Author

Erica Zonder

Date Approved

3-15-2013

Date Posted

6-20-2013

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department or School

Health Promotion and Human Performance

Committee Member

Brenda Riemer, Ph.D., Chair

Committee Member

Andrew Cornett, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Melody Reifel Werner, Ed.D.

Abstract

This study examined the effect of the increase in the number of international student-athletes in Division I college athletics on the experience of international and domestic student-athletes, specifically by investigating the perceptions of female athletes participating in sports that have high percentages of international student-athlete involvement. Scholarship opportunities, school choice, playing time, and recruiting areall areas that were explored through a questionnaire. This study potentially fills a gap in the research regarding the increased participation by international student-athletes on both the domestic and international student-athlete experience. Results indicated that international and domestic student-athletes had different perceptions of their recruiting experience than student-athletes of the opposite status, and further, different factors were important in terms of school choice. Both domestic and international student-athletes believed that there were similar scholarship opportunities in their sport, regardless of status, and further, that their sport had a high number of international participants.

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