Influence of Roommate and Staff Relationships on Undergraduate Chinese International Students’ Sense of Belonging in the Residence Halls

Abstract

A record number of incoming international students from China are studying in universities in the United States today. It is important to understand this group for several reasons. Chinese students compose the largest group of international population in the U.S. Higher Education and learning about them assists with a better institutional practice including internationalization strategies. It is also important to assess their well-being in a foreign environment to improve student services. This research explores students’ perceptions and feelings in residence halls. It investigated factors that affect first-year undergraduate Chinese international students’ sense of belonging by exploring their experiences at Boston College. Using a qualitative and phenomenological approach, this study examined feedbacks from international Chinese students and provides important insights into their daily experiences. This study focused on exploring Chinese international students’ relationships with their roommates, and residential staff, to find out if these relationships influenced their sense of belonging to the community. As a partial replicate, partial follow-up study of Yao’s (2014) research, both guided by Hurtado (2013)’s framework, findings suggested that multiple elements serve as barriers and bridges to Chinese international students’ adaptation process, which include the influences of language, cultural difference, staff professionalism, and institutional internationalization plan. The study concluded with implications for practice at Boston College which may potentially be of interest to other institutions. Suggestions for future research are also identified. The study indicated a critical need for university staff to assess, examine, and explore the diverse campus culture by paying more attention to a sense of belonging to continue with the facilitation of internationalization for the overall success of international students.