Abstract
Educators and student affairs professionals are instrumental in shaping the lived experiences of college students. The increasingly diverse student population served on college campuses means there is always room for improvement in how they are served because they have varied needs, experiences, and cultures. This case study explores the struggles of an international graduate student of color, Frank, at a predominantly white institution (PWI) trying to navigate his way through cultural differences and stereotypes in the classroom. The lack of cultural awareness and implicit bias demonstrated by both his classmates and professors compound his struggles. Feeling alienated and unwelcome, Frank is contemplating transferring to a different school to make his experience easier and more rewarding. His potential transfer has gotten the attention of the staff of International Student Services, and they are now trying to resolve his concerns.
Key words: international student challenges, cross-cultural navigation, implicit bias in education, predominantly white institution dynamics, identity-based support
Main Characters
Frank (He/him) is a first-generation college and graduate student from Ghana in West Africa pursuing his master’s degree in aerospace engineering at Gliding University (GU). He is in his second year and the only student of color and only international student in his cohort.
Dr. Oliver (He/him) is a professor in the Aerospace Engineering program at GU, a globally renowned university that trains top notch pilots and astronauts. He is also the advisor for the Aerospace Engineering Club (AEC), the only student organization in the department. He has been teaching for the past eight years.
Liam (He/him) is a graduate student in the second year of the aerospace engineering program. He is also the president of AEC.
Brianna (She/her) is among the very few employees who identify as a person of color and the only Black individual serving as an International Student Service Advisor at GU. She has served in this position for two years.
Context
Gliding University (GU) is a mid-sized private institution which is consistently ranked in the top 15% of colleges and universities among all the major university ranking agencies. It is a private, four-year institution in the southern part of the United States and is a predominantly white institution (PWI) with enrollment of approximately 9,000 students (6,300 undergraduates and 2,700 graduate students). The demographic breakdown is as follows: Caucasian/white – 63.3%, Hispanic/Latinx – 8.67%, Asian American or Hawaiian/Pacific Islander – 5.12%, Black/African American – 7.77%, American Indian/Alaska Native – 0.123%, and 2 or more races – 4.35%. Black students make up only about 3% of engineering students. This demographic mirrors that of the employees in engineering fields as well.
Case
Gliding University, though a prestigious university, has come under intense public scrutiny in recent years for its lack of diversity and is labelled ‘the white university’ by critics in the region. Furthermore, these critics claim GU is not living by its own values and mission statement: Empowering minds, celebrating differences, and achieving greatness together. The criticism has become a major concern for the leadership of GU.
As part of a conscious effort by GU’s administration to increase diversity of their student population, a scholarship program aptly named Multicultural Excellence Scholarship was created and piloted to attract talented students from all over the world. Frank is a beneficiary of the Multicultural Excellence Scholarship, and a member of its first cohort. He completed his undergraduate studies in his home country of Ghana in Africa ranked number one in his class.
As both an international student and a first-generation college student, transitioning to his new environment in the master’s program has been a challenge for the past year. Frank has struggled with cultural differences in food, social interactions, teaching and learning style, and language barriers, among other things. He is nonetheless determined to excel in his academics and has invested quality time into this goal, as evidenced by his contribution to class discussions. His classmates affirmed his academic talents.
At first, he felt complimented. With time, he became uncomfortable as he sensed something was off and awkward. To make matters worse, his professor joined in to shower him with praise. The tone from others shifted from complimentary to Frank feeling he was being patronized or that his peers and faculty were genuinely surprised as his academic abilities. Although he knew there was no malicious intent, these experiences really bothered him.
Recently, Liam, an outgoing peer and the president of the Aerospace Engineering Club (AEC) said to Frank “You speak very well – your English is excellent. That is amazing! Were you taught English in your home country?” This and other similar comments make Frank feel uneasy.
To find a community where he could connect and feel more of a sense of belonging, Frank decided to join the AEC. Unbeknown to him, Liam was the organization’s president, and his “pleasantly unwelcoming remarks” (as Frank had come to think of them) continued. Additionally, Frank’s professor, Dr. Oliver, continued to make similar comments in class such as, “See Frank? A young and brilliant mind from Africa has grasped this concept, despite the lack of resources where you come from. Frank, you are a rare breed. Would you be kind enough to explain this concept to your classmates?” At this point, Frank felt he had nowhere to turn to and started contemplating transferring to a different school.
A week later, the Office of International Student Services sent an email about a program entitled “You are Not Alone on this Journey: Help is Here” – for all international graduate students. The program title resonated with Frank, and he decided to attend. Brianna happened to be the main speaker for the event. Frank was so excited to see her, given she was the only Black person he had seen in a staff position in the college of Engineering. Even though she was American and not international, Brianna seemed to deeply understand the challenges related to transition to the campus and the country. Brianna spoke about the transition to a different culture, how international students can navigate challenges on campus, and how to find support. She also shared strategies for developing healthy coping mechanisms academically and personally.
Frank talked to Brianna after the event and told her how glad he was to see her. He shared his classroom struggles and said the session was really helpful. Brianna thanked him for sharing. She said doing sessions like this helped her realize the amount of work needed across the campus in the areas of support, cultural sensitivity, and awareness when working with international students. She validated Frank’s concerns and assured him they would be taken seriously, and she would continue to work on these and other issues.
Discussion Questions
- How can Brianna support Frank to deal with his challenges in the classroom? How might she prioritize his concerns and what first steps might she take in helping him?
- How can Brianna encourage Frank to advocate for himself when situations arise with Dr. Oliver, Liam, and others? What might the implications be – positive and negative – for Frank if he begins to speak up?
- What other campus resources can Frank take advantage of or should Brianna recommend to him to help him as he moves forward in his studies?
- What responsibility to GU as an institution have to Frank and other students? What strategies can GU implement to help Frank, other students of color, and other international students feel a greater sense of belonging in and out of the classroom?
Author’s Biography
Henry Dawson-Amoah (He/him) is an international graduate student from Ghana and in the second year of the Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program at Northern Illinois University. He is also a graduate assistant at the Department of Student Life, Waubonsee Community College.