What it Means to Belong: Past, Present & Future

At Albion College, we are guided by the belief that the core of a liberal arts education is not merely job readiness or professional preparation, but rather the pursuit of purpose. We believe that purpose is sometimes found in literary analysis and sometimes in the periodic table; sometimes it is found in an engaging discussion in the cafeteria and sometimes on the field of competition. It is found in the formation of deep lifetime friendships and in the mentorship of a faculty member. Purpose is at the core of what we do. It is what we seek. It is how we live.

Last fall, our facilities team purchased a few large planters to decorate the academic quad. Once they were filled, a new arrangement was built in them each week. The arrangements got more and more complex as the fall went on.

As I was walking to my office one day I saw Mary, the College gardener, building an arrangement in the container. Mary takes tremendous pride in her work. I have seen her standing back and mapping out in her mind what the garden layout should be. I have seen her plucking grass from between sidewalk cracks. This day, in late fall, Mary was finishing an arrangement of red berries, birch limbs, evergreen bows, dried flowers and other elements. I stopped and complimented Mary on the beauty she had been bringing to campus in the new containers. She told me that she had collected all of the materials herself from the Whitehouse Nature Center on campus. She went on to explain that she was trying to bring the nature preserve to the academic quad in each arrangement and that she hoped by next year to be able to have signs she could put in each planter explaining what each element was. There is a deep sense of purpose to Mary’s work. “I want everyone to be able to enjoy the preserve even if they don’t or can't go out to the trails,” she said.

I could have highlighted any number of stories about a faculty member finding purpose in their research or a student finding purpose in their study. Mary’s story of purpose, however, connects to the second belief that animates our community at Albion college. We believe it is our responsibility to build a community of belonging where all members feel that they belong and that the community belongs to them. For years I have, at every event, tried to know the names of the individuals who have made it happen, from catering staff to the facilities crew. I have tried each time to personally thank them face-to-face before the event. I want every member of our community to know how vital they are to our success: to know that they belong.

We know that students learn best when they feel like they belong. We know this from over two decades of cognitive research. When students do not feel like they belong because of the sometimes direct, sometimes subtle and sometimes covert messages they receive from their institution, they engage a part of the brain that manages perception and response to external threats. This is largely an unconscious process. When this takes place, a significant portion of the available cognitive effort a student can apply to learning is consumed by threat monitoring and internal emotional negotiation. Thus, when you receive messages that cause you to question your belonging, you are not able to learn effectively and are at a substantial cognitive disadvantage over others. At its root, belonging is about replacing privilege with equity. 

At its root, belonging is about replacing privilege with equity. 

The third belief we hold strongly is a belief in action. Action teaches us about the world around us. Action provides a medium through which to test our ideas. Action is part of our journey to discover purpose and action is what it takes to create a community of belonging. At Albion College, we believe students need to discover, use and test ideas outside the traditional classroom. We believe that values are only real when they are put into action. We believe the world needs our action-oriented, purpose-driven graduates to create a better world.

A few months ago, I read a story about one of our alums, Doug Parker, '84. He was flying on Southwest Airlines and, when the plane landed, he allowed everyone to disembark before he did. Doug is the CEO of American Airlines and is white. He had been reading a copy of How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi the entire flight. As the last few passengers departed, the flight attendant, a Black woman, sat down next to him to ask about the book he was reading. When he shared he was the CEO of American Airlines, she was blown away. He went on to say that a great proportion of his workforce was Black, as were many of his customers, and he knew he needed to act to understand and examine how the company he leads could become a more inclusive place of belonging. Doug embodies purpose, belonging and action. He had found his purpose and driven it to the heights of his industry, and still, he knew he needed to act for belonging. That is who we are.

Belonging has always been a pillar at Albion. But it seems more relevant today than ever before. As we move forward together in our commitment to be boldly anti-racist, belonging isn’t just important, it’s essential.

I recently sat down with Tanya Jagdish, '22, a current student at Albion, to get her perspective on what it means to belong, and how Albion has shaped her experiences both in and out of the classroom.

Tanya Jagdish is a junior at Albion. An international student from India, she’s faced some unique challenges in coming to a small liberal arts college in Michigan. Her story illustrates how important that sense of belonging can be.

Dr. Johnson: Tanya, would you be comfortable sharing some of your story about how and why you selected Albion?

Tanya: Actually, I was specifically looking for a small liberal arts college. I wanted to go to school at a place where I could forge strong connections. I wanted small classes that would give me a chance to get to know my professors and fellow students. Albion checked the boxes for me.

Albion is a place that doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions—and encouraging students to do the same.

Dr. Johnson: And has your Albion experience lived up to those expectations?

Tanya: The short answer is yes, but it wasn’t always easy. It was tough for me as an international student. There were cultural barriers on top of the usual freshman nerves. I’m generally a social and outgoing type of person, so that was difficult for me. The good news is that I’ve overcome my inhibitions, and Albion had a lot to do with that. From professors who encouraged me to try new things and step up into leadership roles, to opportunities to participate in open and honest conversations about race and privilege. Albion is a place that doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions—and encouraging students to do the same.

Dr. Johnson: Was there a moment when you truly felt like you belonged here at Albion?

Tanya: There was no one big cinematic “aha!” moment, but when I was asked to become President of the International Students Union, it definitely opened my eyes to the role I could play here on campus. As I began serving as a mentor and helping other students build new relationships and make new connections, it deepened that sense of belonging for me personally. The school does so much to promote programs that bring people together—especially minorities and students from traditionally marginalized communities.

Our Office of Campus Life has many initiatives that help connect students with mentors, works on improving representation and support a diverse array of student groups that plan and participate in a rich slate of programming and special events throughout the year.

Dr. Johnson: It seems like those groups, those connections, and those experiences have been key to your own sense of belonging. 

Tanya: To me, belonging simply means feeling like I am a part of campus—like I am a true member of the student community here. That my voice is heard, my perspectives are listened to and my contributions are valued. Albion has created that atmosphere for me, and I hope that I’ve been able to give back in turn.

I want to thank Tanya for taking the time to connect and talk about the important issue of belonging—both here at Albion and in the world in general today.