Belonging Resource: Shaping Belonging Before Arrival

Before students meet a single peer or instructor, they are already crafting a story about whether they can belong. Those stories often come from subtle cues such as how clearly expectations are communicated, how warmly they are welcomed, or how their concerns are acknowledged.

The Center for Higher Education Policy and Practice’s (CHEPP) report titled “Cultivating a Culture of Care and Belonging”, highlights how early institutional messaging creates foundational cues that influence whether learners feel connected enough to engage deeply. CHEPP notes that early belonging messages, especially for learners from historically underrepresented groups, can meaningfully shift outcomes over time.

Consider taking a moment with your team to reflect on:

• What unspoken fears do students carry into their first term, and how are we addressing them?
• How might we normalize students’ early uncertainties in our pre-arrival communication
• What stories do we want students to internalize about their ability to belong here?

Belonging is built and shaped through the narratives we help students form about themselves and their place in this community.