Creating Community and Belonging Workshop

Our learners crave community and a sense of belonging. College students who feel connected to their peers and instructors are more likely to succeed academically and personally. Yet, creating a sense of community can be challenging for instructors due to large class sizes, diverse student populations, and increasing reliance on online and hybrid learning environments, among other factors.

This in-person workshop invites instructors from all ranks, fields and teaching modalities to learn about evidence-based approaches and resources that contribute to students’ sense of community and belonging in a course and university program.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• define what creating a sense of community and belonging means in an educational context and list the benefits
• describe various strategies to foster a sense of community within their courses and programs, enhancing student engagement and connection
• determine assessments to measure a sense of community and belonging in their courses and programs
• connect with resources on campus that contribute to students’ sense of community and belonging

Who is the facilitator?

Lucian Rothe, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of German at UofL, specializing in applied linguistics and education. Recognized for his innovative instruction, Dr. Rothe received the 2023 TILL Teaching Innovation Award and the 2024 Diversity Champion Award from the College of Arts and Sciences. As a Delphi Center Faculty Affiliate, he looks forward to sharing his experiences and facilitating conversations among educators from all fields and other university stakeholders to enhance the educational experience on campus.