A Chatham Professor’s Guide to Help International Students Thrive
The cover of “iTHRIVE: An International Student’s Guide to Thriving in the U.S.”, written by Lei Wang.
Lei Wang knows what it’s like to feel like an outsider.
Born in Taiwan, she at age five spent two years in the U.S. with her mother and was homeschooled for four years after returning to the island. She didn’t enter the public school system until she was an adolescent, making for a jarring transition.
It wasn’t until years later, when she was back in the U.S. in 2011 for graduate school at the University of Missouri, that her feelings of isolation began to dissipate. Her advisor, Kenneth T. Wang, a researcher and mentor who was also Taiwanese, gave her a new outlook on her place in academia and the world.
“[It] felt empowering, because seeing others go through a very similar experience normalized my experience,” said Wang, who’s now an assistant professor of graduate psychology at Chatham University. “It made me realize I was part of a phenomenon, rather than it being my unique, individualistic experience.”
Wang’s time as an international student, plus her ongoing work as a therapist, inspired her to write a book: “iTHRIVE: An International Student’s Guide to Thriving in the U.S.” was published last year by Liberate the Block.
“I was sort of writing to my younger self to some extent,” she said. “It was very cathartic to see that I’d grown so much.”
Making the distinction between “thriving” and “surviving” was important, Wang said.
“I see a lot of international students in my clinical practice, and a lot of times, it’s only when they realize that their academics are suffering, then they come to counseling,” she said. “Typically, that’s a symptom of what’s going on. It’s usually a sign that a lot of things are not going well.”
Lei Wang is an assistant professor of psychology at Chatham University.
If academics are the only thing going well in an international student’s life, that’s surviving, Wang said—just getting by.
“To me, thriving really means that you’re able to know what your values are, and you’re able to prioritize the aspects of your life that you think are most important to you,” she said, whether that’s physical health, mental wellbeing, or financial security.
What differentiates the book from other similar guides for international students is that it doesn’t just tell people how to apply and get into higher education in the U.S. The first part of the book focuses on the intentionality behind where students are applying—do their school choices make sense for their intended career path? What is the international population at the school like?
The second part is what Wang called the “meat and potatoes,” explaining how international students learn about American culture, keep in touch with their spiritual identities, and maintain relationships with people in their home country.
“It’s more like a workbook, so they can actually engage and reflect on their own experiences," she said.
Other issues covered in the book include managing finances, legal advice, and navigating the American healthcare system. The book also gives ideas for how university staff and faculty can better support international students through teaching, programming, and advocacy.
Ultimately, Wang said it’s important for students to celebrate the small victories, like making an important phone call to their insurance company—something especially difficult when there’s a language barrier.
“Being able to celebrate the fact that you’re able to call and you’re able to ask for what you need, I think those small wins are really important, to not let them pass by,” she said.
More information is available at ithrivebook.com. Learn more about psychology at Chatham University, including masters and doctorate degree options, at chatham.edu.