The transition from high school to college can be challenging for any student-athlete. For the more than 21,000 international student-athletes who compete in the NCAA, however, the challenges are wide-ranging.
To make progress in how these issues are addressed, more than 50 student-athletes, coaches, administrators and faculty gathered virtually in November for the inaugural International Student-Athlete Inclusion Think Tank. Led by the NCAA office of inclusion, the event engaged stakeholders representing more than 15 nationalities in discussions on the various difficulties international student-athletes and those who lead them face. The event also involved the sharing of best practices and collective brainstorming on potential solutions to address these challenges on the campus and national office levels. A summary of the event's findings was recently released to the think tank participants and is available here.
"My experience at the International Student-Athlete Inclusion Think Tank was motivating, as I was able to speak on behalf of the international student-athletes at the University of Maryland and address their concerns directly to a panel of coaches, directors and stakeholders in the NCAA who listened with open ears and were eager to take action," said Christine Laurie, a runner at Maryland who attended the think tank with her teammate and fellow Canadian Mackenzie Morgan. "It was also a useful experience as I was able to hear about other programs and resources set in place by other institutions that can be implemented at UMD to help improve the international student-athlete experience. As an international student-athlete, we face unique obstacles that differ from domestic student-athletes, and I can see that the think tank has been established to help mitigate challenges international student-athletes face to ease their transition into America."
The think tank participants identified challenges in different stages of international student-athletes' experiences in the NCAA. These stages include issues that arise before their arrival on campus and their freshman year, general challenges faced throughout their eligibility and those that surface as they near graduation or the end of their eligibility.
The potential solutions developed were categorized in the same way. The campus-level solutions touched on orientation efforts, cultural sensitivity training for coaches and staff, collaboration with on-campus resources, and intentional inclusion efforts to enhance international student-athletes' sense of belonging. The potential solutions identified at the national level included creating a database for international student-athletes, establishing a working group to address issues they face, and increasing educational and funding efforts.
"The International Student-Athlete Inclusion Think Tank was a wonderful opportunity for so many individuals from varying institutions and athletic backgrounds to come together and discuss important issues around international student-athletes," said Jennifer Cohen, assistant coach for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's lacrosse team. "Partnerships, flexibility and creativity are all things that really stand out to me when talking about the international student-athlete experience and the challenges leaders face while helping international student-athletes navigate a new country, education system and sporting set up.
"I hope that open discussions and dialogue can continue between various institutions and the NCAA. The Think Tank was the first step in truly establishing helpful resources and guidance to foster the inclusion of international student-athletes on campuses across the country."
David Kuhlmeier, faculty athletics representative at Valdosta State, echoed Cohen's feelings. He emphasized the need to keep this work a priority in the NCAA.
"It's extremely important. I thought it was a good start and a brilliant idea," said Kuhlmeier, who has conducted case studies in the area of international student-athletes. "This is what the NCAA needs because not only do international student-athletes bring a lot in their skills and abilities to sports, they bring a lot as far as cultural diversity to our campuses."
While some potential solutions at the national office level will require further planning with schools, committees or various stakeholders, NCAA office of inclusion staff members are working to generate two new resources to help coaches, administrators and athletics departments address challenges faced by international student-athletes. The goal is for them to be released by summer. There is also an educational session being planned on the topic during the 2022 Inclusion Forum, which will take place virtually June 15-16. Registration is available for the event here,
