International Students on Campus are Visible, But They are Not Represented

International Students on Campus are Visible, But They are Not Represented

A few months ago, I sat down with the only international student I know who served on our university’s student senate. “Sometimes it's hard to be the only representative in many spaces” she told me. “International students often stick to cultural organizations, but we’re just like the rest of the student body. We should be visible on campus. I am graduating this semester and having the hardest time finding an international student to take on my role.” Her words stuck with me—not just because of her honesty and the personal feelings underpinning them, but because they point to a deeper truth. Having been an international student in the past, I understand that despite being a big and vibrant group on campus, international students remain largely absent from mainstream non-cultural student leadership spaces. And it should not be this way.

Working closely with international students I have seen their immense pride while performing their traditional dances, carrying their flags and organizing big cultural events and serving as executive members of different cultural or country-related organizations. Despite this presence, they are almost invisible in mainstream campus leadership roles—student government, student associations, orientation, peer mentorship programs, even Greek Life and other bodies that influence campus culture and policy.

So, one day I took a long walk around campus. As I was meeting international students, I asked them questions related to their engagement and relationship with those non-cultural organizations. The most frequent responses I received were: “we will not fit”; “we won’t have the same support as domestic students”; “no representation”; “cultural differences”; and “support systems,” etc.

Some of these responses stem from cultural norms and differences between international and U.S. institutions. Many international students come from educational systems where leadership is assigned and not elected. Speaking in public, challenging institutional norms or campaigning for votes may not feel comfortable—it may in fact feel entirely out of place. Socially, too, international students often find comfort and belonging within cultural organizations, especially when broader campus spaces feel unwelcoming, or just unfamiliar. Let us also not forget the visa restrictions. International students are only eligible for 20 hours of work per week on campus. Some leadership positions come with stipends or expectations that can conflict with visa requirements. While paid leadership opportunities are an excellent way for domestic students to sustain themselves, they can be a burden for the international community. Lastly, regarding mentorship and advising, many domestic students are drawn into leadership roles through either faculty recommendations, early encouragement from advisors or the influence of friends who are already in leadership positions. International students rarely benefit from these pipelines if they have access to them at all. They are less likely to be invited in and more likely to be overlooked.

As someone who works closely with student leaders and student organizations, I have engaged with the most brilliant, eager and capable international students who are doing great things. I have seen them plan, organize and execute large-scale events and programs for their cultural organizations, taking leadership positions while supporting their members and solving logistical issues with creativity and resilience. These are the exact qualities we seek in student leaders for non-cultural organizations, yet many international students do not see themselves as qualified to lead non-cultural organizations. Even more concerning, they may not feel that they belong.

In conversations with international students, I have learned that they believe non-cultural organizations are only for domestic students. This may be because nobody encouraged them or invited them to join and put their name in the proverbial hat for a leadership position. But I have seen international students flourish in environments where they are given an invitation, especially when someone has intentionally invested their time into explaining simple things that might seem obvious to domestic students. When we fail to invest in the leadership potential of international students, we not only miss out on representation, but also lose unique perspectives that are very valuable, contain cultural insight and, more importantly, the opportunity to show that our campuses are truly committed to being global.

Universities often make international students visible by showcasing flags and hosting international food festivals, cultural events and programs. These are all great and meaningful events, but they often provide only a tokenized representation across campus. These events allow international students to show their cultural pride but limit the reach of their leadership abilities.

While leadership programs and student government models are very U.S.-centric (i.e., using U.S. campaign rules and promotional materials that can be alienating or unclear for students unfamiliar with these cultural scripts), international students do not struggle to participate and engage with these processes within cultural organizations. However, orientation programs, advising offices and student affairs divisions rarely go beyond encouraging international students to “get involved.” That does not translate into action unless it is accompanied by clear explanations, meaningful intentions and direct invitations. Too often, the message received is: “Yes, you are welcome to join this leadership opportunity, but only if you already know how to lead.” Sometimes international students are invited and encouraged to contribute their culture to the campus, but not their voice, in shaping those campus policies or programs.

So, the solution here is very straightforward. If we want to create truly inclusive campuses for international students, we need to move beyond encouraging them to “get involved” and instead help them with intention to build pathways to elevate their leadership. That starts with rethinking how we define and structure leadership. Student government and leadership programs should consider how their formats may unintentionally exclude students from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds. Second, we must train faculty, advisors and student affairs professionals to identify and actively support international students who show potential. These students usually stand out in our classrooms or offices; they just need a little direction. Third, mentorship! Pairing international students with peers or professional mentors who can understand their experiences and challenges, simplify and explain campus culture to them and serve as cheerleaders can make a real difference for those students.

When all students have a chance to lead, the campus benefits.