Annual Report, 2015-2016

Beginning in 2004/2005- issued in online format onl

THE EXPERIENCES OF INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM LATIN AMERICA IN THEIR TRANSITION OF GRADUATING AND FINDING A JOB IN THE UNITED STATES

The purpose of this thesis project is to conduct a qualitative phenomenological study to understand the lived experiences of international graduate students from Latin America in the United States as they transition from their studies to finding a full-time job in the United States. The most common themes mentioned in the different sections of the interviews were: the different dynamics in their identity, the benefits, and limitations of their status in the American context, and how their professional development and economy are impacted while being international graduate students from Latin America. Student service departments such as the Career Service department, the International Student Office, and the academic departments were the resources the participants mentioned most in their transition of graduating and looking for a job. Supported by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its branch Latina/o Critical Theory (LatCrit), this research demonstrated that besides their national identity and race, the socio-political situation shapes the opportunities for those students. It is with the hope that the presence and the storytelling of these Latin American international graduate students in the United States become a source of inspiration and education for the educational structures, the American workforce, and the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services for an inclusive and just American society

International students’ perceptions of challenges; pre to post matriculation in United States’ professional psychology doctoral programs

This study examines how perceptions of various challenges of international students in professional psychology, from different regions in the world, differed from pre to post enrolment. While previous studies have explored challenges for this population in isolation, this study explored multiple domains of challenges such as language and academics, culture, finances, mentoring and supervision, and career opportunities. The comprehensive survey was distributed to Directors of Clinical Training in APA accredited clinical, counseling, school, and combined psychology programs. Results from study indicated students experienced significant challenges in the financial domain from pre to post enrollment which continued to increase over time. Although not significant, challenges in career opportunities also increased overtime and remained to be the most challenging domain pre and post enrolment. Additional findings indicated that the greatest number of participants in clinical, counseling, and school psychology programs were from the Western Pacific region. Other questions are also examined in this study that generate critical implications to training programs to modify their recruitment strategies with hopes of increasing the representation of racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity in training programs