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Over the past few years, working with students in online learning environments, I have realized that belonging is not something that just happens by accident; it’s something you have to actively build and nurture and deem necessary. To achieve this, we need to intentionally foster relationships based on a Christlike understanding of hospitality: loving others fully and sacrificially, embracing all students, inspiring hope, and inspiring change in their hearts.
In my work at the crossroads of online education and student support, I have seen how student development theories line up with a Christ-centered view of community, kindness, and human dignity. I recall a student named Kay who transferred into my large state university during her junior year. Most of her courses were online, but she had one course that was hybrid, meeting a few times in person throughout the semester. She was a first-generation, commuter, undeclared major, minority student who fit a lot of our targeted support areas. Kay entered the university with a high transfer GPA and strong test scores, and the predictive analytics indicated that Kay would likely do fine without intervention. However, the analytics proved wrong, and Kay struggled.
Thankfully, despite the excessive emails she received daily from various campus groups, one day her eye caught our eSuccess flyer. She reached out for a peer eSuccess technology consultation meeting to learn how to manage the learning platform, Canvas, and that simple step led to much more. After I saw she attended a few coaching sessions, I decided to reach out personally. Instead of just sending her emails or directing her to a chatbot for future questions and information, I invited her to a meeting. While she had a virtual meeting option, she chose to stop by my office after her in-person class meeting. Amongst the chaos of my messy office littered with sticky notes taped along the edges of multiple computer screens, scribbles on dry-erase boards, and various trinkets from my education journey, she felt welcomed – welcomed enough to enjoy the free candy and bottles of water I keep in a basket nearby. Before I could ask her the usual getting-to-know-you questions, Kay told me that this was actually her first face-to-face meeting with any professional staff member… and it was October! I was surprised because my university is committed to intentional student interactions regardless of modality. Kay attended an online orientation, participated in the virtual tours, and only visits campus a few times a semester. Although she could access the services in person or online, there was no direct targeted interaction amongst various departments, probably because departments assumed that “____” department would handle the outreach.
As we talked about Kay’s previous coaching sessions and attended workshops, I encouraged her to get involved in on-campus and online clubs. Additionally, I showed her how to use the appointment scheduling software to schedule meetings with her advisor and connect with her financial aid and career counselors. I also gave her a sneak peek at upcoming workshops on time management and study skills we were building, and she was excited about what was to come. Before she left, I showed her the building where her advisor works, just in case she wanted an in-person meeting with them, and parking locations closer to where she attends her class. Our chat was only 25 minutes, but since then, I have seen her at nearly every workshop we have hosted online, and I even had the chance to interview her to be a peer eSuccess coach and virtual tutor. Today, Kay is in our graduate program, and she continues to thrive.
Astin’s (1984) idea about student involvement explains Kay’s transformation. The more time and effort students put into meaningful educational opportunities, the more they grow and learn: even in the virtual world. Engagement can appear in different activities, including discussion boards, virtual leadership roles, and volunteer opportunities, and it makes a difference. If a student cannot come to campus, a quick virtual meeting or phone call where they can hear your tone and expressions helps build a connection. When students are intentionally invited to get involved, they start seeing themselves as active contributors rather than participants in a transactional interaction.
From a Christian perspective, this type of invitation lines up with the scripture that everyone is made in God’s image and has unique gifts meant to serve others (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). Helping students grow becomes like a calling; it invites them to participate and shows them that their presence matters. Moreover, Tinto’s (1993) idea of how students connect academically and socially emphasizes and represents the importance of developing a strong sense of belonging. Tinto pointed out that retention and thriving depends on students being able to plug into both the academic side and the social scene.
In virtual spaces, this integration needs to be purposeful. Regular conversations with staff, peer mentoring, and opportunities to chat and connect with peers socially can help students go from feeling isolated to feeling connected with their academic community. Rovai’s (2002) study on sense of belonging for online learners indicates that common bonds, trust and safety, task-driven interactions, and common expectations and goals are common pillars of community. Through a Christian lens, these tenets align with how Jesus modeled community: focusing on caring for one another, sharing responsibilities, and loving your neighbor (John 13:34-35, NIV). When institutions create online experiences that encourage shared leadership, highlight student stories, and show understanding of different life situations, they create spaces that connect growth theories and Christian beliefs. These factors identified by Rovai’s research were evident in Kay’s journey, as she continued to get involved, both virtually and in-person, in various workshops and meet-and-greet social activities.
Practically speaking, any office can help build a stronger sense of belonging online by starting small and being intentional. It begins with asking a simple question: Am I moving from invitation to intentionality? The simplicity of using students’ names rather than a general greeting (the beauty of mail merge) signals that they are seen as people, not just numbers or roles. Creating predictable points of connection also matters. Virtual office hours, shared trackers or calendars to ensure student groups are consistently reached, and small group gatherings around a shared topic give students reliable ways to get and stay connected. Consider having a shared group discussion board (like Padlet) with rotating weekly questions that any student can answer as a ‘water cooler’ opportunity to meet with others and connect with the virtual community.
Designing interactions for participation rather than perfection opens the door for more students to engage. Low-stakes opportunities to join in or lead allows students with varying comfort levels to feel safe attending. Adding moments for reflection and purpose invites students to connect their learning to meaning , which can influence their career choices that connect vocation and service.
In all settings, faith-based or not, praying for students (and with students when appropriate) reinforces care and reminds them that they are not walking their academic or personal journeys alone. When student development work is guided by theory and rooted in Christ-centered values, online spaces can become places of real connection, growth, and transformation. Even through a screen, students can experience what it feels like to be truly seen, deeply known, and genuinely welcomed by their academic institution.
References
- Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297–308.
- Rovai, A. P. (2002). Development of an instrument to measure classroom community. The Internet and Higher Education, 5(3), 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096- 7516(02)00102-1
- Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
- New International Version Bible. (2011). Zondervan.
