Still Kids at Heart: Empowering International Students for Positive Social Risk-Taking in U.S. Higher Education.

Date of Award

8-15-2026

Degree Name

Ed.D. in Leadership for Organizations

Department

Department of Educational Administration

Advisor/Chair

Davin Carr-Chellman

Abstract

International students moving to study at U.S universities carry their culture and expectations to their new home away from home. This often led them to face acculturation-related obstacles in their new environment (Mahmood & Brook, 2018). Oduwaye et al. (2023) found, in their literature review of international students' challenges, that the most frequently mentioned challenges are sociocultural, accounting for 82.9% of the 175 articles they analyzed from 2002 to 2022. However, the results of their study showed no changes or improvements in the challenges faced by international students over the last 21 years (Oduwaye et al., 2023). The challenges international students face can often lead to disengagement from their campus community, negatively affecting their willingness to take positive social risks within it (Duell & Steinberg, 2019) and, in turn, their academic development. Sociocultural activities, as described by Vygotsky (1934), may be deemed age-inappropriate for the cognitive development of adult learners, such as international students in higher education. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine whether international students’ positive risk-taking skills can be enhanced through care-targeted sociocultural activities to facilitate easier acculturation and engagement with their campus communities. The findings from interviews with eight international students about their experiences living and studying at a U.S. higher education institution provided evidence that students connected their positive, engaged experiences in their new community to the leadership of caring faculty members who guided them in overcoming challenges. The findings also helped construct a proposed action plan to improve international students' engagement in higher education.

Keywords

Students' U.S. Higher Education, Positive Social Risk-Taking, Sociocultural activities, Student-Teacher relationship, International Students Engagement

Rights Statement

Copyright 2026, author

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