Rural Students’ Sense of Belonging: The Influence of Academic Campus Climate

ABSTRACT Pulling from a sample of students from rural backgrounds ( n = 1847), multilevel modeling was used to explore how the academic campus climate can predict sense of belonging for rural students. Findings offer insights into how certain perceptions, behaviors, and institutional characteristics may influence sense of belonging. For instance, higher perceptions of one's academic abilities and the campus diversity, participation in academic advising and intergroup dialogue, and attending a campus located in less urban locations and with higher proportions of racially similar peers all positively influence sense of belonging for rural students. The implications and significance of the study are discussed.