Culturally Engaging Campus Environments: Understanding Low-Income Students' Sense of Belonging in Their First Year

• In Event: 79.028 - "Supporting Low-Income Students’ College Transition: Factors Related to Sense of Belonging in the First Year"

Abstract

As colleges seek to increase socioeconomic diversity on their campuses, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of how low-income students experience a sense of belonging. This study considers the results of an online survey administered to low-income first-year students (n=431). After an exploratory factor analysis, two ordinary least squares regressions were used to investigate the relationships between five Culturally Engaging Campus Environment (CECE) indicators (Museus, 2014) and sense of belonging for low-income students. All retained CECE factors were significant predictors of sense of belonging. These results suggest that selective institutions looking to support low-income students’ sense of belonging may seek to utilize the CECE model to develop a more comprehensive appreciation of the low-income student transition experience.

Authors

• Emma Bausch, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Kristen Glasener, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Steven Lonn, University of Michigan

• Kedra Ishop, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor