NACA Involvement, Engagement, & Sense of Belonging definitions

NACA has adopted the following definitions for involvement, engagement, and sense of belonging to provide a baseline and framework to guide the work of the Association as we strive to create college communities where everyone belongs. The Research and Scholarship Group reviewed current literature and conducted focus groups at NACA Live to define the terms. This resource also provides questions to guide discussions on campuses and case study scenarios to illustrate each term.

• Involvement - Interactions that allow for intentional participation and consumption of experiences which allow participants to choose a level of investment in the university experience.
• Engagement - Sustained and shared interactions that create experiences for personal meaning making, emotional responses, and/or further personal development.
• Sense of Belonging - The extent to which individuals feel their authentic self is personally accepted, respected, included, supported, and safe in the university environment.