Impact of Multicultural Student Belongingness at 1862 Institutions

Abstract

A sense of belongingness in the underrepresented minorities (URM) collegiate requires that the student feel the university provide a safe and welcoming environment. The purpose of this study is to explore the sense of belongingness that contributes to URM’s perceptions while participating in the summer programs at Kansas State University to increase future college of agriculture enrollment. We evaluate participants using a Likert Scale survey to rate their perceived belongingness and experience upon completion of the summer program. Overall, results indicate the summer program increased the underrepresented minority participants’ sense of belongingness at Kansas State University because of the program coordinators, and exposure to an inviting environment. Additional findings show the program positively affected the collegiate experiences of the participants and increased their knowledge of the agricultural sciences.