A journey of advising: Experiences of doctoral international students and faculty advisors in the College of Education at a Midwestern university

In the last five decades, higher education in the United States has faced a large influx of international students (Institute of International Education, 2004). However, a review of selected literature showed a paucity of research on faculty advising graduate international students. The literature pointed out that not all institutions were prepared to work with the international student population (Adrian-Taylor, Noels, \u26 Tischler, 2007; Khabiri, 1985; Seeger, 1993) and that further investigation was needed in the area of faculty advising related to international students (Adrian-Taylor, et al.; Trice, 2003). Therefore, this study focused on the following research question: How do selected doctoral international students and faculty advisors in the College of Education in a Midwestern university live and perceive their advising experience? An examination of the literature about international students in the United States higher education revealed a multitude of needs which could impact the life of international students on campus (Fatima, 2001; Parr, Bradley \u26 Bingi, 1992; Sandhu \u26 Asrabadi, 1991). Although these needs could be broadly classified as socio-cultural and academic, they were closely intertwined. As the literature showed, language (Pedersen, 1991; Yeh, 2004), culture shock (Leong \u26 Chou, 1996; Lin, 1998), and development of support networks and help sources (Anaya \u26 Cole, 2001; Ladd \u26 Ruby, 1999) were considered problematic aspects which might interfere with the international students\u27 adaptation, interaction with others, and potential learning in a new environment. The qualitative multiple case-study methodology used in this study contributed to engaging the participants in discussions of their advising experiences in order to elicit themes and meanings significant to them and to enable the researcher to hear their voices through unfolding stories of their advising experiences. Shaped by their own personal values and knowledge, participant perspectives on their advising experiences revealed the following major themes: guiding/being guided, subjective experiences and expectations, growing and adapting, and unfolding of the personal. Through an in-depth investigation of particular case studies of both faculty advisors and doctoral international advisees, the results of the present study contribute to the literature on advising international students by providing insights into how advisors engage with international students and insights into student and faculty perspectives on effective advising