1. Kanaan
Kanaan
Portland
State
University
Middle
East
Student
Reten6on
Specialist

2. Quick Notes
• The
majority
of
M.E.
students
are
from
the
Gulf
countries
(GCC).
•
Cultural
adjustment
and
culture
shock
to
life
in
the
United
States
is
massive
for
them.
•
Many
are
guided
by
their
peers
–
a
paGern
that
can
lead
to
disastrous
results.
•
There
can
be
pressure
from
families
and
individual
cultural
missions
to
choose
a
career
path
that
may
not
work
for
the
student(s).
•
Some
students
bring
“baggage”
with
them
to
the
U.S.
(cultural,
tribal,
religious,
family
feuds,
etc.).
•
In
general,
this
genera6on
has
grown
up
indulged
and
privileged,
from
affluent
circumstances.
Most
students
have
not
needed
to
work
prior
to
coming
to
the
U.S.
They
have
been
dependent
on
their
families
for
their
livelihood.

3. Quick Notes
• This
privileged
lifestyle
leads
many
GCC
students
who
come
to
Portland
State
University
to
expect
to
be
served
here
in
the
same
manner
they’ve
grown
up
with
at
home.
Furthermore,
their
parents
send
them
to
PSU
with
the
expecta6on
that
faculty
and
staff
will
take
care
of
their
children
in
the
same
manner
as
they
have.
• Local
and
global
poli6cs
back
home
play
a
major
role
in
how
these
students
behave
and
perceive
the
world
around
them.
They
were
brought
up
in
a
conserva6ve
society,
with
non-­‐democra6c
poli6cal
systems.
• M.E.
students
are
passive
learners
due
to
the
way
educa6onal
systems
are
structured
in
their
home
countries.

4. Quick Notes
•
There,
these
students
are
not
allowed
to
challenge
the
teacher
(who
represents
an
authority
figure)
or
think
independently
for
themselves.
•
They
have
been
indoctrinated
with
approved
material
by
their
governments.
Crea6ve
and/or
cri6cal
thinking
is
not
encouraged.
If
students
there
disagree
with
someone
in
a
posi6on
of
authority,
they
will
be
retaliated
against,
punished,
etc.

5. Quick Notes
There
is
a
lack
of:
There
is
an
inability
to:
•
Ambi6on,
mo6va6on
• Adjust
to
college
and
academic
life
•
Seeing
the
“big
picture”
despite
comple6ng
IELP
•
Accessing
resources
• Fully
understand
college
academic
•
Engagement
life,
focus,
be
inspired
and
take
•
Accountability
their
studies
seriously
•
Trust
and
having
faith
in
the
• Enjoy
the
freedom
they
have
by
system
making
wise
choices;
alcohol
and
•
Self-­‐reliance
and
self-­‐assurance
substance
abuse
cases
are
not
•
Self-­‐confidence
and
a
sense
of
uncommon
purpose
• Have
friendships
with
women
and
•
Understanding
legal
issues
and
understand
gender
equality
ramifica6ons
• See
that
college
life
is
not
a
•
Planning
in
advance
vaca6on
in
the
U.S.
All
of
the
above
factors
contribute
to
the
reten6on
issues
we
have
experienced
when
serving
M.E.
students.

6. Why are undergraduate M.E. students
leaving PSU?
• Low
IELS
scores.
• Failing
IELP,
which
forces
them
to
aGend
other
English
language
schools.
In
repea6ng
the
same
basic
English
courses,
at
the
same
levels,
their
overall
academic
6meline
is
stretched
out.
This
can
result
in
suspension
of
their
scholarships
because
of
6me
limits.
• Failing
and
repea6ng
sta6s6cs
classes
(the
Math
department
is
the
gateway
to
the
Schools
of
Business
Administra6on
and
Engineering).
• Mul6ple
academic
warnings
and
lower
GPAs
while
enrolled
in
academic
courses
at
PSU
result
in
scholarship
suspensions.
• Admission
restric6ons:
GPA
below
3.0
for
freshmen
and
below
2.25
for
transfer
students.
• Cultural
adjustment
(one
of
the
major
factors
for
failing).

7. Why are potential M.E. graduate students
leaving PSU?
• Graduate
applica6on
restric6ons.
• Not
enough
6me
and
skills
to
prepare
for
the
applica6on.
• No
condi6onal
admission.
• TOEFL
score
requirements
for
IELP
students.
• GRE
requirements.

8. Goals
• Inspire,
encourage,
engage,
empower,
s6mulate,
and
develop
leadership
skills.
• Build
a
formalized
reten6on
program.
• Create
consistency,
offer
clear
guidance,
and
streamline
students’
needs
with
a
wide
range
of
resources
and
connec6ons
with
the
community.
• Create
core
M.E.
student
leader
posi6ons
for
students
who
can
serve
as
role
models
to
inspire
their
peers
to
have
high
academic
standards.
• Provide
support,
build
trust,
and
make
these
students
feel
at
home
and
welcomed.
• Build
personal
rela6onships
with
current
M.E.
students
–
they
represent
future
PSU
alumni.
• Encourage
cultural
sharing
and
understanding,
i.e.,
aim
for
M.E.
students
to
understand
America’s
cultural
affinity
for
apple
pie
.
.
.or
the
humor
of
“Seinfeld.”

9. Successful Retention Strategy (Program)
➡
Posi6ve
Experience
➡
Successful
Students
➡
Loyal
Alumni

10. NAFSA numbers
Associa6on
of
Interna6onal
Educators
es6mates
that
foreign
students
and
their
dependents
contributed
approximately
$20.23
billion
to
the
U.S.
economy
during
the
2010-­‐2011
academic
year.

11. Net Contribution to State Economy
by Foreign Students (2010-2011)

12. Contribution to State Economy by Foreign
Students' Dependents (2010-2011)

13. Foreign Student Contribution from Tuition/
Fees and Living Expenses (2010-2011)
M.E.
students
represent
roughly
1/3
of
PSU’s
interna6onal
student
popula6on.

14. CONFIDENTIAL
DRAFT
Summary
Proposal
for
M.E.
student
reten6on
project
3/29/2012

15. Summary Proposal for
M.E. student retention project
1-­‐
Recruitment
and
marke6ng
strategies,
and
pre-­‐arrival
orienta6on
in
Arabic
• Market
PSU,
the
City
of
Portland,
and
Oregon
as
a
safe
and
welcoming
environment.
• Interview
prominent
PSU
alumni
in
M.E.
countries
about
the
impact
PSU
has
had
on
their
lives
and
careers,
and
showcase
these
tes6monials
in
brochures,
on
video,
on
the
Web
site,
and
more.
• Assist
in
pre-­‐university
decisions
and
registra6on/admission/
orienta6on.
• Encourage
PSU
administra6on
at
high
levels
–
president,
chancellors,
etc.
–
to
par6cipate
in
communica6on
M.E.
cultural
missions.

16. Summary Proposal for
M.E. student retention project
2-­‐
FY-­‐Path
to
college
a-­‐
Life
Balance
• Orienta6on
in
Arabic
• Smooth
entry
into
American
college
life
• Life
stability
• Balanced
exposure
to
American
culture
(community
engagement
throughout
their
study
at
PSU/different
phases
in
different
years)
• Housing
(food,
RAs
and
cultural
competence)

17. Summary Proposal for
M.E. student retention project
2-­‐
FY-­‐Path
to
college
b-­‐
Academic
Success
Starts
with
English
(IELP/ESL)
• Con6nue
introductory
courses
offered
in
American
experience,
educa6onal
system
and
cultural
understanding.
• Evaluate
progress
mid-­‐term,
each
term.
• Create
and
staff
mentoring
and
tutoring
programs.

18. Summary Proposal for
M.E. student retention project
2-­‐
FY-­‐Path
to
college
c-­‐
College
Transi6on
• Create
a
“hands-­‐on,”
in-­‐depth
course
that
addresses
American
life
and
culture,
as
well
as
American
law,
and
that
would
offer
extracurricular
volunteer
opportuni6es
for
students
to
get
an
“up
close
and
personal”
academic/working
experience.
This
course
builds
on
the
introductory
courses
offered.
• Create
a
strategic,
long-­‐term
plan
of
ac6on/program
geared
to
improving
GPAs
and
preparing
students
for
college.
This
includes
an
academic
module
featuring
college
preparedness
courses.

19. Summary Proposal for
M.E. student retention project
2-­‐
FY-­‐Path
to
college
d-­‐
Professional
Development
and
Networking
• Develop
professional
networks
with
U.S.
companies.
• Arrange
for
leadership
training,
skills
training,
and
internships
or
OBT/CPT.

20. Summary Proposal for
M.E. student retention project
2-­‐
FY-­‐Path
to
college
e-­‐
Open
Graduate
Admission
Discussion
• Help
students
with
applica6on
prepara6on.
• Reserve
graduate
spots
for
interna6onal
students
by
gran6ng
condi6onal
admission.
• Remove
TOEFL
requirements
and
subs6tute
with
full
comple6ons
from
IELP.
• Make
adjustments
to
IELP
classes
to
accommodate
for
graduate
students.
• Prepare
students
for
GRE
or
GMAT.