Behind closed doors: How roommate and staff relationships shape Chinese international students’ belonging in residence halls

Haishan Yang

doi:10.32674/v4evwr18

Authors

Haishan Yang University of Southern California https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9441-8990

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/v4evwr18

Keywords:

Chinese International Students, Residence Life, Sense of Belonging, Internationalization at Home, roommate relationships, Student Affairs

Abstract

This phenomenological qualitative study examines the impact of both structured and unstructured interactions on the sense of belonging among first-year Chinese international students (CIS) in U.S. residence halls. Guided by Hurtado’s (2012) diverse learning environments and Yao’s (2014) literature on international student belonging, this study focuses on roommate relationships and residential staff engagement. Fifteen interviews revealed that belonging was more influenced by interactional processes than by the nationality of the roommate(s). Common patterns included cultural proximity, interaction quality, and opportunities to resolve conflicts. Staff who were visible, approachable, and responsive strengthened their sense of belonging through outreach and policy. Language was a cross-cutting factor affecting participation in and perceptions of residential experiences in both contexts. Situated in a post-COVID-19 context of social fragmentation, the study reframes belonging as an ongoing, context-dependent process influenced by peer relations and institutional climates.

Author Biography

Haishan Yang, University of Southern California

Haishan “Sam” Yang, Ed.D. (he/him) is a bilingual scholar-practitioner in international higher education with nearly a decade of experience supporting global student populations across residential life, student conduct, admissions, and international student services. He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California, where his dissertation explored how Chinese international students perceive and experience institutional student conduct policies in U.S. higher education. His research examines the intersections of racialization, compliance, and belonging through qualitative and comparative lenses.

Sam’s work spans topics such as international student burnout, culturally responsive supervision, institutional crisis response, and the reimagination of internationalization through equity and relationality. He has presented at NASPA, ACPA, ASHE, AERA, and NAFSA, and has served on national and international conference planning teams. He is a trained Restorative Practice facilitator and licensed K–12 educator, currently co-authoring multiple conceptual and empirical manuscripts and contributing to edited volumes on international mobility and institutional care. With professional experience at USC, Boston College, and the University of Vermont, Sam brings practitioner fluency, research rigor, and a student-first perspective shaped by his lived experiences as a former international student from Shanghai, China, and his time in New Zealand, Canada, and the U.S.

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Behind closed doors

How roommate and staff relationships shape Chinese international students’ belonging in residence halls

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Behind closed doors

How roommate and staff relationships shape Chinese international students’ belonging in residence halls

Authors

DOI:

Keywords:

Abstract

Author Biography

References

Downloads

Published

Issue

Section

Categories

License

How to Cite

Make a Submission

metrics

Open Positions and universities

policies

Books in Collaboration

subscribe

publish

special_collections

sponsors