Date of Degree
2025
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)
Director
Nyunt Gudrun
Committee Members
Mac, Jacqueline; Wesener-Michael, Kelly
Keywords
International students, student involvement, Marginality and Mattering, sense of belonging, international student involvement, isolation, international student employment
Abstract
From Marginality to Mattering: A Narrative Inquiry into International Student Involvement in Higher Education
International students contribute to the campus community through diversity, cultural aspects and to the local economy within the university community. However, they often face unique challenges to their involvement which leads to feelings of marginality and impacting their sense of belonging. Using Schlossberg’s theory of Marginality and Mattering, this narrative inquiry explored the lived experiences of international students in seeking involvement opportunities at mid to large public university in the Midwest of the United States. This study highlighted international students’ reflections on their initial attempts to involvement, strategies they use to overcome these challenges, and how their involvement experiences ultimately define their perceptions of marginality and mattering.
Data were collected through in-depth interviews with international students with varied cultural and educational backgrounds. The findings revealed that these students faced challenges in the form of language barriers, cultural unfamiliarity, and structural barriers, which initially limited their involvement journey. Encouragement from peers, faculty, and staff, along with low-stakes involvement and employment opportunities provided initial entry points and encouragement for involvement. Their intentional involvement significantly enhanced feelings of mattering and fostered and allowed for additional involvement, which ultimately led to an increase of feelings of value, belonging and recognition within the university community.
The research enriches existing literature by exploring the international students experience and highlighting the institutional strategies that enable involvement for international students. Implications for higher education practitioners include the creation of specialized programming and support structures aimed at addressing the unique challenges faced by international students, ultimately building a campus community in which all students may develop a strong sense of belonging and mattering.
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Citation
Chung, Nehemiah Jiyong, "From Marginality to Mattering: A Narrative Inquiry into International Student Involvement in Higher Education" (2025). Dissertations of Practice. 96.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/96
