A WINning program Jin Abe & Sheryl Nickel Western Michigan University July 14, 1998 Association of College and University Housing Officers-International 50th Annual Conference Charlotte, NC Easing the transition of international students into the residence halls Western International Network

BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Introduction Introduce ourselves Feeling the audience: how many from abroad? Dealing with incoming international students? Have a peer program in place or thinking about one?

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Overview About WMU Building WIN-WIN collaboration Implementation Research and experiences Discussions

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources About WMU Background Student Population Home countries for WMU international students (As of September 1998) Student demographics and organization

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Organization Background

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesBackground

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Building WIN-WIN departmental collaboration As a recruiting aid International students as WMU advocate “student helpers” International student retention Action-oriented multicultural programming Addressing existing concerns Benefits for International Student Services Benefits for Residence Life Background

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Implementation Avoiding that awkward first encounter –Correspondence begins before partners actually meet Technology Emphasis on give-and-take Limiting the size of the program –Targeting newly admitted international students and (preferably) residence hall students New twists on the traditional “buddy program”

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesImplementation Recruiting WMU (host) students W.I.N. training Send partner info. Correspondence 3 monthly activities Dinner & Awards W.I.N. Kickoff - Partners meet Recruiting newly admitted int’l students Send program confirmation Residence Life International Student Services J F M A M J J A S O N D Fall Winter Recruit Matching Activities Recruit Matching Activities Training Kickoff Dinner Program flow and calendar

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesImplementation Recruiting WMU (host) students W.I.N. training Send partner info. Correspondence 3 monthly activities Dinner & Awards W.I.N. Kickoff - Partners meet Recruiting newly admitted int’l students Send program confirmation Recruiting WMU (host) students Starts in the preceding semester Marketing through flyers, ADs/RAs, and hall council meetings Residence Life International Student Services

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesImplementation Recruiting WMU (host) students W.I.N. training Send partner info. Correspondence 3 monthly activities Dinner & Awards W.I.N. Kickoff - Partners meet Recruiting newly admitted int’l students Send program confirmation W.I.N. Home Recruiting newly admitted international students W.I.N. application sent out with I-20 (admission letter) On-line application encouraged Residence Life International Student Services

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesImplementation Recruiting WMU (host) students W.I.N. training Send partner info. Correspondence 3 monthly activities Dinner & Awards W.I.N. Kickoff - Partners meet Recruiting newly admitted int’l students Send program confirmation W.I.N. Training (for host students) Panel of current W.I.N. students - nothing is more effective than students talking to students Residence Life International Student Services

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesImplementation Recruiting WMU (host) students W.I.N. training Send partner info. Correspondence 3 monthly activities Dinner & Awards W.I.N. Kickoff - Partners meet Recruiting newly admitted int’l students Send program confirmation Correspondence Host and international students are matched and mutually introduced via Host students to initiate the dialog Residence Life International Student Services

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesImplementation Recruiting WMU (host) students W.I.N. training Send partner info. Correspondence 3 monthly activities Dinner & Awards W.I.N. Kickoff - Partners meet Recruiting newly admitted int’l students Send program confirmation Program confirmation Keeping incoming students informed Local contact information requested upon arrival Residence Life International Student Services

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesImplementation Recruiting WMU (host) students W.I.N. training Send partner info. Correspondence 3 monthly activities Dinner & Awards W.I.N. Kickoff - Partners meet Recruiting newly admitted int’l students Send program confirmation Kickoff, monthly activities and Dinner Monthly activities (required): bowling, cultural show, Homecoming events.. Recruit W.I.N. student coordinators Residence Life International Student Services

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesAssessment What we found out Does WIN increase international students’ awareness and knowledge of campus resources? Does WIN help international student adjustment to campus? Do students from Asian nations have more difficulties adjusting? Conducted campus resource usage survey and adjustment survey at the end of WIN program (Dec. 1997) Collected data from W.I.N. international students and... …control group of non-W.I.N. international students Assessment questions Method Research & Experiences

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesAssessment * For 50% of the sample, WMU was their first choice of institutions to attend. Demographics of survey participants

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Campus Resource Usage Campus Resource Questionnaire Assessment Never used during the semester Used “at least six times” during the semester Statistically significant differences were found between WIN and control group (p<.001)

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Academic Social Pers.- Emo. Institutional SACQ adjustment scores WINWIN NonWINNonWIN Social Assessment W.I.N. students yielded significantly HIGHER social adjustment scores (p<.05) Student adjustment

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Academic Social Pers.- Emo. Institutional SACQ adjustment scores AsianAsian Social Assessment Institutional Academic NonAsianNonAsian Asian vs. Non-Asian Asian international students yielded significantly LOWER adjustment scores on 3 out of 4 subscales (p<.05)

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesAssessment Program changes Matching by academic interests Emphasis on academic resources in host student training Set up W.I.N.-exclusive activities early to develop group dynamics Two-on-one (triad) matching

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResourcesAssessment Academic Adjustment: How can a peer program be modified to address academic adjustment of incoming international students? What kind of activities would you recommend? Training: Can you think of effective exercises which would allow the host students to be in touch with the feeling of "being away from the home turf"? Partner Matching: On what basis would you match the host and international students, and why? (by grad/undergraduate, by major...) New Twists: WMU incorporated the use of technology and correspondence prior to new student arrival as "new twists" on the traditional buddy program. Can you think of additional "new twists" which would enhance such a peer support program? Suggestions for program improvement

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Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Assessment Data - international student retention Assessment Data - program evaluation Campus Resource Usage Questionnaire Photos W.I.N. Home Page Resources

Western International Network BackgroundImplementationAssessmentResources Photos