Feeling at home in college matters most for marginalized students

What is it about?

We surveyed about 400 undergraduates at a private university on the US West Coast about how much they feel they belong on campus, in class, and with faculty, staff, and other students. Students of color, LGBQ+ students, first-generation students, and students from lower-income families felt less at home, and the gap grew for students with more than one of these identities. The biggest gaps were in the classroom, on campus overall, and with faculty. There was no overall gap in how connected students felt to staff or to other students, though first-generation students felt less connected to their peers. For students with marginalized identities, feeling they belonged was also more closely tied to their overall well-being.

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Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Feeling that you belong in college is linked to students’ well-being, and that link is twice as strong for students with marginalized identities. The belonging gaps were largest in classrooms and with faculty, not in student services, so colleges can focus their efforts there. Students said caring faculty and staff and identity-based clubs helped them feel at home. Colleges can build on this through inclusive teaching, steady support for cultural and affinity groups, and more chances for first-generation students to connect with their peers.

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