Graduate Program

College Student Affairs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

Spring 2026

Thesis Director

Jon K. Coleman

Thesis Committee Member

Dianne Timm

Thesis Committee Member

Angela S. Jacobs

Abstract

This qualitative study explored how International Student Office Directors facilitate the transitional adjustment of international students in U.S. higher education institutions. Guided by Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1981) and Schlossberg’s Mattering and Marginality Theory (1989), this study examined the challenges international students face, the support strategies implemented by International Student Office Directors, and the institutional factors influencing student adjustment and well-being. International students experience challenges related to housing and logistical adjustment, financial and immigration-related stressors, academic system adjustment and self-advocacy, and social integration and emotional adjustment. Proactive and holistic support approaches, including pre-arrival communication, orientation programs, academic support, emotional support, and collaboration with campus partners were key to student support. International Student Office Directors face limited staffing, increasing workloads, and balancing compliance responsibilities with student-centered support. Effective support for international students requires institutions to move beyond reactive and compliance-driven approaches toward more collaborative, proactive, and student-centered support systems.

Keywords: International Student Office Directors, International Student Support, Schlossberg

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