Mississippi State Universiy has two international graduate students for every international undergraduate student. More often than not, these international graduate students are on some sort of assistantship in research or teaching, which is what makes the overseas education worthwhile for them. Had it not been for the assistantships, the students would not have been able to afford an education in the United States.
International graduate students have to deal with a variety of issues that American students do not: dependence on assistantship funding, constant worries about visa status, confusion regarding foreign laws and regulations and even advisory faculty members who will exacerbate these other insecurities.
In fact, in many cases, the reason international students are preferred for funded positions rather than American students is the extra control that faculty members can have over international students. All of these, together, lead to a phenomenon that I think of as international graduate student harassment.
While this issue deserves both recognition and appropriate responses from graduate schools, there are ways that international students can protect themselves from being treated unjustly and avoid dealing with constant insecurities about their education.
The first way to combat this harassment is by remembering that knowledge is power. The main reason that you might feel down after meeting your adviser is that you do not know your rights as an MSU student.
If you do not know the rules and regulations in place to protect Mississippi State students from harassment, you are giving up a lot of student power. Do not wait in ignorance anymore. Ask around. Google. Read as much as you can about it.
A good start is never thinking of yourself as a second-class student just because you are international. You might be considered a second-degree citizen by the government because you are on a visa, but at school you are a graduate student like everyone else—and you have equal rights and responsibilities. You should always stand up for yourself if you think you are being treated unjustly.
Another key to remember is that documentation is protection. In the U.S., email is not just another form of communication. Every email can be treated as a legal document. You should keep track of your email communication with your bosses.
If you feel that a task you are given is not completely justified, make sure you get a final confirmation of what is expected of you through email. Another good habit is to summarize your weekly meeting with your main professor and having them approve your summary via email.
In order to get the best treatment possible from your supervisors you should be honest with them. This requires first being honest with yourself. Assistantships are offered on a yearly basis. If your adviser implies that they expect you to work with them for the duration of your education before you sign your yearly contract, they are being unprofessional.
While I encourage you, if possible, to reconsider working with an unprofessional adviser, you should also remember you do not have to be goaded into verbal promises. If an adviser asks about your future plans you should tell them that you plan to fill the stipulations made in your contract, and then figure it out from there. This is beneficial for both parties involved.
Finally, remember that you are marketable as a graduate assistant and be confident in this knowledge. You are the owner of your life and your future. Do not lose that ownership to others just because you don’t think you have any other options.
Networking is very encouraged. There is nothing wrong with intentionally expanding your network of contacts within your department, your school and in the country. A good contact network can provide other potential offers. These options can help protect you within your current status.
