International Students Experience at Bluefield State College Essay

As a cause planetary student of Bluefield State College, I motive to thank the organisation for gr ingest support and faculty stuff for outstanding faculty member check during past ii years. I know that you ingest biggest interest in swell-being of foreign students. Your first priority always was to provide the trump out father and support in any(prenominal) situation to e rattling student on campus.The main purpose of this proposal is to make global students flavour more comfortable and confident while at Bluefield State College. at that place be few nastyies that outside(a) students go by means of and through by arriving to college. first gear is a verbiage barrier, which affects foreign students faculty member and societal success. Second is heathen adaptation, which slower students transition into the bracing agriculture and accord of local traditions. 3rd is the hold from a family which makes it hard for a student to go through some difficulties , when family pratt give any suggestion in a contrastive situation due to pagan remnants.Development of supranational student support center would succor students to adapt to a new education system and culture faster. Organization of mix heathenish events on campus would help make friends among the local population and help in cultural transition. Mentoring would give support to situations when family couldnt help and better academic results. I believe that if the administration go out take every(prenominal) last(predicate) this concerns under status and implement some of the suggestions it will drive up the retention of worldwide students as well as new recruitment and overall delight of foreign students. Sincerely,This proposal will identify different symptoms that dictate run through of outside(a) students at the university. Research will describe arguments analogous language barrier, cultural diversitys, outstrip from the family and social interaction in larg e details. an separate(prenominal) helpful locution of this paper is to suggest solutions to all the arguments. Developing foreign students center will remediate foreign students satisfaction with a college experience. This proposal will explain how mentoring, counseling and cultural commute events will improve students experience and academic success.Introduction Every instill wants to be recognized not only locally further worrywise worldwide. Schools try to attract student from all over the world by giving scholarships to foreign students, or contracting with world-wide schools on tack programs. It is a challenge to bring multinational students to college in the united States, but the most important task is to make foreign students feel like they didnt leave kinfolk, or they atomic number 18nt that far from it. Every conception would like to see apiece planetary student successfully impersonate a degree and leave school with the best experience.I want to addr ess problems and involve of international students, when they choose to come to colleges in the joined States. The best example would be Bluefield State College, which I attended as an international student. Bluefield State College is a small school in Bluefield, westward Virginia. Population of the college is mostly local residents. There is no campus housing, or expatriation provided by the school, which makes it inconvenient for students. Unsafe surrounding is another downsize, there were a few incidents including shooting and fighting. College is known for their good engineering and nursing programs, in addition to a few others.The biggest downsize is that Bluefield State College doesnt have global Center. When it comes to international students, there is a lot that needs to be taken under consideration like the language barrier, cultural differences, social life, and distance from the family. Development of an international support center will improve international student s assimilation, facilitate intercultural engagement and promote academic success. Arguments a. Language barrier The aim of English proficiency is very low, when international students first arrive to school in the United States. It becomes the biggest obstacle n communication. It similarly affects students confidence. several(prenominal) students frightened to say something incorrect, or being misunders in additiond. The main purpose of international students of poring over in the United States is to exchange cultural experience, make new friends and gain worldwide accepted degree. bingle of the members shows due to limited English more students shut down, they choose to stay in the room and communicate with peers who are from the equal geographic background (McLachlan & Justice, 2009). Foreign students decide to socialise among each other because they have a lot of things in common.bulk of international students is from Saudi Arabia at Bluefield State College. It ma kes it easier for them to communicate among each other, the cultural difference not that visible, which makes them feel like they have never go forth home. There is a major downsize in the situation like that, English proficiency of these students doesnt improve, and they hold outt cleave complete experience in cultural exchange. Sovic (2009) term makes it clear from international students interviews that home students foolt want to interact with foreigners because of their language proficiency.They feel like it takes too long for international students to express their ideas, and they ask few times to repeat, because of the language, slang, and liking (Sovic, 2009). Language proficiency has a huge effect on academic success. First international students have to adjust to the education system, difference in the grading scale, and professors way of teaching clubes. Another problem arises, when students have to amount a professor and take notes in a different language. Some pr ofessors require participation in class. A lot of international students dont feel comfortable to speak up during a class session, because of the accent.They feel that they will be misunderstood. If students dont participate in discussions, it counts against their grade. The main obstacle is to writing, it is already hard to bring out a explore paper that would meet higher education standards, but it is twice harder to write it in a different language. Research article proves that local students had bettor academic results during first and second years in university than international students. However, article shows that the problem is not just language barrier, but as well difference in culture.Students speaking a different language family, differently adjusting to understanding and learning English (Mann, Canny, Lindley & Rajan, 2010). That means that international students have to sink twice more time in order to get the very(prenominal) results as home students. This g ives even less time for socializing. b. Cultural difference Cultural difference is another obstacle that foreign students have to adjust. The article explains crucial point of every foreign students queer background (Wedding, McCartney & Currey, 2009). Depending on the country of origin, some students take long-lived than other to adapt to the American culture.For example, Asian students find it very difficult to get used to American food, so they dont go to the school cafeteria, where there is just local food. Asian students are arduous to find stores or places where they could get and cook homemade food. Another aspect of the cultural differences is religion. For example, Arabian students have different holidays, which dictate what time they can have classes, receive food, or pray. They have to readjust, because universities schedule in the United States doesnt include any of it. Another critical cultural separate is students from India and surrounding India countries.Accor ding to their religion, students cant eat grouse, because a browbeat is saint animal. Most of products in the United States are made from beef some of the Indian students not realizing that in the first gallus weeks eat beef produced products. Many American holidays are different from other countries. Sports joke a great part in American culture. Sports are very common topic among American students. There is numerous more like fashion and music differences. Silvia Sovic (2009) suggests in her article that acculturation is very important in foreign students social lives. c. Distance from familyMany of the students are just graduated from high school, used to their family being around. Moving apart from home to college makes it very complicated. Students have to learn how to spring their day, control time, cooking, doing laundry. One of the studies explains common problems that foreign and home students go through during the first couple semesters at school. Both convocations have to adjust to new academic system, independence, distance from family. Also, it shows other challenges that only international students experience. They have to deal with all the juristic requirements, acculturation, and language barrier (Wedding, McCartney amp Currey, 2009). Many of international students are approach some problems, where their parents cant help them. Families are not acquainted(predicate) with the system, economic situation. Another research suggests that family and high school friends are the main support during the first couple weeks at college (Sherry, Thomas & locomote Hong, 2010). That proves that international students dont have that support during first weeks at college. d. Social interaction Another very important challenge is social interaction. Many international students find it is very hard to start talking to home students.There is a different reason that leads to isolation of international students from American peers. Article explains tha t language barrier, cultural difference as well as the difference in age makes it hard to communicate with home students (Wei, Ku, Russell, Liao & Mallinckrodt, 2008). Similar age problem mentioned in Sovic (2009) article many international students are older and have one or two undergraduate degrees, so it is hard to find common interests with local students and nutrition the dialogue going. Recommendations Every school should have an international center, where foreign students could examine for a help, support, or suggestion.There is an international center where there is a big international students population at schools. These international centers provide students with advice in different situations answer all legal questions, help to interact with other international students. I believe that every school who has international students, has to have international center in order to satisfy basic needs of the foreign students. a. Mentoring I believe that student-mentors wou ld help international students in academic level also in social life. If an international student would have an American mentor, it will help them to improve their English proficiency.Foreign students will feel more confident to interact with an American mentor, then with symmetrical student at first. Mentor wouldnt mind to repeat phrases triune times, or explain some situations, that international students wouldnt understand. Mentors could introduce international students to their friends. One of the researches shows that students responds were very positive towards endorsing mentoring system in universities. They said that professors/mentors shared information on working as a teacher in American education system.Majority said that it helped them to make new friends through the meetings, which helped them to improve their English skills and easier adapt to the new environment. Students said that professors paid aid to difficulties that they had, which showed to students that fa culty cares about them. All that made foreign students feels more confident and comfortable (Ku, Lahman, Yeh & Cheng, 2008 Sato & Hodge, 2009). b. Counseling function Endorsing counseling services could help not only assist international students, but also help universities better understand international students and what they are going through while at school.Counseling services will analyze each international students unique background and needs. Depending on a students cultural background counselors could come up with different programs in order to ease students transition into a new environment. I found research article that gives great examples of situations that international students experience in any institution. Concentrating on place of origin, culture, gender, age, counseling would be a great solution at meeting international students needs, helping them overcome any obstacles, and facilitating intercultural engagement (Tidwell & Hanassab, 2007).If consular gro up at every institution would hold that type of research, it will prepare university for new coming international students. Counselors task is not only to understand foreign students difficulties, but also understand their own culture and understand the difference between them. By completion of that task, it would be much easier to help foreign students introduce American culture and help them with transaction. Olivas and Li (2006) research suggests organizing events where local students could communicate with international students.Mixing or cultural exchange would help both group of students in developing new connections and developing new relationships. Paper suggests each university to do research on counseling programs (Olivas & Li, 2006). c. Pre-entry English courses Pre-entry English courses will better prepare international students for starting college. It will improve their English proficiency. These classes could give them better idea of the education system with no pr essure of grading. It will allow them to come to the university in advance and get familiarize with surrounding.Helen Benzie (2010) suggests that pre-entry English courses will help students not only improve English level it will give them opportunity to start adjusting to a new culture and socialize with local students before school semester starts. d. Intercultural events I believe that if a school or international center would organize more events, where international students would interact with home students, it will help to manufacture friendship among different groups. Intercultural classes, where home students could learn about foreign cultures and international students would learn about local culture.One of the articles provides information on the culture mixing events. Mixing activities, where students with different background interact with each other, helps all cultural groups better understand each other (Mackay, Harding, Jurlina, Scobie & Khan,2011). mop up All i nformation above indicates that all international students no issue what country they choose to get Higher Education from experience the same challenges. Every school has to consider these challenges and help foreign students overcome these difficulties, or try to make it less noticeable.Mentoring, counseling, host family programs are the most ordinary and effective ways to help students when they are going through acculturation. Organizing social events where international and local students could mix and interact outside of an academic environment. If every school would apply knowledge about foreign students unique needs, it would help not only students but also schools to develop future international connections.