Date of Defense

4-20-2026

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Lori VanZoren

Second Advisor

Elissa Allen

Abstract

This project explored the stories of four Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs) in their transition, or repatriation, to the United States to pursue higher education. Through their interviews I analyzed the four transition factors outlined in the book Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds by David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken. These factors are grief intensity, environmental dissonance, vocational certitude, and relational support, and the intensity of these factors on the individual ATCK will determine the ease of their repatriation. The first story involved a young man who grew up in Germany for 20 years as the son of a missionary, and decided to continue his education at a Christian college in Ohio. The second story involved a young woman who lived in Germany for eight years as a military kid and continued her education at a senior military institute in Georgia. The third story involved a young woman who is the daughter of two civilian contractors who work with the military in Germany, and discusses her time coming to a state school in Florida for college. The final story involves a young woman who is the daughter of a servicemember stationed in Germany and is currently a freshman at a private school in North Carolina. This portion explored the differences between the three individuals who were done or nearly done with college versus someone who was still going through the early repatriation stages. The two factors that surfaced prominently in the interviews were relational support and vocational certitude. Each individual discussed their support systems and communities that they found at their respective universities, and the impact they had on their repatriation stories, as well as their connection to family at home. They also discussed their certainty of their goals, and how returning home and leaving the path of higher education would not allow them to accomplish their goals or build a life for themselves. Though the willingness to repatriate is highly individualized, there is a certain influence that a university holds over both relational support and vocational certitude.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Restricted

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