Associate Professor Rose Vukovic, Department of Educational Psychology, asked students in her Fall 2019 FYI course to examine data from the 2018 Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey. Survey responses showed first-generation students and students of color felt less valued at the U of M Twin Cities than other students, and students wrote essays reflecting on the survey results. Feedback mentioned ways advisors and student support staff can make campus more inclusive. Suggestions included a desire to discuss diversity and inclusion issues with their advisors and that they appreciate regular check-ins and referrals to campus resources. Below are excerpts from four student essays.

What can non-marginalized students do to make campus more inclusive? They could welcome others. For example, on welcome week non- marginalized students could try to knock on doors and say hi to their neighbors or kids on their floor. This way you create a sense of community, making others feel welcomed and willing to be more open towards you. The University of Minnesota Administration should also help students feel a sense of belonging by doing check-ins. A check-in would be students meeting with their advisors. Doing so may allow students to share their feelings without judgement, being able to open up and resolve problems they may be having on campus. -Johnathan

Ask questions about the feelings and needs of others, be curious of how you can make them feel more valued. Be interested in the endeavors of your peers. Make their individual interests feel important and valued. Encourage matters of growth and ideas within them. Faculty and other adult mentors, help students with their questions, inform about campus resources that can help them. There is so much one person can do to make another feel as though their individual values and characteristics are important. -Kallianne 

The University of Minnesota is commonly referred to as a highly diverse campus. Right from the beginning we are shown statistics of how people from all over the world come to the University of Minnesota and just how diverse we are. So how can we allow all people no matter what a person’s race, ethnicity, or cultural background feel that sense of belonging and respect? The U does a very nice job of offering clubs and organizations to be a part of to help create that sense of belonging, but this clearly is not enough to ensure that for all students. Having these groups more accessible and having more of them could help this issue…One other thing that everyone can also help to take part in would be to always be welcoming and respectful to everyone here on campus. It should be everyone’s goal to help ensure that all students feel respected and a sense of belonging here on campus and this will be a team effort to help provide that for each student here. -Mackenzie

The feeling of belonging includes feeling respected, valued, and loved within a community. Feeling this comfort and inclusion in your community, particularly your college community, is incredibly important. Just as humans need food or water, we need to feel that our presence is significant. This is a critical step in anyone’s pursuit of happiness and overall satisfaction with life. There should be abundant resources available for students who feel at all excluded from the university community. Counselors and advisors should be ready to have discussions about any situations surrounding diversity and inclusion. The U of M should continue to support student groups for minorities. Additionally, non-marginalized students can take an active role in promoting total student body acceptance by embracing marginalized students and being open to hearing their perspectives. With these steps, our university can grow to become a more accepting, loving environment that makes it easy to feel comfortable no matter who you are. -Maggie