Building an inclusive environment requires training people to engage with discomfort
A sense of safety or comfort doesn’t always lead to an inclusive culture
Source | www.fastcompany.com | SHAWNA SHAPIRO
It is a growing problem on campuses across America. Students entering college are reporting levels of anxiety, depression, and social isolation higher than previous generations. The phrase “mental health crisis” has become commonplace within higher education circles.
Today’s undergraduates belong to the group known as Generation Z, iGen, or post-millennials, defined roughly as those born between 1997 and 2012. They comprise the most ethnically diverse and globally connected generation of U.S. students. They have been widely categorized as open-minded, hard-working, and eager to solve world problems.
So why do so many of these students report feeling stressed and socially disconnected on campuses—and what can be done to help? Surprisingly, my research shows that a sense of safety or comfort may not be enough.
A SENSE OF BELONGING
Like a number of other researchers, I have been working to understand what factors contribute to college students’ sense of belonging. Sense of belonging is difficult to measure: It is not captured with demographic statistics or attrition rates. Rather, it has to do with students’ feelings of importance, connectedness, respect, and shared sense of purpose within the campus community. These feelings track closely with students’ reports of personal growth, as well as their academic performance.
