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Paths to Pathways: Exploring Lived Experiences of International Students to and Through Third-party Pathway Programs

Lantz-Wagner, Sky
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1670156990444444

Abstract Details

2022, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, Educational Leadership.
American higher education institutions (HEIs) often prioritize internationalization on their campuses and as a result, prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international students had grown steadily over the past several decades. Pathway programs have become features in the landscape of international higher education as a mean to increase access to American higher education. Often these pathway programs are implemented and managed by third-party pathway providers, who recruit international students on a partner institution’s behalf. However, little research has been conducted to explore the experiences of international students in third-party pathway programs, and this dissertation attempts to fill a gap in the literature. This study applies a three-part framework that integrates acculturation theory, sociocultural theory, and the theory that internationalization is a culture shift and utilizes Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) through an anti-deficit lens to explore how international undergraduate students perceive and make sense of their experiences within third-party pathway programs on college campuses in the southeastern United States. Eighteen students from three research sites were interviewed, and findings indicate that (a) students rely on recruitment agencies, (b) varying degrees of alignment exist between expectations and experiences affect students’ transitions, (c) pathway length varies but English development is constant, (d) sheltered spaces strengthen a sense of belonging and connectedness, (e) students are aware of and prepared for challenges, and (f) support comes in many forms.
Mary Ziskin (Committee Chair)
Nicola Work (Committee Member)
Matt Witenstein (Committee Member)
Colleen Gallagher (Committee Member)
229 p.
Educational Leadership; English As A Second Language; Higher Education
international students; pathway programs; internationalization; recruitment agencies; acculturation; interpretative phenomenological analysis; anti-deficit approach

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lantz-Wagner, S. (2022). Paths to Pathways: Exploring Lived Experiences of International Students to and Through Third-party Pathway Programs [Doctoral dissertation, University of Dayton]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1670156990444444

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lantz-Wagner, Sky. Paths to Pathways: Exploring Lived Experiences of International Students to and Through Third-party Pathway Programs. 2022. University of Dayton, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1670156990444444.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lantz-Wagner, Sky. "Paths to Pathways: Exploring Lived Experiences of International Students to and Through Third-party Pathway Programs." Doctoral dissertation, University of Dayton, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1670156990444444

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

dayton1670156990444444
216
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This open access ETD is published by University of Dayton and OhioLINK.