A significant body of research lends support to the notion that establishing certain “enabling conditions” makes it more likely that young people will be successful, thrive and flourish in school, work and their lives.
A sense of belonging is one “enabling condition” associated with a positive undergraduate experience, academic achievement and psychological well-being. On the other hand, what some psychologists call "belonging uncertainty" is associated with student disengagement and less successful academic outcomes.
On Wednesday, April 3, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Dean Gary G. Bennett spoke to a group of more than 50 Duke students, faculty and staff about the importance of belonging and the undergraduate experience. The student-centered conversation was facilitated by Dean Bennett and Professor of the Practice of Education David Malone, with the aim of providing a space for students to share their voices and perceptions about belonging and well-being at Duke.
Belongingness does not always happen spontaneously. It might require intentionality, purpose, internal work, deliberative dialogue, and skills to navigate complex campus cultural factors.
Belongingness is also an equity issue — not all students feel at home on campus. Some may feel like a guest in someone else's house: Hesitant to "put their feet up" and share their authentic selves.
Research on belonginess has grown over the past decade — including important scholarship going on right here at Duke. We understand better what happens to the brain and body when young people feel a sense of belonging. We know, for example, that rates of anxiety and depression decrease when students feel like they belong.
One consistent research finding is that certain activities that take a person outside of a sole focus on themselves — activities such as service-learning and community engagement — often lead to a greater sense of belonging, positive mental health and greater authentic engagement in school.
Dean Bennett opened the session by sharing his own experiences with feelings of belonging and well-being. He commented on his initial job talk at Duke, and on how a welcoming comment made by Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics Dr. Dennis Clements (a participant in the conversation) made everyone laugh, putting him at ease and creating a sense of belonging. He also referenced his own undergraduate experience at Morehouse College, where he didn’t initially feel like he belonged. After participating in a summer research program, a group of first-year classmates convinced him to join them for a night of fun in Atlanta and after an evening of bonding. These Morehouse classmates are still some of his very best friends today.
The dean also mentioned imposter syndrome — how many of us at times feel as though we are imposters who don’t belong. When others reach out to you and tell you that you do belong, that you are a part of the community, you begin to experience a sense of comfort, belonging and well-being.
Malone shared with students the idea that certain “enabling conditions” are necessary for thriving and flourishing, including a sense of belonging and a sense that the community you belong to values and cares for your well-being. The students were then invited to respond to several questions:
For over an hour, the students discussed their own well-being and sense of belonging at Duke, and shared stories about experiences that have both amplified and diminished both feelings.
Several students mentioned the importance of finding a community of other students who share common interests and identities. They cited a few of the places where they found belonging at Duke, including a swing dance club, the living community at the Keohane Quad, K-ville, sporting events and friend groups. A faculty member mentioned that we find belonging through people with similar interests, but we also grow when we are around new groups that can expand our thinking and ways of seeing ourselves and others.
Students weighed in on the importance of both structured and unstructured activities in creating a sense of belonging and well-being. Not everything has to be a formal activity or club. Several faculty members mentioned that the best parts of college can be outside of the classroom — that “wasting time” with others is important because it can strengthen friendships and build community.
Students offered a range of views on campus topics such as QuadEx, off-campus parties, Greek life, selective living groups, the impact of COVID on campus life, and what it means to have fun at Duke. Multiple — and at times conflicting — perspectives were shared on which direction the campus should take to generate a greater sense of belonging and well-being among its students.
Dean Bennett mentioned that many students attribute their sense of belonging to pre-orientation programs and FOCUS. A student asked how they can learn early on about the many resources that Duke provides to students; another mentioned opportunities for students to organize activities themselves, proactively approaching offices in both academic and Student Affairs. The group discussed the questions, “do students need to wait for the Duke administration to organize activities for them? Can they do it themselves? Is there a balance?”
The conversation ended with an invitation for students to commit to taking action to strengthen belonging and well-being on Duke’s campus.
Dean Bennett mentioned student leaders from the civil rights movement and the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in. These college students didn’t wait for others to organize things; they organized themselves. They used their collective agency to change the entire country.
“You have the ability to have agency around here, and to use your agency in a way that’s collective — working with one another to imagine how this place could be a little bit better, a little bit different, a little bit more fun,” he said.
