Introduction

Another line of inquiry consists of studies where sense of belonging is posited as a function of perceived support from one’s peers, teachers, and family members (Hoffman, Richmond, Morrow, & Salomone, 2002-2003; Johnson et al., 2007; Strayhorn, 2008a). For instance, scholars have documented that students’ sense of belonging is greater if and when they socialize with peers whose backgrounds may differ from their own (Maestas, Vaquera, & Zehr, 2007; Strayhorn, 2008c). For college students, peers play an important and powerful role in facilitating sense of belonging, since it is the peer group “that serves to meet the need for belonging, feedback, and new learning experiences” (White & Cones, 1999, p. 42). And since we know that peer interactions can produce or inhibit sense of belonging, it is critical for college student educators to encourage positive interactions among students through conditions that matter in college (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, Whitt, & Associates, 2005).