Peer inclusion has a greater impact on belonging for students of color: best practices for instructors and administrators

Students of color often face unique challenges in higher education, including lower levels of belonging. To understand these challenges, we administered a university climate survey across three colleges in the Wisconsin Alliance for Minority Participation (WiscAMP; N = 3,370) assessing a variety of outcomes related to students' educational experience and their well-being. Findings revealed that students who perceived higher peer inclusion reported a stronger sense of belonging; this effect was stronger among students of color. Sense of belonging had downstream effects on outcomes such as mental and physical health, confidence in success, and overall evaluations of their university. Our results suggest that peer inclusion is particularly important for students of color. Building on these findings, we highlight nine evidence-based practices that promote inclusion through peer interaction and classroom design. Examples include creating opportunities for students to interact with one another, establishing inclusion and respect as expected parts of classroom culture, and implementing programs that train peers to guide small groups through collaborative problem-solving and discussion. These findings position peer inclusion as a central lever for improving belonging and well-being, offering empirically grounded strategies for instructors and administrators seeking to support students of color.