The United States has long been a world leader in educating students from other countries. With the exception of temporary declines immediately following the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, the trajectory of international student enrollment has been steadily upward. However, since 9/11, other countries have increased their efforts to attract international students and have done so with considerable success. The United States now finds itself in a more competitive global market for higher education. Parallel to this is an increasing competition within the domestic educational marketplace for international students. Colleges and universities find themselves with both a fiscal and moral interest in making sure industry standards and best practices are in place in order to attract and retain international students. While the majority of students coming to the U.S. from abroad study in public universities, a significant number find their way to the smaller, private, residential, liberal arts institutions. For this study, five such institutions in California were selected for the purpose of determining attitudes of college personnel regarding the enrollment of international students. Thirty-seven employees, including presidents, deans, provosts, program directors, and faculty members participated in interviews that generated a thematic map that included the perceived advantages and disadvantages of enrolling international students, as well as issues surrounding recruitment, financial aid, orientation, engagement, integration, parental involvement, insurance, health care, support systems, and classroom accommodations. Results of the study reveal remarkable philosophical unanimity among respondents on the benefits of enrolling international students, with few perceived drawbacks. There was less agreement on matters related to institutional preparedness to receive these students. Recommendations include campus-wide conversations that include stakeholders representing the president, academic administration/faculty, financial administration, and student life; also, making sure that international student recruitment and support rise to the strategic planning level within the institution. Suggestions for future study include applying the interview methodology to a wider range of baccalaureate programs, both public and private; also, increasing the very small body of research that compares international student perceptions of institutional support with those of faculty, staff, and administrators. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]