THE EXPERIENCES OF INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM LATIN AMERICA IN THEIR TRANSITION OF GRADUATING AND FINDING A JOB IN THE UNITED STATES

The purpose of this thesis project is to conduct a qualitative phenomenological study to understand the lived experiences of international graduate students from Latin America in the United States as they transition from their studies to finding a full-time job in the United States. The most common themes mentioned in the different sections of the interviews were: the different dynamics in their identity, the benefits, and limitations of their status in the American context, and how their professional development and economy are impacted while being international graduate students from Latin America. Student service departments such as the Career Service department, the International Student Office, and the academic departments were the resources the participants mentioned most in their transition of graduating and looking for a job. Supported by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its branch Latina/o Critical Theory (LatCrit), this research demonstrated that besides their national identity and race, the socio-political situation shapes the opportunities for those students. It is with the hope that the presence and the storytelling of these Latin American international graduate students in the United States become a source of inspiration and education for the educational structures, the American workforce, and the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services for an inclusive and just American society