Integrating and Thriving in the First Semester as an International Graduate Student in the United States
- Conference
- Location
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Portland, Oregon
- Publication Date
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June 23, 2024
- Start Date
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June 23, 2024
- End Date
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July 12, 2024
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Graduate Studies Division (GSD)
- Tagged Topic
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Diversity
- Permanent URL
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https://strategy.asee.org/47643
Paper Authors
Philip Appiah-Kubi University of Dayton
Dr. Philip Appiah-Kubi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering Management, Systems, and Technology (EMST). He has served as coordinator for three undergraduate programs and Director of two Graduate Programs. From fall 2021 to spring 2023, Philip served as the inaugural director of the interdisciplinary Stitt Scholars Program and held a joint appointment with the School of Engineering (SoE) and the School of Business Administration (SBA). In that role, he developed curricular and co-curricular activities and experiential learning opportunities for multidisciplinary undergraduate students. He currently serves as the chair of the EMST Faculty Development Committee and the Secretary of the University Promotion and Tenure Committee.
Khalid Zouhri University of Dayton
Dr. Khalid Zouhri is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Management, Systems and Technology at the University of Dayton. Prior to joining the faculty at the University, he was an assistant Professor for four years in the Department of
Abstract
WIP: Graduate school, especially during the first semester, can be very challenging for several reasons. Unlike undergraduate programs where students typically graduate in about four years, most graduate students graduate in one to two years from their master’s programs. Graduate programs have minimum grade and GPA requirements for graduate students to be in good academic standards, which typically are higher than the requirements the students had to meet in their undergraduate program. These and other expectations in graduate school require that graduate students be ready from the first day. International graduate students face several challenges in their first semester. Some international students take too much time to overcome the initial challenges, which end up negatively impacting their ability to integrate and thrive in the graduate program. This paper reviews the factors that support the early integration of graduate students and how to thrive in their first semester. A survey will be designed to understand the critical factors that international graduate students wish their faculty members and other stakeholders knew, and what helped them to overcome the challenges and thrive in their first semester. Preliminary data indicate that a good understanding of the educational system and how to study are critical factors for the integration and thriving of international graduate students in the United States.
Appiah-Kubi, P., & Zouhri, K. (2024, June), Integrating and Thriving in the First Semester as an International Graduate Student in the United States Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://strategy.asee.org/47643
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