| International students experience unique challenges as they pursue higher education in the United States. This study explored the relationships and traits that impact international students' social and academic integration (together called institutional integration). A purposeful convenience sample of international students enrolled at two small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest resulted in 78 participants completing the electronic survey. Quantitative analysis was used, and statistical tests were conducted to investigate the associations among institutional integration, social support, social connectedness, demographic traits, and seven key relationships including the following: Biological family, friendship family, co-national (same country) students, multi-national (international student from a different country) students, host national (U.S. American) students, academic advisor, and international student advisor. This research found social support predicts institutional integration, and the personal relationships significantly associated with higher institutional integration were co-national friendship strength and more frequent meetings with multi-national students and host national students. These findings align with Tinto's interactive model of college student departure (1993), which theorizes that social support predicts institutional integration. It is, therefore, recommended that colleges provide an abundance of opportunities for international students to frequently and repeatedly encounter fellow students in order to build relationships. This can be done in the academic arena through intentional class activities, opportunities for collaboration, and tutoring and in the co-curricular arena by assigning diverse roommate pairs for first year freshmen and encouraging participation in regularly meeting groups such as residence life councils, student organizations, or a mentoring program. |
