College student activists catalyze reform on campus and beyond--yet, we know little about how these students perceive mattering on campus. Given that mattering is linked to positive student outcomes, educator commitment to caring for student activists is critical. This work, grounded in semistructured interviews and a constructivist lens, explored…

This paper considers what is at stake in the idea of universitas--a community of masters and scholars --in the context of the shifting landscape of higher education engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, we consider what it means to be together in a university community. We draw a distinction between the…

Children need life-affirming and authentic relationships; genuine deeply felt inclusion comes when we share our humanity openly and honestly. This article draws on the research of author Peter W. Cookson Jr., who recently completed a study of success strategies for educating children living in deep poverty. An inclusive school is one where every…

The first year of university can be a vulnerable time, especially for students who describe themselves as shy and who may be reluctant to engage socially. Shyness, which can be closely aligned with social anxiety, often reduces opportunities for students to belong. This paper presents the experiences of two students negotiating experiences of…

Inspired by the Indigenous framework of Thrivance and grounded in a Critical Sisterhood Praxis, this duoethnography maps our journey (re)membering and (re)claiming communal practices of "fictive kinship" and "chosen family." We offer what we've affectionately coined as our "Comadre Story"--the story of how we became…

Research indicates that historically underrepresented college students are more likely to report alienating campus climates which can contribute to decreased sense of belonging and wellbeing. In turn, a lack of a sense of belonging and poor mental health may lead to decreased academic engagement and increased likelihood of attrition. Theoretical…

Recent attention to reports of racial bias and the vestiges of slavery and segregation on Ivy Leagues campuses raises concerns about physical and psychological safety of Students of Color attending these elite colleges and universities. This qualitative study centers the voices of 14 Black students attending five different Ivy League Institutions…

Growing enrollment in full-time, K-12 virtual public schools has pushed education leaders to reexamine the strengths and weaknesses of online learning through the lens of child development and adolescent needs. This quantitative study informs K-12 education stakeholders and policymakers at the high school level on decisions regarding online…

Little is known about the experience of belonging for full-time, hybrid physical therapy faculty in the United States. Rapid growth of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education programs with hybrid curricular models and national physical therapy faculty shortages suggest the importance of exploring faculty belonging, especially given the…

This brief reports findings from a survey with middle and high school youth in a midsize district in the Mid-Atlantic. We find that belonging varies by race and ethnicity for young people. Overall, Black and Latino/x youth report lower belonging when compared to their White peers in a pro-diversity and inclusion district. Implications for policy…

Background: Research into befriending for people with intellectual disabilities is limited. This study aimed to explore the impact, mechanisms of change, and limitations of a befriending scheme for adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. Methods: Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Thirteen individuals with…

The sense of presence is an important aspect of virtual reality experiences, being increasingly researched in educational contexts for its potential association with learning outcomes. A panorama of how these investigations have been conducted could help researchers and practitioners to harness this potential and find new directions. A systematic…

Using data from the Community College Survey of Men designed by the Community College Equity Assessment Lab--Minority Male Community College Collaborative at San Diego State University, this study examined factors influencing in- and out-of-classroom engagement of African American male students at community colleges in California. The results…

Searching for belonging is the transformative individual process of developing connections, making homes and hoping in the ecologies of a community. Belongingness influences academic performance, confidence and well-being. Therefore, understanding how students embody and search for belongingness in their higher education experience provides…

The Camphill Movement is one of the largest independent providers of social care for people with a learning disability: there are 119 communities located throughout the world. From the start, the principal aim of the Movement--co-founded by Dr. Karl König and his wife Tilla (née Maasberg) in Aberdeen--was to build communities in which children and…