Author Date

2020-06-02

Degree Name

Department

Sociology

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Defense Date

2020-06-09

Publication Date

2020-06-16

First Faculty Advisor

Jacob Rugh

Second Faculty Advisor

Bryant Jensen

First Faculty Reader

David James Gonzales

Honors Coordinator

Del Scott

Keywords

race, discrimination, belonging, campus climate, religion

Abstract

Campus racial climate in universities across the United States have been linked to several aspects attributed to student success. One aspect of campus climate is sense of belonging, which is correlated with retention, graduation, and student satisfaction. This study seeks to understand sense of belonging and the factors that impact it. In studies across the country, white students have been found to experience a greater sense of belonging than students of color. I seek to discover the factors associated with belonging and their effects. Based on a logistic regression model, students of color and white students at BYU do have a statistically significant difference in sense of belonging, with students of color being less likely to feel a sense of belonging. The implications of these findings, as well as explanations as to why race is a significant factor for belonging, are discussed, along with possible steps to progress towards a more inclusive campus for all.