Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Leadership Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Bo Yun Park
Abstract
This research study examines the role of institutional selectivity and size in facilitating feelings of belonging for racially marginalized students in predominantly white college campuses. Unlike past research, which has focused its methodology primarily on large research institutions, I seek to research small liberal arts institutions in addition to larger colleges for a comparative effect to assess differences in campus structure and its implications for belonging. I use Washington and Lee, Randolph-Macon College, the University of Virginia, and James Madison University as case studies for examining differences in belonging between small liberal arts institutions and large research institutions, using quantitative and qualitative methods. While this research provides new insights on the relatively under-researched field of belonging at small liberal arts institutions, it also expands upon further research conducted at larger research institutions. I argue that more selective small liberal arts colleges will result in the lowest sense of belonging, as there is an increased amount of exposure to those who come from dominant cultural values and normative behaviors. I find that while more selective institutions result in an inherently lower sense of belonging for all students, the size of an institution has a minimal to nonexistent impact on students’ sense of belonging. I ultimately hope that my findings will provide greater advocacy and awareness for students of color at small liberal arts colleges and contribute to academic research on social belonging.
Recommended Citation
Herald, Christian, "Evaluating the Role of Institutional Size and Selectivity in Determining Social Belonging" (2025). Honors Theses. 1821.
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1821
