Cultural Adjustments
Design diverse and culturally sensitive food options in campus dining facilities to accommodate a range of international preferences.
Safety Concerns and Transportation
Options for extending secure transportation services during US entry, late hours and adverse weather conditions beyond the campus borders.
Communication Challenges
Implement language support resources, such as glossaries or language assistance services, to aid international students in overcoming communication barriers.
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Anushka Jog 2025 | Based in Dubai
“The kind of food that we have back in India is quite different to what is provided right now in the canteens or in Common Thread.ˮ
-(Tanya, 25, Grad Student(interview)
Overview
Cultural adjustment, particularly regarding food, is a significant pain point for international students, impacting their overall experience
Insight 1
Cultural Adjustments
Key Findings
Limited food choices create cultural tension for international students, hindering adaptation to local cuisine and fostering isolation.
Secondary Research
Survey Findings
Dissatisfaction with campus dining reduces international students' socialization
(Journal of International Student Research)
Difficulty adjusting to local food and culture increases stress and anxiety
(Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology)
Thomas Jefferson University’s diverse international student population face challenges in cultural, academic, and community integration, impacting their well-being and academic success.
Evaluating how their existing support services are fragmented and lack cultural sensitivity, leaving many students feeling unsupported and at greater risk of mental health issues.
Problem Statement
Navigating New Horizons
An approach to supporting international students
Assess the effectiveness of the current support systems available to international undergraduate students at Thomas Jefferson University and identify opportunities for improvement.
Role
Timeline
What I did
UX Researcher
Figma, Miro, Google Forms, UserTesting
6 Weeks
Tools
User interview plans and conduction, Recruiting users, User Interviews, Persona Development
Methods used for research
Goal
Evaluate the effectiveness of the current support systems for Thomas Jefferson University international students and identify improvement areas.
Objectives
- To empathize with students who are transitioning to a new phase of their life
- To gain insights through surveys and interviews on how the university is providing support services for transitioning students
- To identify challenges faced by international students that current support systems have not adequately addressed
Research goals and objectives
Semi-structured interviews (12)
Stakeholder interviews (2)
Surveys (30)
Secondary research
“Every office in the university struggles with, what’s the best way to connect to the students. When I first started working here, we used to send mail and now so much has changed.” -Hannah (International Admissions Director)
Impact on institutional change
A study published in the Journal of Higher
Education found that universities that implemented anonymous feedback mechanisms were likely to make 10% positive changes to their services and
support for international students.
- (Gable & Morrison, 2011)
Impact on social interactions
A study, published in the International Journal of Intercultural Communication, found that international students who struggled with vocabulary often felt excluded from social interactions and had difficulty forming meaningful relationships with their peers.
- (Hasegawa & Mazuka, 2011)
Impact on well-being
A study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural
Psychology found that international students who had difficulty adjusting to the local food culture experienced 15% higher levels of stress and anxiety.
- (Church et al., 2018)
Some facts!
Client’s thoughts
Office of Student Life & Engagement
Our Client
Research Plan
User Personas
Journey Map
Insights
Next Steps
Key Takeaways & Learnings
Student Experiences
Student Persona
Client Persona
Brief
“To be very honest, I think for me, it was very overwhelming because even though I came to America last year I was living in Michigan. So Philadelphia was a very different place for me.ˮ
Tanya, 25 yrs, Architecture Grad
“Since I'm an introvert, I feel I find it difficult to be around people. So it doesn't come easy to me and I take a lot of time before I open up. It still feels lonely, I feel I find it difficult to be around people.ˮ
Aditya, 18 yrs, Biology UnderGrad
“I felt a massive cultural shock the day I came to the States, I was absolutely clueless about what was supposed to be done to overcome the feeling. I never felt so helpless at that point.”
Pranita, 16 yrs, Textile Engineering Grad
Student Experiences
We leveraged insights from user interviews to develop a persona and journey map, providing a deeper understanding of users, their experiences, and perspectives. These tools enabled us to visualize and empathize with our target audience, allowing us to design tailored solutions that address their unique needs and challenges.
This project highlighted the importance of staying completely objective during user research. It was challenging for me to put aside my own experiences and focus on understanding the different challenges faced by the users.
Sharing our findings through storytelling was highly effective. This approach made it easier for stakeholders to understand our insights and see why our next steps were the right ones.
Maintaining a positive attitude during sensitive interviews was a valuable skill I learned. It allowed me to discuss challenging topics while keeping the conversation open ended, so that it helped users share more information.
"A lot of my friends have late night classes, and, like, as of now with the winter coming around the corner, I think it's very important for them to at least have like some basic transit that they could provide us with outside the campus."
-(Tanya, 25, Grad Student(interview)
Overview
Safety concerns, especially during late-night classes and winter, highlight the need for enhanced transportation services outside the campus.
Insight 2
Safety Concerns and Transportation
Key Findings
The university lacks shuttle services, leaving students without provided transportation.
Secondary Research
Safety concerns linked to higher anxiety, depression, and homesickness among international students
(Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology)
International students feel unsafe, especially at night and in adverse weather conditions
(Journal of Studies in International Education)
“It still feels lonely because you like, I have not gotten along with a lot of people over here. And since I'm an introvert, I find it difficult to be around people. So it doesn't come easy to me and I take a lot of time before I open up ˮ
-Aarav, 23, Grad Student (interview)
Overview
Communication challenges, including the inability to confront other students or college professors when in need. Feeling uncomfortable around others,
loneliness and being helpless.
Insight 3
Communication Challenges
Key Findings
Education involves breaking cultural barriers to facilitate open communication during the journey, sometimes more challenging than the coursework itself.
Secondary Research
Interview Findings
Vocabulary challenges hinder understanding and assignments for international students
(Journal of Second Language
Acquisition)
Struggling with vocabulary isolates students in social interactions and hampers relationship-building
(International Journal of Intercultural Communication).
7/10 students
feel unsafe traveling at night and have other safety concerns regarding scams.
Interview Findings