Residential halls are an important component of college education, and the benefits for holistic personal development have been documented by previous research. The majority of studies, however, have focused on Western universities. The current research therefore assessed the academic, social and independent development of students attending…

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the experiences of students working as resident assistants (RAs) in college or university housing departments during the March 2020 COVID-19 shutdown. Twelve current and former RAs participated in qualitative interviews exploring their experience as their institutions shut down because of COVID-19.…

Queer college students experience microaggressions and macro-aggressive behaviors that may diminish positive effects of on-campus housing. This longitudinal, qualitative study examined the narratives of 12 queer college students and their experiences living on campus toward understanding the ways queer college students navigate their required…

LGBTQ+ supportive practices in college and university housing must extend beyond cursory policies and practice. Applying a critical framework, The Traditionally Heterogendered Institution (THI), this study explores the experiences of 16 LGBTQ+ students navigating college and university housing. Findings illustrate how colleges and universities…

Construction and new facility decisions regarding student housing remain difficult for many colleges and universities. Challenges associated with these decisions include rising building costs, waning government funding, daunting facility safety codes, and compliance with evolving accessibility legislation, among many factors. One solution,…

Sense of belonging is critical for students throughout their college experience, and even more so now, given the current concerns about undergraduate graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to explore how students' perception of their sense of belonging on campus is affected by where and with whom they live. We utilized a multidimensional…

Students of Color Experience predominantly White institutions (PWIs) differently than do White students in terms of belonging, support, connecting, and success. While this topic has been explored broadly, there remain gaps in the literature about experiences of Students of Color in the context of residential communities, which provide the setting…

Chinese students are currently the largest international student population in the United States (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2014). However, little research exists on these particular students' lived experiences with language and interactions with domestic students and how these experiences affect their sense of belonging in residence halls.…