Belonging is a student’s perception that they are accepted, supported, and valued as a full member of the academic community, and that they have legitimate pathways to participate and succeed. Students receive signals—formal and informal—that their experiences, identities, and contributions matter.

A strong sense of belonging is associated with higher levels of academic engagement, persistence, well-being, and degree completion, particularly for students from historically underrepresented or nontraditional backgrounds. Across multiple decades of research, findings show that belonging can:

• Improve retention and persistence, especially in the first year of college.
• Buffer against imposter syndrome.
• Strengthen academic motivation and behavior to seek help.
• Enhance mental health and resilience.
• Act as the bridge between support structures and actual student outcomes: services exist, but belonging determines whether students use them.
• Have a particular impact for first-generation students, adult learners, students of color, part-time students, and commuters.

Ways higher education can foster belonging include:

• Faculty and Staff Practices
  • Use inclusive pedagogy (transparent assignments, flexible pathways, varied participation modes)
  • Learn and use students’ names and preferred forms of address
  • Normalize struggle and growth in academic spaces
  • Embed belonging-affirming messages in syllabi and coursework
• Early and Continuous Touchpoints
  • First-year seminars and onboarding that emphasize “you belong here” rather than just compliance
  • Proactive advising and check-ins before problems escalate
  • Early alert systems paired with human follow-up, not just automated flags
• Structured Peer Connection
  • Use of cohort models, learning communities, or guided study groups
  • Peer mentoring that includes adult learners and commuters
  • Intentional design for hybrid and online students, not afterthoughts for these student groups
• Campus Climate and Systems Design
  • Clear, consistent communication across offices
  • Curricula that reflect diverse perspectives and lived experiences
  • Institutional storytelling that highlights multiple definitions of success
  • Simplified processes that reduce friction and stigma
  • Policies that assume students want to succeed (e.g., flexible attendance, compassionate leave)
  • Short, research-backed interventions that reinforce:
    • “People like me succeed here”
    • “Struggle is normal and temporary”
    • “Asking for help is a sign of engagement, not weakness”