Title: Building Academic Resilience: AI as Instrument of Cultural Integration, Academic and Language Support for International Students
Presenter(s):
Anna Grigoreva (she/her)
Room: Margaret Brent 2112
Session Block(s): Session III
Time: 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Duration: 45 minutes
Program Abstract:
This session examines how AI-enhanced learning tools can act as instruments of cultural integration and academic resilience for international students. Drawing on emerging research and practical campus applications, the presentation highlights how AI supports language development, academic skills, and equitable learning experiences. Participants will gain insights into designing student affairs practices that leverage AI to foster belonging, empowerment, and success for diverse global learners.
Program Description:
International students navigate complex academic, linguistic, and cultural transitions that can challenge their sense of belonging and academic confidence. As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes higher education, it also offers new tools - when used thoughtfully - to strengthen academic resilience and support cultural integration for globally mobile learners. This session explores how AI can function not as a shortcut or replacement for learning, but as a scaffold that empowers international students to adapt, thrive, and participate meaningfully in academic communities.
Grounded in emerging research and practical experiences from student support contexts, the presentation highlights several AI-enhanced strategies that promote success. These include language-support technologies that assist with writing and comprehension; culturally responsive AI applications that help students navigate unfamiliar academic norms; and tools that personalize feedback, reduce cognitive overload, and build confidence in new learning environments. The session also addresses areas of ambiguity and risk - such as equity, access, and digital literacy - to ensure that AI adoption upholds student well-being rather than widening existing gaps.
Participants will engage in discussion around real-world scenarios, sample use cases, and student narratives to better understand how AI can be integrated into advising, teaching, and co-curricular programming. The session concludes with practical recommendations for designing AI-aware student affairs practices that foster inclusion, resilience, and ethical engagement with technology.
By the end, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how AI can enrich the academic and cultural experiences of international students, along with concrete strategies to support their adaptation, belonging, and long-term success.