INTERNATIONAL

TRANSFER
STUDENTS AND
LEARNING
COMMUNITIES

Katie Bates
Kari Berkas
Ona Fisher

Rosie Sabaric
SDAD 5400
February 24, 2015

OVERVIEW
International transfer student experience

Theoretical frameworks
Learning communities
Potential SU model
Action items

INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER
STUDENTS
An international transfer student is a student from another
country who has transferred from another institution.
Within the United States
Community Colleges

REFLECTION
Adapting to academic rigor

Connecting to peers
Finding resources on campus
Connecting with faculty
Balancing social and academic lives

Rank these aspects of student life and how they

might affect you personally

THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER

STUDENT EXPERIENCE
International student
experience:
Working within the US

educational system
Classroom norms
Language barrier
Connections with American
peers
Feeling different
Not able to work off campus
Cliques based on home
country/culture

Transfer student experience:

New institutions culture/systems

More rigorous 4-year university

environment

Transfer into what are generally the

most intense years of college

Commuter students, non-traditional

students
Transition into a more residential/

engaged campus atmosphere

Social groups have already been

formed
Maintain connections formed in

community college

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
International
Transfer Student
Experience
Assumption of recent arrival

Internationa
l student
experience

Less diversity
Faculty less accustomed to

teaching international
students
ELCB
Visa requirements

Transfer
student
experience

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
Astins Theory of Involvement
Involvement is key

Schlossbergs Transition Theory

Support students in transition

Chickerings Theory of Identity Development

College is a time for personal development and growth

Kolbs Theory of Learning

Addresses learning styles and academic rigor

Phinneys Model of Ethnic Identity Development

Kims International Student Identity (ISI) Model
Integration is key

WHAT ARE THE

BENEFITS OF
LEARNING
COMMUNITIES?

LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Encourages active vs.

passive learning
Generally higher retention
rate
Connect students inside and
outside the classroom
Learning as a social
endeavor
Provides students
opportunities to learn
with/from different
perspectives
Formation of support groups
Connecting with faculty

Three characteristics of strong

learning communities
1. Strong student and

academic affairs
collaboration
2. Clear objectives with a

strong academic focus

3. Seizing the opportunity for

learning wherever and

whenever it occurs

ELEMENTS OF AN EMPOWERING
MULTICULTURAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Chvez, A. F. (2007). Islands of empowerment: Facilitating multicultural learning communities in

college. International
Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, 19(3), 274-288.

POTENTIAL MODEL FOR SU

30 students and one faculty member

Involvement of student affairs offices and professionals

1-credit course: Welcome to Seattle University
Intentional relationship building between domestic and

international students, and transfer and non-transfer students

Online component
Peer mentorship
Service learning

ACTION ITEM
Think about your role on campus and the information that has been
presented. What is one thing that you can do in your role to foster
an inclusive environment for international transfer students at
Seattle University? Take a moment to write this action item down.

THANK YOU
Questions?