Creating "home" on campus

Most student affairs educators have recognized that a critical element of campuses achieving high student satisfaction and retention is that the campus environment fosters belonging - or a sense of being at home. Belonging is even more important for U.S. domestic students from diverse backgrounds as well as international students studying in U.S. institutions. Belonging doesn't mean that you feel accommodated but that you are part of the institution and matter to peer students, faculty and staff.

It is critical to distinguish a commitment to belonging versus reinforcing dependence among students. Care can resemble the old legal doctrine of "in loco parentis" rather than fostering the resilience that is so essential in the preparation for adulthood. Steve Mints advice in "Arrested Development" offers numerous suggestions to help transform colleges into incubators of adulthood while turning the campus into a place of belonging for everyone.

Advice for international students on how to engage in ways to foster belonging is helpful and includes joining a club or sports team, pursuing volunteer opportunities, and becoming an institutional ambassador.  Graduate students' need to belong is often overlooked but is just as important. Introverts are another type of student who may have difficulty connecting with others and the institution. And it strikes me that the reluctance of international students to engage in an unfamiliar environment and graduate students who have less opportunity to be involved may actually be part of the introverted student population that needs that extra nudge.