................................................ 93
Social Support ...................................................................................... 94
Family and Friends ...................................................................94
Other Resources .......................................................................96
Access to the Insider Knowledge and Social Support – Role of the
Country Student Associations and the Religious Association ................97
Academic and Social Integration......................................................................102
General Experiences .............................................................................103
Academic and Social Experiences ........................................................ 104
Academic and Social Involvement........................................................ 109
Interaction with Peers and Faculty Members ............................. 110
Academic Involvement ............................................................. 112
Social Involvement ...................................................................115
Sense of Belonging ...................................................................116
Personal Growth and Success...........................................................................118
Personal Growth...................................................................................118
Success.................................................................................................120
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 121

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CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSIONS ................................................................................................ 124
Cultural Values and Tensions ...................................................................................... 125
Structural Influences....................................................................................................127
Languages........................................................................................................127
Support System................................................................................................ 130
The Student Associations .................................................................................134
Class Size ........................................................................................................135
Psychological Influences ............................................................................................. 136
Motivation .......................................................................................................136
Psychological Challenges.................................................................................138
Sense of Belonging .......................................................................................... 139
Peer Interactions .............................................................................................. 142
Interactions with Faculty Members ..................................................................144
Educational Self-efficacy and Behaviors .......................................................... 146
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 147
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION, IMPLEMENTATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........150
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................150
Implications for Theory ............................................................................................... 155
Implications for Future Research .................................................................................156
Implications for Policy and Practice.............................................................................159
Final Thoughts.............................................................................................................162
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................ 163
APPENDIX A. IRB APPROVAL................................................................................164
APPENDIX B. INVITATION LETTER......................................................................165
APPENDIX C. INTERVIEW PROTOCOLS............................................................... 166
APPENDIX D. CONSENT FORM..............................................................................168
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 170

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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
General Background
Ease of travel, political changes, economic needs, and the opportunity for cultural
interactions are factors that make study abroad a fast-growing phenomenon (Byram & Feng,
2006). As the world becomes more and more interconnected, international students have been
sought and welcomed as agents of diversification and internationalization of higher education in
the United States. Bringing people from different backgrounds and cultures together on campus
is believed to result in transformation of cross-cultural understanding and contributes to
redefining and reshaping the curriculum (Leask, 2010).
During recent decades, American colleges and universities throughout the country have
been influenced by the large influx of international students in the direction of resource
acquisition, resource allocation, program planning, and support services (Walker, 2000).
Moreover, with more than 4,000 universities and colleges, the United States has been an
especially popular and potential place for international students to travel to and a very accessible
place to pursue college education (Chow, 2011; McIntire, 1992). International students make up
a significant and growing portion of the total U.S. college student population. According to the
Open Doors 2010 report, the number of international students studying at colleges and
universities in the United States has increased dramatically during the past 50 years, from less
than 50,000 students in the 1950s to 690,923 during the 2009- 2010 academic year. International
students comprise about 3.5% of the total students on American campuses; and about 45% of
these students pursue undergraduate degrees. The Open Door 2010 report also showed that
almost 70% of all international students’ primary funding comes from sources outside of the

1

U.S., including personal and family funding, and funding from their home country governments.
In the academic year of 2009-2010, international students contribute nearly $20 billion to the
U.S. economy through their expenditures on tuition and living expenses, including room and
board, books and supplies, transportation, health insurance, and other related costs (Open Door,
2010). Thus, the contribution of international students to the U.S. economy is undeniable (Chen
& Barnett, 2000). In addition, many universities and colleges hope that by increasing the
numbers of undergraduate and graduate students from other countries, domestic students will
have opportunities to learn more about other cultures and to develop global perspectives through
their interactions with international students (Leask, 2010).
Among the top 10 sending countries, six are Asian countries, including China, India,
South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Vietnam. Asian students comprise over half of all international
students enrolled in U.S. higher education, an increase from 58.7% in 2009 to 63% in 2010
(Open Doors, 2009 & 2010). In the 2009-2010 academic year, there were 435,667 students from
Asia studying at U.S. colleges and universities, a 5% increase over the previous year (Open
Doors, 2010). Sixty percent of these students came from East Asia, 30% were from South and
Central Asia, and 10% were from Southeast Asia. The increase in enrollments implies that the
U.S. is one of the premier providers of tertiary education and one of the premier destinations for
Asian international students (Galloway & Jenkins, 2005). Studying in the U.S. is viewed as a
gateway to enhance one’s competence and mobility in the global market, because the U.S. is one
of the most technologically innovative countries, and it has a high quality higher education
system with a wider range of schools and programs to suit a variety of different students (Chow,
2011).

2

This increase can also be explained by the extraordinary economic achievements in many
Asian countries in recent years, leading to many families having the ability to afford to send their
children to study in the U.S., Asian countries have had the fastest economic growth in the world
(Postiglione, 1997). According to the 2008 UNESCO EFA Global Monitoring Report, during the
period of 2000 - 2005, the economic growth increased in South Asia at 4.3% each year and
remained high at 7.2% in East Asia and in the Pacific. Furthermore, a more knowledge-intensive
world economy is gaining ground, necessitating a more skilled labor force in both developed and
developing countries (UNESCO, 2008). With college degrees earned in the States, for many
Asian students there is the hope of economic benefit and more job opportunities either in their
own countries or in other countries in the future (Byram & Feng, 2006). In addition, diversifying
student body, internationalizing curricula, increasing the recognition of American universities
and colleges, and the importance of having an international experience are factors influencing
students’ decisions to choose the U.S. as their study destination (Lee & Kim, 2010; Montgomery,
2010).
The increased enrollment of international students in general and Asian international
students in particular has led to a noticeable impact on the communities in which they reside, as
they bring diversity of cultures and perspectives to the classroom, enrich the learning of students
and faculty, contribute to internationalizing the curriculum in the host institutions, and are
viewed as serious, dedicated students (Lacina, 2002; Rai, 2002; Zhang & Mi, 2010). Hence, the
benefits from the economic and cultural contributions that international students bring to local
communities in the United States signify the value of recruiting and retaining international
students.

3

Furthermore, international students can help develop positive relations between their
home countries and the U. S.(Sandhu & Asrabadi, 1994). These students will not only offer the
knowledge that they gain in their degree training but also a broadened perspective of the issues
that they study in a more global context (Lee & Kim, 2010). Moreover, many Asian academic
and political leaders studied and absorbed American academic ideas during their college years
(Altbach, 2004). Thus, the flow of international students not only changes the demographics with
economic advantages in the U.S. but also promotes cultural exchange among the United States
and other countries, establishing opportunities for mutual respect and collaborative relationships
(Open Door, 2010). The returning students play an important role of being ambassadors to bridge
cultural and scientific exchange between the U.S. and their home countries. Therefore, the
American government, higher education leaders and administrators, and other stakeholders
understand that international students have become an important part of the U.S. higher
education institutions.
The above section has provided a brief background on international students in the U.S.
The following section outlines the problem statement and the research questions that will be
addressed in this study.
Problem Statement and Purpose of the Study
While thinking of higher education, one vivid picture among many is a large group of
energetic students with hope and potential to learn. The new students are stepping into new
routes that they have chosen to experience and through which they hope to succeed. College
experiences are a central aspect of student development and many students develop both
academically and socially during college (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2005). However, for
international students, this college journey is full of challenges as they live and learn across

4

cultures (Arthur, 2004). Even though enrolling in an undergraduate or graduate program on
American college campuses, international students anticipate participating in a different social
and academic environment than that in their home countries, they encounter many problems
upon their arrival to campus and during their stay and study in the States. International students’
experiences are likely to differ from the experiences of the minorities in the host country,
because the temporary nature of their stay can be a salient force for these students (Singaravelu,
2007). This force can be positive, negative, or both depending on their new understandings of
who they are, of relationships, of the world around them, and of the goals they will pursue while
in the U.S. (Arthur & Popadiuk, 2010).
In their move to achieve educational goals, these students experience not only a loss of
their status but often their close connections with family, friends, and relatives (Sawir,
Marginson, Deumert, Nyland, & Ramia 2008). They must learn to negotiate the demands of
daily living and adjust to new systems of cultural norms, communication, and behavior. The
challenges of a new academic system and family expectations to succeed may create the threat of
failure that adds more pressure on achieving their goals (Arthur, 2004). Furthermore, the cultural
differences they experience may hinder their involvement in campus and other activities making
it considerably challenging for international students in the host nation (Kaczmareck, Matlock,
Merta, Ames, & Ross, 1994, Lin & Yi, 1997; Mori, 2000). New environments, cultural
differences, and high academic achievement expectations frequently generate stress, depression,
frustration, and fear for international students (Dillard & Chisolm, 1983). Therefore, their coping
strategies to overcome adjustment challenges, their motivations to learn and engage in the
university community, and their commitments are very important to shaping their learning
experiences.

5

Previous research shows that international undergraduate students face the challenge of
adjusting and integrating to a new living and learning environment (for example, see Poyrazli, &
Grahame, 2007). Beyond navigating the educational system, campus resources, lectures, exams,
and interactions with faculty and staff, international students face the challenge of fitting in and
of developing a sense of belonging in the new and different social networks on campus. Meeting
new people, creating a support network, adjusting to life away from their comfort zones are
issues for all new college students (Arthur, 2004). However, for international students, the
adjustment to a new social and academic life is even more difficult given potential language
barriers, inexperience with cultural references, and limited knowledge of culture of the host
country and its higher education system (Poyrazli, & Grahame, 2007; Twigg, 2005; Zhang & Mi,
2010). International students may also encounter tremendous pressure to adopt attitudes, beliefs,
and behaviors very different from their own in order to feel apart of the institution. Of all
obstacles that have large effects on international students, regardless of their backgrounds and
resources, limited English proficiency and culture differences appear to be significant and pose
great difficulties both academically and socially when integrating into college life (Holmes,
2004) and thus influence students’ learning experiences. Therefore, international students need
both academic and social support as much as or maybe more compared to domestic students,
even many of them are bright and academically prepared in their home countries (HechanovaAlampay, Beehr, Christiansen, & Horn, 2002).
As the fastest growing population on campus, Asian international students are also
attracting more attention than ever before in higher education. Much research has focused on
Asian students’ adjustment and adaptation to American culture and campus life, and their lack of
belonging and social support in the campus community (Choi, 2006; Galloway & Jenkins, 2005;

6

Huntley, 1993; Lee & Davis, 2000; Munoz & Munoz, 2000; Zhai, 2002). For example, Huntley
(1993) pointed out that in American classrooms, Asian international students feel stressful,
especially different and culturally alien, when they give oral presentations, participate in class
discussions and group activities, or simply ask a question. Overall, this body of research found
that Asian international students’ experiences on campus are different from other students.
Specifically, they experienced more difficulty in adapting to campus environments and
establishing positive social relationships in the campus community. These students feel isolated
and marginalized and were less engaged in social and academic activities. In addition, according
to Hanassab and Tidwell (2002), Asian international students face the greatest adjustment
difficulty among all the regions, because English is not their first language and their home
country culture is strikingly different from American culture. In addition, undergraduate Asian
international students have experienced more problems and higher needs than graduate
international students (Hanassab & Tidwell, 2002), because they lack access to human, cultural
and financial capital and limited understanding the culture of American higher education.
Although Asian international undergraduate students stay in the U.S. temporarily, they
need to succeed academically as well as socio-culturally. Therefore, it is important to explore
what motivates them to integrate into college life and what factors impact this integration
process. There is also a need to understand the differences between and within groups of Asian
international undergraduate students in terms of their motivational orientations and other
influences on their academic and social integration, for example cultural norms and values,
cultural connections, language proficiency and psychological factors. Therefore, the research
question driving this study is:

7

What contributes to social and academic integration of Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese
international undergraduate students?
The results of the analysis highlighted the importance of increasing awareness of the
cultural diversity in higher education settings to better support international students’ integration,
their learning experiences and to gain competitiveness in the international higher education
market. The growth of Asian international undergraduate students on American campuses and
the dearth of studies specifically looking at social and academic integration of these students
suggest the necessity to study these issues. With increasing numbers of Asian international
students on American higher education campuses, there is a need to study why some survive and
integrate into the university community better than others and what salient factors facilitate or
hinder their social and academic integration. However, to date no research focuses on Korean,
Malaysian, and Taiwanese international students and their integration into the American
academic environment. Moreover, understanding student perceptions of their social and
academic integration is important in the process of investigating how they become integrated
into the university community because these perceptions influence their behaviors and actions
toward their academic and social life on campus.
This study attempted to investigate factors contributing to social and academic integration
of Korean, Malaysian and Taiwanese international undergraduate students. Furthermore, it is
important to understand these students’ unique challenges because these challenges might affect
students’ ability to integrate academically and socially. In addition, Asian international students
who maintain collectivist cultural values integrate into a new environment differently than other
groups of American minority students (Guiffrida, 2006).

8

It is important to note the “diversity within diversity” while approaching this study of
Asian international students. The Asian international student population is not a homogenous
entity; these students are very diverse in terms of identities, languages, norms, values, customs,
cultures, and differing worldviews (Sheu & Fukuyama, 2007). In general, Asians have increased
public awareness that enculturation is an important indicator of within-group cultural differences
(Kim, Atkinson, & Umemoto, 2001). In particular, Kim, Atkinson, and Umemoto (2001) noted
that an important dimension of enculturation is adherence to Asian cultural values, which include
deference to authority, emotional restraint, and hierarchical family structure. Kim, Atkinson, and
Yang (1999) identified several cultural values common to Asians including collectivism,
conformity to norms, emotional self-control, and family recognition through achievement, filial
piety, and humility. Some Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam also share
values dictated by Confucian principles, such as respect, diligence and loyalty, and the group is
valued over individual. Therefore, when describing Asian international students, I was mindful
of the complexity of my sample and cautious about making generalizations (Shih & Brown,
2000). It is important not to generalize all Asian international students into one ethnic group,
because Asians are a mosaic of cultures.
Conceptual Framework
It is important to emphasize that this study was placed within the context of international
student experiences in U.S. higher education, but it focused on the social and academic
integration/campus engagement of currently enrolled Asian international undergraduate students,
including effort put into being involved and use of academic and student support services. The
present research identified factors that contributed to, or inhibited social and academic
integration of Asian international undergraduate students. This study also sought understanding

9

of why some or many of the Asian international undergraduate students integrate into college
successfully despite having many challenges. Might their distinctive characteristics, country of
origin, cultural norms and values, and other internal as well as external factors have significant
bearing on the challenges of their social and academic integration? Specifically, guided by the
Behavior-Perception-Behavior Model (Milem & Berger, 1997), and Self-Determination Theory
(SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 1991, 2000), this study investigated how students were making a
successful transition into the institution and how they integrated into the university community.
Constructed from Astin’s involvement theory and Tinto’s social and academic integration
model, which describe factors leading to successful social and academic integration, the
Behavior–Perception-Behavior Model (Milem & Berger, 1997) suggests that students become
more involved as they develop perceptions about the institutions’ and peers’ support that
influence the extent to which students feel they “fit” at the institution. According to Milem and
Berger (1997), students come to the institution with specific entry characteristics. As students
encounter new experiences and ideas, as well as interactions with faculty, staff, and their peers,
they develop perceptions about these experiences and the institution. These perceptions lead to
different subsequent levels of engagement. This cycle then affects students’ social and academic
integration. Moreover, Milem and Berger found that both student involvement behaviors and
perceptions of integration play a role in student decisions to stay or drop out from college.
Therefore, this framework also helps to investigate how Asian international undergraduate
students perceive social and academic integration/student engagement, why certain behaviors
occur, and the effects these behaviors have on student engagement and integration.
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) asserts that intrinsic and extrinsic forces motivate all
human behaviors and they recognize differences in the motivational orientations of people from

10

collectivist and individualist societies (Guiffrida, 2006). SDT (Deci & Ryan, 1991, 2000)
explains why individuals choose to act, the level of energy they apply to those actions, and how
motivation influences their choices as well as their performance. SDT focuses on the reasons for
engagement and the values associated with the decision to engage whether that is internal or
external. The theory has also focused on the motivational context of integration/engagement and
how individuals internalize the values of their pursuits. Students’ willingness to invest their
efforts and engage themselves in the learning process is a function of their motivation.
Motivation drives individuals to act in certain ways and exhibit beliefs and persuades behaviors
(Griffin, 2006). In educational contexts, motivation has been applied to all types of behaviors,
including those related to learning and success (Griffin, 2006; Winn, Harley, Wilcox, &
Pemberton, 2006). Thus, understanding student motivation as a main factor of student success in
college provides a foundation for understanding why students become integrated.
Therefore, using the Behavior–Perception-Behavior Model and SDT as frameworks led
to a fuller understanding of student integration and other learning patterns in education
(Guiffrida, 2006). Principal concepts of intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and the internalization
continuum provided a more inclusive framework for understanding educational motivation of
Asian international undergraduate students to integrate into university social and academic life.
Definition of Terms
Before discussing previous studies on the topics of social and academic integration and
international students in higher education, it is important to understand some of the terminology
used within these areas of study.
International Students are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the host countries.
The terms “overseas students” or “foreign students” are also used to designate these student

11

populations and used interchangeably in the literature (McNamara, & Harris, 1997; Twigg,
2005). There are several definitions of international students that are quite different from each
other. International students are those from other countries who stay in the U.S. for a restricted
period of time to accomplish their educational goals (Lacina, 2002). According to Andrade
(2006), international students are individuals who enrolled in institutions of higher education in
the host countries on temporary student visas. Popadiuk and Arthur (2004) take a different tact to
define international students as a culturally heterogeneous group of people who cross cultures for
the experience of living and learning in a foreign environment. Montgomery (2010) uses the
term international students to refer to individuals who have traveled from their home countries to
study higher education in another country.
For the purpose of the current study, Korean, Malaysian and Taiwanese international
students will be defined as students who have come from Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan to pursue
undergraduate degrees at a U.S. college or university on non-immigrant visas (F-1 or J-1).
Integration has been conceptualized as a “product of the interaction between students and
their college environment” (Brower, 1992, p. 441). Academic integration is defined as
connections to the intellectual life of the college and social integration refers to connections
outside of the classroom college (Tinto, 1993). According to Tinto (1993), integration is
encouraged by both formal and informal systems within a university or college. Integration
emphasizes the development of a strong connection with the college social and academic
environment both inside the classroom and outside of class, including interactions with faculty,
academic staff, and peers (e.g., study groups, peer tutoring, informal contact with faculty,
involvement in organizations) (Nora, 1993). Student engagement is characterized as participation
in educationally purposeful activities and the efforts students put into their studies both inside

12

and outside the classroom (Kuh, 2003). In addition, research has consistently shown that the
more students are active and get involved on campus and the more they feel a part of the
institution, the more likely they are to become integrated.
For the purpose of the current study, social and academic integration cover information
related to needs, concepts, and behaviors pertinent to studying and learning inside and outside
the classroom, including quality of students’ efforts put into involvement, their active
participation in class and other educational activities, their motivation to learn, their sense of
relatedness, their interactions with faculty members and staff both formally and informally, their
interactions with peers, their ease of meeting friends and developing personal relationship, and
their use of services.
Adjustment will be defined as the period of time it takes to transition and adapt to a new
lifestyle and culture. Cross-cultural adjustment, for this study, refers to the adjustments made by
the participants in transition from one culture to another. Culture refers to attitudes, behavior,
norms and values that are characteristics of a particular class, community, or population.
Significance of the Study
Despite the extensive research on students’ academic and social integration in college,
research on Asian international undergraduate students’ academic and social experiences is
limited. Particularly, the literature is limited to studies of Asians lumped together, no research
has focused exclusively on the academic and social integration of Korean, Malaysian and
Taiwanese international undergraduate students. With an increased presence on U.S. college
campuses, it is important to know how they become integrated in the campus community, and
what factors facilitated or hindered their academic and social integration in college. In addition,

13

more Asian international students in the STEM fields presented on campuses have made a good
reason to conduct this study.
The Behavior–Perception-Behavior Model and Self-Determination Theory provides the
theoretical framework for this study, which makes it more significant because these two theories
recognize motivational factors of students that are ignored or limited in other integration theories
(e.g., Tinto, Astin), and they allow for identifying the role of choice in motivational orientations.
This current study helps administrators and student affairs professionals have a stronger
understanding of the relationship between individual student and the environment. This level of
understanding can assist administrators and faculty as they attempt to implement strategies to
improve international student engagement, motivation, and achievement.
Comparing different groups of Asian international undergraduate students’ academic and
social integration also helps higher education and student affairs professionals examine the
extent to which college experiences of student groups differ, what contributed to these
differences, and what actions might be taken to enhance student experiences and ultimately, to
improve student learning in college.

14

CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
This review of literature addressed several key areas that help further establish a
conceptual framework for better understanding the research question of this study. The literature
review synthesizes the theoretical frameworks that guide this study including Self-Determination
Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1991, Ryan & Deci, 2000) and the Behavior–Perception-Behavior Model
(Milem & Berger, 1997). The primary purpose of reviewing these theoretical frameworks is to
help me know what to ask the study participants in order to develop good interview questions in
the research design. Other important parts of this review are drawn from various empirical
studies that pertain to the area of student social and academic integration, student engagement,
and Asian international students and their challenges and experiences while studying in the U.S.
Theoretical Frameworks
Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
Self-determination theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 1991, Ryan & Deci, 2000) posits that
human beings have an intrinsic drive to develop their capacities and to build meaningful
relationships with others. SDT combines psychodynamic, humanistic, and cognitive
development theories and focuses on the reasons for engagement/integration and the values
associated with the decision to engage. As a result, SDT provides insights of variations in student
learning strategies, performance, and persistence.
Students’ willingness to invest their efforts and engage in the learning process is a
function of their motivation. SDT postulates the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
in engaging in learning activities (Guiffrida, 2006). In SDT, commitments to goals that are
intrinsically motivated or integrated in the self are theorized to lead to optimal outcomes (Ryan

15

& Deci, 2000). According to Ryan and Deci, SDT (2000) proposes that there are varied types of
extrinsic motivation, some of which represent impoverished forms of motivation and some of
which represent active states. Ryan and Deci have argued that many of the activities prescribed
in educational settings are not designed to be intrinsically interesting. They argue it is important
to motivate students to value and self-regulate such activities and to carry them out on their own.
In addition, according to SDT (Deci & Ryan, 1991, 2000), the reasons for engaging are
driven by three basic psychological needs: the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness
that are crucial in energizing human behavior. Autonomy refers to self governance and
ownership of one’s action. Therefore, autonomous motivation is an attribute of fully functioning
individuals across different cultures and societies (Ryan, Kuhl, & Deci, 1997). Competence is
facilitated by opportunities to deal effectively with optimally challenging academic tasks and the
tendency to seek out and master challenges in the environment (Deci & Ryan). Relatedness
refers to a sense of belonging and feeling connected to others with a mutual understanding. In an
educational setting, the fulfillment of these three psychological needs will either facilitate or
undermine students’ academic engagement, self-regulatory style, and achievement.
The theory also delineates contextual factors that encourage intrinsic motivation.
However, individuals vary not only in level of motivation (i.e., how much motivation) but also in
the orientation of that motivation (i.e., what type of motivation) (Ryan & Deci, 2000). According
to Ryan and Deci (2002), orientation of motivation concerns the attitudes and goals that give rise
to action; therefore, it concerns the “why” of actions (p.54).
Importantly, SDT recognizes that cultures differentially designate domains in which
members of the society may exercise this fundamental need, and shape the appropriate activities
through which autonomous motivation can be practiced (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Cultures also

16

assign meaning to people’s autonomous experience either as positive and desirable or as negative
and undesirable (Chirkov, 2009). The complex interaction of multiple goals, including
individual, groups and affiliate goals, is prevalent in collectivistic cultures and in many cases,
family and group goals are given higher priority than individual goals (Salili, Chiu, & Lai, 2001).
In addition, Guiffrida (2006) argued that maintaining cultural connections plays a foundational
role for ethnic minority college students and it serves as a bridge to integrate students into the
larger college community. Understanding students’ motivational orientation to their
commitments is essential when describing minority student engagement (Guiffrida, 2006).
Therefore, as a potential minority group on American campus, understanding cultural
connections and students’ motivational orientation is also important in studying Asian
international student engagement, because these students are embedded in collectivistic cultures
as many American minority students have experienced.
Behavior - Perception – Behavior Model
Milem and Berger’s (1997) Behavior–Perception-Behavior Model describes factors
leading to students’ successful social and academic integration by exploring the relationships
between Astin’s (1984) theory of involvement and Tinto’s (1993) theory of departure. Milem
and Berger propose a model wherein student behaviors and perceptions interact to influence
academic and social integration.
Based on Astin’s description of involvement as behavior in meaning (1984), Milem and
Berger (1997) suggest that student integration into the college environment results from
interactions between their behaviors and perceptions. They argued that during the transition stage
students begin to engage in a variety of behaviors representing different types of involvement.
These diverse types of involvement could influence students’ perceptions of institutional and

17

peer support for the academic and social aspects of their experiences. These perceptions can also
influence how students will invest their energy through their continued involvement and affect
students’ institutional commitment. This “behavior–perception–behavior cycle” (p. 392) helps
explain how students navigate the stage of integration and it suggests that how students interact
with the social and academic system of a campus affects the integration process.
To test this model Berger and Milem (1999) conducted research on the role of student
involvement and perceptions of integration. They concluded that self-confidence on involvement
improves their model's explanatory power concerning how students interact with the college
environment as a precursor to academic and social integration. Their research supports the idea
that students who come to college knowing exactly what to expect from their institution integrate
into the campus environment successfully regardless of their background.
In summary, active growth and the integration of knowledge, motivation, and
socialization are necessary for student success. The aforementioned theories provide a fuller
theoretical framework for identifying important factors contributing to the academic and social
integration/engagement of Asian international undergraduate students because they describe a
combination of factors related to beliefs/perceptions, values and norms, skills, knowledge and
motivational orientation that enables a student to engage in purposeful, goal-directed,
independent, and self-regulated actions and behavior. In addition, the SDT recognizes the
importance of cultural factors relating to college student integration as these factors play
significant roles in the integration process for students who come from collectivist cultures.
Moreover, activity and integration do not occur in a vacuum, but from interactions
between the active self and the various forces (Deci & Ryan, 1991). Students integrate into a
college community because they develop perceptions about the institutions and they themselves

18

want to be successful (Berger & Milem, 1999; Milem & Berger, 1997). Therefore, these theories
help investigate students’ cultural connections, their perceptions, motivations, feelings, and
thoughts when they are in a new environment. These attributes could make a difference in how
they become integrated into their college environment.
Student Integration
One of the main purposes of higher education is to create learning environments that
foster student success and prepare well-rounded graduates to contribute to society. The widening
student participation agenda has led to an increase in students from diverse backgrounds
accessing higher education (Goldrick-Rab & Cook, 2011). However, their integration into the
educational environment operates on several levels, including individual and institutional levels,
and in various ways. In order for students to become socially and academically integrated during
the initial stages of their studies, they need to develop a strong affiliation with the academic
environment (Nora, 1993), both within the formal learning context and in the social setting
outside the classroom (Krause, 2001). The process of becoming socially and academically
integrated into the university environment has also been found to be both a cumulative and
compounding process. Over the past decades, a multitude of research studies have considered
questions related to student engagement and integration (e.g., Astin, 1993; Pascarella &
Terenzini, 2005). However, most research examined the impacts of student engagement on
retention or persistence as outcomes rather than the student integration itself.
Research on Student Academic and Social Integration
Academic and social factors both play a role in a student’s ability to integrate into the
college environment. Reviewing the literature on student academic and integration in general

19

helped me identify some academic and social factors that are a potential influence on the
integration of Asian international undergraduate students.
According to the research synthesis of Pascarella and Terenzini (2005), knowledge
acquisition and cognitive growth directly depend on an individual’s level of effort and
engagement. The relationship between the students’ own efforts and the effects of student
engagement/involvement in various activities related to academics, extracurricular activities,
personal-social peer interaction, faculty interaction, scientific and quantitative activities were
well documented in other research (e.g., Hu, Kuh, & Li, 2008; Kuh, Hu, & Vesper, 2000). The
researchers acknowledged that substantive peer interactions outside the classroom were
important, especially when balanced with other activities. The findings in these research studies
indicated that students who devoted a high level of effort to a variety of educationally-purposeful
activities reported more progress toward key college outcomes such as high academic
performance than did those who only focused on one activity or who put forth little effort in only
a few activities. Highly engaged students were involved in many activities and tied those
activities with their academics (Schweinle, Reisetter, & Stokes, 2009).
High levels of student engagement are associated with purposeful student-faculty
interaction, active and collaborative learning, and an institutional environment perceived by
students as inclusive where expectations for performance are set at high levels and
communicated clearly (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2005; Rocconi, 2010; Zhao & Kuh, 2004).
The cited studies explored connections between participation in a learning community, student
engagement in educationally-purposeful activities, and overall satisfaction with the college
experience. The findings indicated that participating in learning communities for both first-year
and senior students was associated with high levels of academic effort, engagement in

20

educationally-purposeful activities such as academic integration, active and collaborative
learning, and interaction with faculty members. Students also reported gains in personal and
social development, practical competence, and overall satisfaction with the collegiate experience.
The major influence on students’ perceived gains is from their effort in getting involved in any
learning opportunities provided by the institution and effort in their coursework.
Maisto and Tammi (1991) studied the effect of first year seminars on academic and social
integration of first-year college students. They compared first-year students who did and did not
participate in a first-year student seminar course and found that taking a freshman seminar course
affected the grade point average of first–year students and their decision to continue or drop out
of the program. Results indicated that students who participated in seminars earned significantly
higher grades and had more informal faculty contacts and social interactions than nonparticipants.
Building upon their earlier work, Kuh and Hu (2002) investigated student characteristics
that differentiated the levels of student engagement in educationally-purposeful activities. The
researchers found that parental education, academic preparation, and students’ perceptions of the
campus environment positively influenced student engagement. Men, first-year students, and
those with undecided majors were more likely to be among the disengaged. Kuh and Hu’s results
also showed that students with higher parental education levels and those more academically
prepared were less likely to be disengaged. Students who perceived that their institution
emphasized scholarship and intellectual and critical analysis, had high quality personal
relationships between groups, and emphasized vocational and practical matters were less likely
to be among the disengaged. Studying student engagement as a function of the individual within
the context of the classroom and university environment, Schweinle, Reisetter, and Stokes

21

(2009) found that both students’ personality and a sense of self influence their levels of
engagement. Students who are most emotionally and socially prepared for college in addition to
having adaptive personality traits are more likely to engage in college life. The students who
were more highly engaged also tended to have a better sense of their own identity, interests and
purpose. Their social and academic lives were linked to their interests and vision for their future.
In addition, students who can not discern meaning from their college activities reported academic
difficulty or social isolation (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2005).
Sullivan (1997) examined student perceptions during three processes including separation
from family for college, transition of adapting to college, and incorporation within the context of
retention and attrition models when a student becomes integrated in the campus community.
Sullivan’s findings showed that the connections between students and their family and high school
friends helped them overcome difficulties during the separation stage. During the transition stage,
students adjusted to college by finding their niche and fitting into the new environment both
socially and academically. At the incorporation stage, students perceived both competing and
supporting relationships. They reported trying to perform well academically and establishing social
networks that helped them with their affiliation with the institution. Thomas (2000) used a social
network paradigm to measure the structural aspects of student relations to assess how social
networks of students impact their commitment to college. He found that social networks helped
students perform well academically and persist in their academic programs, and that the number
and quality of student relationships are positively related to students’ persistence in their programs
and commitment to their institutions. Krause (2007) also noted the importance of students’ social
interactions during their early adjustment to college. He conducted a qualitative study exploring
the nature of undergraduate students’ social involvement with peers during the first six months of

22

their college experience. The findings from focus group interviews with 46 participants showed
that small group and face-to-face discussions were important to students during the transition to
higher education institution.
Social and Academic Integration of Domestic Minority Students
In addition to the aforementioned research on social academic integration of college
students in general, there is a number of studies focusing on minority students and international
students. Given the unique factors that lead to engagement and attrition of students from various
minority groups, research in this area is valuable and necessary. Nora, Cabrera, Hagedorn, and
Pascarella (1996) examined impacts of academic and social experiences on student outcomes to
find ethnic and gender differences. The study findings indicated that experiences in college that
include academic and social integration experiences, academic achievement, and environmental
factors (e.g., financial situation and work hours on and/or off campus) affect students’ persistence
in college. The study also found that, where social integration is related to persistence for both
male and female students, social integration was a more significant factor that impacts minority
students in their persistence.
In a study of Latino students, Hurtado and Carter (1997) examined students’ integration by
measuring their sense of belonging. The study found that Latino students who participated in
different academic-related activities outside of class during their first two years in college, for
example, discussing course contents, tutoring other students, and who interacted frequently with
faculty in their third year had a strong sense of belonging. In addition, participating in a religious
organization in the first and second years and in a social-community organization in the third year
strongly affected a student’s sense of belonging. These results demonstrate that involvement in offcampus activities that link students to their cultural or religious background could help them feel

23

comfortable in the university community. Kraemer’s (1997) research on academic and social
integration of Hispanic students in two-year colleges showed a similar result. The study’s results
showed that faculty-student interaction and study behavior predicted Hispanic students’ academic
integration and influenced their academic achievement and persistence. Regarding social
integration of Hispanic students on campus, Kraemer found that Hispanic students interact in their
own cultural environment by socializing with Hispanic personnel, faculty, and students.
Strange (1999) examined the relationships between academic and social integration and
college success for students from different ethnic backgrounds using five measures of academic
and social integration including students’ confidence in their ability to complete their degree
programs and in their social skills, students’ perceptions of themselves as a leader, their
relationships with teachers, and their locus of control. The study findings showed that students
from different ethnic backgrounds and family histories differed in their academic and social
integration on campus. Specifically, compared to Hispanic and White, Asians students were less
socially confident and less assimilated in the campus community. In addition, Strange found that
academic confidence and relationships with teachers predicted Asian students’ persistence, while
academic confidence and internal locus of control predicted Hispanic students’ persistence.
Chhuon and Hudley (2008) examined the experiences of successful Cambodian American
students, a unique ethnic group, to understand their patterns of academic and social college
integration. For Cambodian American students’ successful adjustment, the study found that
integration into the campus environment and keeping contact with the prior community were
essential. Museus and Maramba’s (2010) research on the impact of culture on American Filipinos
also found that the direct relationship between students’ connections to their cultural heritage
significantly shaped their sense of belonging to the campus cultures.

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Moreover, students of color experience greater feelings of alienation than do White
students (Cabrera, Nora, Terenzini, Pascarella, & Hagedorn, 1999). In their study, for African
American students, perceptions of discrimination negatively affected their social experience and
their sense of belonging to college. However, their decision to persist was not affected by these
perceptions but by parental support. Parental encouragement was also important to White students.
It had a significant effect on students’ social experiences, goal commitment, institutional
commitment, and also influenced their persistence.
In summary, research on academic and social integration of domestic students showed that
minority students’ academic and social integration on campus was somehow different from that of
White students. Some groups of students are more engaged than others, including women, fulltime students, those living on campus, students with experiences of diversity, and students who
participate in learning communities. However, for both White students and students of color
interaction with others as an invaluable aspect of the integration process has been widely
highlighted. The quality of these interactions has a strong influence on students’ ability to navigate
successfully through the demands of academic study and can have implications for both social and
academic integration. Moreover, we can recognize some other similar factors contributing to the
social and academic integration of both White students and students of color, and affecting their
persistence in college including family background (i.e., parental education and support), students’
own efforts, student characteristics (e.g., gender, academic preparation, behaviors and
perceptions), institutional supports, student commitment, social network (e.g., acquaintances,
friendships), and participation in on and off-campus activities. Even though those factors cross
both populations, the levels of influence of these factors on academic and social integration as well
as student persistence are different among populations. There are some factors that make the social

25

and academic integration of students of color differ from White students including ethnicity, sense
of belonging, and connections with their families and cultural heritage.
Research on International Students
The increasing number of international students does not imply that they do not have
problems adjusting to the new social and academic environment. Living in a foreign country
requires a period of cultural and social adaptation, and the capacity of students for successful
integration with their surroundings is tied to their chances of academic success (Pilote &
Benabdeljalil, 2007). The question of success for international students must therefore be
considered in the context of their integration into the college and university (Pilote &
Benabdeljalil, 2007). International students have to work even harder in order to overcome many
challenges posed by the differences in requirements and expectations in U.S. higher education
institutions. Social and academic adaptations have become salient to academic success during
their college experience. However, most research focuses on international student adjustment;
only a few studies on student social and academic integration/engagement address international
college students. The review in this section documents ways that international students engage
(or do not engage) with the campus and identifies international students’ learning experiences,
successes, and challenges in academic settings.
Social and Academic Integration of International Students
In a study by Zhao, Kuh, and Carini (2005) focused on engagement in effective educational
practices, academic activities of international and American students were compared on selected
variables shown to be related to student learning, personal development, and satisfaction with
college. The researchers also assessed the degree to which students perceive campuses as
supportive of academic and social needs. The Zhao, Kuh, and Carini (2005) study found that

26

international first-year students were less satisfied with their college experience and spent far less
time enjoying themselves and socializing than American counterparts. Senior international
participants had significantly higher scores in academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, and
computer technology use. The study findings also showed that most international students seek out
friendships with peers from the same nationality but that international students who seek out
friendships with American students achieve higher grades than their counterparts who stay within
their ethnic background.The researchers also mentioned motivation and academic preparation as
determinants that may affect the college experiences of international and American students, and
results showed differences among international students by race or ethnicity. Compared to White
and other international students, Asian international students were less engaged in active and
collaborative learning and diversity related activities (Zhao, Kuh, & Carini, 2005).
Andrade (2006) studied senior Asian international students, investigating the concept of
integration as it relates to their persistence and the need to change their behaviors in order to
become integrated into the college environment. Most students in the study were employed parttime while attending college; they therefore, spent limited time socializing in their first year
because of time management and academic and language challenges. The nature of work and
study required them to change in order to balance the social and academic demands. Students
noted that the new environment required them to change their behaviors and they felt that these
changes were necessary to integrate into the dominant academic and social systems of the
university. Changing their classroom behavior from a passive to an active orientation and
modifying their thinking of various cultural practices (e.g., questioning authority) are some
examples. Most students in the study reported they interacted more in the classroom, developed
strategies to cope with their limited English skills, became acquainted with peers from other

27

countries, and adopted a cooperative approach to their studies. They viewed the changes related
to their home cultures positively in terms of intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth. They
maintained connectedness to their own culture while adapting to the dominant norms of the
university. In Andrade’s (2006) study, for international students, maintaining the cultural
integrity is important and integration does not imply assimilation. This contradicted earlier work
by All-Sharideh and Goe (1998), who wrote that assimilation of American culture is a significant
factor facilitating the competency of an international student in meeting academic and social
demands as well as his/her personal life needs. Assimilation, according to All-Sharideh and Goe,
includes the development of language proficiency and knowledge of customs and norms of the
host culture.
Adjustment Issues of International Students
Social and academic challenges.
The first year of college is crucial to all international students, but in different ways,
depending on their cultural and educational background and their country of origin (Andrade,
2005). For international students, the first few weeks after arrival on campus are hectic and
challenging, because they must sort out a lot of things, learning about basic rules for living while
settling down into a new environment. Research reporting the problems experienced by
international students indicates that not all students have positive experiences in their study
abroad journey, particularly when they first arrive on campus and adjust to new environments.
Many international students are mentally and culturally under-prepared for the new environment
of their study abroad and arrive unaware of the immense adjustment hurdles they must overcome
to be successful in the American educational system (Constantinides, 1992; Li, Baker, &
Marshall, 2002). The difference between the old environment and the new is so large for many

28

international students that they are unable to handle it effectively and efficiently (Ayano, 2006).
Many arrive on campus with limited knowledge about culture and linguistics of the host country
and they lack information about the institution they are entering prior to their arrival
(Lewthwaite, 1997).
Lee’s (2008) study on student information sources and reasons for study abroad
confirmed Lewthwaite’s (1997) finding. For many East Asian students, institutional ranking is an
important factor in making decisions of where to study, and in some cases, the only factor that
students relied on; therefore, they have very limited information about the campus setting,
institutional and student culture, and institutional resources (Lee, 2008). Lacking information
about the chosen college resulted in feelings of loneliness, isolation, and disappointment once on
campus. Holmes’ (2004) research on Chinese students in New Zealand also found that students
came to campus with little knowledge about the country, society, culture, and education before
their studies and after a while, they learned that reality conflicted with their assumptions; for
example, students worked hard but in the end, their efforts did not always bring them good
grades due to different learning approaches and differences in communication styles between
teacher and students.
Past research indicates that international students who come from different cultural and
social groups display different adjustment problems and coping strategies (Pedersen, 1991; Yoo,
Goh, & Yoon, 2005). For example, international students encounter adjustment challenges that
can affect their psychological well-being while living in a foreign country (Cheng, Leong, &
Geist, 1993; Poyrarli & Grahame, 2005; Reynolds & Costaintine, 2007; Swagler & Ellis, 2003;
Wang & Mallinckrodt, 2006). Hayes and Lin (1994) provided an overview of the adjustment of
international students and their social networking during their sojourn on American campuses

29

and found that international students encountered social loss, communication issues, and
struggles with coping strategies. Their study suggests that a supportive campus environment is an
emergent need for international students to help overcome challenges in a new environment
(Hayes & Lin, 1994). Furthermore, Yeh and Inose, (2003) observed that international students
often lean toward friendships with fellow international students. The number of strong ties
established with other internationals was found to have the strongest relationship with the
personal adjustment of international students (All-Sharideh & Goe, 1998). According to AllSharideh and Goe (1998), the relationship between assimilation of American culture and
personal adjustment was found to be dependent on the number of strong ties established with
other internationals whereas the establishment of strong ties with Americans was found to be
independently related to personal adjustment.
Prior research also notes that international students experience significant difficulties when
they first arrive and adjust to a new environment, including educational system differences,
academic requirements, cultural differences, language challenges, food incompatibilities, time
management, and social integration (Fatima, 2001; Galloway & Jenkins, 2005; Haydon, 2003;
Poyrazli & Grahame, 2007; Zhai, 2002). Kaur’s (2006) research on academic adjustment
experiences of Indian graduate students in a research university revealed that the students had
difficulties in adjusting to their new academic environment due to the differences between the
two academic systems including learning styles, academic code of integrity, in-class
participation, student-instructor relationship, and approach to education. The results of this study
are consistent with prior research on academic adjustment problems of international students
including independent learning and an active, questioning style of education, different teaching
methods, fast-paced class lectures and discussions, and a competitive academic environment

30

(Abel, 2002; Ladd & Ruby, 1999; Patton, 2002, Ramsey et. al., 1999; Yoon & Portman, 2004;
Zhai 2002). Many international students must shift from the lecture method to an active and
interactive learning environment, adapt to solving problems instead of memorizing facts, and
learn to locate information themselves instead of depending on their professors.
As documented in the aforementioned studies, adjustment to the American academic
system, cultural differences and language ability were the three most significant issues for
international students. In addition, Nicholson (2001) and Poyrazli and Grahame (2005) showed
that international students had difficulties managing the cost of tuition and living expenses
because of out-of-state tuition, the lack of access to loans or scholarships, and the restrictions on
international students working off campus. It is important to note that international students on
American campuses come from all over the world, from different cultures, influenced by
different social and cultural norms and beliefs, and they are familiarized with their own
educational systems. So, in spite of some common adjustment problems, they also experience
some challenges associated with their countries of origin. Asian international students have
struggled with adjustment because of the considerable differences between the Eastern world and
the Western world due to fundamentally diverse cultural values (Chen, 1999; Seo & KorLjungberg, 2005; Swagler & Ellis, 2003). Studies of Chinese, Taiwanese, and Japanese students
by Feng (1991), Swagler and Ellis (2003), and Ayano (2006) indicated that these international
students found it difficult to socialize with their American counterparts due to differences in
cultural values, for example, Asian international students in these studies often emphasize
collectiveness, self-control and equal relationships when come to friendships. They perceive and
interprete their American peers’ thoughts and actions through the lens of Confucianism.

31

Language proficiency.
English language ability and its impact on the international student adjustment process
appear to be the strongest concerns for Asian international students (Constantin, Okazaki, &
Utsey, 2004; Misra, Crist, & Burant, 2003). Holmes (2004) interviewed Chinese students in a
New Zealand university and found that among the undergraduate participants, many expressed
concern about their English language competence and the associated difficulties of being
understood by their New Zealand peers. Particularly, many international students perceived they
had insufficient English proficiency that contributed to their lack of confidence in interacting
with people from other cultures. This perception also severely hampered the development of
students’ intercultural communication skills in class as well as outside the classroom especially
in the contexts of asking and answering questions, giving opinions and expressing ideas
(Holmes, 2004).
Difficulties with English not being a first language create more obstacles to participation in
academic life, general university life, and accessing services (Li et. al., 2002; Novera, 2004;
Petersen, 1991), and is a primary factor impacting the learning and cultural adaptation of Asian
students. In class, many Asian students’ listening and comprehension skills do not equip them for
extended native-speaker delivery in lecture contexts; thus they feel confused during lectures as
well as class discussion (Andrade, 2005; Holmes, 2004, Nicholson, 2001). In addition,
completing reading and writing assignments in time is always a challenge (Holmes, 2004). Asian
international students in Nicholson’s (2001) study expressed that they needed more time to
study, thus they had less time for social involvement. Therefore, academic and social difficulties
are likely to be related.

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In addition, language insufficiency may make international students feel isolated from their
American counterparts because they are afraid of being embarrassed and misunderstood (Feng,
2001). They in turn withdraw from social activities and interact within the community of their
native language. However, interactions with Americans, according to Kim (2001) and Poyrazli,
Kavanaugh, Baker, and Al-Timimi (2004), help international students ease the loneliness and
difficulties that international students encounter, and understand American culture better and
thus bring balance to their life.
Utilization of campus support services.
The difficulties in the transition to college that most students face are significant for
international students. Colleges and universities recognize the need to ease the transition for
international students as their integration into the social and academic fabric of the institution is a
key to their retention and success (Murphy, Hawkes, & Law, 2002; Tinto, 1993). Literature on
international students’ experiences reveals a number of studies relating to different campus
support services, however, most of these studies are related to counseling services; only a few
discuss other student services.
Social contacts can be increased through facilitation by student service groups. Many
colleges and universities have developed peer mentoring programs that match a new
international student with a current international student or an American student (Abe, Talbot &
Geelhoed, 1998). Abe, Talbot and Geelhoed (1988) examined the possible positive effects of
peer programs on the adjustment of international students. These programs help international
students assimilate into social norms and mores, among other transition supports. Their findings
indicate that students who participated in peer programs scored higher than non-participants on
social adjustment and suggest that peer programs enhanced international students’ interpersonal

33

skills, which are crucial for their success. In addition, in Abe, Talbot and Geelhoed’s (1988)
study and a study by Zhai (2002), the International Student Office was cited as the most
important and useful resource that contributed to students’ comfort at their university.
Research on transition issues and first year retention of international students by Andrade
(2005) also supports the aforementioned findings of the Abe et al. (1998) study. Students
emphasized the importance of involvement with peers both from their own countries and from
elsewhere in helping negotiate the first year of college. Many of these students were very goaloriented and only involved academically. They needed to expend more effort to get involved in
academic and social activities during their studies due to linguistic, cultural, and educational
system differences. Involvement with faculty was evident in the study in the sense that most
students benefited from faculty support and encouragement. However, formal institutional
programming played a minor role in students’ adjustments. Students had mixed experiences with
adjustment assistance through formal support services and programs on campus. With the
exception of the ESL program, formal academic support services and programs were not
commonly mentioned as having a significant role in first-year adjustment. But, students also
noted the need for additional English support. In the same study, students who were seniors
indicated that they had been successful navigating the systems of the university, however, the
author did not have any further indications of how students did this ,what services they found
most helpful in navigating the system, and in what way.
Social support, particularly from the academic perspective, is important to the well-being
of international students because it helps to reduce obstructions that students have faced (Dee &
Henkin, 1999; Mallinckrodt & Leong, 1992). Mallinckrodt and Leong (1992) suggest that

34

programs that enhance cross-culture faculty mentoring and academic advising, and promote
social support among peers might be particularly useful.
International students from non-Western countries experience identifiable concerns that are
appropriate for counseling more frequently than international students from Western countries
(Cheng et al., 1993; Zhang & Dixon, 2001). Pedersen (1991) stated that the greater the cultural
difference, the more complicated the international student’s adjustment is likely be. According to
Lin and Yi (1997), Asian international students are often stereotyped as quiet, reserved, and nonassertive. Asian cultures place an emphasis on harmony and respect for authorities. Therefore,
many of these students are reluctant to share their feelings or emotions, express their opinions or
opposition to anyone, especially to authority figures. Asian international students tend to share
their personal issues with fellow nationals or with their family (Baloglu, 2000; Dillar & Chisolm,
1983; Pedersen, 1991; Yoon & Jepsen, 2004; Zhai, 2002), because they are most immediately
and readily available (Pedersen, 1991) and appropriate for Asian cultural norms that personal
problems should stay within a family or close friends (Yoon & Jepsen, 2004).
The underutilization of counseling services was also revealed in the study by Harju, Long,
and Allred (1998), who found only 14% of survey respondents reported using psychological
counseling services for stress, family problems, adjustment issues, and relationship concerns.
Moreover, there is a difference in utilizing counseling services within the Asian international
student population. Frey and Roycircar (2006) showed that there was a significantly higher
utilization of helpful resources to deal with troubles among South Asian students compared with
the East Asian group. They concluded that as a result of British colonization, South Asians are
more proficient in English than East Asians and therefore, more willing to reach out to different
resources that require more verbal interactions.

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In short, even though Chen and Barrett (2002) suggest language barriers seem to be
declining in importance as more students from Asian countries studying in English countries
suggest, limited language skills still is one of the most concerning issues for Asian international
students in their adaptation to new social and academic environment. Experiences of loneliness,
isolation, anxiety, and lack of connectedness and belonging are reported by many Asian
international students and many often live in isolation on the margins of the society in which
they desire to belong (Byram & Feng, 2006; Wang & Mallinckrodt, 2006). Moreover, difficulties
coping with academic requirements, financial constraints, and psychological issues were unique
sources influencing their adjustment and integration. Hence, students’ perception and their
ability to change their behaviors in order to integrate into the dominant norms, values, and
behaviors of the institution are important to help them successfully adapt to the new
environments. Moreover, social and academic supports are important for international students.
Many services are made available to students, however, their use depends on students’ ability to
navigate and utilize these services to their fullest.
Summary
This chapter provided a review of the theoretical frameworks that guide developing
interview questions in this study, empirical studies on college student academic integration, and
research on international students. Self-determination theory (SDT) strongly acknowledges the
cultural and familial connections and explains how cultural norms and motivation impact college
student integration and persistence. SDT shows the importance of understanding the role of both
intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in student achievement. Moreover, cultural factors not only
influence students’ motivation but also their attitudes and behaviors. Interestingly, the

36

perception-behavior model also discusses interactions between perceptions and behaviors in
influencing student integration.
The research relating to domestic minority students raises interesting questions that may be
useful regarding social and academic integration of Asian international undergraduate students.
For example, what roles do the cultures and countries of origin play in Asian international
students’ integration? What cultural factors facilitate or hinder their integration?
The review of empirical studies discussed in the chapter provides a general framework of
factors that could play an important role in Asian international student integration and
engagement. Those factors include interaction with other students, faculty, and staff;
participation in campus activities, cultural background, students’ own effort, students’
perceptions of institutions, sense of belonging, connections with their families and their
community members, English language proficiency, and levels of challenges that they face and
how they utilize different support resources to ease their difficulties during their study in the U.S.
Next, chapter 3 will present the research design, data collection, data analysis and the
limitation of the study.

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CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
This chapter outlines the research design for this study. The chapter begins with a
discussion of the research design and sampling. Second, the data collection and data analysis
procedures are presented. The validity of the data is also discussed, emphasizing a triangulation
approach involving analytic memos, member checking, and peer examination. Finally, the role of
the researcher in this study is presented, and limitations of the study are described.
Research Design
Most research on student social and academic integration has examined mainstream,
traditional American students for whom the transition to college is quite different than for
students who are from other cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Institutional norms and
values more closely reflect those of mainstream students, and thus, present a significant
challenge to international students. Moreover, while researchers have focused their studies on the
adjustment experiences of international students, little is known about what matters to the social
and academic integration of international students.
This study explored factors that contribute to social and academic integration of Asian
international undergraduate students based on participants’ perspectives and guided by the
Behavior–Perception-Behavior Model (Milem & Berger, 1997) and Self-Determination Theory
(SDT) (Ryan & Deci, 1991, 2000). The question guiding the study was as follows:
What contributes to social and academic integration of Korean, Malaysian, and
Taiwanese international undergraduate students?
The research question supported discovery of new information related to Asian
international undergraduate students, including whether their cultural background, country of

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origin, perceptions and behaviors toward the institution, and their motivational orientations play
a role in their social and academic integration. The findings helped us understand how Asian
international undergraduate students at the selected institution integrate (or do not integrate) into
the college life socially and academically. I wanted to gain insights into students’ attitudes,
behaviors, their cultures and values systems, concerns, motivations, and aspirations to become
integrated to a new college environment. Moreover, based on the notion that a qualitative
approach should be used to obtain a deep understanding of the research problem and offers the
opportunities for in-depth probing to obtain co-researchers’ perceptions and views (Creswell,
2003), I chose this methodology for this study.
Qualitative research does not incorporate large samples or attempt to produce
generalizations (Creswell, 2003; Glesne, 2006). However, qualitative methods permit the
researcher to approach the fieldwork without being constrained by predetermined categories of
analysis, and allows the researcher to study the selected issues in depth and detail (Patton, 1990).
Thus, this approach provided the opportunity to have an in-depth understanding of what
facilitated or hindered the participants’ social and academic integration when they study in the
States. In addition, a qualitative approach is able to discern subtle differences between groups;
therefore I am not interested in over-generalizing across groups of students within this broad
label of Asian internationals.
Methodology for this study was dictated by a constructivist/interpretivist theoretical
perspective to understand and interpret participants’ ideas, actions, and interactions in specific
contexts (Glesne, 2010). The constructivist paradigm recognizes the complex nature of multiple
realities and that there is no single, unique reality but only individual perspectives. A case study
approach was employed to complete this qualitative study. Case studies allow the investigator to

39

explore a phenomenon, population, or a general condition (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000), and is
appropriate because it “arises out of the desire to understand complex social phenomena [and]
contributes uniquely to our knowledge of individual, organizational, and social phenomena”
(Yin, 1994, p.2). In addition, the case study offers a means of investigating complex social units
to uncover the interaction of significant factors characteristic of the phenomenon being studied
within its real-life context, particularly when the boundaries between the phenomenon and the
context are not clearly evident (Merriam, 1998; Yin, 1994). The phenomenon of how Asian
international undergraduate students integrated into college life is a specific, complex,
functioning event (Stake, 1995). A case study design allowed me to capture the nuances of lived
experiences of the participants, to understand the participants’ contexts, and discover how they
take actions in those contexts. In this study, the case being examined was the academic and
social integration experiences of Asian international undergraduate students in a Research
University in the Midwest, which has a large number of Asian international students.
In summary, this design was selected because the purpose of this study was to explore
interactions related to the experiences of Asian international undergraduate students during their
study in the U.S. and to understand factors that contributed to their social and academic
integration. This study was exploratory because some factors were similar to what the literature
has documented about student integration, but little is known about what exactly constitutes
social and academic integration of Asian international undergraduate students during their study
in the States. Therefore, this study drew upon previous research, self-determination theory, and
on the behavior–perception-behavior model to identify factors contributing to social and
academic integration of Asian international undergraduate students.

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Sampling
This study was designed to inductively identify factors that contribute to the social and
academic integration of Asian international undergraduate students. In this study, the unit of
analysis was student-level and contextual variables.
According to the Open Door (2010) report, international students from Southeast Asia
are more concentrated at the undergraduate level, while students from East Asia are almost
evenly split between undergraduates and graduate students. The context for this study was a
large public research university located in the Midwest reflecting this enrollment trend. In the
fall 2011, this institution was host to approximately 6,000 international students, comprising over
12% of the total enrollment. This university has a high population of Asian international
students, which comprise more than 80% of its total international students. Korea and China are
two top sending countries and more than 50% of Korean and Chinese international students are
enrolled in undergraduate programs. Malaysia is not on the list of top sending countries;
however, most of the Malaysian students are enrolled in undergraduate programs. In order to
generate sufficient students at their junior year, after studying carefully the statistics of
international enrollment published by the International Students Office (ISO), the target samples
were students who come from Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia. These countries have a substantial
number of undergraduate students. According to statistics of the ISO at the studied university, as
of the 2011 academic year, 446 of 729 Korean students, 86 of 187 Taiwanese students and 73 of
122 Malaysian students are enrolled in undergraduate programs. I decided not to select
international students from China because they are a very big group consisting of more than
2000 international Chinese undergraduate students among the total of 6000 international students

41

currently enrolling at the university. It would be better to have a separate study focusing only on
this group.
Purposeful sampling was used to select a sample from which I discovered, understood,
and gained insight (Merriam, 2009) about student social and academic integration into the
university environment. In qualitative research purposeful sampling yields the most information
about the phenomenon of interest (Merriam, 2002) and enables rich description and enhances
transferability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Additionally, purposeful sampling allowed me to ensure
that the selected informants are representative of the group under study. The target samples were
students who come from Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia under F-1 and J-1 visas (non-immigrant
visa) enrolled as full-time students in undergraduate programs, and in the 3rd year of their
program in the same institution. Third year students were purposefully selected based on the
assumption that the duration of their college experience and period of stay in the U.S. are
connected with their capacity for critical self-reflection on various aspects of their integration
process and those students have achieved to move forward to their graduation. According to
Tinto (1993), interaction between the student and the university environment cultivates
integration into the social and academic context of the institution. I wanted to learn from these
students’ reflections on their first year experiences, their changes and growth after getting to
know more about the institution, and environmental influences affecting their integration
(Chickering & Reisser, 1993).
In summary, in selecting Asian international undergraduate students to participate in the
study, the criteria I focused on were full-time students in their third year, because I wanted to
learn from their reflections on their first one or two years the challenges they encountered (and if
those challenges are the same now or different), how they overcame these challenges if they did,

42

and how they got involved in campus social and academic systems. Students who transferred
from other U.S. higher education institutions were not selected for the study because I wanted to
learn about their perceptions about the institution and if there were any differences in their first
perceptions and their current experience. Students who enrolled in non-degree programs were
excluded from the study, because these students stayed for a short time and they may not have
experienced any academic pressure.
I selected informants with the assistance of Student Association E-board members. From the
website of the International Students Office (ISO), I had the names and emails of presidents and
vice presidents of Korean, Taiwanese, and Malaysian Student Associations and their e-board
members. In addition, I also participated in the International Cultures Festival in November
2011, where all the international student groups/associations showcase cultural artifacts from
their countries. During the Festival, I met with some e-board members and students from Korea,
Malaysia, and Taiwan. I talked with them about my study, about the participant selection criteria
and asked for their help identifying potential participants for the study. From that time until the
data collection was completed, I kept in touch with them frequently to keep them informed about
the needs of the study, criteria for selecting participants and asked for their help when needed.
Making rapport with them and other students from these associations was important for the
researcher’s credibility.
The Letter of Invitation (Appendix B) that included the purpose of the study was emailed
to the key informants so that they understood the study in order to help me recruit potential
participants. Asian international undergraduate students who were in their third year were
encouraged to participate in the study. While the number of required participants in qualitative
studies similar to what I proposed is not clearly articulated in the literature, based on my

43

previous experience with interview-based research, a realistic assessment of time and logistical
requirements, and estimation of the amount of experiential materials needed for rich description,
I decided to collect data from 15 individuals. With the assistance of the e-board members, I got
in contact with 18 potential participants. After the initial phone conversation with each, I selected
15 participants who met the research criteria. However, one of them could not make the second
interview; therefore, the total number of study participants was 14. I really appreciated the
support from the Student Association E-board members; without them the present study would
have not carried out as planned.
According to Van Manen (1990), the qualitative interview serves very specific purposes:
(1) it may be used as a means for exploring and gathering experiential narrative material that
may serve as a resource for developing a richer and deeper understanding of a human
phenomenon, and (2) may be used as a vehicle to develop a conversational relation with
interviewees about the meaning of an experience. In this study, the goal of the interviews was to
understand the integration experience of Asian international undergraduate students and the
meanings they make of that experience. The aim of the interviews was not to gather demographic
information, but to find out about the participants’ “focused life history” (Seidman, 2006, p.11).
The focused portion of the interview comprised information about students’ home countries, how
their cultures influenced their values and beliefs, and their experiences in another culture. Given
this focus, data detailing students’ behaviors and perceptions, their motivations to integrate into
the college community socially and academically as well as their cultural backgrounds and the
challenges that they encounter during their study were essential.
Moreover, I also wanted to learn how they perceive the institution where they are
studying, if they see “fit” between them and the institution, and if they see the institution as

44

supportive. These questions helped me develop insights of perceptions, beliefs, and experiences
from multiple points of view and to have the participants reconstruct their experiences within the
topic under study (Glesne, 2010; Seidman, 2006).
In order to allow participants to answer questions from their own frames of reference,
rather than choosing from a limited number of predetermined options, I decided to conduct openended interviews. The open-ended questions allowed for the flexibility to probe for meaningmaking and to follow up unanticipated but relevant issues raised by the participants (Patton,
2002). I conducted two interviews with each individual, gathering in-depth information about
their experiences on an American campus as an international student. This process allowed me to
engage in prolonged interactions with participants and build meaningful relationships with them.
The second interview helped me test my reflections of the participants’ stories as well as test
emerging themes. Following Seidman’s advice (2006), the first interview focused on students’
life history and details of their experiences, when they first arrived and during their first year,
their very first perceptions of themselves, and of the institutions. The second interview focused
on their current experiences, their changes during the past one or two years, their reflections of
these changes, and the meaning of these changes.
From the literature review, one could see some factors related to the international student
experience emerged from previous research, however, I was not very certain if those factors
could be true to Asian international undergraduate students’ social and academic integration.
Thus, in-depth interviews were the best tool to help me investigate those factors. Compared to
published studies on student integration, most of which employed quantitative methods to
validate the Tinto’s (1975) model of student social and academic integration, the present study
helped me get an in-depth look into the realm of their experiences during their study in the U.S.

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Research Instrumentation
The study was approved by the IRB in December, 2011 (Appendix A), and data
collection began in spring 2012. The research instrument was semi-structured interviews, which
included structured questions designed to collect consistent and relevant information from all
participants, and unstructured probes which allowed individuals to share their stories in unique
and personal ways. I used an interview protocol (Appendix C) that was developed based on the
guiding research question, and the theoretical frameworks of the study. The protocol consisted of
broad questions related to the principal research question and the theoretical frameworks, and
alternative probes that could be used to facilitate the collection of vital, substantive descriptions
of participants’ experiences. To ensure the quality of data, the data collection instrument interview protocols - were tested with two third-year international undergraduate students from
China and Vietnam in December 2011. During these pilot interviews, I took notes on words and
terms that made the questions difficult for students to respond. The interview protocols were then
revised accordingly in order to ask the questions that would be understood to get better results.
Interview questions were created in a way to put the participants’ experiences in context,
for example, asking them to reconstruct their experiences in their home country (family, school)
and their experiences when they first arrived in the U.S., their first semester, their first year, their
life in residence halls comparing with off-campus living experiences in terms of social
integration; and their motivations toward involvement in social and academic life. There were
two questions to ask the participants to draw the pictures of what it was like for them as a new
student at this institution and themselves at this current time of the interview. Their drawings
served as probes for more information during the interviews. All the interviews were face-to-face
which enabled me to elicit distinctive and private data from the participants (Creswell, 2007).

46

Data Collection
I collected data through two formal interviews with each participant. A total of 28 formal
interviews were completed during the spring 2012 with 14 Korean, Malaysian and Taiwanese
international undergraduate students from various areas of specialization. Each interview lasted
approximately 50 minutes and produced about 25 hours of recording. Most of the interviews
occurred at a private, comfortable and convenient room in a public place (graduate lounge and
community center). All interviews were conducted in English.
I began the first interviews by informing participants about the purpose of the study and
the interview methods. Participants also had the opportunity to ask questions about the study and
sign consent forms (Appendix D). I spent time explaining the confidentiality of our
conversations and my role as an interviewer/researcher. That is, my role was not to judge their
experience or them but to hear their life stories and how they made sense of their academic
journey in America. To begin, I asked participants to describe themselves; what they and their
parents valued about education, and to draw pictures of themselves when they first arrived on
campus. I also inquired about their motivations for attending a school in the U.S. and their
expectations. Next, I asked them to describe their first few weeks when they arrived and
challenges they encountered and how they responded to those challenges. The first interviews
ended with a question about emerging new challenges at the current stage of their undergraduate
study.
The second interview was arranged approximately one or two weeks (three weeks at
most) after the first interview took place. I began by reviewing their first year experiences
discussed previously to refresh their memories. Then I transitioned into the discussion of current
experience, asking them to draw the picture of themselves at the current time. I followed up with

47

questions about their college experience so far, what experience stood out, how their current
experience was different and/or the same compared to their first year experience, and how these
experiences influenced their attitude, behavior and perceptions toward the university. I also
asked them to describe the campus environment and their current involvement in social and
academic activities. At the end, I asked participants to share insights they learned from their
experiences during their past three years in college, what I should change and/or add in the
interviews, and if I could to contact them in the future regarding the findings. As themes and
issues arose from earlier interviews, I asked subsequent participants about those issues to gather
confirming or disconfirming information. Also, if a topic or an issue was brought up in more
than one interview, I probed further for more information. For example, early in the interviews
the issue of big class size emerged as a salient adjustment experience for one participant. When a
second participant brought up having big classes, I probed further to gather relevant information
that would help me compare their experiences.
All interviews were digitally recorded with permission from participants and transcribed
verbatim. After that I emailed interview transcripts to participants and asked them to check if the
information was correct and it meant what they said and if they wanted to make any clarification.
I followed up with participants for their reactions and/or observations. Most participants did not
provide any additional comments.
Note taking and reflective listening techniques employed during the interview helped me
formulate emergent questions and gauge the accuracy of understanding of the participants’
responses as the interview progresses (Patton, 2002). In addition to digital recording, I took field
notes. My notes included two types of information: notes of major topics or themes that
participants discussed, and my observations of participants, for example, their voice and facial

48

expressions, questions that arose from particular topics/questions, and my thoughts on how
interviews related to each other. These notes were incorporated into descriptions and thematic
analyses of participants’ experiences in the later stage of analysis.
Establishing Relationships with Participants
Building a strong, trusting relationship with participants is important to effective
interviewing. In order to build rapport and establish my credibility, my first attempt was that at
the International Cultures Fest, I came to their booths, participated in their cultural activities, and
then I introduced myself and communicated my research interests and the purposes of interviews
to the e-board members in informal ways. Second, I initiated informal contacts with the e-board
members via email and sent them the Letter of Invitation so they could help me recruit potential
participants. When I had names and contact information of potential participants, I initiated
conversations with them via emails or phone. The initial interactions helped break the ice and
establish some degree of familiarity with the participants.
Before I started the interviews, I assured participants of their confidentiality. In addition,
I explained to them that I would change and/or remove any identifying information when
necessary. I also informed them about their rights to decline to answer any questions and
withdraw from interview at any time, and that they could review the transcription and change
and/or remove any personal information. I also explained that the audio recording of the
interviews would be erased at the completion of the study. These assurances were given verbally
as well as in the informed consent form signed by participants at the beginning of the interviews.
I also built rapport with participants by showing my genuine interest in their stories and
their perceptions. They also seemed to be pleased to hear that I was particularly interested in
Asian international undergraduate students as many of them felt much of their experience was

49

either unknown or ignored by the university administration. I was also able to establish
credibility with participants because of my own experience as an Asian international student on
different American campuses.
Participants’ comfort in sharing their personal experience and feelings may also have
been influenced by my college experience and personal style. Because of my own experience as
an Asian international student, I was able to connect with participants instantly. I demonstrated
my comfort in hearing about inconveniences they encountered when they first arrived in the U.S.
and on campus. I presented myself as open, understanding, and curious, and showed my respect
and appreciation in how I asked questions, listened, and reacted to their responses.
Data Analysis
According to Miles and Huberman (1984), in qualitative research data consist of words,
which are used during analysis. However, researcher could feel difficult to compare qualitative
data objectively, because words can be ambiguous. Qualitative research is a successively
selective process where the researcher progressively narrows the focus at each stage to achieve
data reduction (Krathwohl, 1998). Preparing data for analysis, conducting different types of
analyses, representing data, and interpreting the deeper meaning of the data are all necessary
steps in the qualitative data analysis (Creswell, 2003; Krathwohl, 1998).
Once the transcription of each interview was completed, I proof-read to check for any
information that revealed participants’ identity. In the analysis process, I used interview
transcripts and my field notes as the primary texts. Analysis of data was an ongoing process and
it began along with the transcription of interviews. This helped me avoid drowning in the data set
and change the ways to ask questions or ask the participants something that came up in the first
interview (Merriam, 2009). It also enabled me to focus and shape the study as it proceeded,

50

through constant reflections on the data and attention to what the data were saying (Glesne,
2006). I started analyzing the interview transcriptions and field notes by reading over these
materials at least twice, underlining key words and phrases, and took notes on any ideas which
might be important themes in the participants’ college life. I usually read the combined
transcripts of two interviews for each participant to get a sense of the whole of their stories
(Patton, 2002). It was important to get an overall sense of each participant’s experience and
perceptions at early stage because the next stages of coding and categorizing involved
segmenting texts into chunks of information. After reading and rereading all transcripts, I was
able to have better understanding of each participant’s experience. This knowledge enabled me
to better understand the context and connections among the themes that I developed at the coding
stage. I also kept memos of individual experience, recurring topics or issues, and salient patterns.
These memos were instrumental in developing codes and constructing individual profiles.
Coding
The next step in analysis was data reduction. The biggest challenge lay in reducing the
data because everything looked important when I first began the analysis; however, large
amounts of data eventually had to be reduced to a manageable form. Bracketing and hand-coding
the data helped me to keep close to the data. I identified phrases or passages that embodied a
singular idea that seemed interesting or significant (Rubin & Rubin, 1995). During my initial
reading and analysis of the transcripts, I segmented texts into chunks of information, and then
put them into Excel spreadsheet. There were 5 columns in the sheet including identification code,
actual talk (chunk of information), descriptive label, analytical coding, and category.
Semantically related phrases, or themes, emerged as I found recurring information in multiple
transcripts. Based on initial readings of the transcripts, the research questions, and the literature

51

on student integration and international students, I identified a list of themes of interest. As I
coded more transcripts, I continued to add new codes to reflect important topics and issues that
emerged in the later transcripts.
With the assistance of Excel, codes were sorted and linked the connections among the
codes. After coding all transcripts, I went through an iterative process of refining and
restructuring code categories. The nature of codes changed from descriptive to inferential and
interpretive during the process (Miles & Huberman, 1994). When all coding was finalized, I
went back to each transcript to confirm consistency across all transcripts. It is important to note
that, despite the seemingly mechanical process of reading and coding, analyzing the transcripts
was a highly subjective and reflective process. Determining what was important or interesting
was a matter of judgment and reflected the main purposes of my study.
Thematic Analysis
The process of finding patterns and developing themes began during data collection when
I developed some preliminary ideas of the factors that contributed to the participants’ social and
academic integration in an American college. Listening to the interviews, reading the transcripts
as a whole, and the prolonged processes of coding and categorizing brought more clarity to these
preliminary ideas. Identifying themes and patterns involved a reflective and iterative process of
comparing and contrasting: texts, codes, and coding categories. Writing was also a part of the
analytical process. Revisiting the transcripts, revising coding scheme, adding and/or changing
categories are important parts in the writing process. In addition, I always remained open to other
themes that might emerge during the analytical process. After completing the findings chapter
(thematic analysis), I returned to the literature to re-orient myself to the theoretical frameworks
in order to stay focused on participants’ experiences when discussed and interpreted the findings.

52

During the analysis, the experiences of the participants remained central, because my
goal was not to generalize. Themes were constructed through the constant comparative method,
in which I constantly compared units of data (information obtained from the participants in the
form of remarks, comments, and expressions) and put them into groupings that have something
in common (Merriam, 1998); however, I also highlighted the differences among the groups. In
addition, according to Denzin (1994), interpretation is an art and cannot be based on formulas
and mechanical calculations; thus, a good interpretive process moves tactfully from field to text
for the readers, and is complex and reflexive.
Validity and Trustworthiness
As the study was designed, the participant experience was not directly accessible; data
analysis was inevitably based on inference upon the participants’ stories. Therefore, the
following actions were taken to ensure trustworthiness of research results.
First of all, data triangulation was made possible through member checks and other
viewpoints. I had rather extensive contact with the participating students throughout spring
semester when data collection was ongoing. I obtained their consent to stay in touch with them
when I was analyzing the data and writing up the findings of the study. After the interviews were
transcribed I sent them to the participants to check if I missed any information or misunderstood
what they were saying. I also checked with them for any inference I made from their comments.
One of my colleagues and my advisor also engaged in coding, in peer debriefing, and
commented on findings as they emerged.
The Role of the Researcher: Experiences, Preconceptions, and Assumptions
The researcher is the key instrument of data collection in qualitative research (Creswell,
2007). I was always aware of my background, cultural identity, and connection with the

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participants. As the researcher of this study, I went through a deep process of reflection on why I
chose to pursue this particular topic. Before and during conducting this study, I was always
aware of the multiple ways in which my experiences relate to the participants, and always made
sure to avoid imposing my experiences on them. Many factors, which include being an
administrator working with international students in my home university, being an international
student in the U.S. for several years and one who has experienced social and academic
integration processes, all have prompted me to conduct this study.
Creswell (2007) noted that it is important for the researcher to begin collecting and
analyzing data with a thorough description of his or her personal experience of the phenomenon.
This bracketing is to suspend or to put aside the researcher’s prior beliefs, prejudices,
viewpoints, and assumptions about a phenomenon of interest so that the researcher can examine
the “consciousness itself” in the same way that “an object of consciousness” can be examined
(Merriam, 2009, pp. 25-26). I did not approach this study assuming that every student had a
negative or positive experience with their integration process. I set many of my assumptions
aside in order to allow the findings of this study to emerge without placing my beliefs in the way
in which participants integrate into college community socially and academically.
Limitations of the Study
There are a number of limitations in regard to the research process that need to be
addressed. The first limitation is that this was a qualitative study that involved only 14
participants from Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan at one public research university. Therefore, the
findings cannot be generalized to other international undergraduate students or to other
universities. An additional limitation related to the scope of the study is that not all Asian
countries and/or cultures were represented in the study and the samples were not randomly

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selected; therefore, the data may not necessarily reflect the views of all Asian international
students enrolled in this university. In addition, if a larger number of cultures were represented in
these findings, there may have been further insights not included in this sample size.
The second limitation identified during the data collection was that most participants
were student leaders (student e-board members) or highly engaged and visible students on
campus, except one Korean male student. As a result, highly engaged students may represent a
sample bias and their beliefs may not reflect those of students less engaged. However, Creswell
(2003) argued that instead of being able to generalize the findings, qualitative research aims to
provide in-depth information about the phenomenon.
The third limitation has to do with the fact that I, as the researcher, am an Asian
international graduate student at the institution where the study was conducted. Although this
gave me several advantages such as it enabled me as the researcher to compare experiences,
connect with, and reflect on matters along with participants; prolonged access to participants;
and insider knowledge of institutional culture, it is still a limitation. During the data collection
and analysis I felt very privileged to be an insider because I could collect first hand data which
may not be available to the outsiders. This also helped when interpreting the data. However, the
insider’s role may add subjectivity to this study. Although the researcher made an effort to
become aware of her understanding and assumptions of the research question in data collection
and data analysis process, the presumptions and understanding might be biased to the degree that
they impacted validity of the research findings.
This chapter outlined the methodology, research questions, data gathering and analysis,
site and participant selection, validity and trustworthiness, my stance as the researcher, and
limitations of the study. The next chapter will present interpretations of the findings.

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CHAPTER 4
FINDINGS
In recent years Asian international undergraduate students have been enrolling in
unprecedented numbers in U.S. colleges and universities (Open Door, 2011). It is becoming
increasingly important for campuses to understand these students and how to bridge the cultural
gap between them and domestic and other groups of international students. How does the culture
and shared experience affect the cultural and social integration of Asian international students on
an American campus? This chapter presents brief descriptions of participants’ background, and
findings of factors that contribute to the participants’ social and academic integration through
their stories. In this chapter, we learn what motivated the participants to go the U.S. for college
education and pick their school; what challenges they faced; how they integrated or did not
integrate into the college environment; what resources helped them ease their transition and
better adapt to their social and academic life in an American college; and how they grew and
succeeded in a new environment.
Participants of the Study
Joseph
Joseph is a male Taiwanese student. He is a junior in Finance in the School of Business
who has been living in the States since high school. He went to a boarding high school in the
northeast, which he feels helped him understand more about American culture, the American
educational system, and dorm life. However, he did not really enjoy his life in the boarding
school and in the dorm during his freshman year of college because of the routines. College life
was more interesting for him because of its freedom, self-discipline, and self-responsibility. He
has a very good family; both his parents are very supportive and always encouraged him to get

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an education in the States and to learn more about the world. He is very proud of being
Taiwanese because Taiwan is very open to other cultures and other perspectives. Taiwanese
enjoy learning from others. This cultural factor has become his character and influenced how he
has enjoyed the student life at the university.
Zakaria
Zakaria is a female Malaysian student in the College of Engineering. She came to the
U.S. with a loan from her government. If her GPA is 3.5 or higher this loan will become a grant;
if she graduates with a GPA from 3.0 to 3.5, she will need to pay back 10% of the money. This
loan program was a very good way to motivate her to study hard in order to be fully funded.
Zakaria is the only Malaysian student in the interviewed group who came to the U.S. under this
program; other Malaysians were 100% funded by the government to pursue their degrees. She
was the only girl in her engineering program and there were no Malaysian students in any of her
classes. This was an important factor motivating her to do her best in the program because she
wanted to overcome gender issues in engineering; and contributing to her exciting social life
because she had made friends with both male domestic students and other international students.
She is from a big family with 7 people (5 siblings), and she is the only girl in the family
following her father’s occupation. She is very proud of her family, especially her parents. Her
parents both graduated from universities overseas (Australia and the U.K). Her dad is an
engineer and has helped her a lot in her field of study.
Lyana
Lyana is a female Malaysian student in the College of Natural Sciences. She is a junior in
Biotechnology and came to the States after completing her foundation year in Malaysia. She is
sponsored by the Malaysian government to pursue her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry/

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biotechnology/ microbiology. She comes from a big family of 5 siblings. Both her parents were
college graduates; her mother earned a degree from a college in the States. She is not only proud
of her family, but also very proud of being eldest of 5, which makes her more independent and
has become the big sister to her friends at the university. She helped them find apartments and
contacted seniors in the university to get their help for other matters.
Bruce
Bruce is a male Taiwanese student majoring in advertising and public relations.
Currently, he is a public relations staff member in the university’s Taiwanese Student
Association. His parents were high school graduates, so they wanted him to get a college
education and to become better in society since he has an advanced degree. Going to study in the
States to learn something new was his purpose and so that he could have international
experiences. Bruce went to the States for high school. Since he came here, he realized that the
opinions, perspectives, and even moral points of views of students are so different from what he
experienced in his country, thus he noted, studying in the States gave him a lot more experiences
than that in his home country.
Fred
Fred is a male Taiwanese student in Advertising and is currently Vice President of the
university Taiwanese Student Association. He has worked for the association for the past 3 years.
He is proud of being proactive in creating student activities. He comes from a good socioeconomic background with parents’ full support for his studies in the States. Fred went to high
school in the U.S. He recalled that when he first started high school in the U.S, he was very upset
because it wasn’t what he expected it should be. Before coming to the States, like other Asian
high school students, he thought of a free country like America in which he could do what he

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wanted. But attending a boarding high school, he needed to follow a lot of rules and regulations,
so his social network was very limited. However, after he got to a college, things changed. He
met more people, participated in more events, and learned more about the surrounding
environment and the world that he hadn’t heard about it when he was in high school or in
Taiwan. He was happy to become a better person with wider views of the world.
Arus
Arus is a male Malaysian student majoring in Biotechnology. He came to the university
as a sponsored student by the Malaysian government. He has a big family with 7 siblings and is
5th in the family. Both his parents were college graduates and his mother also earned her master’s
degree. His parents always emphasized the importance of education in their lives; therefore, all
of his brothers and sisters went to colleges either in Malaysia or overseas for their undergraduate
education. He is very proud of the fact that all of them were awarded scholarships for their
college education. He has worked very hard in order to graduate in the following year. He loves
to play soccer and table tennis. He also loves to travel. He was an e-board member of the
Malaysian Student Association for one academic year. He enjoyed participating in event
planning and coordinating activities for Malaysian students.
Huyn
Huyn is a male student from Korea, studying Economics. After graduating from high
school in Korea, he was admitted to a Korean University - one of the best universities in Korea;
however, the opportunity to study abroad was quite temping. He always wanted to challenge
himself in a bigger world; therefore, his father suggested Huyn went to the States for his college
education. After spending his freshman year in the States, he went back to Korea to serve in the
army for two years. Resuming studies in the States after military service was quite challenging

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for him, however, he adapted to the college environment faster compared to the time when he
first arrived. Huyn’s father played an important role in his choice of major and career. However,
Huyn did not like the program curriculum very much and once wanted to transfer. Getting
involved in the Korean Student Organization as a staff member, Huyn is responsible for helping
KSO collaborate with departments, offices on campus and with the local community. And this
involvement was one of the factors that helped him change his mind about transferring.
Ajong
Ajong is a female student from Korea. This year marked her third year at the university
and she pursues elementary education with a concentration in science and a minor in TESOL.
She went to the States when she was in high school, so she felt comfortable with her English.
Ajong is very proud of being Korean. Her family plays an important role in how she became who
she is today. Her mother is a teacher and played an important part in Ajong’s decision to become
a teacher as her career choice. Thanks to her mother’s support, Ajong was exposed to different
learning methods during grade school. Her parents have invested in her and her sisters’ education
since they were little. They all went to the States for college education.
Mal
Mal is from Malaysia and is a junior in biochemistry and biotechnology. She came to the
U.S. after she completed her foundation year in Malaysia. Her father did not go to high school,
and her mom barely managed to finish high school. Despite their limited education, her parents
have supported and invested what they have in good education for their children. Her parents did
not want their children to have the same paths as they did. They hoped that good education will
bring good life to their children as well as their family as a whole. Mal was an outstanding
student in high school; therefore, her parents encouraged her to apply for a scholarship to study

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abroad from the Malaysian government. She was selected and came to the States to pursue her
dream in biochemistry.
Shera
Shera is a female student from Malaysia. She comes from a family of 5 siblings and is the
only one in her family sponsored by the Malaysian government to study overseas. Her parents
were not able to go to college because of their financial situation. Even though they were high
school graduates, they knew that education could bring someone further than where they are.
Therefore, her parents asked their children to study hard and put their efforts to support their
children to go to college. Accepting a scholarship, she was asked to study biotechnology,
however, she wanted to study law. Because the government scholarship program sponsored
students to pursue certain fields of study overseas, she had no choice but to study biotechnology.
Shera did not have any difficulties getting admissions to 4 different colleges in the States
because of her very strong science background compared to the arts. However, after a year she
could not go any further with biotechnology. She managed to change from biotechnology to
animal science thanks to the strong support from her professors, who believed in her ability and
spent time convincing her sponsors by writing letters to support her case.
Christine
Christine is a junior studying special education with an endorsement in arts and music.
She is Taiwanese but spent all her childhood in China, because her father works there. She went
to an American international middle and high school in China and went back to Taiwan for
summer break every year. She is very proud of having an international background and enjoyed
her time in American international schools because of their diverse student body. Her parents

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had a plan to send Christine to the States for her college education, so that was why they sent her
to international schools in China.
Jasmine
Jasmine is a female Taiwanese student. She has been in the States since she started high
school. She comes from a good family with her parents’ full support for hers and her sister’s
studies in the States. Jasmine went to a girl’s high school in a small, quiet town in Virginia. Life
in this school was very strict, as she described, with a lot of rules and regulations, for example,
how to socialize with others, went to chapel every morning and went to church every Sunday
morning. Jasmine’s parents hoped that a degree from an American college would open more
opportunities for their children in the job market either in their home country Taiwan or in other
English speaking countries. Jasmine is now a junior majoring in Communication. She had some
problems deciding her major, changing it 3 times from accounting to human management, then
to communication.
Jae
Jae is a male Korean student studying economics. He has been in the States for 3 years,
and he will go back to Korea to get a job. After graduating high school in Korea, Jae went to
England to attend English courses for 2 years. Then he went back to Korea to join the mandatory
military service. Jae is the only child in his family; therefore, his parents have invested their
efforts and money in his education. They wanted him to get the best from what they could offer.
Even after spending 2 years in the U.K, adapting to student life in the U.S was very challenging
for Jae. He could not overcome age differences and hierarchy in Korean culture in order to adjust
to this new place. He did not socialize much with either other Koreans or domestic students. He

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once wanted to transfer because he preferred cosmopolitan cities to college towns like the one in
which this university is located.
Nur
Nur is a female Malaysian student. She came to the States after she completed her college
preparation year in Malaysia and is studying biochemistry. When she was in Malaysia, she
attended a Chinese boarding high school. She is fluent in Chinese and enjoys having Chinese
friends in college. She wanted to become a teacher, but she was awarded a scholarship to pursue
biochemistry in the States. Therefore, during her foundation year she struggled a lot about what
she wanted to do. Nur’s parents focused on education and always urged their children to study
hard to have a good foundation for their life. Thus, Nur tried her best to do well in high school
and took several SAT and TOEFL in order to study in the States. She was happy with her choice
of biochemistry, even though it was not her original choice.
Findings
Motivational Factors
Studying in America is not an easy path for most international students. In addition to
mastering subject matter and developing effective learning strategies, they must work hard to
establish interpersonal relationships, and strive to develop social identities and a sense of
belongingness with a new environment. Through their stories I have learned about what
motivated the participants to pursue their undergraduate degrees in the U.S and to get involved in
social and academic activities, and how they perceived the campus.
Value of education.
All parents of participants placed great value on college education, and they had very
high hopes for their children. Taiwanese and Korean participants knew their parents made great

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investments in them to send them to America for both high school and college. All parents hoped
that their children would have a good job and graduating from an American college would be
value added to their resumes. Fred talked about his parents’ view of education:
My mom, like other Asian mothers, wants her kids to be the top. But, my dad is more
flexible. He encouraged me to try my best, if I can’t be on the top, it is OK, I don’t need
to worry about it. But I must be a nice person. (Fred)
Some Malaysian participants received a lot of encouragement for learning from their
parents, even though their parents were only high school graduates, because parents believed that
education could bring someone further than where they were and could change their lives and
help others. All Malaysian participants were always encouraged to go to college and both
participants and their parents hoped that getting a bachelor’s degree in the U.S would bring a
better future to the participants as well as to their families. Mal talked about her parents’ valuing
education:
To them [my parents], if I study hard and graduate from college, I can find a good job
and I can change our lives. They don’t want me to suffer like them or to be like them.
They wanted me to achieve a bigger dream to have a very good job, and they wanted me
to have a better education than them.(Mal).
Most participants mentioned that education is very important. They believe that the
higher degree you have the better and more valuable you are in the job market as well as in your
social status. However, when asked what they value about education, all participants said they
valued not only the degree they would earn but the way that education teaches them more than
what is in textbooks and how to deal with what happens in life. Fred noted that:

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I think education literally provides some information and teaches you how to live upright
in the society. But, more important, education teaches you about the right point of value
toward things and people. This, I think, is more important than actual materials you
learn in class. You have to learn how to get involved with the group, how to deal with
people and how to treat people well. I think that is the most important purpose of the
education. (Fred)
Mal shared her value of education as:
Education is actually about learning; it is not only things mentioned in the syllabus, what
the course gives you or what you have to study. It is about how you live your life. How
you live your life here in the U.S. is different from how you live in Malaysia. For me, that
is education. I learn how to interact with people here is education for me. (Mal)
Many participants were satisfied with the education they received in America because professors
taught them a lot about life, not only about books, and that is beyond what they asked for. Jae
said about his value of education:
Education is very much important, for many people to get a job, for others, to make life
more meaningful. The more I get to know, the more I see things differently. Even if I pay
like a thousand dollars per credit, it is a huge amount of money, but worth. (Jae)
Getting an education plays an important role not only in the participants’ lives, but also in
their family’s welfare. All participants and their parents recognized the value of education in
how they live their lives, how they interact with people, and how they view and see things. Their
parents shared with them the importance of college education, the value of education and its
importance to their future. Their value of education is surely a vital factor in supporting their
college journey in America. However, what motivated the students to go to the U.S. for a college

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education, and how were they motivated to engage and integrate into a new environment? The
following sections present findings related to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation through the
participants’ stories.
Intrinsic motivation.
Studying in America was a clearer choice for some participants than others. Some said
they wanted to go to America since they were in middle school, but others, particularly
Malaysian students, did their best academically at all levels and ended up getting scholarships
from their government to pursue study in America. Among the 6 Malaysian participants, 3
wanted to pursue their degrees in other countries than America. However, toward the end of their
time in college they were happy with the choice of going to the U.S. for their college education
because they experienced so many different and wonderful things that they could not imagine
when they were in their home country. This journey was truly a self-discovery for all of the
participants.
In general, when asked why they wanted to study in America, most participants noted
that they wanted to be in a larger community than their home countries, as Huyn said: “I wanted
to put myself in a bigger world and to challenge myself academically and socially, and get more
experiences from social life.” Some commented they wanted to learn new perspectives and new
ways of thinking. Zakaria said: “I would not say that education in Malaysia is not good enough.
It is good, but when the environment is different, the way you study and they way you see thing is
different.” Some Malaysian students wanted to be like their sisters or brothers who went overseas
for college educations or wanted to set a good example for their siblings by studying hard,
having good grades and completing programs.

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One Malaysian and two Taiwanese students had a strong desire to bring new knowledge
back to their countries, to serve their countries and to make a difference. Fred proudly indicated
his purpose for studying in America: “I think it is the purpose that everyone brings back
something new from here to home to make a difference.” Most Malaysian participants wanted to
come to America to interact with other people than Malaysians and wanted to learn new things
from other people. They did not want to stick with only groups of Malaysian students or to
interact with only Malaysians. They were all sponsored students, so they wanted to be successful
and be proud of themselves. Mal elaborated her thought as follows:
We international students pay more than American students. So, I think I should study
hard like other international students, who pay for their study here by themselves, do. In
other words, I need to study hard so I can be proud of myself and proud of my
scholarship. (Mal)
Christine had her own desire and dedication to choose her major in special education:
So the only thing that keeps me going to special education is that I want to help people
with a disability, especially after watching so many movies talking about life of these
people and how they are struggling in the society. (Christine)
The students in the study shared intrinsic motivations in their desire to challenge
themselves in a new environment, to bring more knowledge to their home countries to make a
change, and to help other people live better. All students found their college experiences in a new
environment intrinsically satisfying. They chose to come to the U.S for a college education and
chose their majors because they had a belief in their educational goals, the power of new
knowledge gained in the U.S., and the value of education. The external forces driving

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participants to pursue their degrees in the U.S. and to get involved in a new environment are
presented in the following session.
Extrinsic motivation.
Through the participants’ stories I learned that parents’ encouragement for learning
motivated participants to pursue college education in America and to get involved socially and
academically. These extrinsic motivators came in forms of parental encouragement and support,
meeting social expectations, and government scholarships. These external motivational forces
pushed students to work harder in a new environment. For example, Joseph articulated his
parents’ support for his study in America: “My parents are very supportive; they have supported
me all the way long because they see opportunities for me to meet people from different
countries, and to open my eyes and my perspective to the world.”
Many participants said parents’ hope and sacrifice kept them going and helped them
overcome challenges during their study. Moreover, students said they always wanted to make
their parents happy and proud. Christine asserted that:
No one in both families (mother and father’ families) has gone to college or university; I
am the first in my families to go to college and go to the States. So, I guess, I should make
them proud and happy – that is the only thing keeps me moving forward. (Christine)
Maintaining good academic standing in order to keep their government scholarship was
good motivation for the Malaysian participants to be more proactive and strategic in their
learning. Mal said:
I have tried to use all the resources around here. I have been going to the writing center
at the library and help rooms in the department and met the TAs to ask them about the
courses if I did not understand. I did not do all those last year. This year I reached out

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more. This can help me improve my grades and maintain my government scholarship.
(Mal)
Nur talked about her social expectations:
As I mentioned in the earlier conversation that if I want to be someone in the society, I
should be good at academics and have good social skills and leadership skills; those will
help me influence people. I have to push myself and to change myself in order to become
a good person to my siblings, my friends and other people. (Nur)
From the students’ stories parental support, maintaining their academic status and
government scholarship were all extrinsic motivators that made them strive for success and earn
their degrees. What motivated the participants to do well in a new environment is important;
however, what they perceived about the school, their programs, and the campus environment
also played essential roles in their decision to select this particular university, their majors and to
get involved in this new environment.
Perceptions of campus.
There were several perceptions of the university that mattered to participants in choosing
this institution for their undergraduate studies including college rankings, diversity of the student
body, and the campus itself. College ranking was one of the most important reasons that Korean
and Taiwanese participants decided to go to this school. Most of Korean and Taiwanese students
said this university was a good school and it is a very big campus in its athletic conference.
However, some students knew more about this school than its ranking. Fred asserted his
perception of this campus:
First, I found the football team was amazing. Later on when I see the student population,
the first thing came to my mind was the connection was very wide-spread, not only with

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people from Taiwan but from all over the world. Those two things came to my mind when
I first thought of [the university]. (Fred)
Not only did the number of international students on campus impress him because he could learn
many new things about different countries, but Fred also appreciated the freedom of knowledge
that the school provided. He noted:
In here you can grab whatever you want to put into your brain, to choose who you want
to socialize with. I think this is a place where I can make a lot of choices and get a lot of
opportunities to experience so many new things and meet new people, and set a good
foundation for your future career. (Fred)
For most Malaysian participants, institutional ranking was not a big factor in their final
decision to accept their admissions, but the diverse student body played a more important role.
Most applied to the same program and same colleges, but they all decided to choose this
university because there are fewer numbers of Malaysian students compared to other schools to
which they had applied. They all claimed that they wanted to interact with diverse people, not
with Malaysians. Another factor Malaysian students mentioned was the beauty of campus. Just
from the institution’s homepage, most said it was really beautiful and they wanted to come here.
Zakaria talked about the university community:
I feel like [the university] community is very nice; they are nice and friendly people. They
are not ignorant people. Since [the university] is very diverse, I see many American
students talking with international students. So I am happy that [the university] students
are not ignorant about other cultures, probably some freshmen as they just come from
high school. I like how they are diverse. (Zakaria)

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When they arrived on campus, most of the Malaysian students had a very good
impression of the campus. Nur asserted her surprise when she came to the university:
I expected that I spoke English every day and Americans are not really friendly because
in my country we heard a lot about racism in the U.S. However, when I came here at
[this state], all the people I met are very friendly. When we are behind them entering the
building they open the door for us. When we are at stores they greet us – so I think they
are really friendly. The people surprised me a lot in terms of their politeness, helpfulness,
and friendliness. (Nur)
Not only was Nur impressed by how polite, helpful, and friendly American people on campus
were, but it was very interesting that all Malaysian participants shared that impression during the
individual interviews.
However, a large international student population, especially those who speak Chinese
was a concern of some Taiwanese participants. They commented on the number of Chinese
students on campus, including Joseph whose thoughts were as follow:
[The university] has a lot of international students. But, for me, as a Chinese speaker,
there are many students from China or Taiwan, it is not very good. One of the reasons we
come to study in the U.S. is to practice and improve our English, and to receive a nonChinese education, you know, if we see many Chinese students and Chinese professors, it
seems that we do not come to America. (Joseph)
Despite some Taiwanese students concerned about having a large population of Chinese
students on campus, most participants expressed their appreciation for the diversity that the
university brings. Moreover, what they could learn when they were here on campus, and how
they liked the school and the programs were good reasons for them to move forward and to

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complete their degrees. Except two Korean students in Economic programs, all participants
expressed that they have become more involved in both social and academic activities because
the courses they took were interesting, they liked the class activities and they liked the academic
programs.
From the interviews, the researcher found that the values participants and their families
place on education and educational goals play essential roles in the purposeful behavior of all
participants. In addition, motivation which was linked to self-efficacy (e.g., belief in his or her
ability to do well and succeed in their study in the States) and a dedication to complete the
degree, the students’ perceptions of school, program, and college environment play an essential
part in their social and academic integration process. However, this chosen path is not an easy
and smooth journey for most of the participants. What challenges did they face in this journey?
Challenges
The years of college in the United States were an exciting time for most of the
participants, but there were some obstacles and challenges that they faced in a new country and
in a new academic environment. The students in this study grappled with a wide range of
challenges, from cultural differences to academic expectations to language. Although learning
English seemed like the largest problem, the participants also confronted less obvious challenges.
Language barriers confront the students.
Sometimes I have a kind of feeling that studying in Malaysia would be better, because
English is actually (I don’t know). I love to be involved in extra-curriculum activities, but
thinking about my English, it is difficult for me to cope with those activities. If I have
good English, I don’t think I have any problems making friends with domestic students or
joining curriculum and extra-curriculum activities. (Arus – College of Natural Sciences)

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When I got here and started to attend classes, it was quite hard to manage class from
class, literally my ears were swollen because I could not understand what professors
said. It was also very hard for me to have conversations with other students. The
language barrier was really high for me. (Huyn – College of Business)
Cultural differences presented very real personal and professional challenges in
academics for the students in this study. Language issues were immediately apparent. Arus and
Huyn, quoted above, were not the only students who confronted the language challenge in this
arena. Even though 7 out of the 14 participants had been in the U.S. since high school, English
was still challenging them in their social and academic life. For example, one student mentioned
that she was not able to comprehend all the information at the international student orientation
because of her limited English proficiency at that time.
All participants identified their problems in coping with English – both academic English
and conversational English in their fields of study. Because of the language limitations, the
participants experienced difficulties in academic activities during their course of study in the
U.S. mainly that it was not easy for them to fully understand what the professors and classmates
said or what the professors wanted in class, not to mention participating in class activities. One
Taiwanese student explained his challenge in class participation:
For me as an Asian student, it is very hard to have a conversation with professors,
because sometimes I don’t even know what they are going to talk next, for example, if
they will ask you more questions. I think that is probably the hardest thing for
participating in class. (Bruce)
The participants manifested a lack of confidence with English. They expressed that even
though they spoke and wrote in English before they came to the States, they never communicated

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100% in English with other people. Therefore, they always felt nervous when they
communicated in English. They always felt that their English was not fluent enough so people
might not understand what they were saying. Particularly during their first year, how to
communicate well with people at this university was quite challenging.
Besides the concern about their incomplete understanding of lecturers’ spoken English,
students also felt unhappy with their oral performances in the presence of American classmates.
Bruce, a Taiwanese student in the College of Communications, stated that he tried his best to
participate in class activities, for example, group work and group projects. However, according
to Bruce,
It is quite hard because American students they speak so fast, sometimes I can’t follow
them but sometimes they can’t follow you. I don’t know maybe the way we think is
different from them or the way you speak English makes it hard for them to understand.
Therefore, a group project is very challenging. (Bruce)
What Bruce said surprised me a lot and I did not expect that, because I was really impressed with
his English and the way he communicated in English, for example, the word choices in his
expressions and his intonation.
Academic writing also proved its challenge to the participants, particularly for those who
were majoring in education, communication and business, because many courses required them
to write essays. All participants in these fields said they struggled with their writing. Even
though they were good at English grammar, it was hard to make the writing flow. Another issue
in writing they encountered was writing style, with which they were not familiar, for example,
citations in the writing assignments. Ajong commented about her academic writing challenges as
follows:

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In almost all classes, you have to write some sorts of essay, but the composition was
different from what I learned in Korea. For example, I learned that you should not use
the word “I” in the essay, but it is OK here. In composition it usually includes an
introduction, body and conclusion, the goal is still the same but the style here is different
or maybe the requirements are different. (Ajong)
The language problem could also indirectly increase the workload burden for
international students. For example, if an American student can finish a book in an hour, an
international student who does not speak English at home may have to consume three hours to
finish the same book. Jasmine, a Taiwanese student, indicated her challenge in completing all
reading assignments for the courses:
It is too much vocabulary for me. I spent a lot of time looking up in the dictionary. For
American students the readings may take them 30 minutes, but for me it takes 3 hours. I
have 4 classes, and all of them have reading assignments. It takes Americans about 3
hours, but it takes me more than 10 hours to do all the readings. It is very challenging.
(Jasmine)
In short, studying in the States is very challenging for the students in this study and one
of the reasons was that English is not their first language. All participants faced language
challenges as they were trying to understand classes taught in a second language while still
learning how to write academic English and to read their class materials. However, how to
master their English proficiency was not the only challenge that the participants faced. What
were other challenges?

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Navigating the system.
While generic statements about ‘Asian learners’ should be treated with caution, in this
study the researcher found evidence showing that the participants were accustomed to a more
passive-receptive style of learning than is the norm in American classrooms. Malaysian
participants described their learning experience in schools in their home country as “spoon-fed”;
and mostly one-way communication between professors and students. All participants felt it was
very challenging to adjust to “two-way communications in class” between them, professors, and
their classmates; however, they all valued their learning outcomes as they were required to
search for more information in order to complete all their class assignments. One Taiwanese
student stated that:
Group projects were hard for me because we had different perspectives and different
educational systems. Like in my country, we have to follow what teachers said. So, we
don’t think. While in here, we have to think how to do all the assignments, how to
collaborate with others for group projects. I feel very tired every night. I think we use a
lot of energy for the classes during the day. We have to think about different assignments,
about group projects, and about ideas of how to work together.” (Bruce)
Choosing a major that “fit” their ability was another issue for the participants. All of them
came to the school with decided majors. However, after experiencing classes in their respective
fields, all participants said that courses in their major were hard; and some of them knew that the
path they began was not the one they wanted to go. One student did not have the courage to
change her major until the spring semester of her second year, because she also needed to
convince her sponsor. Another student changed majors three different times during her 3 years

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and ended up taking several courses that were not necessary. Both students did not know how to
navigate different programs and identify resources that could help them to find their path.
Navigating the campus was also difficult for participants. Finding class buildings,
moving from building to building, and what bus to take were challenges the participants faced
during their first year. One Taiwanese student remembered holding the campus map all the time
in order to find class buildings and look for student offices. When students first arrived, they
lived in the residence hall, but they did not know where the dining hall was. One Malaysian
student described her experience as follows:
It is very convenient in my country – if you are hungry we can easily find a restaurant
nearby. The next morning (on campus after we just arrived) we were a bit of loss; we did
not know what we should do and what we should eat. We did not even know where the
dining hall was. Five of us just got out of the hall and took a walk around. We just walked
from hall to hall but could not find anything. So we just went back to our hall and ate
what we brought over from Malaysia: instant noodle with hot water in the shower. (Nur)
Another challenge for these students when they lived in the residence hall was food.
Some participants, when they first arrived, said they either spent money eating out or had pizzas
or hamburgers. They had a hard time adjusting to American food. For Malaysian students, they
also faced religious challenge in terms of food. They could not eat meat here, so they needed to
pay extra attention to see what they could eat. When they lived off-campus, they had to order
their own kind of meat.
In addition, all students in this study were encouraged to attend the international
orientation when they first arrived on campus. The orientation aimed to equip new international
students with immigration, cultural and academic information that helped them better adjust to a

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new environment. Most students in the study said that international student orientation was a
good opportunity to meet people, but expressed their confusion that too much information came
at the beginning that they did not know from where they should start. Moreover, there was a lot
of information about different clubs and events on campus that students did not have any idea
what they should attend and what they should not.
Besides navigating the university system, adjusting to early classes in the cold weather in
the Midwest was very challenging to all participants. Long and cold winters and early classes
were things all the participants needed to adapt to. They needed to be punctual in order to be in
class on time. Mal described her first semester:
I was nervous because everything was new. I did not know what I should do. It was fall
but it was too cold for me and I had early morning classes. I had to wear winter clothes
during the fall. This was the first time I had to deal with the weather and to find the way
to my class. And, so far I had to walk a lot to class, because I did not know what bus to
take. (Mal)
Navigating the system was challenging for most of the participants in the study because
they all experienced an educational system different from that in their home countries, especially
for those who ventured into this new academic system only when they started college education.
For many students, this was the first time they experienced a very big campus, and cold weather.
Finding their way around and figuring things out for many participants was scary and
overwhelming when they first arrived on campus. How did they manage their social and
academic life?

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Time management and balance between social and academic life.
I think there are pros and cons between focusing on study and having fun with my life. If I
get involved more and have more fun enjoying my life then my study will have problems.
So, balancing between the two is very important. (Nur – College of Natural Sciences)
How to handle the academic workload and balance social and academic life requires a
great deal of effort in time management for students. Most participants in the study experienced
challenges managing their time. A Malaysian participant shared that she cried a lot during her
first year because she did not know how to divide her chores after school and academic work; for
her, there was too much workload that she felt she could not bear it. She thought of dropping a
course that she could not cope with, however, in the end she tried her best to complete all the
courses in which she enrolled. A male Taiwanese student experienced academic probation
because he did not know how to manage his time well so he earned poor grades in his first year.
A female Korean student and another Malaysian student spent so much time socializing that they
did not manage their courses well and earned lower grades in their second year. Both of them
said it was a really big lesson for them, and they knew how hard it was to do well in school if
one did not know how to balance between social and academic life. Since then, they have been
very careful not to get lost again, and they have learned to put everything in their schedule in
order to manage their time wisely.
Having a bigger social network worried many participants. For example, Shera, a female
Malaysian student in Animal Sciences, sighed a lot during the interviews whenever she talked
about her social experience. She said that the biggest challenge for her was the worry about
having no time to socialize, because she had a large social network. She described her day as
follows:

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There is always somebody calling me and asking me to do something. I have no free time.
My time after I finish school is for people. I am doing this for you (the researcher), I am
doing other things for others. My time is meeting someone. I think that is one of the
challenges. (Shera)
Shera also shared that she has a large social network because she was happy to help others and
glad that other people found her as a support resource when they were facing challenges; she also
joined different clubs and volunteer organizations. Even though it was hard for her to do well
academically, Shera always spared time to meet people and to do volunteer work.
Since arriving on campus, all participants had to learn how to manage their time and to
balance their social and academic life. Several students struggled to manage their time well and
some trouble arose while trying to satisfy both their academic requirements and expectations and
their socialization. What else did they face during their studies in the U.S.?
Psychological issues, identity and appearance.
Here, living very far from my parents, I was really homesick. I couldn’t wait until
summer to visit them. I only go back once a year. I just missed my high school friends and
my parents a lot. (Christine – College of Education).
All participants agreed with the fact that they came to the United States to pursue their
higher education, with hopes of building a brighter future and to get a degree from a U.S
institution that would be greatly valued and considered prestigious in their home countries. They
came to the U.S. with mixed feelings: excited but anxious and insecure. They all experienced
homesickness, loneliness, and at some point isolation in a new environment. It was hard for them
during their first year because they all missed their families and friends. Zakaria, a female
Malaysian student in the College of Engineering, said:

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I did not have much time to think before I left my country. I did not know anyone, even
any Malaysian students here because we were from different schools. I was nervous, of
course. I knew that I would get homesick but I did not know I was that homesick.
(Zakaria)
She also faced gender challenges that she had never experienced when she went to school in her
home country. It was hard for Zakaria at first because of being the only woman in the program.
She said:
I came here as a student in the college of engineering, and you know most of the students
here are guys, most American guys or other guys but not Malaysian guys. So, I always
say to myself that I can do it. It was hard at first, but then it is OK. (Zakaria)
Moreover, most participants said that when they first arrived at school, they were nervous
and got scared because they did not know many people and were afraid of exposing themselves
to the unfamiliar environment. One Malaysian student described her experience when she first
arrived at the university:
Maybe, it was scary, because I am a foreigner; I came from a very different country,
where there are no Americans surrounding me. I think the feelings of insecurity; I did not
know if the people would talk to me and, in the class if I could put my hands up and
answer the questions. All these questions came up to my mind when I first came here.
That this why I had the feelings of insecurity and scariness, I did not know how people
would perceive me. (Lyana)
When Bruce first arrived, he was very scared, because this was a whole new world for
him, and he realized that colleges and high schools are very different. He got worried about a lot
of things: what he should do, what he should eat, how he could deal with the workload and other

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aspects of his college journey. Jasmine, a female Taiwanese student, said she felt lost and
helpless at first. She was picked up from the airport by the students from the Taiwanese Student
Association (TSA) and they took her to the residence hall. But, she still felt lost, because after
TSA students left, she did not know any one and she was alone in her dorm room. Jasmine went
to a high school in the U.S. where her high school teachers helped her with everything and they
told her that in college, she needed to do everything by herself. She regretted not paying much
attention to what they said. Only after a few days at school, Jasmine realized that she needed to
search for things: classes, events, and homework. She was angry at herself for not learning all
that in high school.
Jae, a male Korean student in the College of Business, said he felt very lonely, nervous
and scared, because there was no one he could depend on or get some help from. Moreover, he
also had an identity conflict, because in Korea he defined himself in the mainstream: being a
male, living in Seoul; but at the university, he was JUST an international student. He searched
the Korean Student Association website and learned about different resources, but he did not
contact any one before he came to the university. Another challenge for him was that he was
older than most Korean students at school; he spent 2 years in the U.K and another 2 years in the
military service before he came to the U.S. Jae did not feel comfortable asking for help from the
younger students; however, he could not go to graduate students either because he felt it was not
appropriate to approach them. From the conversation with him, I learned that the age order and
hierarchy in Korean culture influenced his social life even though he was in another country. He
could not approach graduate students who were older than he was nor could he approach
students younger than he was because of the age order and hierarchy in Korean culture.

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Jae is not the only participant who had identity issues. Some participants said they did not
know how to define their identities at that time. For example, Christine described her identity
conflict as a result of the fact that she was Taiwanese, but lived in China and went to an
international school there for 10 years. She described herself having an international background
and the challenge for her when she came here was:
We have international background, we hang out with different groups of people, and we
get along with people better. But then the self-identity comes in. I can’t seem to fit with
TSA people or the American-born Chinese; I am so stuck in between. I am like both, but
not toward one side. It was hard for me during first year because I did not know them
well and they did now know me well. I really could not open up to them because I was
wondering if they accepted me, especially when we are different in so many ways. It was
hard. (Christine)
Besides homesickness, nervousness, and dealing with identity issues in a new
environment, stress was also challenging all participants although it was an issue that all
Malaysian participants mentioned repeatedly. Because they were sponsored students, they were
always concerned about their study; they needed to keep a good GPA otherwise their scholarship
would be cut. So, one of the greatest challenges for them was that they needed to be good at what
they were doing and, therefore, sometimes they felt stressed.
Who to trust, making friends with domestic students, and social network.
One observation from the interviews was that female participants seemed to have more
concerns about friendship in college than the male students talked about. All female students
mentioned that they had a hard time figuring out “who to trust” during their time in college. They
said they take friends very seriously and they know that friends are very important because they

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have no family here. However, they emphasized “who to trust” were their friends and close
friends. Ajong, a Korean student in the College of Education, talked about this experience:
Since I did not know anyone, so when I met someone I really was not sure if I could rely
on or believe in her or him. And it took me very long time to figure that out. I try to judge
people not just by looking (their appearances). But I always think of how much I should
give her/him information about myself. (Ajong)
Some students mentioned that they were advised by other students and hall mentors while
living in the hall to combat their student culture shock blues by getting involved, jumping out of
their comfort zone, and making themselves known on campus. To do so, however, was not easy.
Making friends with domestic students proved to be difficult for the students in this study.
Before coming to the U.S., most participants expected to have a lot of American friends;
however, it turned out to be very difficult or impossible. Christine said that the reasons for not
making friends with domestic students were the language barrier and different ways of thinking.
Two other participants said it was difficult because they had only big classes and when they were
in class, they only focused on taking notes not trying to make friends. Ajong had some American
friends in her major courses, but they just only talked about courses. She said it was difficult to
hang out with them after class, because they still had their friends from their first year; and it was
hard to get inside their friendships. She said: “Even if I accept their culture in the extent to what
they behave; it is still hard to be close friends.”
Many international students hesitated to throw themselves fully into the American
university experience. It was very tempting to stick with their national friends or other
international students new to the university, and remain inside a kind of bubble of security.
Malaysian participants spoke of being stuck in this circle: how to break their circle of national

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friends in order to expand their social network. One characteristic of the Malaysian participants
was that most of them had their own groups in the same academic program because they came to
school in a batch of 10 or more students. Therefore, not only in their first year but now as older
students, they were still tempted to stick together. They took the same classes, went to lab
together, and studied for homework and exams together. Lyana explained the reason for this
separation:
Every semester I said to myself that I needed to break the barrier and I needed to do
speak with somebody else. But the issues were that with critical questions so we felt like it
was better to discuss with each other because we speak the same language. It is a kind of
easier for us. So, sometimes I asked myself whether I should sit with them or not. If I
don’t, I might not be able to interact in depth about the materials with other students
because of the language barrier. If I am with them I can get the right answer. That kind
of thing still happens to me even though I try to get away from it. (Lyana)
Because of his particular concerns with his identity, Jae’s social network was very limited. He
said that in Korea he had many friends, but at the university he had about 10; therefore, he felt
his loneliness seemed to last for his college life. Jasmine had an interesting elaboration about
making friends and socializing with others:
In my country (Taiwan), we are all the same age in a classroom. But in here I meet
different people: different ages, different background, different countries and different
levels. The range of making friends is wider. But, we need to put a lot of effort to make
friends, because we are all from different countries so we need to think about other
cultures. So, we need to think carefully when we talk or we do something to make sure it

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does not hurt others. So, sometimes we need to listen to them and think more to avoid
something we should not do. (Jasmine)
In general, the students in the study found it difficult to trust others in a new environment
and to make friends with domestic students. Due to many differences in cultures, establishing
friendships with Americans beyond classroom relationships and required group work was not an
easy task for many of them. Therefore, the participants experienced alienation and being stuck in
their circle of national friends during their studies in the States.
Self-discipline and financial issues.
Homesickness, helplessness, and loneliness are not the only problems participants faced
when they lived far from their parents. Coming to the U.S., they faced the reality of how to
discipline themselves to focus on their studies and to be successful. They lived on their own in a
country that has a lot more freedom compared to when they were in their home countries. For
most participants, going to classes without skipping and completing all assignments were very
challenging, because no one forced them to study, no one told them to do this or not to do that.
They all had to make decisions by themselves, which they hardly did in their home countries.
Joseph, a Taiwanese student in the College of Business, stated that:
There was one thing that you need to make sure that you go to classes, even though no
one cares about whether you go to class or not. So, you need to tell yourself to spend
some time in the library, and focus on your study, not to do whatever you want. You need
to get used to the feelings that no one thinks for you. (Joseph)
Most participants agreed that in college they were just on their own, so they needed to
have plans of what they were going to do during their school year and what commitments they
should make. They had to learn to put their life into a schedule that was different than when they

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were in their home countries. There were a lot of things to learn here but at the same time it was
very challenging because they lived and studied with their friends without their parents’ care.
They tried their best to adjust to the college lifestyle, to push themselves to focus on studying,
and to discipline themselves in order to have good academic performance and enjoy their life,
especially when they lived off campus where academic support resources, for example the
library, writing center, and other resources, were not nearby.
Managing their money and funding their studies was another challenge some participants
faced. They agreed that how to manage money wisely was a big issue, because it was not easy to
ask their parents for money. Shera and Jae shared a shame story about when they just thought
they had freedom and they had some money with them so they could do whatever they wanted.
Nobody would stop them spending money, and they ended up using a portion of their tuition to
back up their credit for what they bought. Zakaria had a negative balance in her account twice
since she got to campus. Her friends helped her overcome that, but she needed to work part-time
to earn money. Christine had another financial worry, because her family had planned for four
years of college for her. However, in order to get a certificate in Special Education, which is her
major, she needed to do a 5th year with practicum. She and her family had a hard time thinking
of a solution to support her 5th year.
In summary, pursuing a college education in the States was not an easy path for all
students in the study. There were many challenges and obstacles the students faced and needed to
overcome in order to integrate into a new cultural and academic environment, and to succeed.
Cultural differences, limited language proficiency, different educational system, establishing
friendships, weather and food challenges, meetings social and academic expectations, and
financing their studies were evidence in the participants’ stories, However, many colleges

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provide different resources to support international students. The findings in the following
section will uncover what resources the participants relied on in order to overcome those
challenges
Support Resources
As the findings showed earlier, participants in the study encountered unique challenges
coming from different educational backgrounds. They shared what they found challenging and
helpful in adapting to the American education system and to college life. Participants commented
on the high number of assignments, papers, and projects. Keeping up with assignments and
completing the amount of reading in a second language was tough for them and they felt
overwhelmed. From the interviews, I learned that the academic aspect of studying abroad is what
participants are most concerned about. Living on their own far from their home and taking care
of everything by themselves sometimes makes them feel stressed. Adapting culturally and fitting
in socially can be an incredibly worrisome and stressful task. What support resources have
helped them overcome those challenges and integrate into a new environment successfully? In
this section, academic support and social support resources are presented.
Academic support.
Through the interviews, the following resources participants valued and utilized in order
to achieve academic success during their college were identified. Most of the resources the
participants mentioned are structured by the university in responding to students’ needs.
Supportive learning environment: Role of professors, teaching assistants and academic
advisors.
[The university] is a big school and there are so many different resources. The school
really has what students need, and if you want to do something, the school will help to do

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it in a way of supporting you. I think [the university] is a good school because they
provide students with many opportunities to grow and provide a lot of connections, and
give students different resources to help them. (Joseph – College of Business)
[The university] is nothing but help. It helps me in many ways. From hating it I become
to love it. I have to say that the people who helped me and the support they gave me, even
my government was a bit skeptical/ critical about my case: they thought I could not
handle my study and they should call me back. But look at me now. I am quite near the
graduation. Because of my five professors who wrote letters to my government telling
them that I was a good student, that I was hard-working and I could do better with my
academic performance. This is the best support for me. How can you not love the people
who help you so much and they always stay next to you? I feel very pleased. (Shera –
College of Animal Sciences)
The case of Shera above was very special. She was sponsored by her government to
pursue a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology. Even though that path was not the one she wanted,
she still took the courses seriously and came to see professors with questions about course
materials and assignments. Therefore, professors knew her well, understood her challenges of no
desire to go to the end with the biotechnology program, and they supported her talking with the
sponsor about her changing majors to animal science.
Although, the case of Shera was exceptional, many participants said that their professors
were very supportive in a way that they welcomed students with questions, and many
participants often used office hours to ask professors about course materials. At times, all
participants agreed that for their basic courses it was hard for them to approach professors,
because of the nature of the courses: big class and lecture. However, when they emailed

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professors with questions about course related issues, they always received replies in a timely
manner. Zakaria said:
Professors impact a lot on my learning experiences. Like in high school you say you like
this class because the teacher is wonderful. It is the same here. They make my study and
my learning experience a lot better. They help me have better understanding of the
course materials and if I ask them to write me letters of recommendation, they are happy
to do it. One of the professors always encourages me to go to graduate school. They still
impact my life. (Zakaria)
Taiwanese and Malaysian participants liked their professors and their teaching styles.
Those participants commented that professors were very knowledgeable, supportive, and helpful.
Fred noted that:
If you have any questions about course content/information the professors will ask what
part you cannot get then explain clearly. Meaning that they will teach you to think in a
different way step by step, not blame you on why you don’t get it. (Fred)
Teaching assistants (TA) also play an important role in the participants’ academic
integration. All participants said that they felt very comfortable approaching TAs. For Fred,
teaching assistants were “the best helpers on campus”. Nur took a German class, which was hard
for her. However, the teaching assistant in this class was very supportive; he encouraged Nur to
speak up in class and advised her to find German students at Coffee Hours to practice speaking.
Participants in science labs found teaching assistants helpful because TAs instructed them
carefully about experiments and helped them perform experiments and do lab assignments
correctly. Lyana stated that: “The teaching assistants are all very helpful – all the science
courses I took here were very tough and demanding, but they helped me to understand the

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materials quicker. Whenever I have problems I came to see them after class.” Some Malaysian
participants particularly praised their international TAs. They felt like there was always smooth
communication with the international TAs and these TAs seemed to have a better understanding
of what difficulties that the participants experienced while taking the courses and of what they
wanted to express.
Academic advisors are another resource that many participants found helpful. Advisors
helped the participants to make the most of the academic facilities available to them. Some
participants said they always discussed academic issues with their advisor. For instance, Bruce,
who was on probation after his first semester, said that the constant talks with his academic
advisor helped him overcome this difficult time. He learned more about time management and
how to handle assignments in a timely manner from these conversations with his advisor.
Another participant, Zakaria said she liked her academic advisor, because her advisor was very
helpful. She gave Zakaria a lot of advice in order to help her do well in her program. Another
participant, Lyana was very pleased that her advisor knew her very well and she came to see him
very often. Only one participant mentioned that he had a hard time making appointments with his
advisor.
Academic recourses.
Students mentioned several different campus resources that were instrumental in helping
with their academic success including help rooms, review sessions, library, and writing center.
One important resource that most participants strongly commented on was help rooms and
review sessions. Students used these services to have better understanding of their course
materials, especially for some participants who were not very comfortable approaching
professors with their questions. Nur said that she usually went to the help room, studied with her

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friends, and asked the teaching assistants questions about things she did not understand in
classes. She elaborated:
I think [the university] is very supportive to its students. There are always review
sessions before the exams and they are very useful – it really for anyone who are behind
the class and also help you to have a better understanding of the course materials. It also
helps you solve any concerns regarding the courses. (Nur)
Fred gave an example of difficulty when he took a course on computer programming. He
thought he could fail, however, after participating in the help room and review session for the
course he was able to complete all assignments and had a good grade. This achievement made
him feel proud of himself and improved his self-esteem. All participants were satisfied with help
room and review sessions.
Besides the main resources that participants used wisely, some other resources including
tutoring, writing center, and the university library were also mentioned. Tutoring services were
mentioned by one Korean and two Taiwanese participants in different programs although not
always in a positive way. Two of those who mentioned tutoring found this service useful and
used the service when needed; the other tried to avoid the tutoring service because he felt weird
using it. Other participants did not comment about the tutoring perhaps because they always
came to the help room and TAs for course difficulties.
Some participants mentioned the usefulness of the writing center. They used this service
for proofreading and suggestions for improving their essays before handing them in. One Korean
participant did not feel comfortable showing her writing to anyone other than her professors;
therefore, she did not want to use the writing center. She usually tried to complete her writing
assignments before the deadlines and asked her professors to read them for advice and

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suggestions before she officially submitted assignments. Another resource that participants found
helpful was the university library, which was an important resource that students used very often.
Most participants mentioned that they usually went to the library to study after class. Lyana said:
“The library is huge and opens 24/7. In here I can study wherever I want and feel comfortable.
This community supports learning.”
Friends and self-help.
For all the students in this study, friends played important roles of both academic and
social support during their college journey, especially during their first year when students knew
too little about campus resources. Some participants usually turned to their friends for help and
formed study groups together. Malaysian students usually came to the university in groups to
pursue the same program; they took classes together so they discussed class materials together.
Some other participants said that their friends usually helped them in academics by sharing tips
and information about taking classes and examinations. Christine noted that “first, I go to my
friends if I see them understanding the materials. If not, I’ll go to the TA. I know there are some
resources on campus like the writing center. I go to office hours and advising office”.
From the interviews, while many students went to see their professors, TAs, and friends
for their academic difficulties, all three Korean participants mostly relied on self-help for any
academic matters. Once in a while they went to professors for questions, but they said they did
not turn to their friends here for help. Huyn explained the reason:
I rely on myself. I do not turn any one for problem solving. There are some common
beliefs among old Koreans that friends in college are not real friends. As soon as you get
into a university, there is a competition between you with all your classmates, because
you all pursue the same major and study the same things, and might aim to the same job

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after graduation. Not only myself, but many Koreans think friends are only until high
school. But in college, friends are not real. (Huyn)
Some other participants mentioned that they relied on self-help during their first year
when they did not know much about different support resources available on campus. As time
passed by, the students knew more about the surroundings and they sought out help when
needed.
Social support.
The aforementioned findings are about academic support resources. What resources did
the participants use to help them overcome social challenges in college? The following section is
the findings from participants’ stories about social support resources, including family, friends,
and other resources on campus.
Family and friends.
For all participants, family was always their emotional and financial support whether they
received funding from their governments or not. Their families worried about how the students
adjusted to, lived, and studied in a new environment and they are the best support to help the
participants overcome their social challenges. Even though some of the participants’ parents
were just high school graduates and they sometimes did not understand much about life in
America, parents were always there to listen to their children’s problems and to give them
inspiring words. Ajong said:
My dad called me every single night to make sure that I was OK. When I told them that I
wanted to get more involved in the Korean Student Association by being it e-board
member, they did not like that. They just wanted me to focus on my study and to succeed
academically. They did not want something outside of the academics to involve with me.

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But after understanding what it meant to me, they started to support me. My family is
important to me in terms of being where they were for me like I was in my first year.
(Ajong)
From the interviews, the researcher realized that all participants had a strong bond with
their family members regardless of the family size or the country of origin. The students all
shared with their families their thoughts before making decisions and talked about what they
experienced in the new environment. Most participants said that their families trusted them and
gave them more opportunities to show they were grown-up. They all kept in touch with their
families very often for regular conversations or for sharing with them if they felt heavy in their
hearts. For some participants, when they first arrived at the university they were very confused;
they did not know what to do with anything about life like friends or financial issues, so their
parents guided them through.
All the participants valued their friends and took friendships seriously. Because they
lived far from home and the time differences proved to be difficult for them to ask immediate
advice from their parents, many students came to their friends for advice. Besides family, friends
were an important resource that the participants could turn to when they were far from home. For
some social issues for example, friendship issues, roommate issues, and how to work with others
as a group, participants chose to come to their friends for advice, because they wanted to hear
from different perspectives, some of their friends had experienced the same issues, and students
did not want to worry their parents. Some of their friends were in the same university; some were
in other states, and even in their home country. But for the participants, friends played an
important role in their college journey; for example, Christine and Shera shared the same thought

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that one of their biggest successes in college was to have many good friends who were with them
whenever they needed friends’ support.
Fred expressed his appreciation to the friendships that he has maintained so far this way:
Friends are my best resource. I seldom looked for resources from the school system.
Because I think some difficulties I faced I can figure it out myself or the advice from
friends. Friends play a more important role in my journey. I am really glad that I have
many good friends, even they are not beside me now but they always support me. (Fred)
Friends were important to all participants as these individuals supported the students, listened to
their difficulties and challenges in a new environment, and sometimes could offer the
participants some advice. Without this support resource, participants found it more difficult to
adjust and integrate into the college community.
Other resources.
In addition to those resources mentioned above, some participants mentioned the English
programs run by the International Students Office, where they could meet other international
students and learn about American culture. Airport pick-ups and trips to other cities provided by
the Office were praised by many participants, because students felt welcomed and connected
with the university, and the trips to other cities provided them with opportunities to meet and
interact with many other international students. Jasmine shared her experience with a Chicago
trip sponsored by the Office: “I like that (trip) because we meet so many different students at
once. We are all international students, so it kind of easier to understand each other than talking
with Americans.”
Malaysian participants greatly appreciated the fact that the school respects religion and
provides a prayer room on campus. Shera stated that: “There are many facilities (on campus),

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and as you know that I am Muslim, and they have provided a prayer room on campus. This is
very helpful. Every one, every religion can go there to pray.”
From the aforementioned findings, there is no doubt that both academic and social
support resources play important roles in helping the participants ease their difficulties, have a
smoother and better adjustment, make them feel a sense of belonging, and integrate into a new
environment.
Access to the insider knowledge and social support - Role of the country student
associations and the religious association.
When I got out of the airport, the former Taiwanese Student Association (TSA) President
came to pick me up. I did not get to the dorm first but stayed in the president’s house. I
realized that “Wow, it was a part of the school”. (Fred – College of Communications)
I think I did not spend much time adapting to life at [the university]. After a month, I felt
it was OK. Because there are many Malaysian students here, I usually ask Malaysian
fellows about things at [the university]. Before I got here, I kind of had everything set up.
(Arus – College of Natural Sciences)
The country student associations bring together students from their countries. These
associations not only strive to promote their people, their cultures, and their values to a broader
university community, but they also play an important role in helping their students get a better
understanding of the university in order to better adjust and integrate into the new environment.
Some examples of the importance of these associations from the participants include:
There is a lot of information on Malaysian Student Association (MSA) website. MSA
plays an important role in getting people connected and in providing information about
school and social activities. (Zakaria - College of Engineering)

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We (TSA) try to provide new students welcoming party and try to help them get used to
this environment. We are also trying to help them associate with other Taiwanese
students who are already here. Later on, we also try to promote our own nationality and
Asian culture as we were doing Global Festival and Alumni Bazaar. (Fred - College of
Communications)
KSO (Korean Student Association) focuses on enhancing the closeness among students.
Our website contains a lot of useful information for all Korean students in [city of the
university]. We have dedicated our effort and time for incoming Korean students in
creating the most recent and informative page about all necessary information related to
how to prepare for college life here at [the university]. (Huyn – College of Business)
From the quotes above, it is clear that the country student associations play an important
role in students’ lives when they enter the new university environment. It is interesting that all
participants were regular members of their country student associations, and many of them were
current e-board members. All participants mentioned that they know people always need help
when they are new to the place, and these students are ready to give a hand like when they first
came to campus and other senior students helped them out.
As a researcher, I was curious to what extent the student country associations helped
prospective and current students. I checked their websites and found that association websites are
very comprehensive and informative. The Korean Student Association website is the most
comprehensive and dynamic one. However, in general all 3 country association websites provide
students with lots of information to help incoming and current students better prepare for their
college journeys, including what to expect in a new environment, information for freshmen,
social activities, campus and community resources, and even job postings. All participants

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mentioned that they navigated their association websites to learn more about the U.S. educational
system, campus resources, and cultural challenges. When asked about the role of the
associations, some participants who were current e-board members told me that they strived to
provide support for newly arrived international students from their home countries and others
who are interested in their cultures. Most students mentioned their student associations’ e-board
members’ commitment to creating and maintaining strong communities, which provided
continuous emotional support to their members. Moreover, participants strongly believed that it
was their responsibility to mentor incoming peers because what they experienced during their
college journey, how they overcame difficulties and achieved their goals were important to share
with new students. One student from Taiwan stated that:
I was very lucky that I met TSA people. I did not experience so many things happened at
once for a long time, it is really true that TSA made my first arrival much easier. They
provided me with different common sense stuff: housing, shopping, how to prepare for
your major. (Bruce)
Every summer many TSA e-board members go back to Taiwan for the break, therefore
TSA also provides an information session in Taiwan to incoming students to let them know what
they can expect and what they need to prepare for going to school in the U.S. In this session,
TSA representatives share with incoming students what TSA provides, for example, information
about on and off - campus housing and dormitories, how to set up cell phones and open bank
accounts, and joining TSA and its activities. When students arrive, TSA gives them some life
support, such as some food and carpools to shopping in order to make them get ready for school.
Most of the students in the study received some forms of support from their country student

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associations when they first arrived, including campus tours, making student IDs, opening their
bank accounts, and course enrollment.
From interviewing students from Malaysia I learned that most of them contacted senior
Malaysian students at MSU to ask their advice on choosing schools to apply to for admission,
and when they entered college, many senior Malaysian students were mentors and role models in
both social and academic aspects. One female student told me that she came to see her advisor
for advice on how to improve her academic performance and to get more involved in academic
life in school because she wanted to be like the seniors. Moreover, members of the Malaysian
Student Association are both undergraduate and graduate students. For undergraduates, the
graduate students played an important role as a social support during their study. One female
student stated that:
Luckily, there are three Malaysian families living here. They are like my new family over
here. They are PhD students; they came here with their kids. There are some certain
things I can’t share with my mom because she is far away. I don’t want to make her
worry. So I just go to the graduate students. (Lyana)
Most students emphasized that their social life in the first year was attached to their
country student associations. All of those interviewed in this study valued information and
support that their country student associations provided before their arrival, once in this country,
and during their course of study in the States. During the academic year, the associations host
different social events, such as BBQ gatherings, cultural bazaars, and performances, which
provide the student with a sense of home and belonging to a new environment. Moreover,
through these activities students got to know other students who are not just from their country
but also from other countries. Thanks to their student association activities, many gained more

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social experience, had opportunities to travel to different places, to meet more people and to have
fun. In addition, students were able to adjust, manage academic assignments, and alleviate fears,
insecure and overwhelming feelings upon their arrival when they received support from their
country student associations.
In addition to the country student association, through the students’ stories, I noticed that
all Malaysian participants joined both the Malaysian Student Association and Muslim Student
Association, which is a diverse and religious entity to unite all Muslim students present in the
States, including this university. All Malaysian participants valued what the Muslim Student
Association had done to bring back their faith and to help them understand Americans and the
American culture. One female Malaysian student indicated that:
I like the Muslim Student Association because it brings me back to my faith. I am now far
from my country, so does my religion – the MSA reminds me a lot of it through different
activities. (Zakaria)
Malaysian students mentioned that they liked the road trips they have taken during the past two
years to join different events hosted by the Muslim Student Association on different campuses.
They also spoke of appreciating the speaker series hosted by the MSA on this campus,
particularly the opportunities to interact with diverse people who share the same faith. One
student mentioned:
One thing I love to do is go to the Muslim Student Association (MSA). Because in the
Malaysian Student Association there are only Malays, but in MSA there are people from
other countries. I have a lot of opportunities to interact with people of different colors /
countries such America, Middle East …(Lyana)

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In short, international students need knowledge of the host culture not only to live better
but to succeed academically and socially. Participants who had access to a cultural insider, an
individual with knowledge about the American educational system, American culture and
language had better and smoother transitions to their new environment. The student country
associations and the religious student association have been a form of cultural, institutional
knowledge insider for many prospective and incoming international students. These cultural
insiders helped international students settle down and become established in their new
environment.
Academic and Social Integration
The participants in this current study have moved halfway across the world, and the new
environment in which they find themselves. They are away from home, their established family
and social networks, therefore, there is likely that every aspect of their new college lives can be
stressful as well as exciting. As one student describes it:
I think the most important thing to live here is to know how to make friends, to socialize
and to live with people who are different from you, otherwise you will become isolated.
College gives you the best chance to do it: playing, partying and socializing; get to know
more and more people, just only up to you how you handle this chance to learn, to know
people – they will turn into your property. It is important to break your circle of friends
to participate in different events to learn more, how to make friends with not only
students but also with others. (Fred – College of Communication)
Shera shared her perception of social integration:
My first perception was I needed to mix around. I needed to be like them in my social life.
At first, I tried very hard, so I joined different clubs, the student societies and made a lot

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of American friends. After a while, I understand that I still can be with American but
maintain my cultural background. Moreover, I think the main thing I need to maintain is
my religion. Being a Muslim, we have more restrictions, for example, we cannot drink. I
think I prefer to stick on that. Maintaining does not mean eliminating, but I am just
celebrating in another way. (Shera)
General experiences.
In general, most participants indicate they have had a wonderful college experience so
far. They are satisfied with their college choice, and what they have learned during their time in
the university. Only two participants who happened to be Korean, wanted to transfer to another
school after their first year. One said he did not like the fact that the institution was located in a
small town, and he wanted to have his college experience in a big city. Another was not satisfied
with several courses in his degree program. However, toward the end of their junior year, both
students said they would persist and finish their degrees at this university.
Even though all participants faced a lot of challenges, they all also said that they adapted
well and got used to college life. Some participants who went to boarding high schools in
America felt that this experience made their dorm life a lot easier. They shared that their first
year in the dorm was interesting and they got to know many different people. As time passed,
they all felt more comfortable living and studying here because they knew more about campus,
people, and particularly where to get help when needed. Bruce shared about his college
experience:
When I came here I realized that the system is really good and I am glad that I made the
right decision to come here. I like the environment and the atmosphere here: I get to play
and I get to study. This is very good school. (Bruce)

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All participants commented about and appreciated the freedom they had on campus and
opportunities to travel to different parts of the state as well as to other states. As an example of
freedoms students talked about, Mal said what she liked about the freedom of speech here on
campus:
I think when I was in Malaysia I learned a bit about life in America through movie.
Spending one year in college in Malaysia then came here I see some differences: there is
the freedom of speech, you just raise your hand to express your thoughts and ask
professors questions – you make professors think. What I meant here is the
communication skills you have which help you stand up for yourself in a big lecture hall
and express your opinions/concerns related to the course materials. (Mal)
Some participants mentioned how they experienced a new world and discovered many
interesting things through traveling to different places in the U.S. during school breaks. About
traveling experiences Lyana said: “I like the traveling part most. While traveling you see many
different things and meet different people, not just from the U.S, but also from other parts of the
world.” Ajong noted that traveling taught her how to see things from different perspectives and
from different angles because of what she experienced during her travel, and the people she met.
Academic and social experiences.
Most participants viewed their academic experience positively and enjoyed their study.
Even though their academic experience during their first year was not as good as their current
experiences, participants thought that the courses in their first year were easy and not very
interesting, which may have contributed to why they did not view the first year experience as
positive. Jae voiced his concern about the level of difficulty: “I took some courses at 200 level
but the materials they covered were too easy for me. I thought that was for high school students.

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But I still had to pay high tuition.” Jasmine and Christine shared the same thought that they did
not feel academically challenged during their first year because the courses were quite easy.
Christine said:
I thought classes would be a lot harder, but to my experience, it was a surprise that they
were pretty OK. Some classes were quite easy like easy for points. When I got here
classes were not as hard as my school in China. So, I did not find it challenging.
(Christine)
Conversely, Lyana felt pressured because of number of courses in her schedule during the first
semester when she just arrived in the States. Her assertion about her experience was:
I was assigned to the courses by my academic advisor. Because we (Malaysian students)
missed our orientation, I got an email from my academic advisor to tell me to meet her. I
came and we talked about courses to take. I had no idea of what to do so she gave me
guidelines and I just followed. But what I thought is she gave us high expectations and I
could not cope with all subjects. Because we just arrived, we needed more time to adjust
to new environment and stabilize ourselves. She gave me much pressure on academic
stuff. (Lyana)
Students reported that their current academic experience was much better than their
experience of the first year. Even though all participants commented that the courses were
getting harder, they were getting busier with the coursework and spent a lot of time in the library
and in classes, they all loved their concentration courses. Most of the participants said the major
courses were very interesting, so were their professors. Ajong, who did not find her interest in
different courses and her major until the second year, said:

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My concentration courses – I have so much fun learning them that I have never thought
of. I love all the courses, especially the Children Literature course – it was really fun,
because the professor – she is very active and energetic. She makes us focus on her
lectures and she is very helping in terms of making students understand the course
materials. (Ajong)
Some participants mentioned about how the practicum and field work of some courses in
their majors contributed to their academic experience. For example, Nur liked the field work in
her biology class most because it gave her opportunity to engage with nature and to understand
more about the class materials. And Christine described her passion for one class and the
practicum part of her program curriculum:
I really liked one class, where I watched a movie then wrote a paper. I got to watch a
movie to understand how film is put together. And, I had to know how to write a resume.
Back in high school we just went to audition, dressed up and did not have to write a
resume. I find it a really interesting experience. I also like classes where I can go to
actual schools and teach. In all classes I have taken, we get all the knowledge about how
to teach, and then we actually do it in the school. Therefore, we can see a picture of what
kind of teacher we could be in the future. That is more practical I think. (Christine)
Before coming to the university, all of the students expected to have big classes and
lecture halls, but not that the classes would have more than 200 students in them. Conversely,
some Malaysian participants were surprised that they had some small classes with teaching
assistants. Nur expressed her surprise:
I did not expect we have small classes with TAs teaching us. I thought we would just have
big lectures with professors, and after the lecture it depends on us how to study. But in

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here we have TAs, they help us review the materials and answer our questions related to
the lectures. (Nur)
Students had different opinions about big classes. Two male Taiwanese and one female
Malaysian participants liked big classes because they believed big classes were more
professional and structured; these students liked the ways professors presented course materials
to students. Lyana, a female Malaysian participant, liked big and non-science classes because she
had opportunities to break the circle of her Malaysian friends. In those classes she was not with
the same Malaysians and she could interact more with domestic students and other groups of
students through group discussions and group work. In addition, some participants mentioned
about the usefulness of Angel and other technologies in the classroom (e.g., I-clicker) to help
with their study. Most of the students said this was the first time they experienced those
technologies, but they adapted to them very quickly and they liked them.
Similar to the aforementioned academic experiences, most participants had quite positive
social experiences on campus. By going to study in the States, all participants were implicitly
agreeing to temporarily leave their homes and their countries for a radically different social
environment: inhabited by new and different groups of peers and experienced little direct
supervision from their parents. For many participants, for the first time in their lives, they shared
living space with people who were not close relatives, and their behaviors were not monitored on
a daily basis by their parents. Most participants experienced cultural differences in sharing a
room with either domestic students or other international students, however, all of them said they
did not have any major problems. For some participants dorm life in their first year was quite
routine and not very enjoyable. For others, they found dorm life interesting. Bruce commented
about his life in the dorm:

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My life in the dorm was pretty OK. I liked RAs, they are nice. Sometimes they just come
in and chit- chat with us. They really want to get to know people on the floor. Sometimes
they have interesting activities like dinners with the RAs. That’s how I got involved in the
dorm life. (Bruce)
Jae shared his first year dorm life experiences:
I stayed in [name of hall] for my first year in a single room, so no roommate. I shared a
bathroom with another Korean so it was OK. We also brought a play station to enjoy in
our free time. He is 3 years older than me so it was easy for me to get along with him. He
was also freshman, so there are several common things between us. (Jae)
Besides those positive social experiences, some participants had negative experiences in
terms of discrimination on- and off – campus. The participants described discrimination as
something that involved stereotypes and different treatment based on characteristics such as race
or being “Asian” or “look like Chinese”. Some Taiwanese participants mentioned they felt that
domestic students stereotyped Asian international students, especially those who speak Chinese
or who, to domestic students, look similar to Chinese students. This stereotyping included
believing that other Asian international students come from rich families, do not speak English
well, and are only good at math. Christine commented about this stereotype:
Then I met different people, especially white American, I would not say they are racist
but they have stereotype, for example, they see me Asian and assume that I won’t
socialize with them or I don’t speak English so don’t talk to me. Even in class, I tried to
start conversation first but just about assignments and other course – related stuff.
(Christine)

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Other Taiwanese and Korean participants also commented about this Asian stereotype. Fred, a
Taiwanese participant, said where a stereotype is, there is discrimination. One Korean participant
shared his experience of unfair treatment when he traveled across the U.S. during the summer
because of being Asian and foreign.
Most of the Malaysian students did not experience the “being Chinese” stereotype, but
female participants did not feel comfortable when they saw other people looking at them
unfavorably because they wore the “Hijab” (a veil). Malaysian students sometimes expressed
concerns they had about interacting with other groups of international students and not just
domestic students. For example, Shera had an experience with other groups of international
students on campus. She said:
There is the fact I realized when I came here the segregation of races is more evident
than in my country. It is very hard for me to be friends with Chinese and Arabs. It is very
hard for me to break the race. Other races are international too, even though there are
Chinese and Indian in my country. Even we have the same religion (Muslim), but when I
say hi to Arabs, they do not say anything to me. (Shera)
Although generally students had positive views of their overall social and academic
experience, participants in this study found their first year in college harder than their current
year, their dorm life a bit routine initially, and they experienced some sort of discrimination in
forms of stereotype, unfair treatment, and segregation.
Academic and social involvement.
Having lived in another cultural and academic environment, all the participants
developed new relationships and social interactions. In this section, the findings about the

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participants’ interactions with peers, TAs, faculty, and others both in and out of the classrooms
are presented.
Interaction with peers and faculty members.
When you are in a new environment, you might not know anyone, and it is very likely
you will interact and socialize with peers who are very different from you in terms of culture,
language, and perceptions in many aspects of life. The participants in this study all were in big
classes, of which many did not have group discussions or group projects, so the students hardly
interacted with peers in the classroom. Therefore, most of the participants during their first year
just interacted with their national fellows, roommates, and their hall mentors. However, some
students expected interacting more with other students in their classes and they made attempts to
interact with American peers related to academic activities. Mal talked about how she tried to
interact more with domestic students:
During my first year here I interacted with Malaysian students a lot. We came as a group
so we took the same classes. I did not hang out with American students but I studied with
them. Whenever I go to the help room, I see them. I always greet them and ask if they
want to study with me. We share what we understand or don’t understand about the
course. (Mal)
Huyn talked about experiences with his American roommate:
My roommate helped me a lot. We were good to each other. He is American and he is
very helpful. So being a roommate with him I had more chances to get involved into
different things in the hall. (Huyn)
Four participants took an English composition class or other foreign languages class
(Japanese and German) and had more opportunities to interact with their peers in a classroom

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setting because of the nature of the courses. They all liked those classes because they got to
know more people from diverse groups.
After the first year, when students moved into their major courses, they all had more
opportunities to interact with peers in classes because the classes were much smaller, and they
were with many of the same peers from class to class, and they knew more about other students
on campus. Zakaria shared her experience:
I have many American friends. I do have a lot of other international friends and
Malaysian friends. However, my American friends are mostly related to academics. We
are still friends outside of class. There are so many ways to make friends. Most of my
classes are in engineering, but I do have some classes in other fields, and I do have
friends in those classes and we still hang out together until now. (Zakaria)
Compared to their first years, most of the participants were happy that they had more
diverse friends. All participants indicated that they have become more comfortable to initiate
conversations with domestic students. Overcoming language barriers and worries about how
others perceived them, they all said they wanted to get as much as they can during their time
here; interactions with peers helped these students learn more about college life and helped them
succeed academically. Arus described his peer relationships this way:
I like my friends here. This is very important to me. I have more American friends
compared to my first year. However, they are just my classmates, not my close friends. I
don’t feel awkwardness to talk with Americans anymore. In many cases, I initiated the
conversations, I wasn’t waiting until they come and talk to me. (Arus)
For many participants, professors brought them exceptional experiences. During their
first years, all participants interacted more with TAs than with professors because of big classes.

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However, some participants have had good relationships with their professors ever since their
first year. Shera was one of the best examples of this and she always was excited to talk about
her professors and her program:
Even though all my classes are big but I am quite close with my professors. I usually
come to their office hours and ask them about the course. You know what even professors
who taught me before, I still come to meet them and say hi, and give them a small gift of
gratitude. (Shera)
After their first year, many of the participants tried to interact more with professors in class and
came to their office hours for any questions about the course. Arus spoke about his experience
this way:
But now it is different. If I feel like I want to ask something, I’ll just go to see professors.
In class, if I have a question, I’ll just ask. Before when I was in a big class, I was kind of
hiding myself from professors. Now, I don’t do it; I’ll just ask if I have a question. It is a
big difference. (Arus)
A few participants were still not very comfortable to see professors after class. For these
students, if they did not fully understand the course, they emailed their questions to professors or
came to see the TAs. All participants agreed that in small classes they interacted more with their
professors.
Academic involvement.
Most of the participants in this study experienced language barriers and different
academic expectations especially during their first year, but they all tried their best to get
involved in class and social activities. They all knew clearly about the importance of class
participation and how to prepare themselves in group discussions and group projects because it

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was stated on course syllabi and many students heard about that from seniors either before
coming to campus or when they arrived. However, it was not as easy as just doing it. After their
first year, students felt more comfortable with their English and had a better understanding of
how to interact with Americans; so many of them got more involved in smaller groups, were
very comfortable and did not experience many difficulties in group discussions or group
assignments. The students also found interesting meetings outside of class for group projects.
They appreciated those opportunities to interact more with their classmates, to talk with them
and to share their voices. Jasmine shared her appreciation: “Thanks to different group projects, I
become to know my classmates more, and then we send emails or connect in Facebook so we can
interact with each other.”
Some participants mentioned that in their junior year they really enjoyed group work
because they knew more about how to work and collaborate with others, how to compromise and
make their work successful, and their teamwork skills were really developed. Bruce spoke about
this experience:
I like group projects because I have a chance to interact with people and develop
teamwork skills to get the job done rather than working on your own. How to schedule
the time and how to process the assignment was really fascinating to me. Homework does
not mean writing only essays. You need to be involved in the class discussions even
online and in interaction with other students to get your assignment done. (Bruce)
Only one participant mentioned that he still did not get involved much in group work as an
advanced undergraduate, because he experienced no-true-collaboration in the process. Therefore,
he only did tasks that his groups assigned to him and tried to do his best on those parts.

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Not only getting involved in class activities, some students also participated in different
subject groups, study groups, and research projects, or tutoring outside the classroom. Korean
students in the study got involved in different academic subject groups, for example Korean
student groups for accounting, for supply chain. In those country groups of students, they had
regular meetings to share information, and they also helped each other in the subject matter.
Two participants in education programs tried to gain some teaching experiences by
tutoring students off campus and during summer breaks in their home countries. Christine tried
to get more experience in special education and spoke about her efforts:
Besides classes, I tutored elementary students during weekends, but it was a bit difficult
because international students are not allowed to work/earn money off campus. In order
to get into the program, it is required to have some teaching experiences. So, during
summers I went back to Taiwan and taught at different schools. I was assigned to special
education classes. That helps me understand my major a lot better. (Christine)
Three other participants took part in different research projects in their departments and
were all happy about these experiences. Zakaria was involved in a project sponsored by MIT and
was so proud of her participation. She also got involved in several mini-projects in her college.
In her words, she kept her eyes and ears open to learn more about different academic events in
her department and to get involved academically. She enjoyed engineering, her major, and she
was an active member of the Association of Women in Engineering, a member of Phi Delta
Honor Society, and a member of the Honor Society for students in electrical engineering,
computer engineering, and computer science. Fred got involved in an advertising project that
required creating a booklet. Thanks to this project, his Photoshop skills were improved and he
also learned how to know other people’s points of view. Huyn felt that doing a research project

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helped him better understand the importance of participants in research and he was willing to
give the researcher a hand as a participant.
In short, after their first year, many participants in the study tried their best to get more
involved in academic activities both in class and out of class even though a few students still had
a hard time getting involved or chose not to get involved academically. In both cases, academic
involvement seemed an important part of students’ integration process in college. Those who
were more academically involved seemed more integrated. How about their social involvement?
Social involvement.
The earlier findings showed that the country student associations played an important role
in the participants’ life when they were in the States. Most of the participants were actively
involved in these associations. Many of them were current e-board members and engaged in
designing activities for the associations. They organized many different events to promote their
cultures and harmony among members on campus. In general, all participants got involved more
with their student association activities than on-campus social activities. None of them joined
sororities or fraternities, because the students felt no connections with these associations.
Some Malaysian and Taiwanese students joined some social activities offered by the
International Students Office, including coffee hour every Friday and trips to other cities. Some
of the participants mentioned that they got also involved in some activities in the residence halls
in their first year thanks to their roommates and hall mentors. Jasmine shared her involvement in
the hall:
I lived in [name of hall] in my first year. We had a mentor, her name is [name]. We
always hung out with other people on the floor. We also stick together in the cafeteria. I
know so many events going on in the Union and Residence Halls. I wanted to see how

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people were doing at the events and what college life was, and just to meet people. I was
new at that time and I liked the feelings of seeing many new things. I felt involved with
friends and the college life. (Jasmine)
Only three participants mentioned that they had a part-time job in the dining hall on
campus, which provided opportunities to interact with diverse people. They did this part-time job
because they all wanted to explore more about college life and to meet people. Lyana spoke this
way about her part-time job experience: “I just had a part-time job in the hall for a semester.
People are very friendly there. There I had a chance to interact with people who are much older
than me. I learned so many things from them.”
All participants said that one of the reasons they went to study in America was because
they wanted to interact with diverse people especially with domestic students, to know more
about American culture, and to broaden their perspectives. However, during their first year all of
the students in this study just stayed within their national groups, and some of them sought out
other international students. However, by the time they were in their junior years, their social
networks were expended and most of them had friends from very diverse groups of people.
Sense of belonging.
Sometimes I do feel nervous, but I am much better now. I feel better to talk to people. I
think I kind of adapt to the life here. Time lets you adapt to the new place. I feel this is
home, my second home. For example, after summer break in my home country I went
back to school. After a long flight, I got here, I felt like going home. (Zakaria – College of
Engineering)
Participants were asked to describe if they got used to the college life and if they were a
part of the university community at present time. Although they felt the campus community was

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friendly, all participants experienced culture shock as incoming freshman due to different
cultures, educational systems, fewer friends and unmet expectations. All participants felt small in
a big, new environment and they seemed to be outsiders to observe what was going on in the
community. However, after their first year, all participants got used to the environment and
started to feel a sense of belonging. Jasmine shared this experience:
Everyone had her/his own schedule, so when I woke up in the morning, no one was in the
dorm. I wasn’t belonging to the community. Time passes by and I get used to things here,
so I find everything makes sense, and I have my friends, so I feel much more comfortable
and belonging. (Jasmine)
There were, however, mixed feelings about belonging. Ten of 14 participants expressed
feelings of belonging primarily because they got involved in many activities, they were familiar
with the campus and the lifestyle, and they felt very comfortable. Among those, two female
Malaysian participants strongly expressed their sense of belonging. Both Zakaria (quote above)
and Shera said that the university was their second home; Shera added that she felt the professors
were like her parents and she really enjoyed being here. Some of the students spoke about their
school spirit and what being a [university mascot label] meant to them. Bruce shared his feelings:
Even though I am a big sport fan, I am really proud of being [a university mascot label].
Whenever I go out, if someone does not know about [the university], I will talk about
what it means to be Spartan. I get used to the lifestyle here; I feel quite laid back. (Bruce)
Three participants doubted their belonging, because they did not socialize much and did not
participate in many on-campus events. Christine shared this thought:

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No, all along I feel I am in it but not a part of it. Maybe, because I don’t really get
involved in many activities here on campus or events, I don’t really know what is going
on. But I still enjoy the program and enjoy my study here. (Christine)
Most participants really enjoyed their time, and they got involved in both on and offcampus social and academic activities. All said they have a good social life and good academic
standing. It was when they first arrived on campus for students in the study to feel nervous and
not connected with the university community. As time went by, they developed new friendships
and connections both with domestic and other international students, and the support from
faculty members, academic advisors, and other people provided them with a sense of belonging.
However, there were a few students who still did not find their niche in this environment.
Personal Growth and Success
Personal growth.
Asian international undergraduate students on American campuses deal with living far
from their comfort zone, language, educational and cultural differences, and their academic
workload. The experience, for them, can lead to a unique kind of personal growth. As said, the
participants in this study chose to study in the U.S. because they wanted to broaden their views,
to gain international perspectives, and to see what is going outside of their home countries. For
many of them, study abroad seemed like a self-discovery journey. All of the participants said that
now, as a result of studying in the US, they became more open-minded and they could see things
or analyze things from broader perspectives. They have changed their points of view to see into
things and to deal with different matters of their life. After their time of study in the U.S., these
students were now able and comfortable to expose themselves to different environments. Bruce
was so happy with his changes and personal development that he shared these thoughts:

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I get more perspectives and change my attitudes: more tolerant with others or reaction to
certain things, because I know maybe the difference in culture or maybe family situation.
I am more acceptant to others like something I don’t like or I don’t agree with. Another
thing I learned is how to deal with nationality and different cultures, and even how to talk
with Americans. (Bruce)
Zakaria shared a quite similar thought, but from a different angle:
I think I become more open culturally. I am a Muslim and I like to meet non-Malaysian
Muslims during the Muslim Student Association events. Once I met an American Muslim
and we talked. So I meet different people that help me see things differently. I also have a
Catholic best friend, so I learn a lot of things. (Zakaria)
Becoming more mature in what they were thinking and doing was another area of growth
that students were proud of. Many participants spoke about what their parents’ support for their
study financially and emotionally meant to them. Before, they did not think about that
thoroughly, but now they knew more about the meanings behind the money and the
encouragement that their parents brought to them. They depended a lot on their parents when
they were in their home countries, yet, all of the participants claimed that they became more
independent because they needed to take care of themselves in every aspect of their study and
their life when they were here.
In addition, students became more skillful in managing their life than they were in their
home countries. They were now able to manage their finances and their schedule; they were also
able to choose what their schedule was like and to make decisions on what courses to take, what
activities to join, depending on their goals and purposes and they became more responsible.
Joseph shared his thoughts about his growth:

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College life kind of gets myself prepare for my future career. What I have gained:
Obviously it is the communication skills in English and with people from different
cultures and ability to manage myself, and to manage my time. I think I could count on
myself now. In the past, either teachers or my parents could help me to do something.
(Joseph)
Going to the States for their undergraduate education, living far from home, interacting
and meeting with people from diverse cultures and background were learning opportunities for
the students in this study that become opportunities for their personal growth. The participants
became more culturally open, more independent, more mature, and more self-decisive. What
were their successes so far in their college journey?
Success.
All the participants in the study told the researcher that they had made great progress
toward their graduation at the time of the interview (Spring 2012); all of them moved a step
closer to getting a U.S. college degree. When asked about their biggest successes, all the
participants talked about their academic accomplishments. Two Malaysian participants added
that another success during their college journey was having more friends to share happiness and
sorrows during their time studying in the U.S. One Taiwanese student said that besides the
academic achievement, his biggest success was to build good relationships with different people.
Some other students mentioned overcoming homesickness and improving time management
skills as significant achievements.
The participants were really satisfied with what they achieved during their college
journey so far and were happy that their academics were on the right track. Some participants,
whose first year’s GPA was not very good, said they put more efforts into academics and tried

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their best to improve their GPA. Having good academic performance has helped them become
more confident in the classroom and among their peers. Arus was so happy to share his
achievement:
We usually have final exams, so after the exams I sometimes talk to random people about
how they were doing with their exams. Knowing the facts that I have above average
grade in all exams, I feel I am more confident. (Arus)
Some participants shared their achievements in certain difficult courses, because high grades in
those courses made them feel more confident in their academics. Nur managed to survive in her
programming class, in which she was the only Malaysian. Success in this class brought her selfesteem and confidence that she could do many things without depending too much on her
friends.
Seven participants talked about how happy they were when they got onto the Dean’s list,
because it was not easy to achieve with a standard of a GPA above 3.5 with the enrollment of at
least 12 credits. During the interviews, all participants stressed the importance of focusing on
academics. Some of them said academic achievements were the ways they made their parents
happy and proud of them, while others thought that good academic performance would bring
them more job opportunities.
Summary
This chapter presented participants’ background and their perspectives of the factors
associated with social and academic integration, how they adjusted, adapted and integrated in a
new cultural and academic environment, what challenges they faced, and what this learning
opportunity brought to them. Participants’ limited cultural awareness, knowledge of America and
its educational system, and language proficiency for engaging in cross-cultural interactions

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proved to be factors influencing their social and academic integration. However, most Korean,
Malaysian, and Taiwanese participants in this study were both highly intrinsically and
extrinsically motivated to do well in college and were very goal-oriented. They made their
choices of studying in the U.S. based on their academic preparation, motivation, career goals,
personal interests and family’s encouragement. In general, they all worked hard to achieve
specific goals.
Participants in the study were varied in their experiences in regard to their academic and
social integration in an American university. However, most participants were more
academically integrated than socially integrated. Most of them were satisfied with their academic
experiences, personal growth, and success. Most students got involved in their country student
organizations and participated in different events on campus to get opportunities to interact and
socialize with other international students as well as domestic students. Navigating the system
and negotiating cultural differences became particularly challenging, but some individuals made
efforts to engage with others, while others remained in their comfort zone.
Students from Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan had different experiences in terms of their
academic and social integration. However, most students shared that they got more involved in
both social activities and academic activities after their first year. Malaysian and Taiwanese
students in the study were likely to be more socially and academically integrated in the college
community than Korean student. In addition, major differences in academic and social
integration were found among those interviewed students. The participants who enrolled in
higher ranking programs such as education, communication, engineering, business, and natural
sciences were getting more involved in campus and thus, became more integrated and more

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affiliated with their institution while students in economic programs felt marginalized in the
campus community.
Finally, students in the study shared about their success in college in both academic and
social arenas, however, academic success seemed to be stronger and more emphasized by all
participants. At times, students in the study felt frustrated with their social experiences; however,
this did not affect their willingness to move forward to complete their degrees.

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CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSIONS
The purpose of this study was to explore what factors contributed to social and academic
integration of Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese international undergraduate students at a
research university. The study contributes to the limited literature on minority students’
academic and social integration on an American campus by exploring Asian international
undergraduate student experiences. Investigating Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese
international undergraduate students’ academic and social integration helps higher education and
student affairs professionals examine the extent to which the college experiences of these
international students are similar to or differ from their American peers, the causes for these
differences, and actions that might be taken to enhance international student experiences in
college.
The following factors were found to affect Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese
international undergraduate students’ social and academic integration: (a) cultural value; (b)
structural influences that include language, student background, support system and class size;
(c) psychological influences including: psychological challenges; motivation; sense of
belonging; interactions with peers, TAs, and faculty; educational self-efficacy; and behavior
(time and effort, participation/involvement and goal commitments). These factors were found to
influence Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese international undergraduate students’ perceptions
of the campus environment, their experiences on campus, and their learning and personal
development during their college journey. In spite of challenges students faced, the study found
that Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese international students were motivated to persist in order
to achieve their goals.

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Cultural Values and Tensions
In this study, it was observed that the majority of interviewed participants did not
explicitly mention cultural values as the influence on their social and academic integration and
the cause of some of the difficulties that they encountered. Nevertheless, from the participants’
stories I realized that cultural values and tensions appear to be a factor.
The students in the study and their parents valued education highly. They all came from a
strong home environment, in which investment in educational opportunities and an intact family
were highly emphasized. In addition, parental emphasis on respect for education and expectation
of academic achievement were factors the participants have in common, even though some of the
participants’ parents were only high school graduates. One of the participants expressed his
mother’s wish: “like other Asian mothers, my mom always wanted me to be the best (in school).”
Their parents did not only want them to do well in school but also paid a lot of attention to where
they wanted their children to get an education. For all Taiwanese and Korean participants in this
study, as most of them went to high school in America, their parents actually looked out for
educational opportunities in America for them, because they wanted their children to have a
better education and to have an opportunity to experience different cultures. The findings
indicate that parental expectations do play an important part in the students’ orientation toward
their academics, which could affect their academic integration and success in college.
The findings reinforced the UNESCO (2008) report that in countries such as Korea,
Japan, and other Asian countries, getting a good education means more than social status. The
present findings were consistent with the studies on family characteristics in attempting to
understand success of Asian–American children by Lee (1987), Mordkowitz and Ginsburg
(1987), and Yao (1985) (cited in Slaughter-Defoe, Nakagawa, Takanishi, & Johnson, 1990).

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These researchers found that Asian-American parents held high educational expectations for
their children. They assumed that these cultural characteristics played an important role in their
children’s achievement in school. However, the researchers were unsure to what extent Asian–
Americans’ achievement could be attributed to their parental expectations.
Even though Malaysian parents did not look out for educational opportunities overseas
for the Malaysian students in this study, the parents all had high hope for their children’s
education, and encouraged their children to do their best in school. Although most parents of the
Malaysian participants did not ask them or push them to study well in high school in order to get
scholarships for their studies overseas, Malaysian students did well in order to get government
scholarships or loans to pursue their studies in the States. Malaysian students agreed that by
going to America for a college education and studying well, they wanted to set a good example
for their siblings or they wanted to follow their parents, brothers’, and sisters’ footsteps. Many
Malaysian and Taiwanese participants explicitly mentioned that they really wanted to make their
parents proud, and with a degree from an American college they hoped to get a better job in
order to support their parents. This perspective is very common in Asian cultures. According to
Markus and Kitayama (1991), many Asian cultures have distinct conceptions of individuality
that insist on the fundamental relatedness of individuals to each other and emphasize attending to
others and fitting in. In addition, one of the cultural value dimensions identified by Kim,
Atkinson, and Yang (1999) is family recognition through achievement, which refers to the
importance of not bringing shame to the family by avoiding occupational or educational failures
and by achieving academically.
The tension between cultures clearly emerged from the participants’ responses. All
students in this study come from an educational background and a culture where communication

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is very much one-way from the lecturer or the person in authority and where class participation
and critical reasoning are not encouraged. One participant pointed out: “In Malaysia we are
spoon-fed”. Students studied what they were told to and they were required to be quiet and just
listen in class. Even though after awhile the participants valued the freedom of speech and some
were familiar with the American academic culture because they went to high school in America,
class participation still presented to the participants a significant challenge when they were
expected to speak on their own in classes. Two-way communication in academic settings
subsequently affects students’ learning approaches. For example, some participants still did not
feel comfortable asking questions in class or meeting professors after class. If they had any
academic difficulties, they went to see their friends or the teaching assistants. Furthermore, all
participants regarded faculty and staff highly as expected in their Asian tradition and culture.
Respect for authority is shown both in how and when to ask questions and to approach faculty
and staff. The study findings are supported by Southall, Rushton, Hagan, Kane, and Cormick
(2006) who found that in some cultures, silence in class is highly valued and encouraged, and
questioning the authority and knowledge of the lecturer is considered inappropriate. So active
participation is inhibited and critical thinking, which is so valued in the Western educational
system, is not encouraged; thus, some students find it difficult to contribute in class participation,
and to meet professors with questions.
Structural Influences
Language
Academic reputation and improving English were the two primary reasons the
participants in this study pursued higher education in the United States. All of the participants I
interviewed had very good English; none of them was on provisional admission (e.g., they all

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passed the TOEFL score for admission), 7 out of 14 went to high school in the States or took
English courses in the U.K, and some Malaysian participants started learning English when they
were in elementary school. However, all participants encountered language challenges in college.
Passing the TOEFL for admission does not guarantee that you will not face any language
difficulties in college, because of several reasons. First, the TOEFL is a test of general language
proficiency and may not measure the proficiencies required by the discipline-specific nature of
college learning (Simpson & Nist, 1997). Second, the knowledge of technical vocabulary in a
discipline is needed for academic success (Cammish, 1997). In addition, the participants in this
study speak languages that do not share the alphabet and many root words with English
(Maylath, 1997). The study findings highlighted what is documented in the previous research
that English language proficiency is a major factor in the adaptation process of international
students (Rosenthal, Russell, & Thompson, 2007).
The study findings indicated that English language ability and its impacts on the social
and academic integration process appeared to be the strongest concerns for Asian international
undergraduate students. Language barriers presented a myriad of inter-related problems for the
participants in this study. This is because in American academic settings a student must be able
to use English for all language processes: listening, reading, speaking, and writing, which are all
important proficiencies connected with academic success that were found to be challenging for
the participants. Students in this study experienced difficulty with a variety of language related
issues, such as understanding lectures (too much new vocabulary, and professors and domestic
students spoke too fast), writing papers, joining group discussions, becoming familiar with the
host country culture, and making domestic friends. In terms of academic writing skills, some
participants noted that the issue was not that they could not write but rather that they conceived

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and wrote in ways different from written English academic discourse. This finding is similar to
the study by Terkla, Roscoe, and Etish-Andrews (2007) that 60% of Asian students studying
outside their home countries reported difficultly in writing papers and 49% reported difficulty
understanding slang. The findings of my study also confirmed the results of Andrade (2005),
Casanave (1995), Holmes (2004), and Nicholson (2001) that in class, most students’ listening
and understanding skills do not equip them for professors’ delivery in lecture contexts; they thus
felt confusion during the lecture as well as class discussion.
Even though during the interviews I felt that students had good English, many
participants in this study perceived their English as weak, leading to a lack of confidence
participating in curricular and co-curricular activities, and in interacting with professors and
domestic students, which severely hampered the development of their intercultural
communication skills in class as well as outside the classroom. In this study all participants did
not explicitly mention that language proficiency is the reason that they did not contact staff
members during their studies, although in other studies of international students, language
difficulties hinder attempts to make contact with university staff (Tantisantisoml & Clayden,
2008).
In addition, completing readings and writing assignments in English in a timely manner
was always a challenge for the participants. They all reported needing more time to study, thus
they had less time for social involvement; so at least in terms of time commitments and
developing social networks, academic and social difficulties are likely to be related. In addition,
some participants including Malaysian students, one Korean student, and two Taiwanese
students who attended high school in the U.S. in this study felt isolated from their American
counterparts because they perceived that their English proficiency was limited and they were

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afraid of being embarrassed and misunderstood. They in turn withdrew from social activities and
interacted within the community of their native language. One Malaysian participant told me that
he would not care much about making friends with domestic students because he had so many
Malaysian friends on campus. However, many of the participants were very self-motivated to
improve their English by attending different English programs for international students and
spouses offered by the International Students Office. From the study findings, there is evidence
that most of the participants confronted language challenges in their social and academic
integration. However, at maybe a deeper level, there is something more than language that is
underpinning the social and academic integration of the participants. The study findings and
contributions from the literature suggest that social and academic integration might include the
values and norms of the diverse cultures of the students, because they may find some of their
values mismatched with values of the host culture given the diverse cultures from which they
come as discussed earlier (Robinson-Pant, 2009).
The findings from this study suggest that international students cannot academically and
socially integrate into the college environment successfully without a support system in place.
The support system helps ease their transition to life in a new environment and helps them
succeed.
Support System
As the numbers of international students attending American institutions of higher
education increases, there is growing demand to structure the support system to best meet the
needs of diverse student bodies, including international students. If universities can offer relevant
support services to their students, they will be able to sustain these students more effectively
throughout the educational processes.

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The academic advisor was the first academic staff that students in this study met when
they first arrived on campus. Meeting advisors to discuss their academic plan, course enrollment,
and other academic issues was important to the students. The findings of this study showed many
participants find academic advisors helpful. Advisors helped the participants make the most of
the academic facilities on campus available to them. Most participants always discussed
academic issues with their academic advisors. These meetings helped students be on the right
track and achieve their academic goals. Most Taiwanese and Malaysian participants were
satisfied that they had good and close relationships with their academic advisors. Among the
interviewed participants, Korean students seemed to be the least close with academic advisors,
coming to see their advisors only once every semester just for course planning. One Korean
participant had an issue with the English language in his first year and wanted to share with his
advisor, however, he could not set up an appointment with him. Therefore, he felt that he should
solve the problem by himself rather than waiting for his advisor’s advice.
According to Cuseo (2003), good advising is systematic and ongoing, involving a close
student-advisor relationship with frequent interactions. However, due to the unique
characteristics of international students, many advisors may feel ill-equipped to advise these
students effectively, and thus students may not feel satisfied with the service. For example, one
Malaysian participant recalled that her academic advisor seemed to have high expectations about
her academic achievement even though she just arrived on campus. After meeting with the
advisor for the first time she felt overwhelmed because of the heavy workload, academic rules
and expectations, and she needed time to adjust to a new environment and a new educational
system.

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According to King (1993) and Pascarella and Terenzini (2005), advisors play a key role
in helping students become socially and academically integrated into college and in students’
decisions to persist, that, in turn, contribute to student growth and satisfaction. The findings
reinforced the significance of the academic advising function in the lives of international
students in the study. Advisors are responsible for connecting students to other essential services
on campus (King, 1993) and offer students interpersonal interactions with a caring adult (Wade
& Yoder, 1995). Academic advising is much more than just scheduling courses and registering
students for classes. Consequently, students take their relationships with their academic advisors
very seriously, as they should. Furthermore, academic advising might possibly be the only
organized and structured relationships outside of class in which faculty and staff have sustained
interactions with students (Hunter & White, 2004).
Besides academic advisors, most of the students in the study also benefited from faculty
involvement both in class and during office hours. Faculty offered students opportunities for
academic enrichment and inquiry. All participants found that professors’ office hours were
convenient and professors were not difficult to approach. Besides, students could email
professors with questions and concerns if their time did not permit to meet during the office
hours. No participants commented that they experienced negative faculty perceptions of
international students and some talked about faculty members’ availability and willingness to
assist and support them when they were in difficult situations. Especially, the case of Shera in
this study was a powerful example of faculty support when her professors wrote letters of
support to the Malaysian government (her sponsor) to convince them about her ability and
allowing her to change the major. These findings reinforced the results of Wang’s (2004) studies

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that students appreciate faculty who have awareness of their unique situations and provide
valuable guidance on academic matters, personal support, and advocacy within the community.
In addition to support from academic advisors and faculty members, most participants in
the study greatly appreciated graduate teaching assistants (GTA), review sessions, and help
rooms when they were in need of academic support. GTAs are a recognized position and a
common feature of American college and universities that have a prominent research mission
(Luft, Kurdziel, Roehrig, &Turner, 2004). GTAs are expected to be experts in their discipline
and knowledgeable of the appropriate pedagogical strategies for undergraduate instruction (Luft
et.al., 2004). Most participants in the study had positive experiences with teaching assistants,
particularly with international graduate teaching assistants. This finding is consistent with
Borjas’s (2000) research on international graduate teaching assistants and the academic
performance of undergraduates, including international undergraduates. Borjas’s research
suggests that international graduate teaching assistants do not have a negative impact on the
academic achievement of undergraduate students who are “like them”, perhaps both in terms of
language and cultural background.
As discussed earlier, all participants in this study expressed concerns about their language
skills especially academic writing skills. Most of the participants suggested that their need for
assistance with writing skills was already addressed in some ways through the university’s
writing center and they were positive about this service. However, not all the participants who
struggled with writing used the writing center. Some preferred sending their writing to professors
for comments or revision before the final submission. Therefore, multiple forms of writing
support may be needed, for example, academic writing support in each school may help students

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edit their writing assignments or provide academic writing lessons to orient students, especially
international students, with academic writing requirements expected in each school.
The Student Associations
The student country associations (Korean Student Association (KSO), Malaysian Student
Association (MSA), and Taiwanese Student Association (TSA)) are part of the overall support
system that plays such a vital role in students’ social and academic integration. During their past
three years in college, many students in the study were active members in the associations’ eboards, involved in designing and planning activities for the associations, and providing support
to incoming and new students from their home countries.
These associations provide a way for students to get to know each other and learn about
American culture as well as other cultures, and promote their cultures on campus. The
international student communities on campus provided a safe and networking place for most of
those interviewed. For these participants, studying in the U.S. involved being separated from
their comfort zone including families and social support system in their home countries. The
student country associations helped students during their study in the States in many ways
through their services and activities. Many participants relied on their peers in student
associations prior to their arrival and during their study for information and advice on academic
and social issues. The KSO, MSO, and TSA were also students’ primary social venues, in which
most participants actively got involved. Students learned about the programs, the institutions and
about America from their student country associations. Research showed that international
students rely extensively on other students from their home country or those who share similar
culture traditions and religious beliefs for social support (e.g., Kim, 2001; Trice, 2004).

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The reliance on an ethnic community for socialization is influenced by the degree to
which the community has established its own system in the host country (Kim, 2001). The
Korean student association, Malaysian student association, and Taiwanese student association
are typically well-developed at the institution I studied; for example, the Korean student
association has a history rooted on this campus from the 1950s. Participants are drawn to their
student association as it provides a support system based on common experiences and
understanding, and allows the students to be Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese, to practice their
culture and maintain their cultural identity while they are far from home.
Although it is possible that the long-term impact of ethnic socialization on cross-cultural
adaptation may delay the acquisition of host communication competence and meaningful
engagement in host communication process (Kim, 2001), one Korean participant expressed that
she wished she had gotten involved in KSO e-board earlier because it benefited her in many
ways, including leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. In addition, most
participants commented that getting involved in their student country associations provided them
with opportunities to interact with other international students and American students who are
interested in their cultures.
Class Size
Class size is one of the factors influencing social and academic integration of the
participants in the study. Students were very surprised when enrolled in class with more than 200
students. Even though none of the participants said they disliked the class due to its size, they all
agreed that there was no way to engage with their peers or with professors in big class. Most of
the participants said that they were more active in small classes, because in large classes it was
really hard to express their opinions, there were fewer opportunities to interact with the

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professor, and it was difficult to make friends. Some also liked big classes because they found it
fun taking quizzes and talking with the teaching assistants. However, in general, participants
agreed that small classes were better because they got more involved and the professors got to
know them better. In addition, many participants commented on how they need to discipline
themselves to go to class because professors hardly took attendance due to class size. University
classes, especially some introductory courses often taken by new students, are far too large for
professors to provide the type of shared guidance required and even to monitor progress and
adapt to students’ needs as expected (Heirdsfield, 2008).The present study findings are supported
by Townsend and Wilson (2006) who found that large class size hindered both social and
academic integration of students.
In contrast, all participants were getting involved more in class activities including class
participation, engaging discussions with professors and peers when classes were smaller. The
study results showed that in small classes, students interacted with faculty more frequently,
getting to know their professors better, and feeling like the interactions related to the quality of
instruction. Thus, small class size is believed to enhance academic integration.
Psychological Influences
Motivation
The study findings showed students’ motivations to study in the States and to be
academically successful included experiencing different cultures, broadening their perspectives,
wanting social and academic challenges in a bigger environment than that of their home
countries, and making their families proud. Their first year in the U.S was difficult and
challenging, but even so, some participants talked about a passion and love for their studies and
their life in a new environment. Others talked about parental expectations and professors’

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encouragement that prompted them to pursue a higher degree. All the participants were found to
be very persistent in completing their degrees because of their motivations and determination.
Their motivations operate through their goal setting (e.g., high GPA, more job opportunities) and
self- regulating reinforcement (e.g., reaching out for academic success), which are intervening
influences. This result supports the findings of Allen’s (1999) research on the relationship
between persistence and motivation, which found that motivation is positively associated with
persistence for minority students.
The study findings indicated that the students’ value of education, their intrinsic needs of
being recognized, of becoming an educated person, and of a better ability to serve their home
countries with knowledge and skills they have gained in an American college provides the
energy for them to act in a new environment. These intrinsic motivations are of importance in the
participants’ success and persistence so far. My study results are similar to the research on
African American male students (e.g., Davis, 1994; Patitu, 2000) that found that African
American males succeed because of their value of education, intrinsic motivation, and
determination to succeed.
When the participants experienced intrinsic motivation, they showed interest in becoming
a person with open and global mindset, in interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, and
in getting involved in both social and academic activities. All participants felt confident and selfdetermined about their study in the U.S. Even though three of the students did not have good
academic standing at times, they managed to overcome and get back on track. Even though there
were many challenges during their studies in the States, the participants in the study were found
to work with the course material diligently and able to manage their own learning activities as
well as their social activities. Many of them all showed a positive attitude towards learning in a

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new environment and believed in their ability to complete their degrees. Students seemed more
academically integrated than socially and than in their first year: they were involved in academic
activities; sought such opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, and competence in their
academic areas; and had more autonomy in their program choice. When they felt a mismatch
between their program and their interests, talents, or career goals, they switched to another
academic program (the case of Jasmine). They strived to perform well academically, as
exemplified by their high GPA, on the Dean’s list, and some of them got involved in academic
professional associations (the case of Zakaria).
Psychological Challenges
As discussed earlier, there are many motives and aims of international students who
pursue their degrees in the U.S., such as culture learning, personal development, and good career
opportunities. An observation from my research result was that most of the participants in the
study placed high demands on achieving academic excellence. As a result, education-related
problems are of major concern to these participants.
As international students sought to re-establish their lives in a new environment, they
were compelled to make changes that were often accompanied by psychological consequences,
some of which made their transition in the new setting very challenging. Students in my study
came from a different educational culture and environment and had a variety of social and
academic hardships, different modes of expression, and communication. Therefore, when the
students first arrived in this new environment, they all experienced homesickness, loneliness,
anxiety, insecurity, and marginalization. These psychological challenges made it more difficult
for the students in this study to initially integrate into the new social and cultural environment in

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the U.S.. Those psychological issues have been well documented in the literature (e.g., Anderson
et al., 2009; Berry, 1997; Dao, Lee, & Chang, 2007; Olivas & Li, 2006).
The psychological issues developed when either the participant or the participant’s
experience failed to meet their own expectations, especially during their first year. Malaysian
participants expressed anxiety and feelings of isolation because they expected to have a lot of
American friends and speak English all the time. In reality, unless they initiated the conversation,
no one came to talk to them. The students wanted to break their national circle in order to
integrate into a new environment; however, they thought it was really hard to do so. During their
first year, the feelings of being isolated and an outsider made it difficult for them to get involved
in social and academic activities. In some particular cases, for example Jae, overcoming those
psychological issues was almost impossible. For the past three years in school, Jae could not
overcome the issue of age difference or the feelings of losing status and identity in order to
engage with the cultural and academic environment of the college. He was working hard towards
graduation, but he did not feel he could immerse himself in this environment. The study findings
were supported by the Anderson et al.’s (2009) research that, while international students come
to study in American colleges with high expectations for the quality of life in the United States,
they may feel frustrated, indignant, and inadequate after they understand the realties and face
difficulties and failures. Many studies on international student adjustment documented that the
extent to which international students had to contend with cultural adjustment difficulties
influenced social and academic integration, academic success, retention, and levels of
satisfaction with the college experience (Constantine, Anderson, et al., 2005; Reynolds &
Constantine, 2007).
Sense of Belonging

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The findings of this study showed that after their first year, most participants felt very
comfortable about studying and living in the U.S. They felt more confident about approaching
and having conversations with professors, staff, and other students. This change may be the
result of the greater extent to which participants in their concentration courses are in smaller
classes and work closely with each other, and they interact more with other students, faculty, and
staff members in either their programs or through out the campus. However, two Korean
participants did not feel a sense of belonging either to their department or the university, so at
times they wanted to transfer to another school. It was interesting that one of them was an eboard member of the Korean Student Association and got involved in a number of social and
academic activities on and off-campus. Both students cared more about their academic programs,
whether they like their programs of study or not, than their involvement in social activities.
In general, students in this study who were involved in their student associations,
professional clubs, honor societies, and volunteer activities exhibited a high sense of belonging
to the university. Some participants considered the university their second home; others said that
they loved the school buildings, loved meeting people in their programs; and some always
wanted to stay at school to meet professors, staff, or other students after classes. The reason
could be that after a while, they learned more about the school, knew where to seek help when
needed, and understood the system. In addition, the support system helped students make good
academic decisions and made them feel a sense of belonging. Therefore, their sense of belonging
reflects the extent to which they feel personally accepted, connected, a part of, and supported by
others in the university community, and their level of understanding the system where they were
in (Jacoby & Garland, 2005).

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Furthermore, Glogowska, Young, & Lockyer (2007) noted that “support networks and
feeling a sense of belonging may also be crucial in students continuing their studies” (p.73). The
study also found that students who perceived the college environment to be supportive felt more
connected to the university and believed in their success, and accordingly, their academic
motivation was improved (for example, Shera, Zakaria, Fred, Bruce). In addition, participants
believed they were successful achieving their academic goals because of their motivation,
support from family, support resources from the university (help rooms, review sessions,
teaching assistants), and faculty members. The findings from this study support Osterman’s
(2000) conclusion that students who experience a sense of belonging in educational
environments are more motivated, more engaged in school and classroom activities, and more
dedicated to school.
The findings also demonstrated that students in the study successfully moved forward to
their graduation because they were able to adapt and to integrate into the dominant norms,
values, and behaviors of the institution. Some of them mentioned the university spirit and about
what this spirit meant to them when they were far from campus. They were proud of being a
[university mascot], but they were also proud of their cultural background and of being a Korean,
a Malaysian, or a Taiwanese person. They felt a sense of belonging and integrated into the
university environment, but they all maintained their cultural integrity, like Shera said:
“Maintaining does not mean eliminating, but I am just celebrating in another way”. This finding
was similar to the results of Andrade’s (2006) research on international student persistence.
Andrade (2006) concluded that international students viewed integration positively; they
integrated into a new environment but did not assimilate because they preserved their cultural
integrity.

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Peer Interactions
Social integration is of a great concern to Asian international undergraduate students in
this study. Students believed that their social interactions were important for their learning and
development. Despite such belief, they reported very limited social interactions with faculty,
staff, and students from other cultures, especially during their first year. Some participants
reported that they had negative experiences with social interactions, and “who to trust” and “how
to make friends and develop the relationship” were big questions in their social life when they
first came to the country and to this university. Many felt alienated in the campus community
and tended to socialize with other national fellows.
There are reasons that they did not often interacted with American peers. It could be that
the superficial elements of American social life, as interpreted by students from fundamentally
different cultures, might get in the way of participants’ adjustment. Research has shown that
superficial relationships and interactions between international students and local students did
not contribute to their development or enhance their global perspective (Montgomery &
McDowell, 2009). From their stories, students in this study wanted to cultivate deep, meaningful
relationships and conversations, which was not easy to do considering the busy lives of their
American peers and their level of confidence in English proficiency. As Ajong (a Korean
student) and Lyana (a Malaysian student) noted, Americans are polite but not friendly. Some
participants actively sought engagement with their American peers and accepted the
superficiality of it all, while at the same time craving honest friendships and relationships.
Another reason for many participants reaching out to their national fellows could have
been that the Asian student culture of orientation is inherently more sociable with people within
the same cultural group than with American students (Zhao, Kuh, & Carini, 2005). The findings

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of my study were consistent with previous research on international student friendship network
patterns (e.g., Al-Sharideh, & Goe 1998).
The experiences of peer relationships vary considerably among the students in the study.
Some students found close friendships, but the others found it difficult to make friends.
Participants mentioned they had different classmates in different classes and less formal contact
hours with frequent peers; and therefore, they had fewer opportunities to meet and find study
partners. Participants indicated that in their home country, one could make friends in college
easily, because they were almost the same age, they had the same classmates every day as they
took the same subjects, and they all knew each other in school; they, therefore, formed strong
social bonds among themselves. However, the university in this study is big; most students speak
a different language, and are a different race. As a consequence, whilst peer relationships are
friendly at home, some students felt uncomfortable on campus because their behavior is different
from that of their fellow students. Some participants reflected that they were more reliant on their
national friends for help in their studies and for organizing their life in America, as they have no
family close by. Some participants, by contrast, found that it is hard to meet other students due to
academic workload and different class schedules, which causes more difficulty with getting
involved socially.
However, as time passed most of the participants tried to reach out to make friends with
Americans or with students from different cultural groups. The study found that Malaysian and
Taiwanese participants showed great interest in getting to know American students and
establishing long-term friendships with them. However, they reported difficulty with interacting
and making friends with Americans. Any participants who had an American roommate
appreciated this opportunity, because they learned a lot about American culture and academic

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requirements and expectations in an American college that helped them better adjust and
integrate to a new environment. The study findings were consistent with the study of Japanese,
Taiwanese, and Chinese undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at an American university
by Yang, Teraoka, Eichenfield, and Audas (1994). These researchers suggested the reasons why
Asian international students have low commitments to establish friendships with host nationals
including no opportunities to establish these relationships, cultural differences, and lacking the
time to do so.
The socialization of international students with American students has been discussed to
a certain extent in the research (e.g., Trice, 2002; Yang et. al., 1994). Overall, these studies found
that international students’ social interactions with American students were very important to
eliminate their feelings of marginality and to help them with their adjustment. Yet, international
students’ socialization with American students was very limited (Trice, 2004). It is important to
note that a sound peer relationship requires positive efforts from both parties in cross-cultural
communications.
Interactions with Faculty Members
In this study, the researcher noticed that participants said they worked very hard and put
most of their effort into meeting faculty expectations. The study found that close relationships
with professors and faculty members’ concern about student growth and development were
related to student satisfaction and their sense of belonging. The participants had good
impressions of and satisfaction with the faculty, which led to feelings that participants are
members of the college community. Some participants expressed that they always wanted to
maintain positive student-faculty interactions with their professors. Students learned that
interaction with faculty was an important support for them to reach their academic goals during

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their studies in college. For the participants, the faculty members represent the authority figure,
the mentor, and the role model. For this reason, the faculty members’ influence on students can
be significant (McArthur, 2005). The study findings sustained Pascarella and Terenzini’s (2005)
conclusion that interactions with faculty presents one of the most positive significant factors
influencing undergraduate students’ retention.
Many participants in the study reported that they have limited interactions with faculty
members. Participants perceived a lack of both classroom and social non-classroom interactions
and wished they had closer relationships with faculty. Some participants said that most studentfaculty interactions were classroom interactions and most non-classroom interactions were
related to academic issues, even though the students expected this to be the case. A few
participants expressed that they kept in touch with their professors outside class. These
participants found their college experience very rewarding as professors supported and
encouraged them. This finding is supported by extensive research that demonstrates that studentfaculty contact in and outside the classroom is correlated with student persistence and
development (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Lundberg & Schreiner, 2004; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005;
Thompson, 2001). Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) noted that quality student-faculty interactions
were positively associated with a student’s educational aspirations, attitudes toward college,
academic achievement, and intellectual and personal development, and helped students socialize
to the norms of their institution and create a closer bond between student and institution. For
Asian international students, such student-faculty interactions are also strongly associated with a
positive and significant development of academic content and skills. Lundberg and Schreiner
(2004) found that frequent interactions with faculty predict learning for students among all ethnic
groups, and that the quality of the interaction with faculty has the strongest association with the

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learning for Asian students. However, studies have also found that in general Asian students’
interactions with faculty are limited (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Lundberg & Schreiner, 2004). Students
who report quality out-of-class interactions with faculty members also perceive that their
institutions are more supportive and they put more effort toward their studies (Kuh & Hu, 2001).
Educational Self-efficacy and Behaviors
In this study, the findings showed that participants were excited about going to study in
America, but they all understood that this journey was not easy and many challenges were
awaiting them. In addition, the participants had high educational self-efficacy at the start of their
studies in America as they come from strong educational backgrounds in which their parents
always encouraged learning, taking challenges, and trying to do best in their capabilities. Most of
the participants, especially those from Malaysia and Taiwan, had high GPAs in high school and
good college academic preparation. Since a student’s past performance heavily influences the
shaping of self-efficacy beliefs, students will have a high level of task familiarity with college
level academic requirements, which often result in academic success (Elias & MacDonald, 2007)
Self- efficacy, according to Pascarella and Terenzini’s (2005) definition, is “a product of
multiple personal and comparative factors, including students’ conceptions of their intellectual
and social abilities and their successes and failures in previous academic settings, all tempered
by comparisons with others” (p. 223). Self-efficacy determines how hard students work and how
long they persist when confronted with challenges and obstacles. All the participants in the study
reported that their first year was difficult as they needed to navigate the system and to adapt to a
new environment, but they always told themselves that they could do it and believed in their
ability to accomplish tasks and to reach their goals. Most of them reported succeeding
academically in their first year (even though one Taiwanese participant was on probation after

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his first semester, he managed to get back on track after the second semester). This success
helped them become more confident in interacting with people around them.
Cultural and educational differences provided some stressful situations that all
participants overcame as they continued to develop the skills necessary to be successful in their
study. Regardless of all the challenges they have faced, most participants maintained positive
attitudes toward their studies. This effort resulted in their high grades and in achieving selfesteem. In addition, achieving high GPAs and being on the Dean’s list have contributed to the
formation of the participants’ feelings of perceived academic self-efficacy; therefore, they felt
more capable in the classroom. Thus, the participants excelled because they had confidence in
their abilities. The findings reinforced the existing literature that a student’s personal
commitment to education and a more positive view of one’s self corresponds to higher academic
self-efficacy (Gloria, Robinson-Kurpius, Hamilton, & Willson, 1999). Research by Garcia and
Hu (2001) found that high academic self-efficacy is a positive significant factor that influenced
first-year student’ academic performance and adjustment in college.
In addition, many participants reported that they perceived this university’s environment
supported their learning, so they continued to strive for achievement. Therefore, encouragement
from their families and faculty members, and meaningful interactions from faculty and staff in
and outside of the classroom also contributed to enhance the participants’ success.
Summary
Pursuing undergraduate education in the United States is a challenging, but exciting
journey for most participants in the study. There is some commonality evident, which underpins
their unique social and academic integration experiences. Most participants went through an
initial stage of feeling insecure, nervous, and lost, but then felt more confident, more settled, and

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more involved either from the second semester or second year. The support systems (both social
and academic supports, family and school) play an important role in helping students ease their
adjustment difficulties, in understanding about the new culture and academic system, and in
getting them more involved in both social and academic life in college. Students initially
experienced excitement because of the new environment and new freedom compared to the more
structured previous educational experience in their home country, and then became concerned as
they realized the magnitude of the hidden academic and social demands expected of them
integrating in a new environment.
This new educational environment provides them with a lot of freedom of choices. With
no direct supervision from their parents, it is the students who decide what they want to do, and
how much effort to put into their studies and their social life. They make these decisions on a
daily basis, given their passion, aspiration, abilities, perceptions of social and academic
activities, and judgments of the probability of success. Therefore, their value of education, their
passion and motivation for integrating to the new environment, and success in their study in an
American college appear to be significant.
Asian international students in the study had some difficult and frustrating experiences
when it came to social integration. The most troublesome aspects appear to be finding such
social connections and balancing academics, social lives, and other life responsibilities. Students
emphasized academic issues in contrast to social issues. Although peer group participation could
be an academic endeavor, cultural values may inhibit such interaction.
As discussed, cultural values and differences significantly impinged upon the social and
academic integration of those Asian international undergraduate students in the study. However,
most students interviewed attributed language as the cause for the difficulties of their social and

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academic experiences. This is perhaps because language was the most obvious cause to be
identified. Not all of the students were as aware that cultural differences were also playing a part.
This highlights the need to promote awareness of cultural diversity in higher education both to
students and institutions.

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CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
In this chapter I discuss the implications of the findings of the investigation presented
here, recommendations for future research and concluding the dissertation. The study has
explored the social and academic integration experiences of Asian international undergraduate
students – how they integrated into a new cultural and academic environment. Guided by Selfdetermination theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 1991, 2000) and the Behavior-Perception-Behavior
(Milem & Berger, 1997) as frameworks, the study answered the main research question: What
factors contributed to the social and academic integration of Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese
international undergraduate students in an American college?
In this study, I conducted 28 in-depth interviews with 14 Asian international
undergraduate students from Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan studying at a research university in
the Midwest. The personal interviews lasting up to 50-minute each yielded detailed information
about students’ lives up to the point of their junior years and compiled comprehensive data on
their perceptions, attitudes, expectations, and values. All participants grew up in an intact family;
Malaysian students attended resource-rich high schools in their home country; and Korean and
Taiwanese students’ family income was high enough to be able to send them overseas since they
were in high school. Students reported that their parents were supportive of their learning:
parents were involved in participants’ lives, and took an active role in developing their
educational skills. However, studying in the States was very different from what they
experienced in their home countries.

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With their parents’ emotional and financial support, the students still encountered
endless challenges in a new environment. The campus environment they entered was
overwhelmingly White and had an academic culture with which they were not familiar (Charles,
Fischer, Mooney, & Massey, 2009); students tried their best to overcome cultural, social, and
academic challenges, to break their circle of national friends, and to understand American culture
better in order to get more involved and to integrate to the new environment. When they first
arrived, most participants talked of having lower levels of self-esteem, self-confidence, and selfefficacy at times; however, toward their junior year as they have succeeded academically, the
students indicated having achieved high levels of self-esteem, self-confidence, and a high level
of country pride. At the time of interviews, many students reported feeling very comfortable and
confident in this new environment. Some of them felt attached to their schools, which brought
them warm feelings as in their home with parents and after spending a summer break in their
countries, coming back to college, as some said, they felt like going home.
Even though 7 out of 14 went to high school in the U.S., one went to an International
American school in China, and one went to England for 2 years for English courses, living in
other countries before college did not make them better for social integration compared to those
students who did not have those experiences. One student said she liked the school and the
program, but she did not feel a sense of belonging. The institution type could be an answer for
this issue. Many students mentioned that the high schools and preparation colleges they went to
were small in size and number of students. Students all knew each other and knew all teachers,
and thus they had a sense of family in their old environments and that made them feel differently
when they entered a new big environment.

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Through the individual interviews and member-checking sessions with the 14
participants, stories emerged that highlighted social and academic integration experiences of
these students. This study provided the space for participants to tell their stories. Most
participants remained actively and energetically engaged during this study: they all arrived on
time for and eagerly engaged with me in the interviews. These participants opened their lives to
me and trusted me to tell their stories, for which I am deeply grateful. What emerged from their
stories is that Asian international undergraduate students cannot be grouped into a homogeneous
cluster, as they all lead diverse lives. Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese students in the study
shared some similarities in terms of cultural values (e.g., value of education, meaning of
academic success to their families), but there were many differences in terms of social and
academic integration experiences among them. For example, hierarchy and age differences in
Korean culture seem to strongly influence on how Korean students interact with other students
and with faculty and staff members than Malaysian and Taiwanese students. In the study,
practicing religion could make students closer like all Malaysian students mentioned about the
benefits of joining the Muslim Student Association. However, at some points some Malaysian
students did not feel comfortable with Arab Muslims. The study findings showed that the
cultural dynamics is one of the important factors that one could not ignore when study about
different groups of students. This study has been painted by different colors of the participants’
lives as they have been doing their best to adjust, integrate, persist, and succeed during their
study in the States.
All the participants struggled with negotiating between home and host country. What
many of them lacked the most was the realm of social experience: the meaningful relationships
with American peers, with the university, and the local community. Most participants had deep

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and meaningful relationships and comfort in ethnic communities that they found through student
associations and from their own networks. Regular prolonged conversations with family and
friends from home in their first year, at some points, had the effect of preventing students from
seeking new connections in the host country. However, family and friends were strong support
whenever students faced difficulties in their social and academic life.
In addition, a supportive environment, in which advisors and faculty members care about
them and support resources are available, helped these students sense that they are included and
belonging. According to the literature, a student’s sense of belonging is largely built upon
feelings of acceptance as an individual and as part of a community (e.g., Hurtado & Carter,
1997). This sense of connection impacts the quality of learning and social life on campus.
Adversely, feelings of loneliness have a negative impact on students’ sense of community on
campus as well as on their college experiences (Cheng 2004, Tinto 2005). Moreover, language
problems and cultural values all were barriers to the participants’ social and academic
integration. Most participants experienced a cultural shift from “spoon-fed” instruction in their
home countries to exploratory self-disciplined and self-regulated in every aspects of their
academic life in the university in the States.
From the literature review, findings, and discussion there are some similar factors
contributing to the social and academic integration of Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese
students and students of color in the U.S., and factors affecting their persistence in college
including family background (i.e., parental support), students’ own efforts, student
characteristics (e.g., academic preparation, behaviors and perceptions), institutional supports,
student commitment, and social networks (e.g., acquaintances, friendships). However the levels
of influence of these factors on academic and social integration as well as student persistence are

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different among those populations. There are some factors that make the social and academic
integration of Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese international students differ from domestic
minority students including cultural dynamics (e.g., hierarchy, age), sense of belonging, and their
academic commitment.
This study also brought some insights into international undergraduate student
socialization patterns and the factors that influence their social life: understanding of U.S. culture
plays an important part in international students’ interactions with Americans; skills and
knowledge international students need to help them integrate better to the American college
environment; and the balance between socializing with co-national and cross-cultural groups.
Due to vast cultural differences and limited understanding of American culture, some students
found it less desirous to engage in activities with Americans. It was cited in the literature that
international students have limited opportunities to meet and interact with Americans because the
ways of thinking and even leisure activities were different (e.g., Ho, Li, Cooper, & Holmes,
2007). Therefore, overcoming language barriers and getting to know more about American
culture and its people by participating in different social and academic activities on campus were
the ways students tried to integrate into the college environment. In addition, participating in
their country student associations’ events brought students more opportunities to meet and
interact with other internationals as well as Americans who were interested in learning about
Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese cultures. Furthermore, students who were e-board members
in Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese Students Associations reported this involvement improved
their interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills, which they saw as an advantage in
their social and academic integration experience. In addition, these e-board members supported

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me with help in disseminating my study and introducing me to significant informants, for that I
am very grateful.
Implications for Theory
This study contributes to the existing theories of SDT and the Behavior-PerceptionBehavior regarding self-determination, motivation, perceptions and behaviors by examining the
role each factor plays in social and academic integration of Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese
international undergraduate students. Both SDT and the Behavior-Perception-Behavior model
proved that they were conceptually useful through the rich findings of the study. STD and the
Behavior-Perception-Behavior model guided me to develop a useful research question and create
good interview protocols. However, the study findings showed that educational self-efficacy,
which was not described in either the SDT or the Behavior-Perception-Behavior model, was a
salient factor that influenced the participants’ social and academic integration. Thus, the
findings of the study have implications for applying current theories, and developing a new,
theoretical model for studying social and academic integration and persistence of Asian
international students in particular, and international students in general.
When designing this study, it was difficult to find a theoretical framework that could
explain the social and academic integration process of this particular student population.
Although general theories are not meant to fit any one subset of students exactly, they provide
helpful guidelines and tools for administrators and faculty, as well as researchers. Results of the
current study indicate the importance of structural and psychological factors in influencing
international student integration to an American college environment. Psychological challenges,
motivation, sense of belonging, self-efficacy, interactions with peers and faculty, perceptions and
behaviors were all shown to play a role in influencing social and academic integration. From this

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study, international college students’ self-efficacy beliefs, motivation, and expectations are
considered to be dynamic constructs because they can be changed as sources of information are
filtered through current perceptions, personal knowledge, and the individual’s interactions with
and reactions to environment and tasks.
In this study, students who were highly intrinsically motivated to get the most of their
college experience in the U.S. have a stronger commitment to integrate themselves socially and
academically into the college environment and to complete their degree programs. Findings of
this study show that, as SDT and the Behavior-Perception-Behavior frameworks suggest,
perceptions, motivational orientations, educational self-efficacy, behaviors and attitudes interact
with and influence each other. Additional research is needed in an attempt to further understand
the complex relationship among the investigated structural and psychological factors to have a
better understanding of social and academic integration and persistence of international college
students.
Implications for Future Research
Further research with the same design and theoretical frameworks can be conducted in
other contexts to have a better understanding of international undergraduate students’ social and
academic integration and persistence in general, Asian international students in particular. This
study was an exploratory case study with a qualitative research design and it yielded very useful
findings but specific to the study context. In other words, the findings were institutionally
specific even if lessons learned from this study can inform those in similar situations at other
universities. Furthermore, the current study only focused on Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese
undergraduate students in a public research university. It did not study other groups of
international students or international students in private universities/colleges and community

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colleges. To examine whether any differences in students’ social and academic integration on
campus among different groups of students, and/or in different types of colleges, future research
can include international students from different countries of origin and/or across various
institutional types.
The findings from this study could serve as a platform for examining how different
groups of Asian international undergraduate students adjust and integrate to a new environment
in response to their unique needs and contexts. The insights provided in this study also open
doors for understanding the interconnections among international students’ academic life and
their socialization. Asian international undergraduate students in this study often found it
difficult to connect psychologically, socially, and culturally with faculty members and American
peers. Even students who formed good relationships with faculty and their American peers said
they went through difficult periods initially. However, those difficulties were only from the
participants’ perspectives and they did not reflect if these difficulties stemmed from domestic
students’ competence with cross-cultural interpersonal relationships or faculty members’
expertise regarding working with international students. Therefore, an important direction for
future research is to closely examine how international students navigate relationships with
American peers, faculty members, and their academic advisors, because high-quality
relationships with peers and faculty members have been found to provide strength to overcome
psychological challenges (e.g., depression, stress) that international students experience during
their study in the U.S. (Mallinckrodt & Leong, 1992). In addition, research needs to explore
these issues from both faculty and domestic student perspectives. For example, future research
could examine how academic advisors, student affairs administrators, and American students

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understand issues surrounding international students’ social and academic integration, and
compare their understandings and perceptions to international students’ perceptions.
This study also provided new insight into the role of the country student associations in
international students’ lives on American campus. These associations play an important role in
helping prospective and incoming international students get to know more about the schools
they might be attending, to learn more about American culture, to help them have a smoother and
better transition to a new environment, and to promote better understanding among cultures on
campus. Most participants’ social involvement was with their associations. However, the current
study did not investigate deep enough in order to understand the linkage between the associations
and the institutions, which offices they worked with to plan their events, and how they
collaborate with each other. Therefore, there is a need to have further research on this area in
order to understand the role of the institution in these associations’ mission and vice versa and
the impacts of these associations on social and academic integration of international students.
The study findings showed the students in different programs and schools within the
university experienced different experiences of social and academic integration. Therefore,
exploring the needs and expectations of international students in different programs and across
different schools can be alternatives for future research. In addition, there is a need to conduct
sustained research that keeps pace with the needs and expectations of international students.
University personnel should continue to have conversations with international students to gain
perspective on their experiences. A comparative study of international undergraduate students
and their American peers on social experiences should be conducted every 2 years or 5 years
because the international and American student body, culture, and socialization patterns are ever
changing.

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Implication for Policy and Practice
As the number of international students in general, Asian international students in
particular, increases in American colleges and universities, shedding light onto the factors
contributing to their social and academic integration would give student affairs staff and
academic administrators a better picture of how these students adjust and integrate into the new
environment. Four-year public research institutions may be able to use the information of this
study to evaluate current practices and policies on international student integration and
persistence. This research has contributed to detailing some of the mechanisms that universities
can adopt, or consider adopting to enhance social and academic integration and positively
influence persistence for Korean, Malaysian, Taiwanese international students at American
universities. Faculty, administrators, and student affairs staff who are interested in international
students’ experiences, particularly Asian international undergraduate students, may benefit from
the insights and thoughts shared by the participants.
The study suggests that by being aware of the differences between cultures in their home
countries and American culture, Asian international students would be more involved and
successful in the early years of higher education. However, Asian international students are not a
homogenous group and their needs and concerns differ by country of origin, ethnicity, age, year
in college, programs of study, and educational background. The study found that students from
more socially hierarchically connected societies (e.g., Korea) are more difficult to integrate into a
new environment socially and are less likely to utilize formal support services (e.g., the writing
center, help rooms, and advising system). The findings suggest that underutilization of support
services may result from students not being familiar with the services or possibly that the

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services are not culturally relevant. Thus, greater understanding should be the basis of continuing
the discussion on provision of appropriate support services that meet student needs.
In addition, the quality of academic advising may influence the persistence rate of
international undergraduate students on campuses. Faculty members’ capacity to advise and
connect with international students may be enhanced when they are aware of and interested in
the challenges these students face. Faculty members and academic advisors with international
backgrounds and those who successfully work with international students can share their
knowledge and experiences, particularly with other members, who are and/or will be working
with international students in their departments as well as across campus.
Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese international undergraduate students in the study
shared a desire to integrate with Americans and feel a sense of community in the American
university. However, many found themselves in learning environments with limited
opportunities to speak English and interact with students who are different from them. Therefore,
developing cross-cultural programs to facilitate interaction between domestic and international
students would help international students improve their English and become more confident in
interacting with diverse people. Involving domestic students in cross-cultural programming
serves the dual purposes of learning and adjustment for all students. For example, some sessions
in orientation for international students should be combined with first-year student orientation for
American students, so international students could have opportunities to interact and make
friends with domestic students from the start. Moreover, orientation should not only last for a
week or two at the beginning of the academic year, but rather be an ongoing activity. Most
interviewed participants did not get much from an intensive orientation at the beginning of their
first semester due to their language limitation and feeling overwhelmed. In addition, increasing

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opportunities for social interactions that attract both international and domestic students, such as
games nights or cultural performance nights, or trips and cultural excursions, will help
international students better adjust and integrate into a new environment.
The study findings showed Korean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese student associations play
an important role in the participants’ lives during their time studying in the U.S. According to the
International Student Office statistics, in fall 2011 the university hosts almost 6,000 international
students represented 125 countries, however, there are only 35 international student clubs and
associations. What happens to students who are not a member of or belonging to any of those
clubs and associations or students whose groups were too small to form a student country
association? Understanding international student needs and providing support will help students
better integrate into the college environment during their time on campus. One suggestion is that
there should be student ambassadors representing their countries (how many student
ambassadors representing one’s country depending on how big the student group from that
country was) and the university can organize forums for these ambassadors to introduce
themselves, share their experiences, and network with prospective and incoming students.
In addition, the study findings showed the importance of the country student associations
on campus, therefore, university staff could work together with the country student associations
to run pre-departure orientation for international students in a number of key sending countries
(e.g., what the Taiwanese Student Association is doing right now during their summer break
when e-board members come back to Taiwan for their break). Student country organizations,
student support staff, and other service units could work together to design programs responding
to the needs of international students, for example, a cross-cultural communication program
encourages international students to engage with domestic students in a workshop setting, which

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covers a range of topics (e.g., exploring cultural differences, transition, balancing academic and
social life). More activities should be organized throughout the academic year to provide
opportunities for making friends and augmenting peer group interactions. International students
come from all over the globe in order to better themselves through academic experiences, so they
need an environment where there is encouragement to interact with the American students on
campus. Such interchange would be equally beneficial to the international student, the university,
and the host country as well as the sending countries. Therefore, the university community as a
whole needs to actively engage with international students as do their American peers.
Final Thoughts – A Message for Future International Undergraduate Students
Throughout the entire process of becoming accustomed to a new environment in the
United States, it is important to remember that international students are never alone. American
students starting their freshman year of college face many of the same issues fitting in and
making new friends. For many of domestic students, it is often a totally new environment, as
they venture away from their families and hometowns for the first time. Everyone needs some
time to find their niche, be it through different social and academic activities both on and offcampus, and daily life in a new environment. The more the students put themselves into the
American university experience, the more they will get out of it; it is definitely worth it, and
there is so much that can be learned. All students need to do is get involved, be open-minded and
try new things. There will be many incredible opportunities awaiting an adventure!

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APPENDICES

163

APPENDIX A: IRB APPROVAL
December 8, 2011
To: Marilyn J. Amey
418 Erickson Hall
Re: IRB# X11-1122e Category: EXEMPT 1.2
Approval Date: December 8, 2011
Title: Factors contributing to the persistence of Asian International Undergraduate Students.
The Institutional Review Board has completed their review of your project. I am pleased to
advise you that your project has been deemed as exempt in accordance with federal
regulations.
The IRB has found that your research project meets the criteria for exempt status and the criteria
for the protection of human subjects in exempt research. Under our exempt policy the
Principal Investigator assumes the responsibilities for the protection of human subjects in
this project as outlined in the assurance letter and exempt educational material. The IRB office
has received your signed assurance for exempt research. A copy of this signed agreement is
appended for your information and records.
Renewals: Exempt protocols do not need to be renewed. If the project is completed, please
submit an
Application for Permanent Closure.
Revisions: Exempt protocols do not require revisions. However, if changes are made to a
protocol that may no longer meet the exempt criteria, a new initial application will be required.
Problems: If issues should arise during the conduct of the research, such as unanticipated
problems, adverse events, or any problem that may increase the risk to the human subjects and
change the category of review, notify the IRB office promptly. Any complaints from participants
regarding the risk and benefits of the project must be reported to the IRB.
Follow-up: If your exempt project is not completed and closed after three years, the IRB office
will contact you regarding the status of the project and to verify that no changes have occurred
that may affect exempt status.
Please use the IRB number listed above on any forms submitted which relate to this project, or
on any correspondence with the IRB office.
Good luck in your research. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us at 517-355-2180
or via email at IRB@msu.edu. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,

Harry McGee, MPH
SIRB Chair

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APPENDIX B: INVITATION LETTER
Date:
Dear International students from Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia
My name is Hoa Pham and I am an international student from Vietnam pursuing my PhD in
Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education, College of Education at Michigan State University. Some
of you might have met me during the Global Festivals. If you are junior students enrolled in
any undergraduate program, I would like to invite you to participate in an exciting
opportunity, in which your invaluable insights will benefit the experiences of international
undergraduate students at MSU.
I am conducting research on Asian international undergraduate students’ persistence examined
through their life history and reflections on their experiences during their course of study at the
university. Your participation will both advance our understanding of the challenging but very
meaningful lives that international students lead, and will highlight the importance of Asian
international undergraduate students to administrators and faculty at the university. I understand
that this is a busy time of the year; however, I am contacting you in hopes of obtaining the
information only international students like you can provide.
As a participant in this study you will be interviewed two times (45 minutes per interview) in a
relaxed informal environment. First interview focuses on students’ life history and details of your
experiences when you first arrived and during your first year here at MSU, and your early
perceptions of yourself and of the institution. Second interview focuses on your current
experiences, your changes (if any) during the past one or two years, and your reflections of these
changes and the meaning of these changes.
The interviews will be conducted during the spring of 2012. The interviews will be at least a
week apart and I will work around your schedule and convenience to plan these meetings. Your
participation and information provided by you will be kept strictly confidential. Wal-Mart gift
cards worth $15.00 as tokens of my appreciation to your time and sharing your experiences will
be given to you at the second interview.
Participation in this study is completely voluntary; please respond to phamhoa1@msu.edu if you
are interested in participating. I thank you in advance for your participation and interest to
improve the quality of international students’ lives. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Hoa Pham
Doctoral Candidate
Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education
College of Education.

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APPENDIX C: INTERVIEW PROTOCOLS
IRB#: 11-1122
Introduction- Who I am; What is the research about; Purpose of the interview, confidentiality,
length
First interview focus: students’ life history and details their experiences when they first
arrived and during their first year, and their very first perceptions of themselves, and of
the institutions.
Second interview focus: their current experiences, their changes (if any) during the past
one or two years, and their reflections of these changes and the meaning of these changes.
Interview 1:
1. Please tell me about yourself.
2. What do you value about education? (Probing: What do your parents value about
education)
3. Why have you decided to study in the U.S?
4. Why did you choose to study at this institution? (Probing: What do you perceive about
your institution?)
5. How did you think about yourself in a new culture when you first arrived?
6. Please draw a picture of what it was like for you as a new student at this institution.
7. What about coming to an American college surprised you? Was there anything about
college life that you didn’t expect?
8. Tell me about your first year experience?
9. Please tell me how you got involved in social and academic activities during your first
year.
10. Please tell me about your life in the residence hall. How was it different with your life in
your home country?
11. Tell me one or two social and academic activities that you liked most during the first
year? Why?
12. What role did your family and your friends play in your first year?
13. Is there anything else about your first year that you want to share with me?
Thank you for your time

Interview 2:
14. Please draw a picture of yourself at this current time.

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15. Please tell me about your college experience so far. What are some of the things that
stand out for you (about your college experience)?
16. Comparing to your first year experiences, how are your current experiences similar or
different?
17. How have your experiences influenced your behavior and attitude toward the university?
18. How have you changed during the past year (or 2 years)?
19. How do you perceive the need for change in order to be successful in your study in the
U.S?
20. What do you like most about your college? Your student life?
21. Tell me about your relationship and interactions with other students as well as faculty
members and staff. How these relationships affect your experiences on campus? What
cultural factors that you have kept when you interact with people different from your
own.
22. Have you got used to the university life here? Why/why not and how?
23. Describe the campus environment?
24. Tell me about your current campus involvement?
25. What role does your family play in your college journey?
26. What factors made it difficult to succeed in college thus far?
27. Who or what programs have made you feel supported while in college?
28. Is there anything else you want to share with me?
Thank you for your time.

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APPENDIX D: CONSENT FORM
IRB # 11-1122

Research Participant Information and Consent Form

You are being asked to participate in a research project. Researchers are required to provide a
consent form to inform you about the study, to convey that participation is voluntary, to explain
risks and benefits of participation, and to empower you to make an informed decision. You
should feel free to ask the researchers any questions you may have.
STUDY TITLE:
Study Title:
Factors contributing to social and academic integration of
Asian International undergraduate students
Researcher and Title:
Hoa Pham, Ph.D. Student.
Department and Institution:
Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education
Michigan State University
Address and Contact Information: 1576E Spartan Village
East Lansing, MI 48823
517-303-4422
phamhoa1@msu.edu
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH:
You are being asked to participate in a research study of factors contributing to persistence of
Asian International undergraduate students. The study will focus on how and why students
become integrated to the college environment, the nature of the perceived student integration and
students’ behaviors toward the institution. You have been selected as a possible participant in
this study because you are a full-time junior Asian international undergraduate student.
If you are under 18 you cannot be in this study.
WHAT YOU WILL DO:
Participation in this study involves two in-person interviews. The interviews will each last
approximately 45 minutes depending on the length of your responses. During the interview you
will be asked about your experiences during your study here in the U.S., the challenges you
faced during your first few months and first year in the U.S., your current challenges and how
you address these challenges, your home country (family, school) and your experiences when
you first arrived in the U.S., your first semester, your first year, and your life in residence halls
compared with off-campus living experiences if any, in terms of your efforts and your
motivations to participate in both social and academic activities. With your consent, the
interview will be audio recorded.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS:
Your participation in this study may result in recommendations that can help the institution have
a better understanding of the Asian international students and their needs. These will result in
recommendations for designing effective programs to improve college experience of Asian
international students.
POTENTIAL RISKS:
It is possible that you may feel uncomfortable with some of the questions asked in the interview.
If at any time you do not wish to answer a question or wish to stop the interview, please alert the

168

interviewer immediately. You may also ask the interviewer to turn the audio recorder off at any
point during the interview.
PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY:
Every effort will be made to maintain your confidentiality and privacy within this project. Your
confidentiality will be protected to the maximum extent allowable by law. The Secondary
Investigator, Hoa Pham, will be the only person aware of your identity. For reporting purposes
you will be asked to select your own pseudonym. The data will be audio recorded and stored on
a password protected computer until it is transcribed. Once transcribed, the hard copies will be
kept in a locked filing cabinet in a locked private office. Your pseudonym will be used during the
interview, but your actual name will not be used. Your signed consent form will be kept in
another locked filing cabinet.
The research data will be stored in a password protected computer or locked file cabinet on the
campus of Michigan State University (MSU) for a minimum of 3 years after the close of the
research. Only the appointed researchers and Institutional Review Board will have access to the
research data. The results of this study may be published or presented at professional meetings,
but the identities of all research participants will remain concealed with the use of a pseudonym.
YOUR RIGHTS TO PARTICIPATE, SAY NO, OR WITHDRAW:
Participation in this research project is completely voluntary. You may change your mind at any
time and withdraw without penalty or loss of benefits. If you would like to withdraw your
participation, alert the investigator to your wish and your participation will be stopped
immediately. You may choose not to answer specific questions or to stop participating at any
time. You may also choose to continue the interview without being audio recorded at any time.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS:
If you have concerns or questions about this study, such as scientific issues, how to do any part
of it, or to report an injury, please contact the researcher Hoa Pham, 1576E Spartan Village,
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48823, 517-303-4422; phamhoa1@msu.edu or the
principal investigator Dr. Marilyn Amey, 418 Erickson Hall, Michigan State University, East
Lansing, MI 48823, 517-432-1056, amey@msu.edu
If you have any questions or concerns about your role and rights as a research participant, or
would like to register a complaint about this research study, you may contact, anonymously if
you wish, Michigan State University Human Research Protection Program at 517-355-2180,
FAX 517-432-4503, or e-mail irb@msu.edu, or regular mail at: 207 Olds Hall, MSU, East
Lansing, MI 48824.
DOCUMENTATION OF INFORMED CONSENT:
Your signature below means that you voluntarily agree to participate in this research study and
you allow me as the researcher to record the interview.
________________________________________ _____________________________
Signature
Date
Participants Desired Pseudonym (Please Print) – One copy to the participant

169

REFERENCES

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