Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Mary Howard-Hamilton

Second Advisor

Jack Maynard

Third Advisor

Chris McGrew

Abstract

This research examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students. The study focused on their academic, racial, emotional, psychological stress and trauma experiences. The student participants interpreted these experiences through their lens and backgrounds as international students. They expressed the feelings of desertion and abandonment during the pandemic. The findings showed that the impacts sustained and endured by international students during the COVID-19 pandemic were real, painful, disturbing, and emotional. The image created of the US and other first world countries in the 21st century was very damaging and showed failure of leadership management. It had been more than four years since the pandemic, yet the descriptions of this period were graphic and painful as some of the effects of the period were still fresh and new among these international students. These participants shared their struggles with loneliness and aloneness, nostalgia, homesickness, missing and/or loss of parents and families among others. These were aligned with the themes that emerged from this study which included fear, travel ban, online learning, loneliness, aloneness, financial issues, confusion, and support/incentives. The participants shared experiences that formed the themes. Consequently, these participants appreciated the goodwill and generosity of some of their professors who took care to pay their house rents, communities that provided food at the pantries and other social support they received during the ordeal. This study revealed how some of the implicitly salient challenges international students face in the U.S. were exposed during the COVID-19 plague. Though the pandemic was unprecedented and unique, international students suffered numerous academic, racial, emotional, psychological, financial, and physical challenges. Some of the government policies following the pandemic like the lockdown, boarder closures, switch to online knowledge delivery, and the proposed policy to send international students back to their respective countries were draconian and exacerbated the negative experiences of international students. The punted policy to send international students back sent cold chills and waves through the veins of international students. Almost all the participants made a comment about this policy as a horrible experience among others. The importance of integration and adaptation of international students into the U.S. environment and culture has become more paramount now than ever, especially the COVID pandemic. Tinto (1975, 1978) maintained that integration was the mainstay of students’ persistence, retention, and success. Tierney (1987) on the other hand, opined that institutions should help international students to adapt to their new environment. It was the hope of this research study and participants that this study would provide healthy, vigorous, sincere, and tough discussions on international students’ experience in the U.S. It was also the hope that the recommendations offered in this study would have implications for U.S. Higher Education.

Download

Share

COinS