Translation as Charitable Currency: Internationalization Through International Alumni Giving

Abstract

As higher education continues to internationalize, the United States higher education system remains a predominantly English-speaking entity. This research-in-progress will examine how United States institutions of higher education engage with English-language learning international alumni to explore how these alumni are asked to give back to their alma mater. I hypothesize that many institutions of higher educaiton may be perpetuing academic capitalism by viewing international alumni as sources of financial support and not as sources of rich linguistic capital that could be leveraged to further diversify the institution and facilitate equitable access to higher education.