Campus Social Infrastructure for International Students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK)

The trend of international student mobility has become a flourishing industry in today's era of migration, globalization, and transnationalism. An increasing number of students are seeking opportunities for higher education and work-study programs abroad. What systems of care are in place for students who migrate across borders, adjust to new cultures, and create a new home? What space on campus is available for international students to adjust and connect? What responsibility does the university have in helping students process through the precarity of migration? Universities are marketing themselves as places that offer growth and advancement opportunities, and they are developing new departments that focus on student success, health, and engagement. However, international students, a minority on campus, face unique challenges. The goal of my research is to establish a connection between the felt needs of international students, the perceived needs of the campus departments that are responsible for aiding international students, and the social infrastructure of the university that can bridge the gap in aiding with retention, resiliency, and holistic support. My research aims to work collaboratively with international students and service providers to identify effective strategies that can be employed to promote a welcoming and inclusive environment and supporting spaces for international students on campus. Through ethnographic research, photovoice, and embodiment mapping methods, I aim to learn from student experiences and the realities of department capacities. Universities have the opportunity to provide international students with the supportive infrastructure they need to succeed through achieving their desired degrees and accessing job opportunities.