College Students' Sense of Belonging: A Key to Educational Success for All Students

Summary

This book explores how belonging differs based on students’ social identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or the conditions they encounter on campus. Belonging—with peers, in the classroom, or on campus—is a critical dimension of success at college. It can affect a student’s degree of academic adjustment, achievement, aspirations, or even whether a student stays in school. The 2^nd Edition of College Students’ Sense of Belonging explores student sub-populations and campus environments, offering readers updated information about sense of belonging, how it develops for students, and a conceptual model for helping students belong and thrive. Underpinned by theory and research and offering practical guidelines for improving educational environments and policies, this book is an important resource for higher education and student affairs professionals, scholars, and graduate students interested in students’ success.

New to this second edition:

• A refined theory of college students’ sense of belonging and review of current literature in light of new and emerging theories;
• Expanded best practices related to fostering sense of belonging in classrooms, clubs, residence halls, and other contexts;
• Updated research and insights for new student populations such as youth formerly in foster care, formerly incarcerated adults, and homeless students;
• Coverage on a broad range of topics since the first edition of this book, including cultural navigation, academic spotting, and the "shared faith" element of belonging.

Table of Contents

Foreword By Sylvia Hurtado

Preface　

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Insights from Literature and Research

Chapter 3: A Plausible Explanation

Chapter 4: Sense of Belonging and Latino Students

Chapter 5: Sense of Belonging and Gay Students

Chapter 6: ‘A Bridge to Belonging’: Insights from First-Year College Students

Chapter 7: Sense of Belonging and STEM Students of Color

Chapter 8: Sense of Belonging and Black Male Collegians: ‘Bruthas 2 Bruthas’

Chapter 9: Sense of Belonging and Graduate Students

Chapter 10: Clubs, Organizations, and Sense of Belonging

Chapter 11: Epilogue

Author(s) Bio

Terrell L. Strayhorn is Professor of Urban Education and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at LeMoyne-Owen College, USA. An internationally recognized student success expert on equity and diversity issues, he also owns a private educational consulting firm, Do Good Work LLC.