How Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Influence Sense of Belonging in College: An Examination of Differences Between White Students and Students of Color

Low persistence and degree completion rates continue to plague higher education, and students of color persist at even lower rates than their White peers. Research has linked greater sense of belonging in college to increased intentions to persist to graduation. However, research on how culturally relevant and responsive campus environments facilitate or hinder belonging and subsequent graduation among racially diverse college student populations is sparse. Using linear regression techniques, the authors use survey data from 870 students at an urban public research university to examine the relationship between culturally engaging campus environments and sense of belonging among White students and students of color. Results show that culturally engaging environments explain a significant portion of the variance in the belonging outcome for both White students and students of color. Implications for research and practice are discussed.