A University Curriculum of Belonging

In this qualitative research study, I used interviews with student life professionals and focus groups with current University Utah students to explore the necessary elements of a course focused on student engagement. The question guiding my qualitative research is what are the major components of a leadership curriculum for a university course intended to increase a student's sense of belonging? Students who are involved outside of the classroom while attending higher education do better academically and have a greater connection to their school keeping them engaged and happy until their degree competition. It is clear that not all students have the opportunity to get involved in extracurricular organizations because of outside commitments, time constraints and financial constraints. The class curriculum developed from this research will be for all students to give them other options to find a community on campus. This school course will be for credit and will allow the students taking the class to find a connection and work towards getting their degree at the same time. Students and professionals at the University of Utah are actively engaged in making the higher education experience at the university better for everyone.