Despite the critical contributions that student affairs professionals make to college students' learning and development and campus operations, mid-level professionals are at risk of leaving the field altogether. The current study investigated the role of sense of belonging in mid-level student affairs professionals' experiences and their turnover intentions through a qualitative, phenomenological analysis. Ten mid-level student affairs professionals from various institutions were interviewed about how they experience belongingness within their work, and how their evaluation of belonging influences their intention to stay at their institution or in the field of student affairs. The results demonstrate that sense of belonging is experienced by mid-level student affairs professionals, but in varied ways, and it is shaped through relationships, being trusted for professional expertise and competence, and feeling supported by others. Salient identities, especially marginalized identities, can shape the experience of belonging as can professional networks outside of institutional experiences. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that sense of belonging, whether it was experienced or lacking, influenced the intentions of many participants to stay at their institution and in the field of student affairs more broadly. Should colleges and universities be committed to addressing the attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals, they should commit to supporting and cultivating sense of belonging as it does indeed matter. / Policy, Organizational and Leadership Studies

Many institutions of higher education offer first-year seminars; academic courses designed to help new college students successfully transition to the rigors and demands of life inside and outside the classroom. There is a substantial body of research that validates first-year seminars as successful in accomplishing this goal. There are also numerous studies that have investigated what in the literature is termed a “sense of belonging.” This research demonstrates that college students who experience a sense of belonging feel welcomed, included, connected, and part of the community. These students are more likely to succeed and be retained at their institution. While there is extensive literature examining both of these areas separately, there is limited literature that connects them. This dissertation aimed to fill that gap in the literature by investigating synergies between first-year seminars and sense of belonging at a 4-year, private, liberal arts university. Results of the study showed that first-year students experienced sense of belonging through developing relationships with peers and faculty, through being informed about institutional resources and policies, and by feeling part of a supportive community. The first-year seminar program did have a positive effect on first-year students’ desire to graduate from the institution. An implication for practice includes faculty development centered on fostering a sense of belonging, facilitating opportunities for students to form relationships with their peers and faculty, ensuring that classrooms and institutional environments are inclusive and welcoming, and by informing first-year students about the resources and supports available to aid in their transition and retention. / Educational Administration

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Thesis advisor: Ana M. Martinez Alemán / Completion of a college degree has been highlighted as a prerequisite for opportunity (Obama White House Archives, February 24, 2009); necessary for a strong economy (Koropeckyj, et al., 2017). Yet, the rate of completion in the United States remains lower than desired, directing focus toward efforts to promote student success and degree attainment. Within this out-comes oriented climate, academic advising is often viewed solely in terms of its utilitarian value, a means for ushering students toward the final goal of college completion. Without a clear conceptualization of the role of academic advising within higher education, it will continue to be susceptible to political, institutional, and economic forces, making it difficult for either the practice or the scholarly field of study to progress. More importantly, the absence of clear theoretical foundation leaves the profession vulnerable, diminishing the potential to effectively support students. The dissertation will contribute to the theoretical literature on academic advising. Drawing on the work of Martin Heidegger (1927/1962) a contextually inclusive theory of academic advising is introduced, laying conceptual foundation in which interpretation is central, meaning and truth are iterative, and understanding is structured by the conditions of human existence. I maintain that effective academic advising involves recognition of how things have meaning, from where, within what context, and as impacted by the (dis)connections students have with others, over time. Such an attunement offers foundation for equitable practice, inclusive of all students, validating their experiences (Rendón, 1994; Rendón & Muñoz, 2011), identifying obstacles that might impede their performance (NACADA, 2022), allowing them to feel a sense of belonging (Strayhorn, 2018), and providing a space for students to experience meaningful accomplishment. Overall, the dissertation argues that academic advising ought to be educationally driven, learning-focused, concerned with student completion, and informed by an understanding of the human being, the individual student, as a contextualized interpreter. This theory points us to reconsider advising caseloads, training, and institutional information sharing, in an effort to support the interpretive processes necessary for effective academic advising. Moreover, it offers a space to think deeply about the nature of academic advising, what it ought to entail, and how to effectively support students. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

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Victims of racial discrimination often experience negative consequences that extend into all aspects of well-being (e.g., psychological, subjective, social). Racial microaggressions describe a series of verbal and non-verbal behaviors that cause harm, perpetuate negative stereotypes, and negate the experience of racial/ethnic minorities. Research has found a negative relationship between experiencing racial discrimination and psychological well-being, as well as a potential buffering effect of racial/ethnic identity. However, less information is available about the existence of these relationships with social well-being. The purpose of this dissertation is to fill a gap in the literature in regard to racial microaggressions, racial/ethnic identity, and social well-being in 453 racially diverse undergraduate students. Quantitative results indicated that African Americans reported higher levels of racial microaggressions and racial/ethnic identity than other groups, racial microaggressions were negatively associated with sense of belonging, racial/ethnic identity was positively associated with sense of belonging, and the association between racial microaggressions and sense of belonging was not moderated by racial/ethnic identity. Qualitative analyses using the conventional content analysis revealed two clusters of facilitative behavioral expressions of university/community inclusion: (a) interpersonal expressions of inclusion and (b) systemic expression of inclusion. I conclude by discussing limitations, areas for future research, and implications for counseling.

The purpose of the study is to determine whether an instructor’s intentional effort to build community in his/her classroom results in a higher sense of classroom community among students. This study also examined what types of community building activities were conducted by each instructor and measured the students’ responses to each different activity. This was intended to establish a preliminary set of best practices for creating classroom community. A two-part questionnaire, including an adapted version of the Classroom Community Scale, was administered to instructors (n=5) and students (n=113) enrolled in two or four unit courses at California Polytechnic State University. These courses were designed to introduce students to their chosen majors. One-way analysis of variance, and two-proportion tests were used to determine the relationship between instructor intentions and student sense of classroom community, and the differences in student sense of classroom community between courses. Findings indicate that what course a student was in was the significant factor in determining sense of classroom community. Additionally, students accurately perceived their instructor’s intent to create classroom community.

Cities are co-constructed places shaped by interlocking systems of oppression. The cultural practices, socioeconomic systems, and bodily experiences born out of oppressive systems impact not only how cities are designed, but how people interact with the space. This dissertation examines how embodied experiences (habits, narratives, behaviors) of neighborhood change in Buffalo, New York affect residents’ sense of belonging. Drawing from scholarship on embodiment and place attachment this study examines how the urban form and personal identities inform a person’s sense of belonging. Participants (n=6) were asked to participate in five phases: 1) a life history interview; 2) a semi-structured interview; 3) the collection of audio-visual materials, and 4) a walking tour. Findings suggest embodied experiences of neighborhood change inform participants sense of belonging. Race and gender resulted in differing interactions with people and place. This study adds to existing literature on belonging by offering an understanding into how white residents experience neighborhood change, which is rarely attended to in the literature. This study has the potential to inform future interdisciplinary research as well as municipal efforts to engage residents in community development and urban policy design. / 2025-05-15T00:00:00Z

Literature indicates that while attending a predominantly White institution (PWI), Black men often experience stigmatization and feelings of alienation. Despite concerns of racial tension experienced by Black men at PWIs there is limited research exploring the campus climate perceptions of Black men in college. While Black students may have some similarities in navigating predominantly White campuses, there are relevant differences influenced by the intersection of race and gender. The post-secondary success of Black men has been identified as an area of concern in higher education due to the considerable disparities seen in college persistence and completion rates. However, discourse often focuses on perceived deficits of Black men in college instead of understanding how institutions can better support their success. There is a need to shift the conversation to explore how institutional climate plays a role in the experiences and outcomes of Black men. Research suggests that developing a sense of belonging is influenced by context and environment and can be challenging, but impactful for Black men. The current study seeks to understand the role that perceived campus climate plays in the development of sense of belonging for Black undergraduate men attending a PWI. The guiding research questions were: (1) What are the perceptions of campus climate for undergraduate Black men who attend a predominantly White institution? (2) How does the intersection of racial and gender identity influence the campus climate perceptions of undergraduate Black men? (3) How do the perceptions of campus climate influence the sense of belonging for undergraduate Black men? This qualitative study used various data collection methods including interviews, photovoice, and focus groups to gain an in-depth understanding of participants perceptions and experiences. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, this analysis offers insights and makes meaning of 12 Black men’s lived experiences and perceptions of their campus belonging while attending a PWI. Eight themes emerged in response to the study research questions. The findings suggest that the campus climate perceptions of Black men are related to the intersection of their race and gender. Additionally, there were salient factors of campus climate that influenced the sense of belonging for participants in the study such as the absence/presence of Black peers and faculty/staff and supportive spaces of cultural familiarity. The findings of this study could have great implications for the future success of Black men as higher education institutions are confronted with declining enrollment and continued disparities in college persistence and graduation rates for their Black male students. / Educational Administration

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