Abstract
The case of Kenyatta, an international student at Chelsea University from Kenya, studying and working as an Assistant Hall Director. Kenyatta goes through a major cultural misinterpretation due to using the social application called Tinder to seek friendship. Back in his country of Kenya, Tinder has a dual use; it is used not only for dating but also to make friends and keep in touch with people. Knowing this, first-year graduate student Kenyatta uses the app and connects with a resident assistant from another residence hall, Gabby. The two get along fine, but Gabby thinks that because of Kenyatta’s position, Kenyatta might report her first and decides to strike first by reporting him to his supervisor.
Keywords:
Ethical boundaries, culture, student-staff relationships, social apps, fairness
Character Descriptions
Kenyatta (Him/He/His) is a 24-year-old Kenya graduate student at Chelsea University reading a master’s in College Student Personnel Administration. Kenyatta works as an Assistant Hall Director overseeing Resident Assistants in one of the residence halls. He is lonely and has been using the dating app Tinder to find friends; he does not know that this app is generally used in this country to find casual sex partners.
Gabby (She/Her) is a 21-year-old undergraduate student who works as a Resident Assistant in a different residence hall at Chelsea University. After she matched up with Kenyatta on Tinder, she started to feel concerned that he might be able to turn her in. She felt that for this reason a
complaint against his supervisor would be warranted, as she judged his behavior harassing based on the circumstances surrounding the situation.
Mr. Duncan (Him/He/His) is a Hall Director at Chelsea University and Kenyatta’s direct supervisor.
Context
Chelsea University is situated in the Midwest region of the United States, and it has about 12,000 undergraduate and 4,000 graduate students. This university is famous for its policies of educational diversity and work toward creating a safe space for students of color.
As part of this commitment, Chelsea University has a growing international student population, with students from over 80 countries. The university, therefore, has available a variety of services designed to assist international students; these include international student orientation and an international student center that offers events that bring together students from different cultures.
However, as Lee and Rice (2007) note, international students can often experience cultural misunderstandings and subtle forms of discrimination, which may affect their sense of belonging.
Case Study
According to Brown and Holloway (2008), international students often experience a complex adjustment journey, where even seemingly routine interactions can become significant sources of stress. This process is further complicated by the lack of familiarity with certain social norms, which can lead to misunderstandings.
Kenyatta arrived in the US three months ago to study for a master’s in college student personnel administration and holds an assistantship in Chelsea University’s Housing and Dining as an Assistant Hall Director and oversees 20 resident assistants in his hall. Although Kenyatta feels grateful for this opportunity, he often felt disassociated from people at the start because he had to be away from his family and friends. With his longing for friendship and companionship, Kenyatta downloads Tinder, which is popular among Kenyan teenagers and youths, to make friends and find companions in the US.
His profile says, “Just looking to make some friends and explore the area!” suggesting a desire to meet others who share his interest in getting to know America. He does not know that most American university students use Tinder as a hook-up app. He is open to casual conversation when matched with Gabby, a resident assistant from another hall. Kenyatta assumes Gabby, like himself, is also interested in finding friends. With over 150 Resident Assistants at Chelsea University, it is unlikely that Kenyatta, would know all of them, even after housing training.
Their conversation is informal, and the topic of their interaction centers around campus responsibilities and everyday scenarios. An excerpt of the interaction they had is presented below:
Kenyatta: Hello! New in the States, just looking for new friends. How is your day?
Gabby: Hey! Not bad, just finished a shift. I am an RA, so I’m on call most days; what about you?
Kenyatta: Great! I am an Assistant Hall Director for the hall down the hill. Coming here has been a big change; I just hope that I will make some friends while I’m here. Do you on campus live too?
Gabby: Yeah, I do. It’s busy being an RA, but I like it. It’s nice helping people adjust to college life.
After several other exchanges about campus life and the weather, they parted ways on good terms. Kenyatta felt accomplished that he had broken the ice and been able to communicate successfully with another person on campus. A week later, he is shocked to find himself called into his supervisor’s office, Mr. Duncan, who explains that Gabby has filed a report because she was uncomfortable due to their interaction on Tinder. In Kenya, Kenyatta is used to addressing supervisors formally with titles like “Mr.” or “Ms.,” reflecting common professional norms in many African workplaces.
Mr. Duncan said, “Kenyatta, I want to bring something up with you that was just brought to my attention. Gabby, an RA from the other hall said she matched with you on Tinder. She is concerned this could lead to a conflict of interest and breaking boundaries. Kenyatta: “I’m surprised since I never thought that something was wrong. We use Tinder to meet people, hang around, and make friends in Kenya. And I mentioned that on my profile and wasn’t seeking more than friendship.
Mr. Duncan replied, “I know, but here in the US, it has a reputation as a hookup app; only a few people use it to find friends.
She matched with me too, and we agreed to chat,” Kenyatta said. “And then, if she felt uneasy about it, she could have unmatched me, I don’t see why there should need to be some sort of report type thingy.
Mr. Duncan elaborated, “Gabby felt that you would be personally calling her out yourself, since you are in a position of authority, and the whole thing was best coming from her first. So, positionality does need to be factored in while considering the context of the situation.”
Kenyatta said, “I know, but I mainly wanted to find friends somehow to lessen my loneliness here. It is not at all fair that I am judged because of cultural differences.”
Mr. Duncan hears Kenyatta out and knows there could be a cultural misunderstanding in the way Tinder is used in this country.
Mr. Duncan reminds Kenyatta that his role calls for more discretion in interactions with student staff. “Kenyatta, I can only imagine how challenging this must have been for you. It is an opportunity for us to learn how we can support our international students in navigating the campus cultural expectations. Let’s work together to find ways to help you feel connected while establishing professional boundaries.”.
Kenyatta leaves this interaction feeling misunderstood and disconnected. He questions whether Gabby’s reaction had to do with her assumptions about who he was as an international student and his unfamiliarity with social norms in the United States. He feels that his cultural background was not considered within this interaction and that he has been discriminated against based on what was, relatively speaking, a harmless conversation.
This incident has raised several questions in Kenyatta’s mind about how inclusive his new environment is and how well Chelsea University supports international students in their social and cultural adjustment.
Kenyatta’s misunderstanding of Tinder’s purpose highlights how cultural differences can complicate social interactions. According to Bosch (2022), in many African countries, Tinder serves not only as a dating app but also as a platform for making friends or casual acquaintances. In South Africa, for example, 12% of Tinder users surveyed reported using the app for networking or finding friends, and many view it as a form of entertainment rather than strictly for romantic purposes. This contrasts sharply with its predominant use in the U.S. for casual dating and physical attraction.
According to Lee and Rice (2007), international students frequently experience subtle discrimination when their behaviors are interpreted through a culturally specific lens, which may not consider their backgrounds.
Discussion Questions
What ethical issues should Kenyatta be concerned about as an Assistant Hall Director in using social applications that may provide opportunities to interact with student staff?
Should Chelsea University establish guidelines specific to social media interactions among student staff, and how can these guidelines balance personal freedom with professional boundaries, particularly in culturally diverse settings?
If Gabby’s complaint against Kenyatta was based on her perception and fear rather than any wrongdoing, how would the campus authorities address such an issue to be certain that they were being fair?
How might these circumstances affect Kenyatta’s experiences as an international student, including his interactions with others on campus?
Author
Benjamin Dadzie (he/him): Benjamin is a graduate student in the Master of Education in Student Affairs program at Clemson University. Originally from Ghana, he is passionate about exploring the challenges faced by international students and advocates for creating supportive, culturally inclusive environments in higher education.
References
Brown, L., & Holloway, I. (2008). The adjustment journey of international postgraduate students at an English university: An ethnographic study. Journal of Research in International Education, 7(2), 232-249.
Bosch, T. (2022). The dating game: Survey shows how and why South Africans use Tinder. The Conversation.
Lee, J. J., & Rice, C. (2007). Welcome to America? International student perceptions of discrimination. Higher Education, 53, 381-409.