The purpose of this study was to examine student veterans' sense of belonging within higher education institutions, the experiences influencing their feelings of belonging, and strategies that higher education institutions can utilize to enhance student veterans' sense of belonging on campus. Individual interviews were conducted with 10…

Sense of belonging among undergraduate college students improves the likelihood of retention and graduation, along with the overall association with positive mental health and well-being. College students build a sense of belonging with their peers through various forms of involvement opportunities, including informal campus recreation activities.…

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the social construct of masculinity on the fraternity members' experiences with accountability. This study focused on the methods fraternities used to hold their members accountable, how the members' behavior changes, and the impact masculinity had on accountability methods. This study is…

Prior research has established a direct belonging-interest pathway among students underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; however, evidence related to how a sense of belonging in STEM may operate to affect career interest remains limited. Drawing on data from 103 students (female: n = 70; male: n = 33)…

This mixed methods study describes the development and initial validation of the Culture of Belonging (CoB) Barometer. The instrument measures how university students experience belonging in their interactions with faculty, staff, administrators, and other students. Instrument development methods included focus groups, a pilot survey, and…

This study focuses on how first-generation college students understand their first-generation identity in relation to their other multiple identities. Through photovoice methodology, students demonstrate the meaning making of being first-generation college students related to their other social identities. This study discusses four themes: (a)…

Placement as a form of work-integrated learning is a valued element of undergraduate education. Prior work explores how placement provides a site for developing professional values, skills and competences as well as identifying how students build awareness of professional requirements. Greater focus on how such processes of awareness are realised,…

This study explored sense of belonging among undergraduate international students participating in an honors program at a predominantly white, public research institution in the Midwest. Twelve students participated in semi-structured interviews lasting up to one hour that covered a range of topics, including their academic and co-curricular…

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the experiences of undergraduate students who participated in academic community-engaged learning, specifically as those experiences related to student mental health and wellness. The data for this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was collected through semistructured interviews…

The problem this study addressed is low participation from African Americans in science occupations. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to identify strategies that encourage participation from African Americans in science. The expectancy-value and critical race theories were the theoretical frameworks for this study.…

Background: Students with marginalized identities can experience identity threats in higher education. Instructors can help improve student outcomes by using identity safety cues (ISCs), which signal to marginalized groups that their identities are valued. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine whether including ISCs in course syllabi…

An exploratory study investigated team-based learning (TBL) for leadership competencies and academic performance while incorporating within-unit diversity. Self and peer-ratings of leadership competencies in TBL courses taught in a US Midwest university were utilized. t-Tests revealed a significant increase in the peer ratings. Test of…

This exploratory, quantitative study examined positive student-faculty interactions, sense of belonging, and cumulative grade-point average among a population of disabled undergraduate students. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not positive student-faculty interactions and sense of belonging are predictors of the academic…

A sense of belonging and feeling at home at their institution are key factors in student success at university. Engaging with extracurricular activities is part of this dynamic, and an area in which 'international' students face additional barriers. These include institutional and psychological barriers to belonging, resulting in a shortage of…

Engaging and retaining undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields is essential for the future workforce in the USA. Building off a growing body of research which explores how intelligence beliefs impact psychosocial variables of STEM engagement (e.g. STEM self-efficacy, sense of belonging), the current…