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…

For decades, evaluators have noted that it is difficult for stakeholders to accept negative evaluation results (Carter, 1971; Taut & Brauns, 2003). There is a need for additional research on evaluation to better understand when and why stakeholders reject negative or critical evaluation findings. Drawing on social identity theory (SIT), the…

Minorities working at predominantly white institutions (PWI's) of higher education face many challenges both professionally and personally. One critical challenge for minorities is feeling a sense of belonging (SoB) in their organization. Workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion have become crucial for many organizations as they look for ways to…

The National Conference is the National Dance Education Organization's (NDEO) flagship program, bringing together longtime and new members, seasoned professionals and college students, and dance educators from every sector and a wide range of dance genres. NDEO's National Conference is unique among other dance education summits and professional…

In response to unwaveringly high attrition from STEM pathways, STEM Intervention Programs (SIPs) support STEM students in effort to increase retention. Using mixed methods (survey and focus groups), we studied students at one university who were either supported or unsupported by SIPs to understand how students may differ in experiences believed…

Multiple national calls centered on critical thinking and social justice have been made to improve and reform higher education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses to increase the representation of students from marginalized groups in the STEM workforce and equip all students for success. To help answer this call,…

Collegiate men are overrepresented in student conduct systems across the higher education landscape as they are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors when compared with their female counterparts (Laker & Davis, 2011). There is a strong correlation between these high-risk behaviors and the ideology of toxic masculinity (Wagner, 2015).…

The International Association of Universities (IAU) is the only inclusive global university association, its membership barriers are low, yet few universities are members despite considerable benefits. What determines membership in this long-standing international university alliance? Reviewing recent trends toward a more networked, stratified and…

Using Celious and Oyserman's (2001) Heterogeneous Race Model as a conceptual framework, this article discusses how historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) helped participants to better appreciate the heterogeneity among Black students in Black colleges. This article also delineates how intraracial diversity among Black students at…

A sense of belonging for any young person is core to the human experience--it encompasses how much a student feels accepted, respected, and included at school and in other contexts. For youth, adolescence is a time of exploration and one where they naturally wrestle with questions of belonging and sense of self as they transition to emerging…

This research aims to examine the mediating role of social exclusion in the relationship between a sense of belonging and loneliness in international students. The research sample is composed of international students studying in universities in Türkiye. In the research, in which 284 students voluntarily participated, General Belongingness Scale,…

Although FFA affiliation has been piloted and in practice for several years, there is limited formal research on the program and strategies for best practice. We used a descriptive case study design to examine and describe the experiences of nine teachers in three states who had expertise related to FFA affiliation. We conducted semi-structured…

The college student experience was severely altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the spring semester of 2020. At that time, college administrators had no idea what was in store for their students in the coming weeks, months, and ultimately years. Because the pandemic is still a new phenomenon, little research exists on the effect of…

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact COVID-19 had on the student and faculty resilience. This study focused on the resilience of participants to overcome obstacles to learning, financial planning and maintaining a strong sense of belonging. A sense of belonging is an important variable because it is linked to feelings, values,…

This mixed methods case study examined how a student success program at a private four-year college in the eastern region of the United States may enhance student success and students' associated feelings of a sense of belonging. Results and findings add to the overall student success literature and may benefit other institutions in higher…