The Importance of Cultivating a Sense of Belonging

How does our current sense of belonging shape our future professional endeavors?

In this episode, Dr. VaNessa Thompson, an academic program manager in Rackham, discusses research she has conducted on belonging—both in her dissertation and with U-M graduate students. Explore how seeing belonging as a relationship we need to tend can help us get the most out of our graduate experience, and the U-M resources that can help you do just that.

Resources

Career Center Rackham Events Graduate Student and Program Consultation Services Graduate Students Happening @ Michigan Get Involved and Find Your Community Graduate Student Opportunities at the Ginsberg Center Connect2Community Portal Check out your department for programming and student community groups! Rackham Student Groups

Graduate Rackham International (GRIN) Students of Color of Rackham (SCOR) Resources for Student Communities

Students of color Parents and caregivers Students with disabilities Veterans and military services International students LGBTQ+ students LGBTQ+ student groups Undocumented and DACAmented students First-generation students

Visit the GradWell website for more!

Reach out to Dr. Thompson with any questions: [email protected]

Email us about the podcast: [email protected]

Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group!



Guest Bio

VaNessa Thompson (she/her/hers) loves the classroom. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at the Oakland Community College English department. She has also been an adjunct instructor at Lawrence Technological University, Oakland University, and the Engineering Society of Detroit. Through her appointments, she has taught a variety of topics, including professional communication, technical writing, and leadership. She completed her Ph.D. in educational leadership while being a CORE program coordinator for the Center for Multicultural Initiatives at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. VaNessa's love for social media (@heydrvanessa) is more than just a hobby. She is continually exploring new ways to utilize social media to connect with students both inside and outside the classroom.