Impact of Student-Teacher Relationships on the Academic Sense of Belonging of Community College Male Students of Color: A Literature Review

This review of literature explores student-teacher relationships, and how this impact the academic sense of belonging of community college male students of color. The level and quality of student-teacher relationships in college is a major factor that shapes students’ experiences, personal development, academic outcomes, and sense of belonging. These interactions are important in community colleges where a wide range of students including first-generation and other non-traditional students balance education with other life responsibilities. As the diversity in community colleges serves as enrichment, it also creates a challenge in creating an inclusive campus culture (Goering et al., 2022). Establishing a strong student-teacher relationship, especially for male students of color is not only important but necessary to address these challenges, as such connections can enhance their sense of belonging and integration within their academic community (Card & Wood, 2019).