Colleges and universities across the United States are working to cultivate a sense of belonging for their students, especially collegians from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Like many other colleges and universities, my institution—Allegheny College—has actively sought out ways to support students of color on our predominately white campus and community. As the demographics of college students shift, proactive support is critical for all students.
According to Terrell L. Strayhorn, renowned academic on issues of equity and diversity in higher education, sense of belonging can be defined as “students’ perceived social support on campus, a feeling or sensation of connectedness, and the experience of mattering or feeling cared about, accepted, respected, valued by and important to the campus community or others on campus such as faculty, staff and peers” (2019, 4).
