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Humanizing career development for international graduate students: an exploration of career development support offered by a higher education institution

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Humanizing career development for international graduate students: an exploration of career development support offered by a higher education institution

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HUMANIZING CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE
STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATION OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT OFFERED BY
A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

By
Jiayi Xu

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF EDUCATION
(EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING)

August 2023

ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to acknowledge the countless support that was given by my
thesis chair Dr. Atheneus Ocampo, as well as my thesis committee members Dr. Sheila Banuelos
and Dr. Kortney Hernandez. Thank you all for providing me with professional guidance and
witnessing my development in the program. My accomplishment could not be achieved without
all your support.
Thank you, Mom and Dad, for being the role models in my life. Both of you are the first
one in the family that takes challenges and breaks barriers of stepping abroad to see the world.
Being positive even under pressure is the biggest strength that I learn from you both. Thank you
for providing me with opportunities and enlightenment. Also, special thanks to my Mom and
Grandmother, for being powerful women leaders in my life. Thank you for your unconditional
love, I wish to carry on your positivity and kindness spirit.
I would also like to thank my partner David, and my sisters Catherine and Xiang for
being the best listeners and backers. Thank you, David, for your unconditional support, you
always taught me to be perseverant and optimistic. Thank you, Catherine, for being the promoter
and cheerleader in my life. Xiang, you are the best and my favorite!
Lastly, I would like to thank my friends and my master’s program cohort. I had a
wonderful time when completing my master’s degree, and it all benefits from you all. I am glad
to have groups of amazing people surrounding me. I really cherish the time with you all. Thank
you all for bringing me inspiration and joy.

iii
TABLE OF CONTENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... ii
TABLE OF CONTENT..................................................................................................................iii

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... vii
ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................viii
Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1
Statement of Problem ................................................................................................................... 3
Lack of Support from School Organizations ........................................................................... 3
Improving Institutional Supports ............................................................................................. 4
Research Question ....................................................................................................................... 4
Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................................ 5
Method ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Key Definitions and Terms .......................................................................................................... 6
Organization of Study .................................................................................................................. 8

Chapter Two: Literature Review ..................................................................................................... 9
International Students in the United States .................................................................................. 9
Advancement of U.S. Education .............................................................................................. 9
Dehumanization of International Students ............................................................................. 10
International Student Visa ...................................................................................................... 12
International Student Employment ........................................................................................ 13
Graduate Student Career Development ..................................................................................... 14
Internship and Practical Experiences ..................................................................................... 15
Student Success and Career Development ............................................................................. 16
International Graduate Students Career Development .............................................................. 17
Limitations of Career Preparation .......................................................................................... 17
Challenges after Graduation ................................................................................................... 18
Career Center Support ............................................................................................................ 20
International Student Office Support ..................................................................................... 21

iv
Theoretical Framework .............................................................................................................. 22
McMahon and Patton’s (1995) Systems Theory Framework ................................................ 22
Connection Between Framework and Current Study ............................................................. 25

Chapter Three: Research Design and Approach ............................................................................ 27
Research Design ........................................................................................................................ 27
Site and Participant Selection ................................................................................................. 28
Sampling and Recruitment ..................................................................................................... 29
Data Collection ....................................................................................................................... 30
Credibility and trustworthiness .............................................................................................. 32
Data Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 34
Summary .................................................................................................................................... 36

Chapter Four: Findings .................................................................................................................. 37
Participant Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 37
Table 1: Participant’s Demographics ..................................................................................... 39
International Student Career Goals ............................................................................................ 40
Table 2: Participant’s Employment History and Future Goals .............................................. 42
Intention of Returning to Country of Origin .............................................................................. 44
Table 3: Participant’s Decision of Staying in the U.S. .......................................................... 45
International Student Office ....................................................................................................... 47
Table 4: International Student Office Services and Feedback ............................................... 47
Differences between Institutions: Experience from Kay ....................................................... 49
Table 5: International Student Office Differences Between Institutions ............................... 49
Experience with Career Center .................................................................................................. 51
Table 6: Career Center Service and Feedback ....................................................................... 51
Summary of Results and Findings ............................................................................................. 55

Chapter Five: Data Analysis and Conclusion ................................................................................ 56
Connections to Systems Theory Framework ............................................................................. 56
Individual Internal System ..................................................................................................... 57
Social System ......................................................................................................................... 58
Environmental-Societal System ............................................................................................. 59
Reconditioning Framework for International Students ............................................................. 61
Table 7: Humanizing International Student Career Development Model (HISCDM) .......... 61

v
Implications ............................................................................................................................... 64
Policymaker Recommendations ............................................................................................. 64
Partnership between Career Center and International Student Office ................................... 65
“We are not just paychecks” .................................................................................................. 67
Limitations and Suggestions ...................................................................................................... 68
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 70

References ..................................................................................................................................... 71
Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 74
Appendix A: Intake Form .......................................................................................................... 74
Appendix B: Interview Questions .............................................................................................. 75
Appendix C: Information Sheet ................................................................................................. 76
Appendix D: QR Code ............................................................................................................... 78

vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Participant’s Demographics ............................................................................................ 39
Table 2: Participant’s Employment History and Future Goals ..................................................... 42
Table 3: Participant’s Decision of Staying in the U.S. .................................................................. 45
Table 4: International Student Office Services and Feedback ...................................................... 47
Table 5: International Student Office Differences Between Institutions ...................................... 49
Table 6: Career Center Service and Feedback ............................................................................... 51
Table 7: Humanizing International Student Career Development Model (HISCDM) .................. 61

vii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: The System Theory Framework.....................................................................................23
Figure 2: The School System.........................................................................................................25

viii
ABSTRACT
This research focused on how international graduate students’ career development was
influenced by higher education institution organizations, which focused on the Career Center and
the International Student Office. Through a qualitative research design, 4 international graduate
students from California Orange University shared about their personal career development
journey and gave feedback on their experience with the Career Center and the International
Student Office. Research results show the organization’s professional knowledge, support
service structures, and awareness of serving international student populations need to be
improved. Incorporating participants’ feedback, implications, and suggestions were made to
further prepare international students’ career readiness. Furthermore, the research further
developed a framework named the Humanizing International Student Career Development
Model (HISCDM) based on McMahon and Patton's (1995) Systems Theory Framework, which
put into consideration international students’ specialized social and environmental factors.

1
Chapter One: Introduction
Back in 2014, at the age of 14, I started my journey of studying abroad as an international
student in the United States. From that time, I successfully completed high school and my
bachelor’s degree, and I am currently finishing my master’s degree. I have always been an
international student from China until I earned my permanent residency in the United States. I
fully understand the difficulties that international students experience and relate to those
international students that are yearning to live a life in the United States. Regardless of becoming
U.S. citizens or permanent residents, students who are in their student visa status face barriers
from multiple aspects. I have seen friends and compatriots suffer from employment inequality,
desperation in seeing no future in the United States, and even getting deported because of not
being aware of student visa policies.
After experiencing firsthand and witnessing the myriad of challenges that international
students face, I value career development as an essential factor that could support this
community of students to succeed. A career well-prepared international student could expand
multiple possibilities for their future, either staying in the United States with their outstanding
professional ability or using the U.S. work experiences as a ladder to upward mobility in their
home country. Similar to domestic students, international students worry about their career
development, primarily because their career journey might be closely related to the country in
which they are living. If an international student is not prepared to enter the career field, then
their visa status and future plans are threatened.
Currently, I work at the Career Center as a Career Coach at California Orange University
(pseudonym). After absorbing all opportunities and services provided by the career center, I
regretted why I had never utilized these resources when I was in undergraduate and graduate

2
school. I rarely heard about international students asking for support from the career center.
Based on my reflection, I did not utilize the career center support when I was an international
student because I thought the career center was for domestic students that already had their
employment authorization. In addition, based on my experiences, the career center has never
focused on the international student population to advertise its resources. As such, I along with a
majority of other people, assume there are no resources available for international students at
career centers.
On the other hand, the international student offices which I encountered directly provide
services to international students. However, the international student offices did not provide
career support to international students. The international student office typically only deals with
international student visa status and document verification. Therefore, the only organization
focusing on the international student population still cannot provide suitable opportunities and
practical career suggestions to international students.
Since I recognized the importance of direct student support services on international
students’ career development, I developed an interest in studying how we can explore the career
development experience from an international student’s perspective and thereby improve the
support offered in this area from the career center and international student office. Because I
have experienced these challenges, I am motivated to minimize them in the experience of
international students. As a former international student and post-secondary educator, I believe it
is my mission to utilize my positionality to identify the root causes of the issue to best support
this much-deserving population.

3
Statement of Problem
Lack of Support from School Organizations
As the United States' higher education emerges the international student population
grows rapidly (Duffin, 2021). While international students pursue higher education, they have to
face the challenge of sustaining their student visa status through academic and career success. In
response to this challenge, international students are expected to gain professional experience to
enrich their abilities and utilize employment opportunities to find a pathway in the United States.
(Spencer-Rodgers, 2000). Besides international students’ psychological factors of help-seeking
behaviors, school organizations should take up the bulk of the responsibility in ensuring
international students are receiving enough career development support.
McFadden and Seedorff (2017) have stated that most career centers use a one-size-fits-all
approach to provide students with general career resources, which explains why some of the
opportunities are not even applied to the international student population. The lack of providing
suitable career resources is affecting the effectiveness of the career center. Further, Qu (2018)
indicated that international student offices generally provide documentation review services
instead of guiding international students toward the right path. This is especially critical since the
international student office directly works with international students and their employment
authorization. As such, most international student offices are providing a disservice in their
omission of providing employment advice and opportunities to the international student
population. There are limited resources and career services available to the international student
population in higher education institutions.

4
Improving Institutional Supports
To be clear, this research centers on the primary issue that international students in
graduate schools do not receive enough career development support from career centers and
international student offices. As such, the purpose of this study is to deeply identify the barriers
that exist in career development support for international students, understand students'
experiences, and seek to remedy persistent issues as a means to improve international student
career development support. This study will lean on interview methods which provide an avenue
to view the international student perspective in order to receive accurate and reliable feedback.
Further, this work will focus on international graduate students’ career experience and how the
career center and international student office offer demanding career support.
This study will also engage previous research to develop suggestions. As a source of
inspiration to improve the international student experience in higher education institutions,
McFadden and Seedorff (2017) have encouraged career centers to develop new career counseling
models for the international student population. Therefore this research seeked to learn from
international students their preference for counseling style. Moreover, Qu (2018) suggests that
the career center should establish partnerships with the international student office and other
student support areas, which could include career development centers. It only seems logical that
the two departments that are most familiar with international student visa status and career
development would best enhance international students’ learning and developing experience, and
ensure international students’ immigration status is operating smoothly.
Research Question
It is crucial to be aware of international students' challenges while pursuing their degrees.
This study was guided by the following research question:

5
● Do international students perceive international student offices and career
development centers as offering cohesive support in their career development?
In moving towards improving the career development experiences of international
students this study was also guided by a subquestion geared towards that aim. The following is
that subquestion:
● What do international graduate students perceive as ways that international
student offices and career development centers can provide effective support to
international graduate students in their career development?
Overall, this study gathered qualitative data through interviews with international
graduate students and provided recommendations for counseling in higher education institutions.
Theoretical Framework
This study is grounded on McMahon and Patton’s (1995) Systems Theory Framework.
McMahon and Patton's (1995) Systems Theory Framework was based on the general system
theory and the constructivist career development meta-theory, which puts various factors that
affect individual career development under the same framework, emphasizing the integrity of the
personal system, interpersonal social system, social-environmental system. The theory’s dynamic
interaction can better explain the connotation and extension of the core concepts of career
development, such as work, professional identity, and learning in postmodern society (McMahon
& Patton, 1995).
The Systems Theory Framework provides a variety of theoretical advantages. It believes
that the essential contributions of all current career theories can be recognized, including the
similarities, differences, and interconnections between theories can be verified, and the
recognition of the role of career development theory and practice in contributions from other

6
fields (McMahon & Patton, 1995). The occupational systems theoretical framework focuses on
the individual rather than the theory (McMahon & Patton, 1995). The Systems Theory
Framework enables career counselors to select the theory most relevant to individual needs and
situations, and to draw on the strengths of all theories (McMahon & Patton, 1995).
Method
To investigate the problem statement, the research study used a qualitative method of
interviewing international graduate students at California Orange University (pseudonym). Four
students were recruited and selected for this study. The interview was semi-structured, where
half of the questions were predetermined, and the other half would develop as participants
expanded the topic. The interviews were held one-on-one and based on the participant's
preference to be in-person or virtual. The interview sought to explore international graduate
student's career plans, experiences with career development support at their institution, including
specifically the career center and international student office, and advice and suggestions
towards improving student career development support from the institution. The data was
collected through video and audio recorder, and later transferred into transcription. Furthermore,
the results were analyzed with a system theory framework in order to directly identify the impact
of the school as a system on the career development experience of international students.
Key Definitions and Terms
There are some definitions and terms mentioned in the study related to immigration,
employment, and career. The following definitions and terms provide more detailed descriptions
in order to better understand the meaning under the context of the study. Also, some terms are
rarely used in common practice, so introductions are given for readers to comprehend the context
of the study.

7
International Student: “Students who are enrolled at institutions of higher education in the
United States who are not citizens of the US, immigrants, or refugees. These may include
holders of F (student) visas, H (temporary worker/trainee) visas, J (temporary educational
exchange-visitor) visas, and M (vocational training) visas. Data thus exclude students
who have long-term or permanent residency.” (Verbik & Lasanowski, 2007).
Visa: “ U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and
request permission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) inspector to enter the United States” (U.S. Department of State, 2022).
Work Permit: “The Work Permit (or “Employment Authorization Document”) is a card issued
by
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services authorizing the foreign national holder of the
card to work in the U.S. The employment authorization document or EAD is commonly
referred to as the “work permit” (USCIS, 2022).
USCIS: “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the federal agency that oversees
lawful immigration into the United States. Some of the services they provide include
citizenship, immigration of family members, working in the U.S., humanitarian
programs, and adoptions” (Homeland Security, 2017).
OPT: “Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment that is directly related to an
F-1 student’s major area of study. Eligible students can apply to receive up to 12 months
of OPT employment authorization before completing their academic studies (pre-
completion) and/or after completing their academic studies (post-completion)” (USCIS,
2022).
CPT: “CPT is any alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or other types of

8
required internship or practicum offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative
agreements with the school” (USCIS, 2022).
STEM: “STEM education is initially called Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology
(SMET) and was an initiative as STEM by the National Science Foundation (NSF),
which stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in 1990” (Hasanah,
2020).
Career Readiness: “A career-ready person capitalizes on personal strengths, talents, education,
and experiences to bring value to the workplace and the community through his/her performance,
skill, diligence, ethics, and responsible behavior” (Nebraska Department of Education, 2009).
Career Development: “Career development is a “lifelong, continuous process of developing and
implementing self-concept, testing it against reality, with satisfaction to self and benefit
to society” (Super, 1957).
Organization of Study
The chapter 1 introduction is followed by Chapter 2, the literature review of 1)
international student positionality in the United States, 2) career development and student
success of graduate students, 3) limitations of international graduate students and lack of
institutional organization support, and 4) McMahon and Patton (1995) Systems Theory
Framework with international graduate student career development.
Chapter 3 provides an in-depth description of the research methods of the study. Chapter
4 indicates the report of the research finding, and chapter 5 further addresses the discussion and
analysis of the results and implications.

9
Chapter Two: Literature Review
International Students in the United States
This chapter will review the literature to contextualize the career development experience
of international students. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceived agency that
international graduate students have from their experience with the support provided by their
schooling institutions in their career development. In that regard, this literature review will first
introduce the background of international students studying abroad in the United States,
including student visa policies and student visa maintenance challenges during their study abroad
experience. Followed by that, the literature review will specify the graduate student population,
and demonstrate the practical experiences that were recommended for the population. Notably,
the literature review will highlight the issue of international students having difficulty gaining
practical experience due to their visa limitations. The problem will address the system of
institutional organization and let higher education workers reflect on how to provide different
student populations better equal support. In addition, this chapter will refer to McMahon and
Patton’s (1995) Systems Theory Framework of career development, to further examine how the
institutional organization as an external environment influenced the student’s career
development.
Advancement of U.S. Education
Higher education in the United States has been leading in academia globally. As reported
in Ranking Web of Universities (2021), the United States holds the most number of top-ranking
universities in the world, with 56 top 100 universities, 26 top 200 universities, and 60 top 500
universities. Therefore, this can be attributed to U.S. higher education pedagogy encouraging
innovation, excellence, exploration, and independent thought in students (Cubillo, Sánchez, &

10
Cerviño, 2006). Furthermore, most American universities pay more attention to humanistic
education and cultivate students' humanistic care, social responsibility, and idealism (Cubillo,
Sánchez, & Cerviño, 2006). The advancement of the United States education has intrigued many
students and parents to receive a preliminary education (Ranking Web of Universities, 2021).
According to International Students & Graduates in the U.S. FWD (2021), during the
2019-2020 school year, more than 1,000,000 international students from more than 200 countries
around the world came to the United States to study, which represented 4.6% of the U.S. student
population. Among the international student demographic, a large portion of international
students are originally from China and India, totaling 317,299 students and 167,582 students
(Duffin, 2021). As reflected by the data, studying abroad in the United States has been a popular
option for students around the world, and the United States has been one of the top choices when
students and parents are deciding what country to study in.
Dehumanization of International Students
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic and many unfriendly policies introduced by the
Trump administration, the number of international students enrolled in U.S. higher education
institutions for the 2019-2020 academic year has declined slightly (Whatley & Castiello-
Gutiérrez, 2021). As the spokesman of the conservative Republican Party, Trump's attitude
towards international students can be described as extremely tough. During Donald Trump’s
tenure, he repeatedly threatened to restrict especially Chinese scholars, graduate students, and all
international students. Although the U.S. consulate has resumed visas and welcomed
international students back to the U.S. since the Biden administration came to power, due to a
combination of factors, the U.S. attitude toward international students appears elusive and even
contradictory.

11
In 2019, there were nearly 1.1 million international students in the United States, and the
United States has an absolute advantage in human resources (Whatley & Castiello-Gutiérrez,
2021). International students not only contribute more than $39 billion to the U.S. economy and
support about 410,000 jobs but also play a significant role in the advancement of U.S. economic
strength, global leadership, and innovation (Whatley & Castiello-Gutiérrez, 2021). Castiello-
Gutiérrez and Li (2020) have targeted the issue and spoke out for international students:
Over time, we are sadly getting used to being portrayed by the government as an
enemy; it seems like we all are criminals, terrorists, spies, or thieves of jobs and
intellectual property. We were held ‘hostages’ and used as ‘political pawns’ by the
federal government to impose its will…We want to see more often ‘the greatest higher
education system’ coming together to exercise their collective agency to defend the ideals
they have so heartfully written in their mission statements and strategic plans, proving
that those are not empty words. Also, we want our universities to listen to us and actively
assist us with the extra financial, academic, and psychological obstacles we constantly
encounter, and thus affirm that we represent to them more than an influx of financial and
intellectual resources, that we are more than just who pays for their paycheck (p.2).
Although the United States is still an advanced place in the hearts of international students, due
to visas, epidemics, and other reasons, there are many fewer talents who can work in the United
States after graduation and contribute to the American economy. If the number of international
students continues to decline after the epidemic, it may affect the economy, political status, and
global influence of the United States (Whatley & Castiello-Gutiérrez, 2021).

12
International Student Visa
Generally, international students can enter the United States with three types of visas: F-
1, J-1, and M-1. The F-1 visa is a traditional student visa, and the majority of international
students in the United States are F-1 visa holders. The F-1 visa allows students to enter the
United States as full-time students at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory,
academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training
program (USCIS, 2020). The J-1 visa is usually held by exchange visitors, it is authorized for
the purpose of teaching, instructing or lecturing, studying, observing, conducting research,
consulting, demonstrating special skills, receiving training, or receiving graduate medical
education or training (USCIS, 2020). The M-1 visa is specifically suitable for vocational and
technical schools, such as aircraft schools and performing arts schools, and M-1 visa holders
possibly have other visas, such as H1B, H-4, L-1, and L-2, that can continue their education or
earn a U.S. degree to teach (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2019).
Further, to identify the International Student types, it is important to recognize that the
following students are not considered international students: other visa types, refugees/asylum
seekers, undocumented students, students on Delayed Arrival in Childhood (DACA), U.S.
permanent residents, and U.S. citizens. These types of student population have different
circumstances than traditional International students. Relevant to the career development focus
of this study is that for those described as not falling into the international student category, there
are other methods for them to receive employment opportunities as domestic students or their
immigration status would not allow them to obtain employment opportunities.

13
International Student Employment
Employment opportunities for International Students are under restrictions and carefully
reviewed. F-1 Visa students can only engage in some professional-related work under the
authorization of the school director (DSO) or the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS, 2020). The U.S. government is stringent in this regard. If international students
work without authorization, they will be immediately deported and may not be allowed to enter
in the future. Undergraduate or postgraduate students who hold an F-type student visa can
participate in either professional-related Curricular Practical Training (CPT), a temporary
authorization of employment while students are currently-enrolled as a student, or Optional
Practical Training (OPT), a one-year authorization of employment after students completed their
degree study (USCIS, 2020). International students must complete at least one full academic year
before they can be eligible to apply for OPT, a total of 12 months; if the field of study belongs to
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) can be extended to three years of
qualifications (USCIS, 2020). Each person can only apply for OPT once for each degree
qualification. That is to say, those who apply for OPT with the Bachelor's degree qualification
will not be able to apply for this degree again. Likewise, a School Director (DSO) must be
consulted or applied for before deciding to enroll in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or
Optional Practical Training (OPT) (Durrani, 2019). If the student fails to find a job within 90
days after applying for and obtaining the OPT (post-graduation internship) qualification, the I-20
will be invalid, and the OPT will be terminated (USCIS, 2020).
Spencer-Rodgers (2000) researched international students’ orientation after graduating
from their degree program. Their findings indicated that approximately 80% of International
Students desire to gain employment experience through the OPT opportunity, and some of them

14
have the ambition to utilize the OPT as a route to receiving employment sponsorship in order to
become permanent residents of the United States. Moreover, based on the findings from the
study, about 23% of International Students intended to go back to their home country, but with a
preference to gain more experience from the U.S. workforce in order to better support their
development in their home country (Spencer-Rodgers, 2000). In addition, about 58% of
international students expressed their desire to earn a part-time position while they were
currently enrolled to get more income, gain more experience, and acquire specialized skills
(Spencer-Rodgers, 2000). Therefore, similar to traditional domestic students, international
students also value and perceive benefits from the opportunity to gain professional experience in
school and post-graduate.
Graduate Student Career Development
According to the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Center for Education
Statistics, graduate school enrollment for 25-year-old to 34-year-olds with a master’s or doctoral
degree is expected to increase by 20% between 2010 and 2021. An increase of 25% is expected
for students aged 35 and over, which is a 10% increase for students ages 18-24 (Hussar &
Bailey, 2011). In addition, having a job while completing the graduate degree is essential for
many graduate students because adult students have more financial pressures, and it is imperative
to gain professional knowledge and be prepared to join the workforce (Hussar & Bailey,
2011)According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the graduate
student population has grown from 109,560 to 113,222 in a year from the class of 2016 to class
of 2017; however, the employment rate within six months of graduation has dropped from 80.2%
to 79.2%. It can be seen from the data that as the population with graduate degrees increases,
graduate student employment will become more challenging and competitive.

15
As mentioned in Super (1957), “Career development is a lifelong, continuous process of
developing and implementing self-concept, testing it against reality, with satisfaction to self and
benefit to society.” To further explain the term career development, it is more like a pathway
rather than a time point or an event. A person’s career development does not start at the moment
that they get employed, but it is a continuous process that might emerge in childhood. Whether a
person's career development is successful or not does not depend on if the person finds a high-
salary job, but it is having a clearer understanding of themselves’ career possibilities. In regards
to graduate students, their career development would be considered as what area they are
planning to enter, how to match their ability with a position, and how they can best utilize their
master’s degree.
Internship and Practical Experiences
Regardless of the ranking of the graduate program in which the student earns their
degree, personal accomplishment, including professional knowledge, skills, abilities, and other
characteristics (KSAOs), plays a potential role in the recruitment screening by human resource
teams (Doe, 2015). In addition, graduate students’ internship and assistantship experiences are
also a consideration to determine a student's career preparation. Doe (2015) indicates,
Having an internship during a graduate program that mandates some form of work,
usually outside the university, exposes the graduate students to the real world of work.
This type of learning enables the student to develop teamwork, communication, research,
critical analysis, and solving of real-world problems. (p. 80)
As such, the research result shows graduate students who had internships or assistantships
showed not only high self-confidence in employment but also more prepared with work
readiness than students who did not have these experiences (Doe, 2015).

16
In addition, Doe (2015) recommended graduate students should be required to seek out
internship opportunities and are given project-based assignments during the graduate program in
order to gain professional experiences as career preparation. Furthermore, Doe (2015) suggests
that graduate students should also consider unpaid internships directly related to their
professional study for long-term benefits since the opportunities would build up graduate
students’ experience and professional skills after degree completion.
Student Success and Career Development
International students, as they go through their educational experience, should have the
capacity to do well in their career aspirations, and the majority of international students are ready
and willing to engage in hard work (Siczek, 2015). Yet, the minimal support that is provided to
them creates an undeserved limitation (Siczek, 2015). International students should have the
ability to pursue greater opportunities through a self-determination process as they have much to
contribute to U.S. society (Siczek, 2015). As John Wilkerson, director of international student
admissions at Indiana University, emphasized:
Obviously, those universities that focus on bringing together students from all over the
world on one campus benefit greatly from the diversity of cultural outlook and value
experience… In addition to enriching the classroom discussions, experience sharing and
the presence of international students can fundamentally expand the cultural values of the
surrounding population, allowing people to build their own understanding of the
characteristics of communicative behavior in different civilizations at an exponential
growth rate, and also allowing students to contact different cultures for the future. The
crowd thinks ahead and prepares (NAFSA, 2022).

17
Having international students is an investment in the future healthy functioning of society
(Siczek, 2015). If international students can be provided with an excellent education in a
supportive atmosphere, it will not only develop their cross-cultural competitiveness but also help
after graduation, they can face the international talent market as leaders (Siczek, 2015).
International Graduate Students Career Development
According to Statista, the international graduate student population grew to 391,142 in
2016, compared to 264,410 in 2004. Although, as a byproduct of the Covid-19 pandemic, the
international graduate student population dropped to 329,272 in 2021, the international graduate
student group is still an important part of the composition of international students. According to
Ruiz and Budiman (2018), international graduates with a master's degree outnumbered all other
degree holders under OPT, accounting for 57% of all graduates from the program from 2004 to
2016. During the same period, the number of international students with a master’s degree also
grew by far the fastest, from 39,500 in 2004 to 172,900 in 2016, which is a 337% increase.
Based on the data, international graduate students are a majority group of the large international
student population, and most of the students are seeking job opportunities for personal and
professional growth.
Limitations of Career Preparation
As indicated previously, the OPT could only be offered one time when international
students completed each degree level. Therefore, international graduate students are more in
need of career development since their master’s degree or doctoral degree’s OPT might be their
last chance of remaining in the United States. The internship and practical experiences during
degree completion play an important role in preparing for entering the workforce and a student’s
career development. Especially for graduate students, earning practical experience is an urgent

18
necessity to be well-prepared for their careers. Unfortunately, international graduate students
face multiple obstacles in gaining internships and practical experiences, such as finding program-
related positions, filing complicated Curricular Practical Training (CPT) applications, and
waiting for application approval. According to Durrani (2019), all paid internships except on-
campus positions need international students to apply for CPT in order to receive legal and valid
employment authorization, and the waiting approval period varies from a week to three weeks.
The general guidelines for applying for CPT require international students to maintain valid F-1
status and practical training directly related to the degree program (Durrani, 2019). Further, the
normal practice requires that students first secure a job offer in order to apply for the CPT. The
CPT application requires employers to report position details such as part-time or full-time
employment, name, and address of the employer, work location, and duration of an internship
(Durrani, 2019). For international students who have required fieldwork or practical hours in
their program of study, the CPT process creates an additional step for them as opposed to their
domestic student counterparts in order to gain valuable professional experiences. For
international students who do not have required fieldwork or practical hour requirements in their
program, the complexity of the application procedure has held back international students’
motivation to gain practical experience for their self-growth and preparation (Durrani, 2019).
Challenges after Graduation
As mentioned earlier, international students are required to apply for the Optional
Practical Training (OPT) visa to be legally employed in the United States. The increasing
population of employed international graduate students also drives up the OPT’s growth (Lyu,
2022). Regardless of whether the international student finally chooses to return to their country
or continue to stay in the United States, this work experience can play a very good role in self-

19
development. The OPT opportunity is limited in duration and frequency. The duration of OPT is
12 months for general programs, but STEM major students’ OPT could be extended for 24
months, which is a total length of 36 months (USCIS, 2020). A degree can only apply for OPT
once, which means international students have one application opportunity for undergraduate,
master, and doctoral degrees (USCIS, 2020). Unlike undergraduate international students,
international graduate students only have one chance to apply for OPT if they are not pursuing a
doctoral degree (USCIS, 2020). As a result of the complex processes involved with even trying
to gain employment, international students must overcome many barriers to gaining professional
work opportunities.
Moreover, Lyu (2022) mentioned that many employers prefer other students over
international students when hiring. Frequently, international students seeking OPT must return to
their home country before their F-1 visa expires. As a result, employers are reluctant to hire
international students for internships because they end up with minimal long-term benefits after
spending time and money on professional training (Lyu, 2022). On the other hand, if employers
are satisfied with international students during this period and want to keep them longer
eligibility to work, employers must sponsor international students to apply for H-1B work visas
(Lyu, 2022). The sponsorship requires employers to go through a complex application process
and pay an application fee of at least $1,060 per applicant (USCIS, 2020). And going through the
sponsorship process does not guarantee that international employees can legally stay and work.
Therefore, employers will not easily sponsor students to apply for H1B. In addition to all these
challenges that international students face when applying for internships, they are also vulnerable
to exploitation by employers, such as low wages and long working hours (Lyu, 2022).

20
Career Center Support
The previous sections highlighted the limitations and challenges that international
students face in their career development journey. In that regard, it is important to ensure that
international students are taking advantage of career development and resources during their stay
in the United States. Higher educational institutions in the United States usually set up career
centers that focus on students' career development, and the career center is in charge of regularly
arranging recruiting companies to come to the school to give lectures, provide internship
opportunities, critique resumes, offer career counseling, conduct mock interviews, and provide
career planning guidance courses. McFadden and Seedorff (2017) conducted research on career
centers supporting international students. Their findings indicated that most career centers offer a
one-size-fits-all approach. As such, they recommended that career centers offer customized
workshops for international students to help reduce cross-cultural confusion in the U.S. job
search and work environment (McFadden & Seedorff, 2017). Therefore, career center staff could
consider international students’ personal circumstances to plan out a career path for the student
regarding their visa status. Career center staff are also encouraged to understand better the
impact of different structures, cultures, families, and individuals on an international student's
career, internship, or job search (McFadden & Seedorff, 2017). With a career counselor, students
can make plans to increase their chances of preparing to enter the career after graduating. The
plans could be short-term and long-term career exploration and job opportunity exploration in
the United States or in their home country. In addition, the Career Center can arrange internship
opportunities through relationships with alumni and employers, providing international students
with short-term contacts, networking opportunities, and an introduction to the U.S. work
environment (McFadden & Seedorff, 2017).

21
International Student Office Support
Another department that is closely related to international students is the International
Student Office. The International Student Office is in charge of international student services,
including processing immigration and visa applications, academic advising, international student
institution transferring, the guidance of employment, and filing international student documents
to the USCIS. Qu (2018) did research on international student satisfaction in their International
Student Office. The interview responses from 8 students indicated that students were unsatisfied
with the career support service that was provided by their International Student Office (Qu,
2018). One of the factors that caused the dissatisfaction was the limited job opportunities for
international students. Additionally, over 90% of students reported that they felt concerned about
getting a job opportunity and getting their work permit approved (Qu, 2018). Thus, it can be
inferred that most International Student Offices mainly focus on processing international student
admission documents and legal visa issues but might lack career support for international
students.
Based on their findings, Qu (2018) recommended that International Student Offices
partner with Career Centers organize seminars to develop the professional skills of international
students. Conducted on and off campus, these workshops provide strategic communications
related to job search, interview success, and employment. Professional requirements enable
speakers to meet the needs of students in terms of career development according to different
professional backgrounds. In addition, the department should work with other campus
departments to increase on-campus employment opportunities for international students to
develop their professional skills and prepare for future career competitions (Qu, 2018).

22
Theoretical Framework
McMahon and Patton’s (1995) Systems Theory Framework
Considering the diversity and complexity of factors affecting career development,
especially to reflect the complexity of career development more accurately, McMahon and
Patton (McMahon & Patton, 1995) came up with the career development form of the Systems
Theory Framework (STF). The basic principle of the Systems Theory Framework is to reflect
multiple perspectives on complex and diverse issues in career and professional development.
The theoretical framework of occupational systems consists of three interrelated systems:
individual internal system, social system, and environmental-societal system (McMahon, 2011).
Among them, the individual system is composed of multiple interpersonal factors, including
gender, age, self-concept, health, ability, talent, physical characteristics, beliefs, humanity,
interests, values, traits, skills, knowledge of the work environment, gender orientation, and race;
the social system factors include peers, family, media, community groups, workplaces, and
educational institutions; and the environmental-social systems include political decision-making,
historical trends, globalization, socioeconomic status, job market, and geographic location
(McMahon, 2011). The relationships between these systems are explained by the cyclical nature
of the time and chance-varying interactions within the systems (McMahon, 2011). The diagram
below illustrates the System Theory of interrelated systems.

23

Figure 1. The System Theory Framework. Adapted from The Systems Theory Framework of
career development by McMahon, M., and Patton, W., 2015, Australian Journal of Career
Development, 24(3), 141–147. https://doi.org/10.1177/1038416215579944

The theoretical framework of career Systems Theory Framework (STF) brings a
combination of theory and practice to career development and uses new methods in career
practice. The occupational systems theoretical framework focuses on the individual rather than
the theory (McMahon & Patton, 1995). Therefore, the occupational system theoretical
framework can be used for both macroscopic theoretical analysis and microscopic individual
analysis (McMahon & Patton, 1995). A career systems theoretical framework enables career
guidance and counseling staff to select the theory most relevant to individual needs and
situations, and to draw on the strengths of all theories (McMahon & Patton, 1995). The
theoretical framework of career systems provides the basis for a philosophical perspective

24
reflecting the shift from positivist to constructivist approaches and can be used to explain the
interrelationships among individual career development scenarios (McMahon & Patton, 1995).
Furthermore, McMahon and Patton renovated the System Theory based on modernized
literature and practice (Patton & McMahon, 2015). The updated theory connects existing System
Theory with constructivist approaches to career counseling and focuses more on the non-western
student population (Patton & McMahon, 2015). Patton and McMahon also created other
diagrams which well-visualized the influential factors of a person’s career development. The
School System diagram has set educational institutions as the core, which the career counseling
approach got influenced by multiple external factors, including the local community, school
staff, parent expectations, curricula, and more. The purpose of the developed school system
framework is to identify the factors that affect institution format and student learning experience
and demonstrate the idea that all factors should collaborate together to support student career
development.

25

Figure 2. The School System. Adapted from The Systems Theory Framework of career
development: Applications to career counseling and career assessment by McMahon, M.,
Watson, M., and Patton, W, 2015. Australian Journal of Career Development, 24, 148 - 156.

Connection Between Framework and Current Study
To connect the research with McMahon and Patton's (1995) Systems theory framework
of career development, it's readily apparent that an international student's career development is
closely tied to the environmental factors that can support their understanding of the United States
employment environment. As such, Systems Theory Framework (STF) in career development
provides a useful framework to explore the ways in which institutions provide appropriate
amounts of support to impact the career trajectory of international students effectively.

26
Therefore, this study will utilize McMahon and Patton's (1995) Systems theory
framework of Career Development to investigate the preparedness of international graduate
students and how international graduate students’ career development is affected by school
organizations. Further, this study will provide a space for international graduate students to
reflect on their own career development journey and give feedback on how the career center and
international student office provide support. By sharing their responses, this study aims to
anticipate a more practical career counseling strategy and establish a connection between the
career center and the international student office to further support international graduate
students with their career readiness and career development.

27
Chapter Three: Research Design and Approach
This research study utilizes a qualitative research method of employing semi-structured
interviews to collect data from four international students that are currently enrolled at California
Orange University as full-time graduate students. Using a qualitative research method will
benefit higher education workers in understanding students’ thoughts and feedback. Thereby
reflecting on the career center and international student office’s counseling approach and making
improvements and better preparing international graduate students for their career development.
Previous research has mentioned that International students, in general, lack career
support; therefore, this research recognizes that most career centers and international student
offices have not thoroughly prepared International graduate students for their career
development. This research aimed to investigate the career readiness and career development of
international students in graduate school and the effectiveness of higher institution career centers
and international student offices in supporting international graduate student's career
development. In addition, the research will utilize McMahon and Patton's (1995) Systems
Theory Framework as the theoretical framework. McMahon and Patton’s (1995) Systems Theory
Framework will be used as an assessment tool in data analysis of assessing participants’ career
development.
Research Design
This research study utilizes qualitative research, which is suitable for promoting a deeper
understanding of a social environment or activity from the perspective of the research
participants (Maxwell et al., 2009). A qualitative study focuses on how social experience creates
and gives meaning, which could be utilized in this study to show how the career center and
international student office supported international student career development. The qualitative

28
research method best fits this research study because it enables the researcher to observe and
communicate with research subjects in a close and natural environment, which is conducive to
observing and understanding their behaviors, attitudes, and motivations from the perspective of
research subjects (Maxwell et al., 2009). This study aims to discover international graduate
students' backgrounds and learning experiences, then connect their personal goals with the career
center and international student office support, thereby reflecting on how the career center and
the international student office can improve to best support international students’ career
development.
The research used semi-structured interviews as the research approach. The interview
method refers to the basic psychological research method to understand the psychology and
behavior of the interviewee through conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee
(Kendall, 2008). Interviews are a great way to talk one-on-one to find out general trends or learn
about what is being researched. The benefit of the interview method is the opportunity to actually
ask the question, get to know the person, and observe the answers (Kendall, 2008).
Site and Participant Selection
The research was conducted at California Orange University (COU) (pseudonym), which
is one of the top-ranking universities located in the Orange County of Southern California.
California Orange University is a public four-year university that cultivates critical thinking and
dynamic inclusiveness. In the school year of 2019, there were approximately 3,053 international
students that are enrolled as full-time students, which make up about 7.6% of the entire student
population. Within the 3,053 international students, there are 2,192 undergraduate students and
861 graduate students. The top three largest international student communities are from India,
China, and Kuwait.

29
The Career Center at California Orange University utilizes a centralized model, which
means students in different departments and programs are all coming into the Career Center for
career advice. The Career Center offers resume and cover letter review, job search, major and
career exploration, and interview preparation services to all California Orange University
students and alumni.
Since the research will focus on international graduate students, participants were
restricted to international graduate students attending California Orange University (COU). To
determine the effectiveness of organizational support for international graduate students, the
study will focus on the Career Center and the International Student Office. At California Orange
University, there are both physical locations and online websites of the career center and the
international student office, and the two organizations provide services in both formats.
Participants were expected to be familiar with the career center and the international student
office, so participants preferred to have the experience of visiting or help-seeking from the career
center or the international student office.
Sampling and Recruitment
The recruitment procedures were held at the California Orange University Career Center
and International Student Office. A notification of research recruitment was posted both on-site
and online at the career center and the international student office, and it will indicate that
international students who have completed their graduate studies will be eligible to participate in
a research study. In addition, recruitment notifications were provided to students by their
counselors. Students who were interested in participating were able to scan the QR code
(Appendix D) to learn about the details of the research. There were also paper copies of the
research details just in case the student has no access to technology.

30
The QR code and the paper copies helped guide students to complete an intake form to
screen students' eligibility. Participants needed to meet the requirements that the student 1)
identifies as an international student (U.S. permanent residents and U.S. citizens would not be
considered), 2) is currently enrolled at California Orange University as a graduate student, 3) has
visited the Career Center or International Student Office at least 2 times. After completing the
intake form, students filled out their contact information. If the student was selected as a
participant in the research, the researcher contacted the student for further information.
Data Collection
There are 7 students that scanned the QR code to complete the pre-survey screening, and
5 of them are qualified to become participants. Originally, the recruitment protocols required
participants to have three or more experiences with the organizations, but it was slightly revised
for a greater number of participants. The participant recruitment criteria for visiting the
International Student Office and the Career Center were lowered to two or more times instead of
three or more times. One of the participants was not responding to future actions, so 4
participants were selected to be the research sample. Each participant was scheduled for an in-
person interview or online interview appointment, and each interview is planned to take 30-45
minutes to complete. The 4 participants all finished their interview within 45 minutes, with the
shortest at 23 minutes and the longest at 44 minutes. Two interviews were completed in person,
and two interviews were completed online. Before the interview, when participants enter the
room/virtual meeting room, students will be given an information sheet (Appendix C) indicating
the purpose of the study, the involvement of the participant, and confidentiality. The research
will maintain confidentiality and anonymous participant information. The responses that the
participants shared would be only used for research. By reviewing the information sheet and

31
providing verbal confirmation, students as participants understand the procedures, and they have
the free will to participate in the study. If the participant would like to exit the study, they have
the right to opt out of the study at any time. Participants could simply inform the researcher if
they would like to exit the study or have other concerns. I will also engage in consistent check-
ins with participants to ensure their consent to participation.
The data collection will be completed by using a semi-structured interview, where semi-
structured interviews have partially predetermined questions, and researchers would expect
further responses to specific questions. The entire interview will be recorded, so the researcher
can track back the responses of the participants. For in-person interviews, the conversation will
be recorded through an electronic device. For online interviews, the conversations will be
recorded through Zoom. After recording the interview session, researchers will transcribe the
recording document to transcription to have a Word document of the interview session.
The interview protocol will be created based on McMahon and Patton’s (1995) Systems
Theory Framework. The interview questions will focus on the three interrelated systems:
individual internal system, social system, and environmental-societal system (McMahon, 2011).
The researcher is aware of participant individuality in the creation of the interview protocol since
people are in different positions and all have different goals and definitions of career success.
Therefore, the researcher will focus on the quality and quantity of resources provided by the
career center and the international student office as a means to infer perceived career
development support.
The interview protocol will contain questions regarding 3 series. First, the interview will
start with asking about the student's background and demographic information, including their
country of origin, years of studying in the United States as international students, undergraduate

32
and graduate majors, previous job experiences, etc. The basic information helps researchers
consider the participant’s individuality and unique circumstances in order to analyze the decision
and perspectives of the participants. Secondly, the researcher will ask about participants’ career
plans after their degree completion, a short-term career goal in three years, and a long-term
career goal in five years. The plan should contain whether the student has the intention to stay in
the United States or return to their country, whether the student plans to pursue another degree
and the student’s ideal position. Researchers will also ask whether students are prepared to enter
the workforce. After that, the researcher will ask about participants’ experiences with the career
center and the international student office and how they would judge the service that was
provided. To further address the research topic, participants will be expected to share more about
whether the career center and international student office provided fittable opportunities aimed at
the international student’s special visa status. At this point, the predetermined interview
questions will be all given to the participants, and participants will be able to expand their ideas
about what other services could be offered by the career center and the international student
office and in what specific fields the career centers and international student office be aware of to
support international studetns. The researchers could create extempore questions along with the
participants sharing about their experiences to further discover what makes the participants think
so. Using the extempore questions allows students to share more about their individual situations
and career goals.
Credibility and trustworthiness
There are some limitations that might influence the international graduate student’s
responses in their interview. First of all, the timeframe of this research will be conducted at the
tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the majority of the participants were completing

33
their degrees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hari et al. (2021) have found that the COVID-19
pandemic has affected international student’s experience and career planning, “international
students experienced the pandemic transnationally and faced increased challenges, which
heightened their reliance on support from transnational families, and generated anxieties about
their future career and mobility.” (p.1). It can be seen from this that not only the participants’
career experience could be more difficult since they witnessed the transformation of the
workforce during the pandemic, but also they might emerge with different career plans in the
future. In addition, during the pandemic, most of the higher education institutions, including their
student support organizations, experienced temporary closures or services switched to virtual
(Martel, 2020). The uncontrollable variation might affect students’ experience of having access
to career support and receiving enough career support, which might indirectly influence the
research result.
Another limitation would be the authenticity of participants’ opinions. Since the
researcher is an employee of the California Orange University career center, students as
participants would be hesitant to share their thoughts and opinions about the organizations.
Students would either be worried that they would get in trouble because of uncovering the
demerits of the career center and the international student office or be embarrassed to disclose to
an employee directly in the career center about the issues of the organizations. In order to
delineate this factor, the researcher will inform the participants that the purpose of the study is to
help improve the services for international students' career development, and the researchers are
expected to hear honest and useful feedback. To reassure the students about comfortably sharing,
the researcher would also let the student know that the interview was anonymous and respect the

34
student's confidentiality, their answers would be only used for research purposes only. All of this
information would be written on the information sheet.
Since the interview was designed as semi-structured, where the second half of the
interview had no predetermined questions. Participants could freely share their thoughts, and
researchers could ask follow-up questions to further discuss the topic. To keep the interview
trustworthy, researchers should keep in mind that they should not ask suggestive or instructive
questions that might include personal biases. The questions should be based on what the
participant has previously mentioned and continue the topic that the participant has focused on.
Also, researchers should not interrupt the participants while speaking. If the participant did not
fully understand the question, the researcher could wait till the participant finished answering
and then further explain the questions.
Data Analysis
Each interview was transcribed, which was the primary source of research data. These
responses from the interview participants were analyzed through the lens of McMahon and
Patton’s (1995) Systems Theory Framework. I analyzed to draw relevant emergent themes
present in the responses relevant to their experiences with the international student's office and
the career center. From there, I also checked in with the students to gain clarity to make sure that
the comments that I perceive are accurate.
In order to ensure by conducting the interview the research questions could be solved, a
matrix was created. The matrix is a framework that summarizes the data into rows and columns.
In this matrix, the two columns listed the research questions and the interview questions, and the
rows listed which questions are directed to the research question. The below research question
matrix listed in figure 1 highlighted how the interview questions (Appendix B) will directly

35
connect to the primary research questions of this study.
Research Question 1:
● Do international students perceive
international student offices and career
development centers as offering
cohesive support in their career
development?
1. Tell me more about your background.
Where do you come from? How long
have you been studying abroad in the
United States?
2. Tell me more about your education
and employment background. What is
your major and interests? Do you have
any previous employment
experiences?
3. Tell me about your short-term career
goal in the future three years from
your degree completion.
4. Tell me about your long-term career
goal in the future for five or more
years. Where do you see yourself?
5. Do you want to return to your original
country or stay in the United States?
6. Do you think it is challenging to reach
your career goal? What might be the
challenges?
Research Question 2:
● What do international graduate
students perceive as ways that
international student offices and career
development centers can provide
effective support to international
graduate students in their career
development?
1. How was your experience with the
international student office? What type
of service was provided? Do you think
the international student office helped
you with your career development?
2. How was your experience with the
career center? What type of service
was provided? Do you think the career
center helped you with your career
development?
3. What specific fields do the career
centers and international student
offices be aware of to support
international students?
Figure 1

36
Summary
International students provide a wealth of contributions to their academic institutions and
to U.S. society at large. This study explores the ways that academic institutions, specifically in
the support provided by career centers and international student offices, can be champions for
international students and their career development. As such, interviews play a critical role in
providing a space for international students to share their experiences. Further, interviews are a
platform for international students to share their perceptions of how institutions can provide them
with greater support in their career development process. The next chapter will share
international students' perspectives on their career development experience at California Orange
University.

37
Chapter Four: Findings
This chapter lays out the findings from the study as it unfolded. It is important to note
that several procedural adjustments were made to best implement the study. The research design
was originally to be a semi-structured interview which was intended to have an equal portion of
the questions predetermined and the other half open for follow-up questions to further discuss the
topic. The responses from the participants exceeded expectations as most provided robust
responses to all the prepared questions. As such, follow-up questions were minimal if posed at
all. Regardless, the responses from the participants highlighted the need for this study as a
platform for them to express the challenges from their experiences as well as ways to find
solutions to address them. Ultimately, all participants that were able to participate had
worthwhile responses to the guiding questions of this study.
Participant Characteristics
Kay- an international student from Japan, who has been studying abroad in the United
States for 7 years. Started studying abroad at the age of 18, transitioning between institutions is a
common scenario for Kay. Kay first attended a community college in Washington, Seattle for
language learning and preparing for transition into a four-year university. After two years in the
community college, she successfully transferred to a private university in Florida. Kay found her
field of interest in Communication and Journalism, so she graduated with her bachelor’s degree
in communication and continues her study at California Orange University with a Linguistics
major. Kay is looking forward to becoming an interpreter or translator in Japanese and English.
Alexis- a computer science major student from China, who has been studying abroad in
the United States for 2 years. Before studying abroad, she completed her bachelor’s degree in
China years ago and entered the workforce for almost ten years. She was in various work

38
industries such as education, investment, and real estate. Since the emergence of technology and
computer science, she made a brave decision to pursue a higher degree in Master's in computer
science, to get better remuneration by becoming a computer engineer in the future. Alexis has
moved forward into a brand-new area of study and a new career, with the three-year OPT, she
wishes to find a decent job in the United States.
Maggie- a computer science major student from India, who just finished her first year of
study in the United States. Being the only child from a low-income family, Maggie is the hope of
her entire family. Maggie would like to find a high-salary job in the United States and try to
make contributions to her family. Maggie pictured that probably ten years later, she will go back
to her home country and show filial piety to her parents.
Helen- an education major student from South Korea, also a student-parent. Helen is
married with two children, her husband is back in South Korea, and her two children are
accompanying her in the United States. When she is completing her degree, she also needs to
take care of her two children. Helen needs to go back to South Korea after the degree
completion, so she could have her family reunions. She would love to continue pursuing a
doctoral degree in South Korea in the future.
Above are the four participants that participated in the study. The age range of the
participants is between ages 22 to 35. All participants’ self-reported gender is female, and all
participants’ ethnicity was self-identified as Asian. The duration of study abroad in the United
States for the participants ranged from one year to seven years, which occurred between the
years 2016 to 2023. All participants are currently enrolled full-time in their graduate program,
and their program length varies between one year to two years. All participants have earned a
bachelor’s degree either in the United States or in their country of origin, and some participants

39
are enrolled in a graduate program that differs from their previous degrees. All participants have
employment experiences before, but none of the participants are currently employed in
internships, full-time, or part-time positions. Participants’ graduate programs are all in different
areas, which made the demographic rather diverse. Participants’ majors also varied between
STEM and Non-STEM majors. As indicated in earlier chapters, STEM majors have the privilege
of a three-year OPT, whereas non-STEM majors have only a one-year OPT. All participants
have experiences with both the International Student Office and the Career Center, most of the
participants have three or more visits to both departments. Below is a table indicating the
participants’ demographics, participant names listed in this chapter will be using pseudonyms
based on their preference.
Table 1: Participant’s Demographics

Participant

Gender

Country
of
Origin

Years
in the
U.S.

Previous
Degree and
Major
Current
Major
(STEM
Major/
Non-STEM
Major)
Number of
times
visited the
Internation
al Student
Office
Number
of times
visited
the
Career
Center
1) Kay Female Japan 7 Bachelor of
Arts in
Communica
tion
Journalism
in the U.S.
Linguistics
(Non-STEM)
3+ 3+
2) Alexis Female China 2 Bachelor of
Science in
Educational
Technology
in China;
Certified in
English
Interpretatio
n in China
Computer
Engineering
(STEM)
3 3
3) Maggie Female India 1 Bachelor of Computer 2 3+

40
Science in
Electronics
Engineering
in India
Science
(STEM)
4) Helen Female South
Korea
2 Bachelor of
Arts in
English
Literature
and
Linguistics
in South
Korea
Education
TESOL:
Teaching
English as a
second or
foreign
language
(Non-STEM)
2 2

To analyze findings to resolve research questions ‘do international students perceive
international student offices and career development centers as offering cohesive support in their
career development’, the findings listed international students’ career goals and experiences with
the organizations. Then, in order to answer, ‘What do international graduate students perceive as
ways that international student offices and career development centers can provide effective
support to international graduate students in their career development’, participants’ advice was
listed to give out suggestions to better improve the career development services.
International Student Career Goals
Generally, all participants seemed passionate and full of expectations about their future
goals, no matter what field they are going into. All participants have some experience before, and
all of them have the willingness to be employed right away after completion of their master’s
degree. Therefore, when they were expressing their intentions and expectations for their short-
term goals, they all seem to have a targeted career navigation that they would like to enter.
Alexis, for example, has a specific career plan for herself in the engineering field:
I am now planning to find a mid-level job in the United States after graduation. Our
professor also gave us some advice, saying that at the beginning when we first joined the
company, we might do software testing or development, and in the future. I hope it is

41
better to take charge of the technical parts. Later, our professor suggested that we could
transfer the focus to Software Quality Assurance. So that in the later stage, we will
master more core technologies.

However, when participants respond to their long-term goal, which is definitely after their OPT
employment time, participants all seem confused and blurry about picturing themselves in the
future. Kay shares about her long-term goal that she will go with the flow:
Honestly, I don't know. I think when I am done with OPT, I’m going to take the
opportunity that is available for me. I hope to expand my career because I don't have real
work experience before. So, I'm hoping to find something that fits me.

Alexis also mentioned that international students’ main pressure to picture the future was their
immigration status:
Personally, I hope to develop a career in the United States, because the technology
industry is still the leading one in the world. For us international students, the most
important thing is the issue of immigration status. I hope I can find a company that can
sponsor my immigration status as soon as possible.

Even though it is common that people tend to have an ambiguous career goal in expanded time
frames, international students seem specifically challenged when picturing themselves in future
career fields in the United States as relevant to their immigration status. Based on the uncertain
immigration status with F-1 student visa restriction, international students including the
participants in this study definitely perceive limited potentials and opportunities. In sum, the
participants typically hold the attitude of trying their best to seek job opportunities to expand
their professional skills, if luckily, they could continue to live a life in the United States. Table 2
highlights each participant's employment history and future goals which further expands on the
summary of the findings above.

42
Table 2: Participant’s Employment History and Future Goals
Participant Employment
History
Short Term Goal (About
next 3 years)
Long Term Goal
(About next 5-10
years)
1) Kay

(Linguistic
Major Student
from Japan)
1. Worked as a
Communication
Consultant during
undergraduate study,
and all other
experiences are
volunteering.
“ I think my short-term
goal is to make sure I
graduate to get my Master’s
degree. Then try to find a
job in the U.S. within the
one-year OPT. I would like
to focus on linguistics, and
I would love to become a
translator or interpreter, or
something related to
language communication.”
“Honestly, I don't
know. I think when I
am done with OPT, I’m
going to take the
opportunity that is
available for me. I hope
to expand my career
because I don't have
real work experience
before. So I'm hoping
to find something that
fits me.”
2) Alexis

(Computer
Engineering
Major Student
from China)
1. Worked in an
educational
institution that was
mainly responsible
for foreign liaison
with Italian
universities and
government
agencies, as well as
universities in the
United States;
2. Worked as an
investment manager
at an investment
company;
3. Worked at a real
estate company, and
did real estate
investment.
“I am now planning to find
a mid-level job in the
United States after
graduation. Our professor
also gave us some advice,
saying that at the beginning
when we first joined the
company, we might do
software testing or
development, and in the
future, I hope it is better to
take charge of the technical
parts. Later, our professor
suggested that we could
transfer the focus to
Software Quality
Assurance. So that in the
later stage, we will master
more core technologies.”
“Personally, I hope to
develop a career in the
United States, because
the technology industry
is still the leading one
in the world. For us
international students,
the most important
thing is the issue of
immigration status. I
hope I can find a
company that can
sponsor my
immigration status as
soon as possible.”
3) Maggie

(Computer
Science Major
Student from
India)
1. Worked for two
years as a software
developer in India.
“I want to get a job in the
United States. My most
immediate plan is to get my
internship sorted, which
will happen in the summer.
I haven't gotten any offers,
but I'm really waiting for
“In the next five to ten
years, I'll be in the
software development
field. So I would like to
be a software
developer. But I will
definitely be in a higher

43
one. That is my closest plan
to work on. Post that I'll be
working on finding a full-
time opportunity.”
position with better
technology, a good
salary, and all that.”
4) Helen

(TESOL Major
Student from
South Korea)
1. Worked as a high
school English
teacher in South
Korea.
“I have to go back to Korea
because I'm currently on
my study leave. So I will
continue to work as an
English teacher for a while
and then I'm thinking about
taking that task for being a
superintendent in my
school district. Or I'm also
thinking about doing my
doctorate degree in Korea
or the United States.”
“I might challenge it for
being a superintendent
in my school district.
I'm also interested in
teaching in higher
education, but to do
that I need a doctorate
degree.”

CPT Considerations
The F-1 student visa also narrows the opportunities for getting internships. As mentioned
earlier in Chapter 2, the requirements of CPT vary on higher education institutions, which means
every college might have different requirements for applying for CPT. The institution where this
research was conducted has allowed the international student to find paid internships only for 9
weeks. The 9 weeks range was based on the summer term of the institution, where they could
only do internships during summer. Since most companies define the duration of short-term
internships as 10-12 weeks, international students at California Orange University are not
qualified to meet the internship requirements for lots of companies. Alexis indicated her
experience with CPT:
There are basically no international students that are doing internships while studying.
Because of our international student status, it is difficult for us to find this kind of
internship, so we can’t accumulate experience to directly enter society. At our school, the
internship time given to us is very embarrassing. My program length is one and a half
years, but the CPT time provided to us is only about nine weeks. It's only nine weeks, and
in general, companies require 10 to 12 weeks. The school only stipulated nine weeks of
CPT for us, which is unreasonable.

44

From Alexis’s difficult experience with CPT, although the CPT policies were designed by each
institution, the USCIS that oversaw these institutions has not noticed the unfriendly policies.
Maggie has also expressed nervousness about finding an internship:
Researcher: From a scale of one to ten, from least difficult to most difficult, what would
you rate the difficulty of finding an internship now?
Maggie: I would say eight out of ten. Not only the school CPT policy but also currently
the market is not that good for software developers because of the recession, there's not
much hiring and they're actually laying off a lot of people. So the opportunities have
become really low. I really care about internships because, if you have the experience, it
will be easier for you to find a job after.

Gaining enough experience before entering the workforce is one of the most important factors
that influence student success. Obviously, international students at California Orange University
are in need of professional development experiences.
Intention of Returning to Country of Origin
It is undeniably challenging when international students decide to study abroad in the
United States. Equally challenging is navigating the process of picking their route after degree
completion. According to Maggie and Alexis, one of the most important reasons that most
participants prefer to stay in the United States is because the country is advanced in their
professional field, either developing their career or gaining professional experiences, staying in
the United States would be the best option. In addition, the participants indicated that the United
States provides a higher salary compared to most others. For example, Maggie emerged with
thoughts of earning a high salary in the United States, and then return her country of origin to do
her duty as a filial daughter:
Since the U.S. salary is much higher than my hometown, I would definitely stay for
several years to work. I would want to return back after 10-15 years. I would want to stay
with my parents once they get old. And I would want to take care of them at that point in
time, so I'll go back to India.

45
At the same time, some participants have the opposite thoughts tangling their decision-making.
The factors that influenced Maggie and Helen to return to their home country included family
obligations, the challenging process of becoming an immigrant, financial problems, and more.
For example, Helen mentions that when it comes to sharing her identity as an international
student and adult student, she has to consider multiple aspects for her career development:
I really want to stay here, but because I am still on study leave on my job contract, I have
to go back to South Korea. Also, I am married with kids, so I have to go back to South
Korea for my family. However, after one or two years, I would love to get my doctoral
degree in the United States, and I could also bring my kids as dependents to study in the
U.S. Reaching the career goal will be challenging for anybody. But for me, I'm a bit older
than my classmates. So my age would be a concern for myself, I have peer pressure. In
addition, I need to consider financial problems before I decide whether to reenter the U.S.
or not.

The combination of challenges coming from family obligations, financial status, peer pressure,
and immigration status has made the process of reaching Helen's career goal more difficult. Not
only Helen, but other participants also need to face challenges when making decisions. Below is
Table 3, which listed participants’ intention to stay in the United States or return to their country
of origin, with a variety of reasons and difficult challenges.
Table 3: Participant’s Decision of Staying in the U.S.
Participant Intention to Stay
in the U.S or
Return to
Country of
Origin
Reason Challenges of Decision
1) Kay

(Linguistic
Major Student
from Japan)
Location does not
matter but prefers
to stay in the U.S.
“I want to stay in the U.S.
but I think finding a
sponsor is kind of a big
thing. But for me, location
doesn't really matter. I care
more about what kind of
job I can do. I could also
find a decent job in Japan,
like as a translator or
If staying in the U.S., it
might be challenging since
sponsorship is required
after a year of OPT. If
return to Japan, it will be
less challenging.

46
helping with
communication.”
2) Alexis

(Computer
Engineering
Major Student
from China)
Prefers to stay in
the U.S. and will
go back to China
temporarily.
“As an individual, I hope
to develop a career here in
the United States, because
the technology industry
here is still relatively
leading in the world. If I
want to go back, it should
be because of my parents,
maybe I will go back
temporarily, but if it is a
career development, it is
better to be in the United
States.”
“I think there are actually
difficulties, because,
during the learning
process, I will feel that I
still have a lot to learn.
Finding a sponsor is not
very difficult, because,
with my major, the
company doesn’t mind too
much, because many of
these big companies will
also offer you as a
sponsor.”
3) Maggie

(Computer
Science Major
Student from
India)
Prefers to stay in
the U.S.
temporarily on
work visas and
return to India
because of family.
“Since the U.S. salary is
much higher than my
hometown, I would
definitely stay for several
years to work. I would
want to return back after
10-15 years. I would want
to stay with my parents
once they get old. And I
would want to take care of
them at that point in time,
so I'll go back to India.”
“Not only the school CPT
policy but also currently
the market is not that good
for software developers
because of recession,
there's not much hiring
and they're actually laying
off a lot of people. So the
opportunities have become
really low. I really care
about internships because,
if you have the experience,
it will be easier for you to
find a job after.”

4) Helen

(TESOL Major
Student from
South Korea)
Has to return to
South Korea
because of an
employment
contract but is
willing to reenter
the U.S. for a
doctoral degree in
the future.
“ I really want to stay here,
but because I am still on
study leave on my job
contract, I have to go back
to South Korea. Also, I am
married with kids, so I
have to go back to South
Korea for my family.
However, after one or two
years, I would love to get
my doctoral degree in the
United States, and I could
also bring my kids as
“Reaching the career goal
will be challenging for
anybody. But for me, I'm a
bit older than my
classmates. So my age
would be a concern for
myself, I have peer
pressure. In addition, I
need to consider financial
problems before I decide
to reenter the U.S or not.”

47
dependents to study in the
U.S.”

Based on the findings, all of the participants had the intention to stay in the United States right
after graduation to gain some experience, and most of them wanted to settle down in the United
States for a longer period of time longer than the allotted OPT duration. Consequently, when
facing all the obstacles, it is difficult decision for international students to decide or imagine
where they will be in the future.
International Student Office
The International Student Office at California Orange University is also named the
International Student and Scholar Office. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the service was
maintained to be provided in a hybrid format to ensure international students could have their
self-preferences to receive support. The table below lists services that international students have
received, and their feedback on how they think the experience has impacted their career
development.
Table 4: International Student Office Services and Feedback
Participant Service Received Feedback and Impact on Career Development
1) Kay

(Linguistic
Major Student
from Japan)
General Advising;
Major Advising; New
Student Orientation;
OPT Orientation;
Document Processing.
“The service is a little confusing during COVID-
19 since it is difficult to keep international
student employment information updated. I don’t
think it will help me with finding jobs, so I
decided to visit the career center instead.”
2) Alexis

(Computer
Engineering
Major Student
from China)
Student Insurance;
Visa Document
Processing; General
Advising; OPT and
CPT Orientation; Visa
Orientation.
“They asked international students to participate
in an orientation about OPT and CPT, and the
main thing was to talk about how international
students have to follow the requirements of the
school. Then they don’t seem to have any other
employment guidance, they don’t pay special
attention here.”

48
3) Maggie

(Computer
Science Major
Student from
India)
SSN Applying; CPT
Applying; Support
Letter Request.
“They are very friendly and supportive, I got
what I needed within a day. But I did not reach
out to them regarding my career.”
4) Helen

(TESOL Major
Student from
South Korea)
Academic Planning;
Visa Advising; CPT
Advising; OPT
Advising.
“I got information about CPT and OPT
employment, but they only explained the
application process. I think they are trying their
best, but as a student with kids and family, it is
difficult for me to match my schedule with those
information sessions. I hope they could have
recordings.”

According to the feedback from our participants, the International Student Office at the
California Orange University did provide them with immigration documentation support in a
timely manner. However, the International Student Office only informs students about policies
and restrictions about employment, but “ doesn't pay special attention” to helping students to get
employment opportunities. For example, Alexis mentioned her experience in the International
Student Office:
There is not much support in career planning, because they seem to have no career
services. Before, the office asked international students to participate in OPT or CPT
workshops. The workshop is about the introduction and requirements, and the main thing
is to talk to our international students, which includes policies that we have to follow the
requirements of the school, and then go to check visa status. Then there is no other
employment guidance, and nobody provides relevant information.

The CPT and OPT information are for the majority of the students that have already received a
job offer, but students are also having difficulties finding the position prior to applying for CPT
or OPT. According to the student participants, international students are seeking more
employment guidance and opportunities, but the International Student Office is not providing
enough information.

49
Differences between Institutions: Experience from Kay
While we understand International Student Offices vary from institution to institution, in
this section I will showcase the experiences of Kay. Kay has experience with the International
Student Office in a community college, a four-year private university, and a four-year public
university. Even though one participant’s experience would be too general to represent all
international student’s experiences, and the institutions that the participant attended could not
symbolize the institution category, Kay's experience could provide insight into how different
institutions vary in the operation of their International students on campus. Based on Kay’s
experience, the International Student Office’s information and highlights are listed in the table
below.
Table 5: International Student Office Differences Between Institutions
Community College
(in Seattle, Washington)
Private University
(in Florida)
Public University
(California Orange
University)
Kay’s
Experience
“I remember there were a
lot of international
students on campus. So
they paid a lot of
attention to international
students. They had an
advisor for each student.
They separated the name
by the first initial of the
name, and then I can just
walk in on your
appointment to talk about
my concern. Many
students at that college
usually want to transfer
to a four-year university,
and I remember a lot of
students who went in and
discussed changing
majors or what classes to
“I transferred to Florida,
so I went to a four-year
private university. They
had a lot of funds, so they
had the opportunity to
provide for international
students. I think that the
biggest difference is that
they had a big orientation
and there are a lot of
international students and
exchange students. We
had orientation and liked
doing ice breaking and
then the office explained
what to be careful when
you travel, and the basics
on the first day of the
semester. I didn't really
go to the office, but I
“For this office, they do
have 10 minutes of drop-
in advising. But I don't
have an assigned advisor.
I just got 10 minutes and
I could ask them
questions. And I think
they do emails, too. They
usually do orientations
online, and most likely
they ask students to
watch the video on their
own. So I am a bit
worried. I think it's
difficult to keep updated
about international
student policies. All the
information was a little
bit confusing because of
COVID, but also I think

50
take to transfer to the
school. My advisor was
very helpful. I changed
majors a few times. But I
found they were very
helpful. I had a good
experience.”

know they had a lot of
events, such as inviting
international students to a
barbecue. I usually
communicated with
counselors online through
emails.”
the office did not provide
effective information.
Also, I know they do like
virtual events or meetings
to talk about OPT, but
just the schedule doesn't
really meet with mine, so
I have never attended
those meetings.”
Highlights Large International
Student population;
Student has assigned
advisors;
ISS combined the focus
on academic advising
with international student
status issues.
Has enough funds;
ISS important
international student
experience;
Holds many events to
support international
students.
Mostly drop-in advising;
Holds mostly virtual
advising and virtual
events;
Encourages international
students to be self-
conscious about their
status.

Considering the transferring out the intention of international students on campus, based
on Kay’s experience in the community college focused on advising students case-by-case. Kay
mentioned that the advantage of a student getting an assigned counselor is that the student could
spend more time with the counselor talking about their educational background and personal
factors that will influence their future education decision. Since the staff and faculty at the
International Student Office are supposed to have more knowledge about maintaining
international student status, while transferring or changing majors, they could provide capable
information that best supports international students' development.
Based on experiences from Kay, different from public institutions, the private institutions
received more funding to spend on the international student population. The International
Student holds miscellaneous activities that could bring up international students’ interests and
enhance international students’ experience. This organization that Kay attended attempts to build

51
up student engagement in order to spread out important information regarding international
student status. It seems to be more acceptable and more effective for students.
The International Student Office at California Orange University advocates a hybrid
format to provide services. Students are able to attend online informational workshops and drop-
in appointments to resolve their concerns. The information delivery format does require students
to have self-consciousness and self-regulation to keep up with the policies.
Although the differences between each institution are, there is a potential bias which is
the year that Kay attended the school. Kay’s community college and private institution
experience were all before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the experience at California Orange
University was during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic
limitations do make a huge difference in knowledge delivery methods, the different experiences
between these institutions could be explained by the pandemic aftermath. From the participant’s
experience, it also tells that COVID-19 left an impact on international students’ experience with
the International Student Offices.
Experience with Career Center
The participants all have some experience utilizing the services provided by the Career
Center. The table below lists the services provided by the Career Center and the impacts of those
experiences based on their career development.
Table 6: Career Center Service and Feedback
Participant Service Provided Feedback and Impact on Career Development
1) Kay

(Linguistic Major
Student from
Japan)
Resume Review;
Career Connection;
Mock-Interview;
Career
Exploration; Job
Search.
“I did get help and feedback about resumes and
others. But it depends on who is providing the
service, since lots of people are not aware of
international students’ employment restrictions.
The Career Center doesn’t really have the
international student information.”

52
2) Alexis

(Computer
Engineering Major
Student from
China)
Interview
Preparation; Mock
Interview; Resume
Review; Career
Assessment.
“They didn't care about the difference between
whether the student is an international student or
a non-international student. In addition, there is
less publicity or something. Our classmates
basically don’t know our school’s career center
offers these services.”
3) Maggie

(Computer Science
Major Student
from India)
On-Campus
Hiring; Job Fairs;
Resume Review.
“They do have good knowledge about career
development, but I did not reach out to them
based on International Student employment. I
guess lots of students assume they do not have
international student employment information.”
4) Helen

(TESOL Major
Student from South
Korea)
Internship Job
Search; Resume
Review; Online
Workshops.
“I visited there because I want to know more
about finding an internship during my summer
term by using CPT. It wasn’t very clear about
that, so I might need to visit one more time.”

There was a mix of experiences among the four participants regarding their experiences with the
Career Center. Kay indicated that she benefited from the services:
I am glad that I came to the career center because I did a lot of things like how to make a
resume or how to get to LinkedIn. And when I was looking for a job, I realized that I
needed some support. So then I visited and then I got a lot of help and feedback for the
resume and a cover letter. So I think now I feel confident about what to do when finding
jobs.

Alexis also mentioned how the career center prepared her in specific of her major of study, and
tips for interviewing:
The Career Center gave some suggestions for the interview, such as frequently
encountered questions in the interview, some questions and answers from other
companies, and some reference websites. As a computer major, many future careers will
be in large technology companies, in which they will use software to complete
recruitment screening. The career center also explained to me how to modify my resume
to stand out in the screening. I think it is quite helpful for me.

From the participants’ perspective and experience, the Career Center is professional about the
employment workplace, and they are excellent at preparing students in multi divisions by
practicing tips and strengths. However, this is on the premise that the benefited student is a

53
domestic student. The employment problem they will face is relatively strenuous. Based on the
feedback from our participants, three main issues were causing the effectiveness of support
towards the international student's population, which are 1) lack of promotion, 2) lack of
awareness of serving international students, and 3) lack of connection.
Issue 1: Lack of Promotion
From Alexis’s experience, lots of students may not emerge the awareness of their career
readiness until they are graduating, so sadly the career center was a resource that not every
student utilizes when they are completing their degree. For example, Alexis mentions her peers
rarely know about the services at the Career Center:
I think the career center publicity is relatively small, that is, our peers basically do not
know that the career center of our school has services that could review their resumes, or
do mock interviews. My classmate said before that they all go off-campus to look for
resume critique services, and it is definitely expensive. They didn't realize it until I told
them about the career center. After that, they all start to make appointments with the
Career Center.

Issue 2: Lack of Awareness of Serving International Students
The Career Center holds advanced knowledge about employment opportunities, but the
lack of understanding of international students’ circumstances is holding back the effectiveness
of international students’ career development. Participants have reported that the career center
staff “are not aware of the difference between whether a student is an international student or a
not”, which means the resources that the Career Center provides might not be applicable to the
international student population. The lack of awareness might cause irreversible damage to
international students’ journey, Kay mentions that:
Since I am an international student, I must find a position that is related to my major,
otherwise I might violate the CPT or OPT policies and get terminated. But when the
Career Center staff is walking me through my job search, even though they could tell my
international student identity from my student portal, I need to proactively bring up my

54
restrictions. After that, they started to give out suggestions based on my request and
provided major-related positions.

Issue 3: Lack of Connection

Based on the student participants, they felt a lack of connection between the two different
offices. [insert participant name] indicated that she felt the two offices were running
independently of each other and not working together to better support international students on
their campus. Another participant, [insert name] had similar experiences and indicated When
asking participants about suggestions for the two organizations, our participants anticipated some
partnership between the two organizations in the future. Alexis recommends:
We hope that the school can give us more attention to international students in this
regard. I wish the Career Center will cooperate more with the International Student
Office, and at least provide us with more opportunities. Because the number of
international students in our school is quite large, if they could come up with workshops
or advising appointments specifically for international students' career development, I
think it would be very helpful.

Developing partnerships between the Career Center and the International Student Office not only
will provide more employment opportunities to the international student population, but also let
international students aware of their international student status. Additionally, Helen brought up
that through partnership, international students could ensure their legal status could be processed
as usual:
The two organizations should definitely partner up because each international student that
is finding internships has totally different situation. Visa issues are vital, we have to be
aware of lots of legal issues. If some international student office staff could be on the side
during career counseling, they could help us to avoid legal troubles.

55
Summary of Results and Findings
This chapter reported the interview outcomes, including participants' backgrounds, career
goals, the intention of returning to their country of origin, and student experiences with the
Career Center and the International Student Office. Chapter 5 will address international students'
experiences relevant to McMahon and Patton’s (1995) Systems Theory Framework to further
explore how the organization influences international student career development. Informed by
that analysis, this study hopes to birth a new framework that could better understand the
international student population’s career development and support in their overall career
trajectory. In addition, the next chapter will contain implications for organizations to improve
their current advising methods.

56
Chapter Five: Data Analysis and Conclusion
International graduate students have been experiencing dehumanizing obstacles from
multiple aspects. Therefore, this study aims to bring up awareness of international student career
development by identifying factors that affect the international graduate student population. As
the main source that directly influences international graduate students’ career development,
ensuring the Career Center and the International Student Office have provided efficient and
effective services are crucial. The first research question posed by this study is the following:
“Do international students perceive international graduate student offices and career
development centers as offering cohesive support in their career development?” In summary,
responses from the international graduate student participants believe that the two organizations'
offices are not working in unison and are not meeting all of their needs, and have the potential to
develop better services providing strategies that could better prepare them for career readiness.
The second research question poses: “What do international graduate students perceive as ways
that international student offices and career development centers can provide effective support to
international graduate students in their career development?” In relationship to McMahon and
Patton's (1995) Systems Theory Framework, the following are several enhancement plans
informed by the participant responses that could be implemented into the current higher
education organization to provide effective support to international graduate students' career
development.
Connections to Systems Theory Framework
As mentioned earlier in Chapter Two, McMahon and Patton's (1995) Systems Theory
Framework of occupation consists of three interrelated systems, which are the individual internal
system, the social system, and the environmental-societal system (McMahon, 2011). As such, the

57
internal and external factors cultivated from the interview responses that influence the
international students’ career development were broken down into three systems levels.
Individual Internal System
As McMahon and Patton (2006) describes the individual internal system in career
development is constructed by intrinsic or internal factors. The findings align with the original
definition, where international students’ individual internal systems would be their country of
origin, personal values, major, and ability. Since each student has unique personal background
and experiences, their individual internal system that might affect their career decision would be
difficult to track in this research study. Significantly, international students’ major is directly
conditional on their future career decision. As mentioned earlier, international students’
employment opportunities, such as OPT, vary by major. If an international student was majoring
in a STEM major, they would receive three years employment authorization period.
Consequently, the major and area of study determine an international student’s duration of
staying in the United States after graduation. Findings show that the two participants, Kay and
Helen, who are non-STEM majors, have a relatively vague plan for their future plan, and could
only picture themselves in the United States for a short time period within two or three years. In
contrast, the other participants Maggie and Alexis, who are majoring in STEM, all expressed
they are aiming to be employed in the United States for five to ten years. The differences in
international student career goals suggest that there are huge differences in career plans between
STEM major students and non-STEM major students. Therefore, in this research, a student's
major as an individual internal factor might not be considered a realistic element to improve
international student career development.

58
Social System
The social system is directly surrounding the individual internal system, which is the
organizations that the person experiences throughout their life (McMahon & Patton, 2006).
Considering social system factors that are bonding with international students, the higher
education institutions' organization and students’ work experiences play the role of the social
system affecting international students’ career development. The Career Center and the
International Student Office directly decide what professional knowledge international students
perceive. Based on the study’s participants' feedback, how the organization offers its services
and how their supporting attitude intuitively depends on international students’ willingness to
reach out to these organizations. Alexis mentioned that “If the student has been receiving helpful
information and effective assistance, the student would be positive to build a consistent
relationship with the organization to seek help. In contrast, if the student had an unpleasant
experience or did not resolve their problems, the student would decrease trust in the
organization”. The participant have expressed that she thought the International Student Office
“don’t seem to have any other employment guidance, they don’t pay special attention here.” so
she would no longer visit the International Student Office for career guidance. Therefore,
determining whether the organization is providing effective and convenient support services is
crucial to improve international students' career development.
Additionally, international students’ employment histories also made a great impact on
their future career fields. As known work experience will affect whether students will continue to
develop in a certain field, the lack of experience gaining opportunities for international students
will cause more uncertainty in future career decisions. The research site has limited international
students’ CPT internship duration to 9 weeks, which only allows international students to

59
experience their possible careers within 9 weeks. Due to a lack of employment experience,
international students’ career development is more likely to be hesitant and vacillating.
Despite institutional influences, the family factor is another factor that lots of
international students might consider. From the interviews, almost all participants mentioned
they would put in consideration of their parents, spouse, or dependent’s future development in
their own career planning. Two of the participants significantly, Maggie and Helen, expressed
that they have to return to their home country to ensure family reunification. The family factor
determines the country or location where international students see themselves in their future
careers. Therefore, a more humanizing form of career development is necessary. Humanizing
career development could be shown to revise delivery methods of career development strategies
that are suitable for students who have dependents, considering familial factors and cultural
context while doing career counseling, or creating realistic career development plans based on
the student's family background. Family as a social system factor would closely influences
people’s decision-making when it comes to career development.
Environmental-Societal System
The environmental-societal system has a less direct influence on the individual, but it is
the big picture throughout the individual’s journey (McMahon & Patton, 2006). Looking into the
big picture of influential factors, immigration, and international student policy are important
factors that shape international student’s career development. Changes in political policies are
unpredictable and unstable bending to the whims of those in current power. With the changes in
policies for international students, the future planning of international students will passively
change. International students have to adapt to policy changes such as ones in the duration
regulations of CPT and OPT, or the general suppression of international students during the

60
Trump Era. In addition, not only the policies within the United States but also the policies in
international students’ countries of origin are also considerations for international students when
planning their career pathway. Participant Maggie’s career pathway would be influenced by the
immigration policy and the job market, “Not only the school CPT policy but also currently the
market is not that good for software developers because of recession, there's not much hiring and
they're actually laying off a lot of people. So the opportunities have become really low.” In sum,
it’s undeniable that many factors including political decision-making, historical trends,
globalization, socioeconomic status, job market, and geographic location, might affect
international students’ decisions.
Further, unexpected environmental-societal factors have proven to play a role including
the experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic not only left a negative impact on
student career preparation but also changed the whole employment environment. Although
recruitment is being carried out as enterprises resume, due to the poor economic conditions of
some enterprises and the wave of layoffs intensifying, the demand for students has been affected
to a certain extent (Hawley et al., 2021). From participants’ experiences during COVID-19, most
of their career support delivery methods were online or hybrid. Even after the pandemic, the
career support organizations are resuming their services, but the lack of career planning and
practicing in those two years does cause a deficiency in career preparation. From Maggie’s
disclosure of her challenges, she mentioned “Under the influence of the pandemic, the
employment circumstance of international students are more severe. Although recruitment is
being carried out as enterprises resume, due to the poor economic conditions of some enterprises
and the wave of layoffs intensifying, the demand has been affected to a certain extent”. Salary

61
and benefits, career development, and work-life balance are the main concerns, which will bring
pressure and challenges to the employment of college students.
Reconditioning Framework for International Students
With deeper knowledge about international students’ career development experience, I
posit a necessity for a reconditioned framework to explore the various factors that impact an
international students’ career development. Grounded in the existing framework of McMahon
and Patton's (1995) Systems Theory Framework and the findings of this study, a reconditioned
framework emerges in Humanizing International Student Career Development Model
(HISCDM). The Humanizing International Student Career Development Model (HISCDM)
framework uses a similar systematic structure to McMahon and Patton's (1995) System Theory
Framework while being more inclusive to additional internal and external factors that affect
international student’s career development at each level and, of course, centering the
international student experience.
Table 7: Humanizing International Student Career Development Model (HISCDM)
HISCDM System Levels Possible Factors
Internal Individual System Personal Values, Country of Origin, Major, Ability,
Immigration Status, etc.
Social System Family, Work Experience, Career Center Services,
International Student Office Support, Support Seeking
Behavior, etc.
Environmental-Societal System Institution, Job Market, Geographic Location,
Immigration Policy, Historical Trend, Political Issue,
etc.

The Humanizing International Student Career Development Model (HISCDM) expanded
on the basis of the original to best support international students. The original System Theory

62
Framework set an individual person as the core, while the reconditioned framework assigns the
international student as the core to narrow down its focus. As such, ISCST incorporates these
elements more centrally as individual internal factors. Cultural context, immigration background,
and major decisions are significant to the international student experience. For example, Maggie
as an international student from India, her career pathway was affected by her personal value
where she should carry on family obligations, and major in Computer Science in order to have a
better salary and a longer period to stay in the United States. The immigration background,
cultural context, and major choices as individual factors are the core of the entire International
Student Career System since most of the other factors are built based on the foundation of an
international student's cultural values and beliefs.
On top of the individual internal system, the social factors are built as what students
experience and perceive based on their existing values and beliefs. The social factors are external
factors that influence international students’ knowledge perception methods, which are mainly
focusing on resources that international students have accessed, where the higher educational
institution organizations take place. The institution organizations such as the International
Student Office and the Career Center are the most direct procedures international students
receive knowledge about career development. Not only professional and practical career
guidelines should be provided to international students, but also suitable and applicable career
strategies should be given to international students case by case. In addition, inspirations from
family members are also a social factor that follows along since most international students are
in the early stages of career development. All of these factors directly differentiate international
students’ career development possibilities and directions.

63
The environmental-societal factors ordinarily are the overseeing factors from the big
picture, which could not be easily challenged. Focusing on the international student population,
more environmental-societal factors were added because they vary due to the constantly
changing immigration policies, political standpoint, globalization, and pandemic. The
environmental-societal factors are the most intuitive factors that would make huge impacts on
the international student’s career pathway. Even though the environmental-societal factors could
not be easily challenged or confronted by international students themselves, policymakers and
educators should be aware of protecting international students’ rights deserve, to develop a
policy that international students would best develop their career journey. A humanizing,
appropriate, equitable policy should be kept in mind regardless of discrimination, economic
benefits, and political views.
To sum up, the Humanizing International Student Career Development Model
(HISCDM) is a practical and contemporary tool to explore the influential factors on international
students’ career development. More than McMahon and Patton’s theory (1995), the Humanizing
International Student Career Development Model (HISCDM) breaks down the influential factors
of international student career development and focuses on the International Student’s cultural
background and unique experiences. By analyzing the reasons and factors behind international
students’ career development decisions, the Humanizing International Student Career
Development Model (HISCDM) could make great progress in improving institution organization
effectiveness and further developing career advising approaches that best fit the international
student population.

64
Implications
An analysis of international students’ career development with their circumstances
suggests that international students tend to have more social factors and environmental-societal
factors affecting their career development. Not only do international students need to be self-
aware and proactive about their career development journey, but higher education professionals
and administration, along with policymakers should also provide additional resources and
support to assist international students in developing their career path. Therefore, supporting
international students’ career development needs to be resolved in multiple aspects. Several
suggestions are listed below.
Policymaker Recommendations
The most challenging factors are at the environmental-societal system level, including
policies towards international students and immigration, globalization, or unexpected events.
Unfortunately, most of these factors are irrefutable, international students could hardly challenge
these fixed rules. The policy maker, in this case, could be broad up to the president of the United
States, and narrow down to staff in the education field. The COVID-19 pandemic as an example,
has slowed down international students’ student visa processing, which causes international
students who cannot go to school in the United States to continue their studies. Harvard
University has been a role model for standing up and striving to build support for international
students’ rights (citation). President Bacow at Harvard University sent a letter to U.S. President
Joe Biden, emphasizing that the international student visa issue should be resolved as soon as
possible (Walsh, 2020). If there is a problem with international student visa documents, the
International Students Office will actively help international students resolve it. Even in the face
of unfair government policies, schools that value international student services should write

65
letters and even sue the government (Walsh, 2020). That being the case, policymakers should
humanize international students’ study abroad experience and be aware of the challenges that
international students might face.
From the research result, more than one student voiced their concerns about the CPT
duration at California Orange University. The CPT period was limited to nine weeks, which does
not reach the minimum duration of lots of companies. This causes restrictions on international
students’ internship opportunities and a lack of career preparation. Whether the policy was made
by the International Student Office or the Immigration Service Center, this policy does not take
into account the employment difficulties of international students or the typical employer's
requirements of an internship ranging between 10-15 weeks at minimum. Higher educational
policymakers and representatives should be aware of the misalignment caused by this restriction
and the detriment this has on international students on this campus.
Partnership between Career Center and International Student Office
The Career Center as a resource center contains countless employment opportunities and
guidance on the career path, while the International Student Office is a place where all
international students have involvement with their documentation and visa processing. All of the
participants agreed that the International Student Office should establish a partnership with the
Career Center. The partnership could be in a variety of settings, such as having the other
department’s flyers in their office, creating seasonal information sessions, having staff that works
for both organizations or offering legal services for international students. Establishing
partnerships could help career centers identify international student career development
situations and problems because it is a serious problem when the staff is not aware of the
student's identity. If a student did not disclose their international identity and is unfamiliar with

66
the policy themself, the general suggestion may cause not only trouble for the student but also
reveals the unprofessional behavior of the organization.
Offering career counseling services for international student populations would be one of
the most effective ways to improve international student career readiness. The International
Student Office is a place that every international student should report to. Since international
students need to complete documentation throughout their journey, each international student
should have reached out to the International Student Office at least once or twice. The Career
Center and the International Student Office could have career experts that are familiar with
international student employment policies to provide guidance on international students’
employment decisions. When international students expressed their interest in doing CPT or
OPT, the career experts could lay out career possibilities for the student. Since the career experts
are trained with professional knowledge, they should be knowledgeable to deliver functional
advice for students that could satisfy their visa requirements and their career development
intention. It would be losing the best opportunities to encourage international students' career
development and make sure international students are utilizing the resources.
In addition, having a legal service advisor at the International Student Office seems to
become a popular option in lots of higher education institutions. The legal service advisor would
focus on checking international students’ immigration and visa status. When students are
confused about possible job opportunities or immigration status, the legal service advisor could
contribute to clarifying international student’s career paths and ensure that the students are
meeting the requirements of the policies, and could provide advice about when to disclose status
when applying for employment using OPT and requesting sponsorship. By having a legal service
advisor, the risk of violating the immigration and visa regulations of international students can be

67
minimized, so that international students could focus on developing both academically and
professionally.
“We are not just paychecks”
As mentioned earlier, the international student population has been portrayed as enemies
that have the possibility of becoming criminals, terrorists, spies, or thieves of jobs and
intellectual property. The exclusion and oppression from the U.S. government and local people
make it difficult for international students to develop academically and professionally. As one of
the largest sources of financial funding for higher education institutions, international students
should be understood and respected, not just as unilateral contributors. International graduate
students are the key to the promotion and development of American higher education
institutions, and should not be excluded and discriminated against. In order to maintain the
continuous win-win cooperation between international graduate students and U.S. higher
education institutions, policymakers need to stand up to protect the benefits and entitlement of
international graduate students. Unreasonable visa blocking, restrictions on internship, or
discrimination should not stand in the way of an international student's success.
The international graduate student population needs to be seen as human, not only in
career development. International students’ financial, academic, and psychological obstacles
should be made aware by higher education institutions. For example, setting up Mental Health
Services so that students can seek help for any pressure in schoolwork, emotion, and life.
Schools should hire psychological counselors with diverse cultural backgrounds to provide
services so that students can release their emotions in a foreign land.
To increase international student belongingness, higher education institutions should
build platforms and channels for international students to integrate into multicultural life.

68
Institutions should proactively provide venues to support international graduate students in
organizing festival-themed cultural and entertainment activities on campus, and also provide
students with opportunities for cultural exchanges. In addition, universities should organize
recruitment activities, using alumni resources as much as possible to provide students with job
opportunities. The school can jointly set up job fairs with foreign companies, which is very
helpful for students who might want to develop a career in foreign countries.
Limitations and Suggestions
There are some limitations that might cause biases in this research. Due to limited
participants, the population quantity and characteristics could not fully represent the entire
international graduate student population. All participants self-identified as Asian females,
whose gender and cultural background are not diverse enough to represent all international
graduate student populations. Research results from all Asian females might cause biases such as
gender inequality in certain careers or cultural pressure in careers. Therefore, future research
should take into consideration international students of all genders and cultural backgrounds.
Specifically, this research found that family factor has been playing an important role in
impacting international graduate students’ career decisions. Since the Asian population has
relatively more significant family obligations than other ethnic groups, the family factor
affecting students’ career development should be further developed.
Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has made a significant impact on students who were in
school during the years from 2020 to 2022. All participants in this study are currently in their
graduate programs, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were all in undergraduate or graduate
study. The service delivery format varies during the time period, the lack of efficient supporting
services happens when the pandemic emerges and institutions temporarily shut down. Even

69
though looking back to the pandemic journey, more service delivery options such as hybrid or
virtual services are widely spread and commonly used post-pandemic, students' learning
experience was negatively affected and had to adapt to the transformation of the service delivery.
It is difficult to determine whether the organizations in higher education institutions are
providing efficient support during the pandemic and post-pandemic. COVID-19 as a globalized
unexpected event has differentiated all human living experiences. Future research could reflect
back on the COVID-19 experience and further explore more possible prevention strategies for
improving student learning that could be used for future unexpected events. With the reflection
of limitations, future research should consider these suggestions to further develop an expanded
study centering on international student career development.

70
Conclusion
International graduate students are the liaison between United States higher education to
the world. Humanizing international graduate students studying abroad experience and career
development is a topic that should be noticed by everyone. It’s evident that the international
student population has a lot of obstacles to overcome in their journey toward career and personal
fulfillment. Higher education institutions should play the role of their supporter. The Career
Center and the International Student Office as student support organizations still need to improve
their organization support structures, professional knowledge of serving international students,
and bring up awareness, in order to provide effective support to international student
populations. At the same time, people should consider the importance of humanizing
international students by understanding cultural differences, eliminating discrimination, and
establishing humane policies. Future research could improve on additional influential factors that
affect international students' career decisions, such as family, gender, and cultural factors. In
addition, future research could explore more methods that could keep up the organization's
service delivery and ensure student satisfaction as a prevention of future unexpected events.

71
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Appendix
Appendix A: Intake Form
Intake Form of the International Student Career Development Study

Welcome! My name is Jiayi Xu. This is an Intake Form of the International Student
Career Development Research Study. Please complete the following information, and if you have
been selected, the researcher will contact you soon. If you get selected to become a participant, a
thank you gift will be given after the study. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out
to: ******@*********.edu

1. Name: (First and Last)
2. Email
3. Phone Number
4. Are you an International F-1 Student?
a. Yes
b. No
5. Are you a graduate student at California Orange University?
a. Yes
b. No
6. How many times have you visited the California Orange University International
Students & Scholars Office (both in-person and virtual)?
a. Never
b. 1-3 times
c. 3 or more times
7. How many times have you visited the California Orange University Career Center (both
in-person and virtual)?
a. Never
b. 1-3 times
c. 3 or more times
8. Are you available for an interview about International Student experience? (Either In-
person or Virtual is fine) You can pick anytime that you are available.
a. Yes
b. No
9. By completing this intake form, you are interested in participating in the International
Student Career Development Research, and you give permission to researchers to contact
you if you were selected.
a. Yes, I am interested to participate and win a gift!

75
Appendix B: Interview Questions
Interview Questions

The interview was designed to be semi-structured, where only parts of the questions were
predetermined. The list below are the predetermined questions. The interview protocol will
contain questions regarding 3 series, which are student background and demographic
information, international student perceives support, and international students suggestions on
organization support.

1. Tell me more about your background. Where do you come from? How long have you
been studying abroad in the United States?
2. Tell me more about your education and employment background. What is your major and
interests? Do you have any previous employment experiences?
4. Tell me about your short-term career goal in the future three years from your degree
completion.
5. Tell me about your long-term career goal in the future for five or more years. Where do
you see yourself?
6. Do you want to return to your origin country or stay in the Unites
7. Do you think it is challenging to reach your career goal? What might be the challenges?
8. How was your experience with the international student office? What type of service was
provided? Do you think the international student office helped you with your career
development?
9. How was your experience with the career center? What type of service was provided? Do
you think the career center helped you with your career development?
10. What specific fields do the career centers and international student offices be aware of to
support international students?
11. Do you have any other questions?

76
Appendix C: Information Sheet
INFORMATION SHEET FOR EXEMPT RESEARCH

STUDY TITLE: International Student Career Development Experience with Institutional
Organizations

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Jiayi Xu

FACULTY ADVISOR: Atheneus Ocampo

You are invited to participate in a research study. Your participation is voluntary. This document
explains information about this study. You should ask questions about anything that is unclear to
you.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to examine International Students’ experience with the Career
Center and the International Student Office, in order to further develop a better method to
support international student success. We hope to learn about your opinions on how the
institutional organization provides you support, and how they can provide better support. You
are invited as a possible participant because you are an international graduate student, and you
have experiences with the Career Center and the International Student Office.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
You will be asked to participate in a one-on-one interview. During the interview, you would be
answering questions regarding your career goal and your experience with the career center and
international student office. Audio recordings will be used during the interview. If you decline to
be recorded, you may pause your participation now.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive a $15 starbucks gift card for your time. You will need to complete the interview
in order to receive the card. The card will be given to you after you complete the interview. You
could pick if you want an actual physical card or a virtual card to your email.

CONFIDENTIALITY
The members of the research team, and the University of Southern California Institutional
Review Board (IRB) may access the data. The IRB reviews and monitors research studies to
protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

The data collection (interview) will be anonymous, both your name and the institution will not be
posted. The institution name will be using a pseudonym.

There will be audio recordings during the data collection. After the data collection, you have the
right to review and edit the recordings or transcripts. Only the investigators will have access to
the recording and transcripts. The audio recordings will be erased after it gets transformed into
transcripts. The recordings will be maintained until the research is complete in May 2023.

77

INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about this study, please contact:
Investigator: Jiayi Xu, jxu58954@usc.edu, (626) 691-8886
Faculty Advisor: Atheneus Ocampo, acocampo@usc.edu

IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact the
University of Southern California Institutional Review Board at (323) 442-0114 or email
irb@usc.edu.

78
Appendix D: QR Code

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This research focused on how international graduate students’ career development was influenced by higher education institution organizations, which focused on the Career Center and the International Student Office. Through a qualitative research design, 4 international graduate students from California Orange University shared about their personal career development journey and gave feedback on their experience with the Career Center and the International Student Office. Research results show the organization’s professional knowledge, support service structures, and awareness of serving international student populations need to be improved. Incorporating participants’ feedback, implications, and suggestions were made to further prepare international students’ career readiness. Furthermore, the research further developed a framework named the Humanizing International Student Career Development Model (HISCDM) based on McMahon and Patton's (1995) Systems Theory Framework, which put into consideration international students’ specialized social and environmental factors.

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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

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Asset Metadata

Creator Xu, Jiayi (author)

Core Title Humanizing career development for international graduate students: an exploration of career development support offered by a higher education institution

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Master of Education

Degree Program Educational Counseling

Degree Conferral Date 2023-08

Publication Date 07/05/2023

Defense Date 06/08/2023

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag career center,career development,career readiness,employment,graduate student,immigration policy,international student,International Student Office,OAI-PMH Harvest,student support,system theory framework

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Ocampo, Atheneus (committee chair), Banuelos, Sheila (committee member), Hernandez, Kortney (committee member)

Creator Email candy.jiayixu@gmail.com,jxu58954@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113260752

Unique identifier UC113260752

Identifier etd-XuJiayi-12012.pdf (filename)

Legacy Identifier etd-XuJiayi-12012

Document Type Thesis

Format theses (aat)

Rights Xu, Jiayi

Internet Media Type application/pdf

Type texts

Source 20230705-usctheses-batch-1061 (batch), University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu