The number of international students pursuing degrees at U.S. institutions at the undergraduate level surpassed those at the graduate level for the first time in 2013. Additionally, the majority of international students coming to the U.S. are from China. This phenomenological study used a conceptual framework of Schlossberg's Transition Model (1995) and the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Model (Museus, 2014) to analyze the experiences of Chinese undergraduate students in their first year of college in the United States. Three transition types were identified - academic, social/personal, and linguistic - and the students' preparation, sources of institutional support, and coping strategies for moving through these transitions were examined. Suggestions are offered for expanding theory and practice to encompass the unique needs of international students.
","abstract_html":"<p>The number of international students pursuing degrees at U.S. institutions at the undergraduate level surpassed those at the graduate level for the first time in 2013. Additionally, the majority of international students coming to the U.S. are from China. This phenomenological study used a conceptual framework of Schlossberg's Transition Model (1995) and the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Model (Museus, 2014) to analyze the experiences of Chinese undergraduate students in their first year of college in the United States. Three transition types were identified - academic, social/personal, and linguistic - and the students' preparation, sources of institutional support, and coping strategies for moving through these transitions were examined. Suggestions are offered for expanding theory and practice to encompass the unique needs of international students.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Montgomery, Kerrie Anne"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Judy Marquez-Kiyama, Ph.D.","Ryan E. Gildersleeve","Laura Sponsler","Li Li Peters"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:38Z","subjects":["Chinese students","Higher education","International education","Undergraduate","Education"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1219","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Judy Marquez-Kiyama, Ph.D.","Ryan E. Gildersleeve","Laura Sponsler","Li Li Peters"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Montgomery, Kerrie Anne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-02-17T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Chinese students","Higher education","International education","Undergraduate","Education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1219"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The number of international students pursuing degrees at U.S. institutions at the undergraduate level surpassed those at the graduate level for the first time in 2013. Additionally, the majority of international students coming to the U.S. are from China. This phenomenological study used a conceptual framework of Schlossberg's Transition Model (1995) and the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Model (Museus, 2014) to analyze the experiences of Chinese undergraduate students in their first year of college in the United States. Three transition types were identified - academic, social/personal, and linguistic - and the students' preparation, sources of institutional support, and coping strategies for moving through these transitions were examined. Suggestions are offered for expanding theory and practice to encompass the unique needs of international students.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Surviving and Thriving: The First-Year Transition Experiences of Chinese Undergraduate Students in the United States"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Judy Marquez-Kiyama, Ph.D.","Ryan E. Gildersleeve","Laura Sponsler","Li Li Peters"],"dc:creator":["Montgomery, Kerrie Anne"],"dc:date.available":["2017-02-17T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The number of international students pursuing degrees at U.S. institutions at the undergraduate level surpassed those at the graduate level for the first time in 2013. Additionally, the majority of international students coming to the U.S. are from China. This phenomenological study used a conceptual framework of Schlossberg's Transition Model (1995) and the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Model (Museus, 2014) to analyze the experiences of Chinese undergraduate students in their first year of college in the United States. Three transition types were identified - academic, social/personal, and linguistic - and the students' preparation, sources of institutional support, and coping strategies for moving through these transitions were examined. Suggestions are offered for expanding theory and practice to encompass the unique needs of international students.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1219"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Chinese students","Higher education","International education","Undergraduate","Education"],"dc:title":["Surviving and Thriving: The First-Year Transition Experiences of Chinese Undergraduate Students in the United States"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:38Z"}