Date of Award
Fall 1996
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Kurimay, Michael D.
Second Advisor
Augenstein, John J.
Third Advisor
Garrett, Dennis
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify and describe strategies currently utilized by small, private colleges and universities in the state of Wisconsin to recruit and retain international undergraduate students. The idea for this project grew out the researcher's interest in international education. To date, my educational career has been with Lutheran high schools. The attainment of this degree, however, may provide opportunities to work in a Lutheran college or university. It is hoped that the findings of this research will be engaged pragmatically at that time. As a former athlete and coach, I am competitive by nature. Years ago, I delighted in American athletes dominating and defeating athletes from other countries in the Olympic games simply because they were "foreigners" and I held blindly loyal domestic feelings. Several years ago, however, we had several Russian students attending the high school where I taught and was assistant principal. I was fortunate to get to know one of these Russian students. It amazed me how similar we were. She had the same fearful feelings of nuclear war and was worried that the United States would start one with her country. The more I got to know her, the more I realized that, while there are certainly cultural differences, people are people and need to be treated with the same dignity and respect regardless of their country of origin. It afforded a radical paradigm shift on my part. I realized the key to world peace is to bring nations together in common pursuits. In addition, I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel internationally extensively in the past few years. I have really come to appreciate the differences and commonalities that we Americans have with other countries. So while I still love the United States with all of my heart, I feel that we can learn from others and that others can learn from us, facilitating the peace process. Educational exchange provides the best medium for this to occur. Thus, the study.