Why fit in when you are born to stand out?

“Why fit in when you are born to stand out?” Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss got it right when he asked: Why fit in when you are born to stand out? When we compare the International learner to the traditional learner, I find that in many ways they stand out. Their financial and cultural background, their reason for being on campus, but also things like age, education, length of stay, or family status differs. I would like to have a look at all these factors because I think understanding what makes them stand out is the basis to successfully address their needs.

To dive deeper into what makes them stand out, let’s compare the International learner to the more traditional student.

They are not one group

When we talk of international learners we often talk about them as if they were one group. The reality is that International students are one of the most diverse groups on campus. My experience is that many International learners are actually older than 40. I also work with a considerable number of people between 25 and 40 years old. And that is quite a contrast to the traditional learner on an American campus.

Many of them are married and many of them also have children that they bring with them during their time on campus. Many International learners already have a degree. For the traditional learner, this looks quite different. And of course, that is not at all surprising as the main goal of a university is to teach and grant degrees. Therefore you would expect that you have a lot of traditional Learners who are pursuing undergraduate studies.

Why are they here?

The reason for coming and way to utilize their time on an American campus is very different. Some of them are here to learning skills for a career step or a career change in the future. Many of them are on campus to improve English proficiency. They are on campus to learn something completely new, but also earning credentials that they might need in the future either in their home country or in the United States. Some of them I also on campus to have a sabbatical break.

They have made substantial achievements in their careers and some of them are being rewarded by the employer or by their government for the contribution they have made. For some of them, it is almost imperative to spend some time outside their home country, in order to be able to make the next career step. And for some of them, it is a purely private decision to come to the United States. They have diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, funding models and financial capabilities.

Understanding International learners is relevant

The many different reasons for being on campus also means that International learners can be found in many places. Some of them are enrolled in non-degree and certificate programs, they can be found in extension school or they are enrolled in graduate programs at public and private universities, as well as Community Colleges. That means that the majority of programs and institutions does have International learners and the question on how to integrate them on campus is relevant for almost all International Educators.