Black African international graduate students in a Midwestern US university: Mentoring/social support and adjusting.

International students make up over five percent of the total United States higher education population, contribute over 40 billion dollars a year to the economy and the cultural diversity of the higher education institutions. Black African international students (BAIGS) contribute to the diversity of the higher education population. However, studies of their experiences within US higher education is lacking. This study used a phenomenological descriptive design to report how Black African international students described their relationships with faculty and peers and how these relationships affected their integration into the university. Qualitative data obtained through individual interviews were thematically analyzed. The findings consist of five themes indicating that relationships between Black African international students, their peers, and faculty play a significant role in adjusting and integrating into their new university environment. These findings have implications for university administrators seeking to attract Black African international students.