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Running Head: Analysis of International Student-Athlete
Case Study: Analysis of International Student-Athlete’s Transition to College
Mikaela Jones
Trends & Issues w/Diverse Populations
Norfolk State University
Abstract
International student-athletes (ISAs) are one of the quickest developing subpopulations in intercollegiate games, expanding at a rate that is far outpacing the general understudy competitor development in NCAA Division I intercollegiate games. Being a student-athlete, itself, is challenging enough alone, but with the combination of being a student-athlete while also having to adjust to the culture and environment can be challenging for an individual. International students coming to the states have one of the most difficult transitions of any student going to a college or university. For most students, the hardest parts about going to college is time management and being on your own for the first time and having to navigate through it all but may have resources surrounding them to help smooth out the transition for them. For international students, they have to adjust to a new culture, a new environment, a new way of life... Everything around them is different than what they are used to. In order for International student to be able to have a success.
Alaina is an incoming freshman, being recruited to the University of South Florida for a basketball scholarship. She is an international student coming from Lisbon, Portugal where she has experienced a lot of success and gotten high praise within her sport. She is very outgoing around her teammates and family, but with the trip coming to the United States, she finds herself feeling anxious and nervous, yet excited for what is to come. Alaina isn’t fluent in English but knows enough words to be able to explain what she is talking about; she isn’t accustomed to diverse populations and the way of life for American citizens. Alaina is a dedicated young woman and grew up in a home where education always came first or leisure activities such as basketball would not be an option. In her schooling in Portugal she was an honor roll student who excelled in her class. The issue that Alaina will face with schooling will be with understanding a new language while being in the process of learning a new language. Frustrations may arise even with the proper support system, and in order for Alaina to be successful as a student-athlete, she will need patience and guidance throughout the entire process.
Understanding the Role and Life International Student-Athletes
An increasing number of international student-athletes are pursuing their college degrees and participating in college sports at universities in the U.S., particularly at the NCAA Division I level (Love & Kim, 2011; NCAA, 2006; NCAA, 2010). Although the current population of international student-athletes does not account for a large percentage of the total population of student-athletes in the U.S., the percentage of internatio...
