Friendship Within and Across Borders: Perceptions of Social Networks among First-Year International Students of Color

Authors

Kaleb L. Briscoe, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
Christina W. Yao, University of South CarolinaFollow
Evangela Q. Oates, Westchester Community CollegeFollow
Jennifer N. Rutt, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Kathleen J. Buell, University of WyomingFollow

Date of this Version

2022

Document Type

Article

Citation

Journal of International Students 12:1 (2022), pp. 195–215.

doi: 10.32674/jis.v12i1.3353

Comments

Copyright © 2022 Journal of International Students.

CC-BY-NC-ND. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Establishing social networks can be extremely challenging when international students, particularly those of color, move to a new academic and social environment. We examine the perceptions of social networks among first-year international students of color and how these networks affect their experiences at a predominantly White institution (PWI). This study illuminates participants’ relationships with U.S. domestic students and the power of language, culture, and shared experiences through a longitudinal narrative inquiry. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are described in-depth for practitioners.