Join Chris Donoghue and Eunice Park for a new series designed to deepen your understanding of student belonging at Montclair State University.
A wide body of evidence demonstrates the importance of student belonging in achieving academic success. But what is belonging and how do we define it at Montclair?
To belong is to feel a deep sense of connection and mattering to the people and places that make up our community. The need to belong is fundamental to the human experience. It means we feel accepted, safe, and seen. In our surveys, we measure it by asking students about their level of classroom comfort, the support they feel from peers and faculty, and the degree of any isolation they may be experiencing. A common misconception is that all students feel like they belong when they see other students that look like them and have similar experiences, but the literature (and our data) show this is not true for all demographic groups.
At Montclair, we are working hard to understand these group differences not only in belonging but also in physical and mental health, work and family demands, race-based stressors, and other common challenges. You can learn all about these efforts, our survey findings, and helpful strategies for promoting belonging and inclusion by joining us for these sessions:
- Student Belonging at Montclair: Results of the 2024 Student Needs & Sense of Belonging Survey, Wed., Feb. 5, @ 2, in person
Research shows that learning environments that foster a strong sense of belonging are crucial for student persistence and success. What does sense of belonging look like at Montclair? How do students manage competing demands from work and family? How do challenges like work demands and mental health create barriers to belonging? Join Christopher Donoghue and Eunice Park as they share the undergraduate results of the 2024 Student Needs & Sense of Belonging Survey. Learn about the survey results that will support the University’s efforts to develop targeted interventions and support structures to enhance student success. (Graduate student results will be shared later this semester.)This study was commissioned by Provost Junius Gonzales to provide insights to all Montclair faculty and staff in their work ensuring student success. Understanding the insights gained from this survey will be helpful as we craft and hone our programming and work in and outside of classrooms. All members of the Montclair community are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided.
- Strategies & Pedagogies for Belonging and Inclusion, Mon., Feb. 24, @ 2pm, in person and online
It’s well known in Higher Education that students who feel a greater sense of belonging experience greater student success and overall well-being. But what do we mean when we say belonging? And what can faculty and staff do in the classroom to enhance feelings of belonging? Join Christopher Donoghue and Eunice Park to learn about classroom strategies and pedagogies that can raise feelings of belonging and inclusion. You will also hear what our students had to say about belonging in a series of Belonging Brainstorming Sessions held in the last few months. All members of the Montclair community are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided.
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Belonging as a Graduate Student at Montclair: Results of the 2024 Sense of Belonging Survey of Graduate Students, Mon., Mar. 24, @ 2pm, in person and onlineIn 2024, Academic Affairs expanded its research on belonging by surveying 725 graduate students on their experiences at Montclair. In addition to answering questions on belonging, they also told us why they chose Montclair for their graduate studies as well as how highly they rated us on factors like diversity, student success, variety of programs, and teaching quality. They also told us about their work demands, their educational goals, and their academic self-concept (e.g. rating their mathematical ability). Join Christopher Donoghue and Eunice Park as they unpack these findings about graduate education at Montclair and offer insights on how we can improve the student experience.All members of the Montclair community are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided.
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Faculty Workshop on Belonging: Sharing Strategies, Wed., Apr. 9, @ 4, in person and onlineThe campus community has talked a lot about belonging. Now it’s time to share ideas with each other. All faculty and staff are invited to join this final session in our spring 2025 series on belonging with Christopher Donoghue and Eunice Park, joined by members of OFE’s Community of Practice on Belonging. We invite you to share your ideas and experiences fostering belonging with students. It’s a great opportunity both to talk about what has worked for you, and to hear about what has worked (or not worked) for others.