College students’ sense of belonging is a basic human need. Research suggests that satisfaction of this need is critical for optimal learning, development, and student success. Yet, racist and oppressive institutional structures, particularly at predominantly White institutions, coalesce in the othering and unbelonging that so many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) consistently experience. In this talk, Dr. Johnson will present a socio-ecological framework for fostering students’ sense of belonging, emphasizing the importance of structural-level interventions that address anti-Black and oppressive campus cultures.
About the presenter
Dr. Royel M. Johnson is Associate Professor of Higher Education with tenure in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. He is also the inaugural Director of Student Engagement in the USC Race and Equity Center and a faculty member in the Pullias Center for Higher Education. His Ph.D. in higher education and student affairs, with a cognate in race and social policy, is from The Ohio State University.
Dr. Johnson is a nationally recognized expert on issues of educational access, racial equity, and student success. His work has an unapologetic focus on Black and multiply marginalized populations like those impacted by the criminal punishment, child welfare, and inequitable educational systems. He has more than 40 academic publications including peer-reviewed articles in the Journal of Higher Education, Peabody Journal of Education and Teachers College Record; and he has been awarded over $5.1 million in grants and contracts from organizations such as the Spencer Foundation, Institute of Education Sciences, and Department of Health and Human Services. His edited book with Drs. Liliana Garces and Uju Anya, Racial Equity on College Campuses: Connecting Research and Practice, was recently published by SUNY Press and is available where books are sold.
For his early career achievements, Dr. Johnson was awarded the 2020 Distinguished Young Alumni Award from the University of Illinois. He also received the 2020 Emerging Scholar Award and 2022 Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education and Research Award from ACPA—College Educators International.
