In this competitive market for the next generation of students, what can schools, colleges, and universities learn from other industries about connecting people to their brand, building a sense of community, and developing stronger bonds? brightspot Founder Elliot Felix spoke with industry leaders Devan Ford-McCartney of MD Anderson, Sam Roberts of Delta, and Tom Ellett of Quinnipiac University to answer these questions and share advice on building community and belonging.

1. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
A Look Across Industries on
Ways to Create Community
and Belonging

2. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Objectives and Agenda
In this competitive market for
the next generation of students,
what can schools, colleges, and
universities learn from other
industries about connecting
people to their brand, building
a sense of community, and
developing stronger bonds?
Introduction 8mins
Poll on Challenges 5mins
Challenges 9mins
Poll on Solutions 5mins
Solutions 9mins
Organization 9mins
Advice 5mins
Q&A 10mins
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3. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Panelists
Devan Ford-McCartney Sam Roberts Tom Ellett Elliot Felix
DEI Practitioner and
Consultant
General Manager
Delta SkyClub
Chief Experience Officer Founder and Partner
MD Anderson Delta Quinnipiac University Brightspot Strategy
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4. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Defining Sense of Belonging
for College Students

5. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Defining Sense of Belonging
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Dr. Terrell Strayhorn defines college student
belonging as:
“Students’ perceived social support on campus,
a feeling or sensation of connectedness, and
the experience of mattering or feeling cared
about, accepted, respected, valued by, and
important to the campus community or others
on campus such as faculty, staff, and peers.”

6. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Measuring College Student Belonging with NSSE
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The National Survey of Student Engagement began measuring belonging in 2020
and found students who intend to return have 41% higher sense of belonging.
Source: NSSE 2020, n=185,000+ students and 580
bachelor’s degree-granting institutions. Tableau Dashboard
Measuring College Student Belonging
Three questions, 20 pts each for score
out of 60 points:
1. I feel comfortable being myself at
this institution
2. I feel valued by this institution
3. I feel like part of the community at
this institution

7. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
What the NSSE data tell us about belonging
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Source: NSSE 2020, n=185,000+ students
and 580 bachelor’s degree-granting
institutions. Tableau Dashboard
The NSSE survey data reveal differences in belonging by race/ethnicity as well as
characteristics such as first-gen status, full- vs. part-time, and on- vs. off-campus.
Notable Differences in NSSE:
All Online Courses: +6.1% belonging
Living on Campus: +4.2% belonging
Enrolling Full-time: +2.5% belonging
Continuing Gen: +2.0% belonging
Women: +2.0% belonging
Transfering: +1.0% belonging
Feel like part of
the community
Feel comfortable
being myself
Feel valued

8. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Belonging Discussion
Across Industries

9. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging 9

10. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
What are the challenges to
building community and
belonging?

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12. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
What are the ways you are
building community and
belonging?

13. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
How do you organize
and develop your
teams to do this?

14. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
What advice do you
have on community
and belonging?

15. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Tactics to Try
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16. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Impact of Wise Interventions
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Source: “A brief social-belonging intervention in college improves adult
outcomes for black Americans” Brady, Cohen, Jarvis, and Walton. 2020
A randomized controlled trial of ~250 students
analyzed the impact of a 1-hour intervention 7-11
years later on social belonging. The intervention
(reading stories and reflecting) communicated a lack
of belonging as common and temporary.
Compared to the control, participants earned higher
GPAs, and reported higher career satisfaction and
success, higher mental and physical health, and more
leadership and community involvement, with more
significant increases among Black participants.

17. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Impact of Membership on Retail Experience
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In a retail randomized control trial, telling customers they were a member of the
store increased their satisfaction 17% and their sense of belonging 15% (n=132)
Source: Magnus Söderlund
Can the label ‘member’ in a loyalty program
context boost customer satisfaction?

18. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Building brand loyalty through community
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Brands are moving beyond transactional perks to instead build loyalty by
focusing on specific customer segments and building community. HBR article
IKEA Gaming Desk Fitbit Coaching Poshmark Meet-up

19. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Questions?
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20. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
Thank you!
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21. NACAC Conference 2022 A Look Across Industries on Ways to Create Community and Belonging
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