Empowering International Students for Positive Social Risk-Taking in U.S. Higher Education

Authors

• Maha Azzazi, University of DaytonFollow

ORCID

0000-0002-6697-0785

Keywords

International Students, U.S. Higher Education, Positive Social Risk-Taking, Student and Teacher Engagment

Abstract

During the acculturation process to their new life in the United States, international students can face challenges in building meaningful connections with their campus community due to difficulties in social integration. There has been limited research on finding effective ways to help international students overcome these challenges, despite numerous studies exploring the factors contributing to international students' disengagement, such as cultural and linguistic barriers and financial difficulties. To address this gap, this phenomenological qualitative study examines the experiences of eight international students at a US university. Among the themes that emerge from preliminary results are familiar challenges faced by students, such as communication conflicts and cultural awareness. In addition, the results reveal a clear connection between students' experiences and faculty roles. In addition, respondents expressed concerns about their careers, internships, and job prospects. In fostering involved leaders who are connected to their new communities, these results serve as stepping stones towards creating an engagement plan that empowers positive social risk-taking among the international student population.

Abstract - Translated

خلال عملية التثاقف والتكيّف مع حياتهم الجديدة في الولايات المتحدة، قد يواجه الطلاب الدوليون تحديات في بناء علاقات ذات معنى مع مجتمع الحرم الجامعي، نتيجةً لصعوبات في الاندماج الاجتماعي. وعلى الرغم من كثرة الدراسات التي تناولت العوامل المؤدية إلى ضعف اندماج الطلاب الدوليين، مثل الحواجز الثقافية واللغوية والصعوبات المالية، فإن الأبحاث التي تسعى إلى إيجاد أساليب فعّالة لمساعدتهم على تجاوز هذه التحديات لا تزال محدودة.

ولسدّ هذه الفجوة البحثية، تتناول هذه الدراسة النوعية الظاهراتية تجارب ثمانية طلاب دوليين في إحدى الجامعات الأمريكية. وتُظهر النتائج الأولية عددًا من الموضوعات البارزة، من بينها تحديات مألوفة يواجهها الطلاب، مثل صراعات التواصل ومستويات الوعي الثقافي. كما تكشف النتائج عن وجود علاقة واضحة بين تجارب الطلاب وأدوار أعضاء هيئة التدريس. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، أعرب المشاركون عن مخاوف تتعلق بمساراتهم المهنية، وفرص التدريب، وآفاق التوظيف المستقبلية.

وفي إطار تعزيز إعداد قادة فاعلين ومنخرطين ومرتبطين بمجتمعاتهم الجديدة، تمثل هذه النتائج خطوات تمهيدية نحو تطوير خطة مشاركة تهدف إلى تمكين الطلاب الدوليين من خوض مخاطر اجتماعية إيجابية وتعزيز اندماجهم في المجتمع الجامعي.

Recommended Citation

Azzazi, Maha (2026) "Empowering International Students for Positive Social Risk-Taking in U.S. Higher Education," Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education: Vol. 18: No. 3, Article 8.
DOI: 10.64899/2151-0407.1877
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/jcihe/vol18/iss3/8

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