Revealing Gaps in Belonging in Incoming College Freshmen: An Intersectional MAIHDA Analysis

• In Event: Critical Analyses of Identity, Belonging, and Racialized Educational Outcomes

Abstract

This study applies the quantitative intersectional method of multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (I-MAIHDA) to identify the intersectional identities of students who feel the least sense of belonging upon college entry. Belonging – students’ sense of connection, acceptance, and mattering within the college environment – is a critical predictor of academic success and retention (Walton & Cohen, 2011). Using four years of survey data from a large public institution (N = 19,001), the analysis demonstrates that middle- and working-class students who identify as nonbinary and LGBQ+ report the lowest levels of belonging. Findings highlight the need for targeted institutional interventions to support these particular students at the outset of their college experience. Implications for practice are discussed.

Author

• Anwesha Guha, University of Oregon