Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Sociology
Date of Award
12-2003
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Martha Copp
Committee Members
Scott H. Beck, Wendell H. Hester
Abstract
As the number of international students grows, the importance of understanding them grows also. This thesis analyzes in-depth interview data from 17 international students from 12 different countries at East Tennessee State University who discussed their experiences as international students. Findings show that they are willing to adjust to the new culture and a new educational system, but they are reluctant to assimilate further. After they obtain their education, most of them want to return to their home country with their degree to work, even though situations are often better in the United States. These students serve as cultural ambassadors, but they will not be permanent immigrants, which contradicts popular assumptions about international students who study in the United States.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Owens, Yumiko Okuda, "Adjusting but Not Assimilating: International Students at East Tennessee State University." (2003). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 837. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/837
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.