On the Road Home: A Content Analysis of Commuters' sense of Belonging

This summative qualitative content analysis examined factors that fostered and hindered 288 diverse commuter students' sense of belonging at an urban faith-based university. The findings revealed peer and faculty relationship development as a primary contributor to sense of belonging. Intentional effort expended, on-campus employment and co-curricular involvement fostered institutional commitment. High Impact Practices positively contributed to an increased sense of belonging, particularly for commuters not involved in co-curricular extracurricular activities. Time constraints, commuting, and difficulty maintaining relationships hindered belonging. Intolerance toward cultural differences contributed to feelings of marginality for commuters of color. Implications and recommendations for practice are presented.