ABSTRACT
Student engagement within the campus community creates identities of social worth and a sense of belonging on campus, qualities associated with academic persistence and emotional well-being. Group dynamics among majority culture domestic students can unintentionally form closed groups that leave out international and other culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students from social networks that build social capital during school and beyond. The complex nuances of communicating in a second language – fast-moving, idiomatic English – can further intimidate and isolate CLD students from their peers. University policies, practices, and culture can be designed to foster engagement activities that support interactions across diverse social groups. Recommendations for effective engagement practices include examples of innovative programs that facilitate engagement on a number of US campuses.
