Recruitment of International Students Through a Synthesis of English as a Second Language Instruction, Social Justice, and Service Learning

Universities across the U.S. have increasingly emphasized internationalization, leading to rising numbers of international students attending U.S. institutions of higher education. However, these students tend to gravitate toward larger research-intensive universities with many other institutions seeing no increase in international student enrollments. Little is known concerning how to attract international students to regional institutions lacking name recognition. To address the above and promote internationalization through increasing the presence of students from abroad, an academic department at a regional public U.S. college used needs analysis to develop a pilot program for Japanese university students (N = 13). The program involved a synthesis of English as a Second Language instruction, social justice as a content area, and service learning, in a two-week credit-bearing summer session course. A post-participation survey revealed highly positive reactions, particularly in terms of working with local community members, and broad agreement that the program had been life-altering. The implications for international student program development at regional institutions are discussed.