Outcomes

• Discover how inclusion and belonging can lead to greater success for students.
• Learn about the importance difference between equity and equality.
• Explore ways to strengthen students’ connection to your school and provide effective support them when they face challenges.

Overview

Every interaction with a student offers an opportunity to strengthen, or weaken, a student’s sense of belonging. Every conversation, email communication, instruction on a form, image on a brochure or poster, or policy revision can reinforce that your school is a place where students are equitably supported. Every point of engagement offers an opportunity to increase a student’s likelihood of degree completion and success, by reinforcing that they are seen, heard, and belong.

Building a college experience that provides every student with an equitable chance of success requires us to create equitable, inclusive processes and experiences. When we demonstrate to a student that they are not alone and reinforce that they have the inner strength and ability to stay on course, they are more likely to stay engaged and discover ways to navigate the challenges they are facing. When we prioritize time and resources to provide what students really need, not what we think they need, we can make real change to improve outcomes. While every need may not be instantly met, the process of moving towards solutions can begin.

The content in this module can help users:

• Understand the connection between student success and belonging.
• Consider what it means to provide equitable pathways to student success.
• Think about ways that small changes could have a big impact on your students’ experiences and strengthen their potential to navigate challenges.

Tips for Using This Module

• Group Meetings and Staff Training: Select and share videos that support your goals during staff meetings. Use the Featured Video Worksheet (below) with groups, or as an individual.
• Onboarding New Staff: Integrate resources into onboarding materials for new hires.
• Individual Professional Development: Provide access to resources to staff to support their personal learning goals and professional growth.

After watching the introductory videos, encourage participants to think about or share their thoughts.

• When you think about what it feels like to belong, what comes to your mind? Can you think of times or places where your sense of belonging was strong, and other times when it felt absent, or weak?
• Consider different aspects of your students’ experiences from an ‘equity lens’. When you apply an equity lens, it means you are analyzing or diagnosing the impact of processes, policies, forms, communications, conversations—all points of engagement with a student—and considering the impact on students who are under-served or marginalized. Using an equity lens can identify changes that can be made to potentially eliminate barriers.