Senior International Officers at California State University System (CSU): A Qualitative Study

The leadership of Senior International Officers is prevalent in guiding the campus internationalization efforts forward. This research explored the role of Senior International Officers (SIO) at California State University system (CSU), specifically when it comes to the campus internationalization initiatives, their unique leadership role in that process, and how they came to become the SIOs. The findings showed that SIO, with the support of their senior administrators, navigate through the complex bureaucratic higher education system in order to support the campus internationalization efforts by increasing international students coming inbound, increasing study abroad students going outbound, and adding international component into the academic curriculum. The findings also provide a glimpse of the challenges and rewards of being an SIO and the past experiences that got them to that position