Abstract:

This paper discusses the importance of university students feeling that they belong and that they have a strong community of support in order to thrive in higher education. Abraham Maslow argued in his Hierarchy of Needs theory that humans have a strong need to belong and that it was a prerequisite for a sense of self-worth (1971). This has been echoed by many as today most scholars and lay people alike agree that a sense of belonging is a basic human need for an individual to flourish. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released their report, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” warning that loneliness had reached epidemic proportions. The World Health Organization also recognized that a lack of social connection is a global problem and announced the creation of the Commission on Social Connection. A general assumption has been that students in higher education naturally make friends and integrate easily into campus life. However, an increasing number of students struggle with loneliness, a lack of social connection to others, and community. This is problematic for all students but more so for those transitioning from high school to university, and international students, many of whom are a long way from home and missing friends and family. Additionally, the pandemic of the past four years has tremendously exacerbated the problem as most students experienced a dramatic shift from in-person classes to online learning. Whereas online classes are convenient for students and make education more accessible, they do not provide the same level of human interaction as face-to-face classes. We are now post-pandemic but the challenges of belonging and community have remained. In the Fall of 2022, Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) created “Community Matters,” a program designed to foster connection and community on campus.

This was a university-wide initiative with four objectives:
(1) To learn about the people that make up the diverse MSVU community,
(2) To encourage students, staff and faculty to meet others and learn their names,
(3) To foster interaction and peer support in and out of the classroom and,
(4) To promote individual well-being.

It initially was to be a one-month program but was extended to one year, and discussions are underway for a second phase. The paper outlines MSVU’s Community Matters program and presents recommendations for higher education institutions.

Keywords:

Higher education, belonging, community.