International Student Persistence: Integration or Cultural Integrity?

Abstract

As diverse student populations expand in colleges and universities in the United States, attention must be given to preserving students' cultural integrity. Dominant theories of student persistence contend that integration, not cultural preservation is necessary to student success. This qualitative study examines the experiences of one group of diverse students who had low retention and graduation rates. International students in their senior year at a private, religiously-affiliated university were interviewed to determine if they had integrated into the mainstream campus culture to be successful. Three areas of change were identified: those that most students make when transitioning to college, those required by the religious environment of the institution, and those related to students' home cultures. The study demonstrates that one group of diverse students, international students, saw integration as positive. They did not view their integration as assimilation and felt that they had preserved their cultural integrity.